Keyboard question

I transplanted the working innards of a grimy A500 into a nice new refurbished case but the new keyboard was designed to fit a Rev 5 motherboard and the working motherboard is Rev 6a. I only really want to use that keyboard because the one that came with the Rev 6a is horribly yellowed. Problem is that the Rev 5 keyboard has an extra pin in it's connector. It gives me a keyboard error (three blinks of the caps lock key) when connected to the Rev 6a.

Is it possible to get this to work? Just an aesthetic thing really, the other keyboard works just fine.

[BippyM]

Why not just swap the actual keys?

Or the PCB?

Hum. The PCB might be the way to go there- didn't know it could be removed! I certainly don't fancy replacing all those keys. Thanks.

[BippyM]

should be able to unscrew it, and simply detach the ribbon

Ack- Did the transplant... the PCB powers up fine but the keyboard is unresponsive. Caps lock comes on briefly on power-up so it's getting power but it just doesn't work after that.

[Syko]

According to http://hard-ware.de/amiga the keyboard connectors for both the A500 and A500+ are the same... pin out for both of them is:

1 CLOCK
2 DATA
3 RESET
4 +5V
5 N/C
6 GND

[BippyM]

Ahh!

I didn't realise you were doing 500 to 500+

That might not work as the 500+ has more keys on the KB!!

The actual PCB's will be different (Maybe the chip or whatever) compare them to see!

I'd just swap the keys if I were you!

[Syko]

Nope, Rev5 and Rev6a are both A500's, the A500+ is Rev8a. And yes, the A500+ does have extra keys but the connectors are the same...

Any A500 keyboard should work on either Rev 5 or 6a as they have the same kbd connector AFAIK

Not quite- there's one less pin on the 6a motherboard and one less wire going to the connector for it. The PCBs look identical though the chips are a different brand. Essentially whatever modifications would need to be made are out of my league- I'm swapping the keys!

This is something I would recommed for people who like a good mixture sheer monotony punctuated only by the occasional injury sustained from a really stubborn key.

[Syko]

If it's one fewr pins, then I'd say the number 5 pin has been deleted... so pin 6 becomes pin 5.... as pin 5 on the older board is not connected could be a hell of a lot easier than swapping keys... ooopps too late sorry been off line for a few hours...

[BippyM]

Because the 500+ KB has extra keys, the membrane is obviously different, so the I/O controller chip for the KB must be different for it to recognise the new keys! hence they wont work if you swap them!

I don't know which Keyboard or which 500's he has because he said rev 5 & 6 but he also states he has a 500+.. strange

[Adeptus]

Originally Posted by bippym

I don't know which Keyboard or which 500's he has because he said rev 5 & 6 but he also states he has a 500+.. strange

no... Syko said the pinouts for 500 & 500+ are the same...

[Jope]

Originally Posted by bippym

Because the 500+ KB has extra keys, the membrane is obviously different, so the I/O controller chip for the KB must be different for it to recognise the new keys! hence they wont work if you swap them!

No, the keyboard controller chip is the same.. They never changed it.

A few pictures from the original poster would be nice, I don't understand the description about the connectors being different..

Usually A500s are missing the key pin on the motherboard, which would be NC if present anyway.

I've always been able to swap A500 keyboards around to any machine I could find, be it Rev5, 6, 8a, what ever. Hope the OP didn't plug the keyboard in backwards?

Originally Posted by bippym

I don't know which Keyboard or which 500's he has because he said rev 5 & 6 but he also states he has a 500+.. strange

No, I don't have a 500+ just one dead Rev 5 and a working 6a. I swapped all the keys over, several experimental transplants of the PCB failed to get any good results so it was the only way to go really. But now I have an A500 that looks like it just came out of it's box for the first time, so I'm happy enough with that.

Anyone want a jiffy bag full of small springs?

Originally Posted by Jope

I've always been able to swap A500 keyboards around to any machine I could find, be it Rev5, 6, 8a, what ever. Hope the OP didn't plug the keyboard in backwards?

I don't believe so. I plugged in both with the black wire on the left side and made sure that they were lined up with the connectors properly.

A better description of the problem as it was: The rev 6a motherboard has one less keyboard connector pin than the rev 5 (seven instead of eight). The keyboard that came connected to the rev 6a has one less wire in it's connector than the rev 5 keyboard. Maybe some pictures would be a good idea though the problem is pretty much solved now.

[Jope]

Originally Posted by Fat_D

I don't believe so. I plugged in both with the black wire on the left side and made sure that they were lined up with the connectors properly.

Ok, that's good.

A better description of the problem as it was: The rev 6a motherboard has one less keyboard connector pin than the rev 5 (seven instead of eight). The keyboard that came connected to the rev 6a has one less wire in it's connector than the rev 5 keyboard. Maybe some pictures would be a good idea though the problem is pretty much solved now.

Ok.. The extra wire should be NC and you don't need to worry about it.