Keyboard problem with ReAmiga 1200

[brett71]

Hey all, I've got a brand-new ReAmiga 1200 here that Chucky himself built for me and I've got a weird issue with it. The keyboard mostly works except that the CTRL key initially was unresponsive and the CAPS LOCK LED did not turn on. Thinking it was a bad keyboard membrane, I bought a new one, one of the hard PCB types. I've just put it into the machine and first time I booted it, I got a fast GURU LED, but the subsequent attempts it booted up just fine. However, the CTRL key and the CAPS LOCK LED still are not working. What should I look at next?

Also, the hard PCB membranes also has this little PCB that connects to the ribbon cable from the membrane, but to plug it into the 1200, I had to take off the little plastic piece which is supposed to hold the ribbon in the socket. With it on, the PCB won't fit through the slot, but it plugs in nicely direct to the motherboard connector. Any problems with this?

Could I have a bad CIA or bad keyboard controller chip in the 1200?

[lesta_smsc]

May be unrelated but I had a non responsive keyboard on A500 and it turned out (or so I'm led to believe) to be due to a short on the expansion port - undoing the short and it worked perfect.

[Krashan]

Originally Posted by brett71

Also, the hard PCB membranes also has this little PCB that connects to the ribbon cable from the membrane, but to plug it into the 1200, I had to take off the little plastic piece which is supposed to hold the ribbon in the socket. With it on, the PCB won't fit through the slot, but it plugs in nicely direct to the motherboard connector. Any problems with this?

No problems. It should be done exactly this way, the plastic clamp is not needed and should be taken off.

[IanP]

It's not the CIA as it's getting keyboard codes from the controller. The issue(s) is(/are) either between the keyboard controller and the keyboard socket or with the components of the keyboard. Try swapping the plunger under the CTRL key with another one. Does the LED flash during power up and does the caps lock key work even though the LED isn't lighting if not check the plunger on that key too?

[cpiac64]

U13 read the keyboard

[brett71]

Originally Posted by IanP

It's not the CIA as it's getting keyboard codes from the controller. The issue(s) is(/are) either between the keyboard controller and the keyboard socket or with the components of the keyboard. Try swapping the plunger under the CTRL key with another one. Does the LED flash during power up and does the caps lock key work even though the LED isn't lighting if not check the plunger on that key too?

Before I went the route of buying another membrane, I did swap the plunger between the CTRL key and one of the blank keys which did read properly. It had no effect, CTRL still did not register.

The LED does not come on at all, either during power up or if I press the key, however, the key works properly and does register. At the same time that I swapped the plunger for the CTRL key, I also flipped over the little rubber piece that is on the LED leads, but that had no effect either.

I've sent the machine to Acill to take a look at...we're hoping the problem is either a bad keyboard connector or maybe a solder bridge or bad solder joint on the keyboard connector. Worst case is that it's the keyboard controller chip. The only place I know of to get one of those is in the UK, and apparently shipments of anything in and out of the UK are currently blocked.

[cpiac64]

ok, i have repaired some membrane with "conductive silver paint"

[IanP]

That pretty much rules out a problem with the keyboard then. Hopefully it just needs some rework on the soldering of the connector or controller or an easy and inexpensive repair. Good luck.