A1200 keyboards...

hardwir3d · 05 May 2008, 20:00

about 3 years ago i bought a second hand 4 GB drive for my amiga 1200, as it's the largest size KS3.0 can handle w/o having to use fixes, and i thought it'd be enuf. i installed it on my PC and put it into my amiga and back into the PC a cpl of times during installation to check if things were right. after all, winuae is an emulator.

well, i managed to get that hd installed using winuae, but my keyboard got broken in the process. back then, i really had no clue what caused the sudden keyboard failure. so, i ordered a new kb at vesalia. it arrived w/in a week, installed it, worked fine so i had this really cool miggy running.

till recently, my hd started failing sometimes when i put in a floppy disc, resetting itself at times causing it to get unmounted. besides, it was almost full, as i still d/l new amiga demos.

so, i went out to that shop again and got myself a second hand 20Gb drive. using maprom to boot os3.9 to recog large drives, SFS file system, and a fast spin up so no rebooting @ first anymore cos of the older drive's slower spin up. 3.2Mb/s, 19,800 megs, excellent stuff.

but... yet again the damned keyboard is messed up! i cant use the upper row of keys (Q....]) and the enter key anymore.

from my previous mess-up, i learned the connector is kinda sensitive, but this time i didnt touch the green interface nor take off the keyboard, as i did the previous time. i just looked at it, installed a new drive, but it's party time again... not!

been to my attic and tried the other broken keyboard still there, it's still completely dead. cleaned the white connector on the 1200 mobo, reconnected the new keyboard, still no upper row of keys...

anyone here got any ideas how to fix this?

i really don't feel like buying yet another extremely expensive keyboard from vesalia.

rkauer · 05 May 2008, 20:26

You can always put an A500 keyboard inside the 1200 (without the LEDs), route the 4 necessary wires (2 for power, 2 for data/clock).

The A500/2000 k/b have the same shape of the 1200's one, so it's easy to fit physically.

Plus you just need to solder the wires on the 1200 motherboard. Not a job for n00bs, but it worth the effort.

More details in this Aminet hack: http://aminet.net/docs/hard/a500key1.lha

fc.studio · 05 May 2008, 20:26

One time I had the keyboard partially working. Its green wire was well plugged down to the motherboard, but the rectangular white base keeping it was a bit up. Probably you already tried it, but verify it again.

hardwir3d · 05 May 2008, 20:39

@rkauer
i'm really not that much of a technician i know a bit bout computers, but soldering... and i dont have an A500 kb in stock aswell

@fc.studio
yeah, i have checked that. time and time again. disconnected and reconnected it five times, making sure its plugged down to the mobo w/ the base properly pressed down. still no upper row of keys...

i'd say its a bit ridiculous to use such extremely sensitive hardware. just lookin' at it seems to fuck it up. might as well buy a complete second hand 1200, considering vesalia's prices...

Magno Boots · 05 May 2008, 21:12

Hold the end of the green ribbon up to the light to make sure that the tracks reach the end of the cable.

They can actually get worn / rubbed off.

This happened to one of my keyboards and trimming a few millimetres off the end solved the problem.

Good luck.

hardwir3d · 05 May 2008, 21:26

thanks magno

thats something that's worth a try

amigakit.com · 05 May 2008, 22:34

We can provide a replacement green carbon pad layer for A1200 keyboards if that is of any use.

Fingerlickin_B · 06 May 2008, 12:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magno Boots

Hold the end of the green ribbon up to the light to make sure that the tracks reach the end of the cable.

They can actually get worn / rubbed off.

This happened to one of my keyboards and trimming a few millimetres off the end solved the problem.

Good luck.

That's exactly what I've done before...it worked great!

PZ.

hardwir3d · 07 May 2008, 12:42

@ magno & fingerlickin_b

absolutely true

it works!

