I've joined the club!

dreamkatcha · 27 April 2002, 17:49

Woohoo!! My Amiga 1200 arrived in the post this morning. I bought it from Yahoo auctions for £20. Not bad eh! Anyway, it's in good condition, but it's a bit grubby. What I want to do is take it apart and pull each key off so I can clean it and have it sparkling like new (because I'm sad like that

).

So has anyone got an tips for me? Dos or don'ts etc? Is it easy to pull the keys off? I've not even had a proper chance to look at it yet because I've been working all day but I'm going to get to it in an hour or two. Can't wait.

LaundroMat · 27 April 2002, 18:01

Congratulations!

One tip: don't turn it on too often. It has a detrimental effect on your social life.

blackcornflake · 27 April 2002, 18:24

LaundroMat! So true!

Another tip: check this link out. http://www.gurumeditation.net/amiga/...nkeyboard.html

dreamkatcha · 27 April 2002, 19:13

Ah, a cleaning guide, great stuff! Thanks very much.

I'll keep that in mind LM, lol.

27 April 2002, 19:40

Congratulations to you

Amiga1992 · 27 April 2002, 21:39

Indeed, welcome to teh club

dreamkatcha · 28 April 2002, 01:05

Phew, I'm back at last! A bit battle scarred, but triumphant. The A1200 put up a good fight yet in the end the dish cloth and flash won out.

I took every single key off, soaked them in a sink full of flash detergent and hoovered underneath the keyboard. Not a quick job I can tell you! Worth the effort though - it's now like new ...well except for a bit of yellowing (I wonder if there's a way to shift that?).

I somehow managed to break one of the little black clips which grips onto the metal wire underneath the space bar so now it's a bit lose at one end which is going to bug me forever - I'll have to see if I can fix that somehow later.

Tomorrow I'm going to see if I can hook it up to my PC using the null modem cable I bought five years ago and never had a use for (until now). I read somewhere that you can use Amiga explorer to transfer ADF files to floppies without loading any software at all on the Miggy side so that sounds like the best way to go.

Anyway I've waffled enough. Thanks for congrats guys.

Ian · 28 April 2002, 01:07

Quote:

Originally posted by Echostryker
well except for a bit of yellowing (I wonder if there's a way to shift that?).

White paint should do the trick

dreamkatcha · 28 April 2002, 15:47

Now why didn't I think of that? *slaps forehead*.

Someone told me bleach might work but then that would take the labels off the keys as well which isn't ideal. Has anyone tried spray painting their Miggies? You know just to customise them, not necessarily to cover up yellowing or anything like that? Have you got any pics?

I hooked it up to my PCTV card before and it worked fine so I can now play it on my flat screen 17 inch monitor (which is very handy considering I no longer have a real TV). I've got my PC wired up to my hi-fi so sound is top notch too.

Now I've just got to get to grips with all these PC - Amiga data transfer shenanigans. I've read through all the various options mentioned in the FAQs/tutorials but just want a personal opinion - which method are you all using? Which would you recommend for someone with an A1200 with no hard drive?

I thought the null modem cable would be the best way to go but now I can't seem to find it. I've got a 25 pin (at both ends) female cable which would be fine for the Amiga end but not the PC end (at least I don't think it would).

Muzkat · 29 April 2002, 14:14

If you have an old modem/COM port on your PC, it might fit the 25 pin female cable. I know mine does, because my PC is ageing a little.

Most modern PCs have 9 pin COM ports, though.

A good idea is to buy a cable with both 9 pin AND 25 pin on each end, so it can fit anything you can throw at it.

I'm still working my way through ADFing myself. Soon, very soon, I will be successful.

Amiga1992 · 29 April 2002, 16:11

You can buy a DB-25 to DB-9 adapter, that will do the trick. I know I tried!

dreamkatcha · 29 April 2002, 17:58

I think my null modem cable has either been lost or swiped from under my nose because I can't find it anywhere ...or I could have left it at a friends house when I linked our PCs up years ago. Don't suppose he ever thought about bringing this to my attention. Grrrr!!!

Anyway there are three computer shops within ten minutes walk of my house and I visited them all today to see if they sell null modem cables. One guy went into the back room and fetched a telephone cable, the guy in the second shop just looked at me blankly as if I'd just asked for a kg of kryptonite and the guy in the third shop knew what I was talking about but said he hadn't sold null modem cables for three years. Maplin sell them though so I'll have to wait till I go into town on Friday to pick one up.

Thanks for the advice by the way guys. My PC is quite new and has two 9 pin com ports so it looks like I'll need a 9 pin to 25 pin cable. I think an adapter will probably cost just as much as a new cable (£5.99) so I might as well just get a new cable.

