[Absolute last resort] Solution to A600 (maybe 1200?) keyboard cable problem - Page 2

Photon · 23 July 2013, 19:25

Vote to make sticky! Who's with me?

prowler · 23 July 2013, 21:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Photon

Vote to make sticky! Who's with me?

I am.

23 July 2013, 23:09

You can use the "wire glue".
I used this to repair the membrane of an old Sinclair zx...

Photon · 23 July 2013, 23:23

Looks good actually, and seems viable to order over the web for something like 8-12 EUR.

Jope · 24 July 2013, 08:09

Please only use this approach as a last effort fix on a keyboard you are prepared to write off anyway.

If you are not careful, you can end up scraping too much and you end up with the same problem you were trying to fix in the first place.

As the first thing to try, you can cut off 1mm at the end of the flexi connector to make the contacts on the motherboard connector touch higher up in the black stripes.

And always ALWAYS unlatch the motherboard connector's sleeve before you plug in or remove the flexi cable. The sleeve slides up around the connector a few millimeters. Pull it up and only after that should you remove the flexi cable.

I decided to man up and do what I feel is right and edited this post into something more constructive + changed the thread title to reflect that this is not something you should try first.

demolition · 24 July 2013, 11:23

I just tried fixing old A1200 keyboard which had several keys not working. I didn't use it anyway, so not much to lose.

But simply cutting off 1mm of the ribbon seemed to do the trick for me. All keys are working perfectly now.

pkersey · 26 August 2013, 20:31

Hi. Sharing my experience here.

Had a shot at this. Scratching the green paint didn't do any good, it was very difficult not to scratch the thin conductive tracks underneath (I don't know as for you but my A600's got a very thin track running under the paint, not a sturdy metal rail).

What I did was to spill lots of isopropyl alcohol over the ribbon's edge and rub it firmly with a cotton swab. I had to use a new swab every now and then because the paint turned into a sandpaper after 20-25 scrubs and that could ruin my work.

Doing like that the tracks were exposed with no further traumas. I did the cut only after the tracks were exposed so that I could make them all match sizes.

I'll post pictures soon proving this method is guaranteed and supposed to be safer than dry-scraping with a knife or a screwdriver. Perhaps a video. If you have any small ribbon pieces kicking around you can try and check for yourselves before doing it on a real Amiga keyboard.

BTW, all this wasn't enough to save my membrane because it's corroded in so many places, turned out the edge wasn't the problem when I went to check further. I have some other ideas to repair it, but I'd rather buy me another membrane (anyone got a spare? no luck in yet).

delshay · 27 August 2013, 16:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by spanner

Commodore should of kept the way the A500 keyboard is,its not a ribbon..

This is what I am stuck with because I do a lot of testing and I keep breaking the original A1200 keyboard,so I have being using a A500 keyboard in a A1200 for some years now and I don't think I will be going back to the original as it to fragile for what I do.

orange · 18 October 2013, 23:13

iirc, I had cut mine but regret it now. I had bought liquid silver afterward and it seems to work great. its very expensive, but you only need a tiny amount. if you decide to try it, take precautions (well ventilated place, etc...). you can also get liquid graphite on ebay (keypad fix). its better suited for keys because silver peels off after many key-presses. perhaps graphite would be better for that connector too.
oh, don't forget to always lift the plastic 'lock'. seems it hasn't been mentioned in thread, maybe some still don't know about it. (its the main cause of problem)

Amiga1992 · 19 October 2013, 17:28

Plastic lock isn't mentioned because unless you are a daft brute you can't remove the ribbon without carefully lifting that first.

This thread was started by me more than 3 years ago. The fix still works and I don't regret it one bit. The keyword here is subtle, if you chop off a considerable amount of the cable, refer again to what I said before: don't be daft and brute.

orange · 19 October 2013, 20:53

I think you can, and the lock isn't 'obvious'. many such connectors don't have it (A500).
besides, you might feel the need to chop it again. better use liquid silver/graphite/whatever. its less destructive.

jimbob · 19 October 2013, 21:48

The A500 keyboard connection to the motherboard is a totally different type. The connection from the keyboard membrane to the controller is exactly the same type as A600/A1200. The lock as you say isn't totally obvious but if you tug and tug at it until it comes out without taking a close enough look to find the lock then you kinda deserve a broken connector.

orange · 19 October 2013, 22:01

I doubt you can make so much damage if handling it properly (that you need this last resort). but if you can, then you will make it again sooner or later. in any case, its worth mentioning in this thread. 'daft brute' people should be helped too.
oh, and my A500 doesn't have the lock, its not the same as A600/A1200. (yes, I am talking about 'the connection from the keyboard membrane to the controller', sheesh)
@Akira
I had cut mine long before you started this thread. it's an old idea: http://www.amiga.org/forums/showpost...73&postcount=7

jimbob · 19 October 2013, 22:20

Apologies, there are two types of A500 connections from membrane to controller, all the ones I have seen are the same as A1200, except at a right angle. The other type is split into two, I don't know what kind of connector it has.

