I can repair myself the Amiga keyboard o i should a new keyboard?

[CDE_MusiX]

Hi, i have a problem with the keyboard. It dosen't comunicate plus with the motherboard. I have knowed this ploblem by examining that connectors are consumed, so i cutted it, abd now the ploblem is i have cutted too much down. I can resolve this problem or i should buy a new keyboard?

[orange]

you mean you cut the graphite traces? tsk tsk tsk..
repair will cost more than new-second-hand-one (liquid silver is pricey and those keypad repair kits cost $$$)
cheapest: ebay A1200 keyboard
better: PC keyboard adapter (vesalia? amikit?..)
best: make your own PC kbd adapter if you are skilled enough, instructions on aminet, but be warned its not easy as A500 kbd ..

[CDE_MusiX]

i'm planning to transform my amiga in a tower, and i select to buy a adapter... but much cheaper theresn't available?

[orange]

well me want one too...   :-)
they are expensive just because there is demand. I think they are very similar in design like the ones on aminet hard/hack,
i.e. they use some (cheap) microcontroller like PIC16f84.
If you, by any chance, decide to build one, my
site will help you a bit..
check ebay regularly.. thats all I know

[AmigaMance]

you mean you cut the graphite traces? tsk tsk tsk..

 The same exact thing has happened to my in the past. Why the hell did they made the connectors from graphite? It makes the keyboard so vanurable!


@CDE_MusiX
 I recommend the Lyra adapter.

[countzero]

orange, I checked the ps2mouse hack on your site. what are the three db9's for ? is one not enough ? (sorry didn't read the readmes)

[Tomas]

The graphite is indeed of poor quality  :-( I took out the cable on my a600 just once and that was enough to make it lose contact so that quite a few keys stopped working.

[CDE_MusiX]

if i send a photo of my amiga connector you see the graphite used as connector? that's this the problem? before cutting it we has consumed...

[uncleted]

countzero wrote:
orange, I checked the ps2mouse hack on your site. what are the three db9's for ? is one not enough ? (sorry didn't read the readmes)

I'll take a stab.  It looks like the two female DB-9s slot into the mouse and joystick ports because he uses the other port to check for additional buttons or wheels.

It looks like the DB-9 male is for a joystick pass-thru.

It appears the additional female DB-9 is optional, but you won't be able to use as many mouse buttons.

[orange]

I think uncleted is right. maybe you should contact the author. I made PCB long time ago and can't remember all the details..

[DrDekker]

I've recently built the mouse adapter (based on PS2M design) and the keyboard adapter (IBMkey2.6) and can confirm that they work extremely well.  They're not that difficult to make - but care is needed when soldering the keyboard data, clock and reset wires to the keyboard chip on the mobo.

I can send you the details if you want.  I'll be making a combined mouse/keyboard adapter within the next couple of weeks.  I'll make the details available if it works (and anyone's interested).  Total cost of build should be around £10 (16 euros/dollars).

[CDE_MusiX]

I can repoen the thread?

I'm confused by the idea of buy a new keyboard or a PC-keyboard adapter. Buying a new amiga internal keyboard will perfectly attach to the system, but i'm afraid to make that the same end of my previous keyboard: so I decide to buy a PC-Adapter, but I have some words to say:
1) What are the principal PC-Adapters and when i can find it?
2) There work perfectly on Amiga games or so?
3) After this passage I'll have to convert my A1200 to a tower?

Another question: the connectors of the adapters are of graphite?

Thanks for the help!

[AmigaMance]

(I'll answer your questions without quoting :-) )

 I would say buy a pc keyboard adapter without a second thought. it will allow you to connect cheap and dead-easy to find keyboards..

 Like i said, i recommend the lyra adapter. You can find it in Amiga shops (check the links section) or ebay.
 Lyra works almost perfectly for me in games and such.

 You don't have to put your Amiga into a tower but it is advisable. You can drill a small hole to the case or use the "extra port" of the A1200 to drive the kb cable out of your Amiga

 Don't worry, the connectors are metallic.

[Iggy_Drougge]

I have experienced the same problem on Sinclair Spectrums, where the keyboard and its connector is just one big plastic film with electric traces on them. When the film grows old (Speccys are older than Amigas), they crumble. I did like CDE_MusiX and cut the crumbled piece of the connecting film, and it was too short to reach the motherboard connector.

The solution:

Desolder the keyboard connector from the motherboard and solder a ribbon cable between the connector and the motherboard. The connector will now reach the keyboard again.

[orange]

2) There work perfectly on Amiga games or so?

well not entirely, there is a problem of multiple key-presses   but I'm not sure if its because of PC keyb or adapter or both..
also there could be some other small problems with reset, delays etc.. IIRC