27 April 2002, 17:49	#1
dreamkatcha I've got a new byline Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 1,219	I've joined the club! Woohoo!! My Amiga 1200 arrived in the post this morning. I bought it from Yahoo auctions for £20. Not bad eh! Anyway, it's in good condition, but it's a bit grubby. What I want to do is take it apart and pull each key off so I can clean it and have it sparkling like new (because I'm sad like that ). So has anyone got an tips for me? Dos or don'ts etc? Is it easy to pull the keys off? I've not even had a proper chance to look at it yet because I've been working all day but I'm going to get to it in an hour or two. Can't wait.

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27 April 2002, 18:01	#2
LaundroMat Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: In the cellar. With your mum. Age: 49 Posts: 404	Congratulations! One tip: don't turn it on too often. It has a detrimental effect on your social life.

27 April 2002, 18:24	#3
blackcornflake Moderator Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Cereal box Posts: 794	LaundroMat! So true! Another tip: check this link out. http://www.gurumeditation.net/amiga/...nkeyboard.html

27 April 2002, 19:13	#4
dreamkatcha I've got a new byline Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 1,219	Ah, a cleaning guide, great stuff! Thanks very much. I'll keep that in mind LM, lol.

27 April 2002, 19:40	#5
oldpx Posts: n/a	Congratulations to you

27 April 2002, 21:39	#6
Amiga1992 Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: ? Posts: 19,646	Indeed, welcome to teh club

28 April 2002, 01:05	#7
dreamkatcha I've got a new byline Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 1,219	Phew, I'm back at last! A bit battle scarred, but triumphant. The A1200 put up a good fight yet in the end the dish cloth and flash won out. I took every single key off, soaked them in a sink full of flash detergent and hoovered underneath the keyboard. Not a quick job I can tell you! Worth the effort though - it's now like new ...well except for a bit of yellowing (I wonder if there's a way to shift that?). I somehow managed to break one of the little black clips which grips onto the metal wire underneath the space bar so now it's a bit lose at one end which is going to bug me forever - I'll have to see if I can fix that somehow later. Tomorrow I'm going to see if I can hook it up to my PC using the null modem cable I bought five years ago and never had a use for (until now). I read somewhere that you can use Amiga explorer to transfer ADF files to floppies without loading any software at all on the Miggy side so that sounds like the best way to go. Anyway I've waffled enough. Thanks for congrats guys.

28 April 2002, 15:47	#9
dreamkatcha I've got a new byline Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 1,219	Now why didn't I think of that? slaps forehead. Someone told me bleach might work but then that would take the labels off the keys as well which isn't ideal. Has anyone tried spray painting their Miggies? You know just to customise them, not necessarily to cover up yellowing or anything like that? Have you got any pics? I hooked it up to my PCTV card before and it worked fine so I can now play it on my flat screen 17 inch monitor (which is very handy considering I no longer have a real TV). I've got my PC wired up to my hi-fi so sound is top notch too. Now I've just got to get to grips with all these PC - Amiga data transfer shenanigans. I've read through all the various options mentioned in the FAQs/tutorials but just want a personal opinion - which method are you all using? Which would you recommend for someone with an A1200 with no hard drive? I thought the null modem cable would be the best way to go but now I can't seem to find it. I've got a 25 pin (at both ends) female cable which would be fine for the Amiga end but not the PC end (at least I don't think it would).

29 April 2002, 14:14	#10
Muzkat Into the Wonderful Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Earthrealm Age: 42 Posts: 1,429	If you have an old modem/COM port on your PC, it might fit the 25 pin female cable. I know mine does, because my PC is ageing a little. Most modern PCs have 9 pin COM ports, though. A good idea is to buy a cable with both 9 pin AND 25 pin on each end, so it can fit anything you can throw at it. I'm still working my way through ADFing myself. Soon, very soon, I will be successful.

29 April 2002, 16:11	#11
Amiga1992 Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: ? Posts: 19,646	You can buy a DB-25 to DB-9 adapter, that will do the trick. I know I tried!

29 April 2002, 17:58	#12
dreamkatcha I've got a new byline Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 1,219	I think my null modem cable has either been lost or swiped from under my nose because I can't find it anywhere ...or I could have left it at a friends house when I linked our PCs up years ago. Don't suppose he ever thought about bringing this to my attention. Grrrr!!! Anyway there are three computer shops within ten minutes walk of my house and I visited them all today to see if they sell null modem cables. One guy went into the back room and fetched a telephone cable, the guy in the second shop just looked at me blankly as if I'd just asked for a kg of kryptonite and the guy in the third shop knew what I was talking about but said he hadn't sold null modem cables for three years. Maplin sell them though so I'll have to wait till I go into town on Friday to pick one up. Thanks for the advice by the way guys. My PC is quite new and has two 9 pin com ports so it looks like I'll need a 9 pin to 25 pin cable. I think an adapter will probably cost just as much as a new cable (£5.99) so I might as well just get a new cable.

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