Anyway, these connections are delicate. I get the feeling this type of connector is designed for one time assembly then maybe one or two reinsertions for service over a products lifetime. After this, even handled properly the contact can break the conductor on the membrane. I've used Akiras trick a few times successfully though I don't scrape any green plastic off or cut as much off. I just trim maybe 1mm off the end and that moves the contact point up beyond the part that has broken into a fresh area. Silver paint too.

Amiga1992 · 23 October 2013, 14:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by orange

@Akira
I had cut mine long before you started this thread. it's an old idea: http://www.amiga.org/forums/showpost...73&postcount=7

Do you want a prize or something?

Because I am not looking for "credit" here, just trying to help when I posted this, I didn't read it anywhere and it wasn't posted here at EAB.

The ribbon connector is pretty damn obvious, as jimbob says, if you end up with a broken ribbon for pulling it like an animal, you deserve it.

orange · 26 October 2013, 23:57

no, I just wanted to make sure you don't fell I'm blaming you.
<Offensive comment removed - prowler>

Amiga1992 · 27 October 2013, 00:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by orange

no, I just wanted to make sure you don't fell I'm blaming you.
<Offensive comment removed - prowler>

Wow great, thanks for the insult, Sherlock.

orange · 27 October 2013, 00:48

what the hell.. I have been trying politely to point out some cons to this. and some other ways of dealing with the problem. but you have been rude from start, calling people daft and whatnot.

prowler · 27 October 2013, 00:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by orange

what the hell.. I have been trying politely to point out some cons to this. and some other ways of dealing with the problem. but you have been rude from start, calling people daft and whatnot.

Check what you have posted yourself first.

That comment and the others were justified in response to the careless, flippant and offensive remarks you posted above them.

orange · 27 October 2013, 00:59

how exactly was it an insult? are you saying this solution isn't obvious? I'd say its at least as obvious as the friggin lock.
oh, and I meant *at least* 'half-brained'.
why don't you check his posts?

24 July 2013, 08:09	#25
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,861	Please only use this approach as a last effort fix on a keyboard you are prepared to write off anyway. If you are not careful, you can end up scraping too much and you end up with the same problem you were trying to fix in the first place. As the first thing to try, you can cut off 1mm at the end of the flexi connector to make the contacts on the motherboard connector touch higher up in the black stripes. And always ALWAYS unlatch the motherboard connector's sleeve before you plug in or remove the flexi cable. The sleeve slides up around the connector a few millimeters. Pull it up and only after that should you remove the flexi cable. I decided to man up and do what I feel is right and edited this post into something more constructive + changed the thread title to reflect that this is not something you should try first. Last edited by Jope; 25 July 2013 at 15:59.

18 October 2013, 23:13	#29
orange Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Belgrade Posts: 567	iirc, I had cut mine but regret it now. I had bought liquid silver afterward and it seems to work great. its very expensive, but you only need a tiny amount. if you decide to try it, take precautions (well ventilated place, etc...). you can also get liquid graphite on ebay (keypad fix). its better suited for keys because silver peels off after many key-presses. perhaps graphite would be better for that connector too. oh, don't forget to always lift the plastic 'lock'. seems it hasn't been mentioned in thread, maybe some still don't know about it. (its the main cause of problem) Last edited by orange; 19 October 2013 at 11:37.

19 October 2013, 22:01	#33
orange Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Belgrade Posts: 567	I doubt you can make so much damage if handling it properly (that you need this last resort). but if you can, then you will make it again sooner or later. in any case, its worth mentioning in this thread. 'daft brute' people should be helped too. oh, and my A500 doesn't have the lock, its not the same as A600/A1200. (yes, I am talking about 'the connection from the keyboard membrane to the controller', sheesh) @Akira I had cut mine long before you started this thread. it's an old idea: http://www.amiga.org/forums/showpost...73&postcount=7 Last edited by orange; 19 October 2013 at 22:20.