Fingerlickin_B · 07 May 2008, 12:51

I love a happy Amiga ending!

hardwir3d · 08 May 2008, 19:17

that makes 2 of us

05 May 2008, 20:00	#1
hardwir3d Zone Friend Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Polsbroek NL Age: 48 Posts: 74	A1200 keyboards... about 3 years ago i bought a second hand 4 GB drive for my amiga 1200, as it's the largest size KS3.0 can handle w/o having to use fixes, and i thought it'd be enuf. i installed it on my PC and put it into my amiga and back into the PC a cpl of times during installation to check if things were right. after all, winuae is an emulator. well, i managed to get that hd installed using winuae, but my keyboard got broken in the process. back then, i really had no clue what caused the sudden keyboard failure. so, i ordered a new kb at vesalia. it arrived w/in a week, installed it, worked fine so i had this really cool miggy running. till recently, my hd started failing sometimes when i put in a floppy disc, resetting itself at times causing it to get unmounted. besides, it was almost full, as i still d/l new amiga demos. so, i went out to that shop again and got myself a second hand 20Gb drive. using maprom to boot os3.9 to recog large drives, SFS file system, and a fast spin up so no rebooting @ first anymore cos of the older drive's slower spin up. 3.2Mb/s, 19,800 megs, excellent stuff. but... yet again the damned keyboard is messed up! i cant use the upper row of keys (Q....]) and the enter key anymore. from my previous mess-up, i learned the connector is kinda sensitive, but this time i didnt touch the green interface nor take off the keyboard, as i did the previous time. i just looked at it, installed a new drive, but it's party time again... not! been to my attic and tried the other broken keyboard still there, it's still completely dead. cleaned the white connector on the 1200 mobo, reconnected the new keyboard, still no upper row of keys... anyone here got any ideas how to fix this? i really don't feel like buying yet another extremely expensive keyboard from vesalia.

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05 May 2008, 20:26	#2
rkauer I hate potatos and shirts Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sao Leopoldo / Brazil Age: 58 Posts: 3,482	You can always put an A500 keyboard inside the 1200 (without the LEDs), route the 4 necessary wires (2 for power, 2 for data/clock). The A500/2000 k/b have the same shape of the 1200's one, so it's easy to fit physically. Plus you just need to solder the wires on the 1200 motherboard. Not a job for n00bs, but it worth the effort. More details in this Aminet hack: http://aminet.net/docs/hard/a500key1.lha

05 May 2008, 20:26	#3
fc.studio Cat lover Join Date: May 2004 Location: Italy Age: 54 Posts: 804	One time I had the keyboard partially working. Its green wire was well plugged down to the motherboard, but the rectangular white base keeping it was a bit up. Probably you already tried it, but verify it again.

05 May 2008, 20:39	#4
hardwir3d Zone Friend Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Polsbroek NL Age: 48 Posts: 74	@rkauer i'm really not that much of a technician i know a bit bout computers, but soldering... and i dont have an A500 kb in stock aswell @fc.studio yeah, i have checked that. time and time again. disconnected and reconnected it five times, making sure its plugged down to the mobo w/ the base properly pressed down. still no upper row of keys... i'd say its a bit ridiculous to use such extremely sensitive hardware. just lookin' at it seems to fuck it up. might as well buy a complete second hand 1200, considering vesalia's prices...

05 May 2008, 21:12	#5
Magno Boots Zone Friend Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Hertfordshire Posts: 688	Hold the end of the green ribbon up to the light to make sure that the tracks reach the end of the cable. They can actually get worn / rubbed off. This happened to one of my keyboards and trimming a few millimetres off the end solved the problem. Good luck.

05 May 2008, 21:26	#6
hardwir3d Zone Friend Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Polsbroek NL Age: 48 Posts: 74	thanks magno thats something that's worth a try

05 May 2008, 22:34	#7
amigakit.com Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: www.amigakit.com Posts: 2,042	We can provide a replacement green carbon pad layer for A1200 keyboards if that is of any use.

07 May 2008, 12:42	#9
hardwir3d Zone Friend Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Polsbroek NL Age: 48 Posts: 74	@ magno & fingerlickin_b absolutely true it works!

07 May 2008, 12:51	#10
Fingerlickin_B Amiga Nut Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Belco, Australia Posts: 2,242	I love a happy Amiga ending!

08 May 2008, 19:17	#11
hardwir3d Zone Friend Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Polsbroek NL Age: 48 Posts: 74	that makes 2 of us

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