P2MAX keyboard CTRL+ALT+F1 does not work

[wdy]

Greetings, all.

Got a P2MAX the other day, the end goal being using it with Linux. Turns out the combo CTRL+ALT+F1 does not work, which is kind of a big issue. The keys themselves are okay, just the combo does not work. Somehow the MCU responsible for scanning the keyboard is doing something (very) wrong.

Is there any chance a fixed firmware could be provided by GPD? If yes, can I flash it under Linux or EFI?

There is also the chance that this is a keyboard matrix ghosting issue, which would be very sad if true, as it will make this unfixable by design. In which case the designer who did this is quite the amateur.

Really, no one so far ever tried and noticed that you can’t go to first virtual console in Linux?

Hope GPD folks can be notified about this. I own two P2 and one P2Max, and some problems are bit ridiculous in otherwise good products.

[groundloop]

It sucks.

But Ctrl-Alt-F2 works, then ALT-left will get you there!

[wdy]

Yes, the other virtual console combos (F2 to at least F7) work. Once in console mode even ALT+F1 works.

But it is still horrible. Either a firmware bug, or a matrix layout nonsense. I fear it might be the latter - the switches for CTRL, ALT and F1 are forming a rectangle in the matrix and the MCU rejects them to avoid ghosting. But why would anyone put them in such a way is little beyond me. Pocket2 is fine in this regard.

Still a GPD statement about this is welcome, if somebody compiles periodic reports to them. There is always the chance even Windows users might need the combo for a shortcut in some software.

Anybody know if BIOS after 0.29 is in the works? I see at least one other horrible issue - switching between virtual consoles and graphics quite often does not work and the screen is blank. Sometimes can remain blank after tens of attempts and in the end needs reboot. Sometimes stays blank for couple of tries, then automagically reappears.

And I haven’t even gotten yet to testing the sleep mode. Pocket2 has similar occasional screen issues after resuming from sleep mode.

And no INSERT key, even on Fn layer, really? Keyboard-wise so far the P2Max is a failure. Pocket2 is nothing to write home about, but at least the keyboard is functionally usable.