26 October 2013, 23:57	#36
orange Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Belgrade Posts: 567	no, I just wanted to make sure you don't fell I'm blaming you. <Offensive comment removed - prowler> Last edited by prowler; 27 October 2013 at 00:38.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
A600 Keyboard LEDS cable	Supamax	support.Hardware	17	30 June 2016 22:53
Want to Buy - A600 Keyboard (Blue cable type)	kipper2k	MarketPlace	4	21 April 2012 19:00
A600 Keyboard Problem.	Melonfish	support.Hardware	11	02 April 2010 18:45
A600 keyboard problem	Predseda	support.Hardware	3	20 October 2007 23:10
A600 keyboard problem	Jope	support.Hardware	11	16 July 2006 20:55

23 July 2013, 19:25	#21
Photon Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eksjö / Sweden Posts: 5,602	Vote to make sticky! Who's with me?

23 July 2013, 23:09	#23
MatteoM1990 Posts: n/a	You can use the "wire glue". I used this to repair the membrane of an old Sinclair zx...

23 July 2013, 23:23	#24
Photon Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eksjö / Sweden Posts: 5,602	Looks good actually, and seems viable to order over the web for something like 8-12 EUR.

24 July 2013, 11:23	#26
demolition Unregistered User Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Copenhagen / DK Age: 43 Posts: 4,190	I just tried fixing old A1200 keyboard which had several keys not working. I didn't use it anyway, so not much to lose. But simply cutting off 1mm of the ribbon seemed to do the trick for me. All keys are working perfectly now.

26 August 2013, 20:31	#27
pkersey Registered User Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Sao Paulo / Brazil Posts: 20	Hi. Sharing my experience here. Had a shot at this. Scratching the green paint didn't do any good, it was very difficult not to scratch the thin conductive tracks underneath (I don't know as for you but my A600's got a very thin track running under the paint, not a sturdy metal rail). What I did was to spill lots of isopropyl alcohol over the ribbon's edge and rub it firmly with a cotton swab. I had to use a new swab every now and then because the paint turned into a sandpaper after 20-25 scrubs and that could ruin my work. Doing like that the tracks were exposed with no further traumas. I did the cut only after the tracks were exposed so that I could make them all match sizes. I'll post pictures soon proving this method is guaranteed and supposed to be safer than dry-scraping with a knife or a screwdriver. Perhaps a video. If you have any small ribbon pieces kicking around you can try and check for yourselves before doing it on a real Amiga keyboard. BTW, all this wasn't enough to save my membrane because it's corroded in so many places, turned out the edge wasn't the problem when I went to check further. I have some other ideas to repair it, but I'd rather buy me another membrane (anyone got a spare? no luck in yet).

19 October 2013, 17:28	#30
Amiga1992 Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: ? Posts: 19,643	Plastic lock isn't mentioned because unless you are a daft brute you can't remove the ribbon without carefully lifting that first. This thread was started by me more than 3 years ago. The fix still works and I don't regret it one bit. The keyword here is subtle, if you chop off a considerable amount of the cable, refer again to what I said before: don't be daft and brute.

19 October 2013, 20:53	#31
orange Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Belgrade Posts: 567	I think you can, and the lock isn't 'obvious'. many such connectors don't have it (A500). besides, you might feel the need to chop it again. better use liquid silver/graphite/whatever. its less destructive.

19 October 2013, 21:48	#32
jimbob Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kilmacolm Age: 45 Posts: 632	The A500 keyboard connection to the motherboard is a totally different type. The connection from the keyboard membrane to the controller is exactly the same type as A600/A1200. The lock as you say isn't totally obvious but if you tug and tug at it until it comes out without taking a close enough look to find the lock then you kinda deserve a broken connector.

19 October 2013, 22:20	#34
jimbob Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kilmacolm Age: 45 Posts: 632	Apologies, there are two types of A500 connections from membrane to controller, all the ones I have seen are the same as A1200, except at a right angle. The other type is split into two, I don't know what kind of connector it has. Anyway, these connections are delicate. I get the feeling this type of connector is designed for one time assembly then maybe one or two reinsertions for service over a products lifetime. After this, even handled properly the contact can break the conductor on the membrane. I've used Akiras trick a few times successfully though I don't scrape any green plastic off or cut as much off. I just trim maybe 1mm off the end and that moves the contact point up beyond the part that has broken into a fresh area. Silver paint too.

27 October 2013, 00:48	#38
orange Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Belgrade Posts: 567	what the hell.. I have been trying politely to point out some cons to this. and some other ways of dealing with the problem. but you have been rude from start, calling people daft and whatnot.

27 October 2013, 00:59	#40
orange Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Belgrade Posts: 567	how exactly was it an insult? are you saying this solution isn't obvious? I'd say its at least as obvious as the friggin lock. oh, and I meant at least 'half-brained'. why don't you check his posts?

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)