Re: GS Weakness is the keyboard????

[buggie@ben08.unm.edu (stephen e buggie)]

You took the words right off my keyboard!   Yes, I too have resoldered the
ADB connectors before.  Also, before reassembling, I use non-conductive
clear caulk to reinforce the strength of those connectors.  Just squirt
the stuff around in there (after verifying that the re-solder job worked.)
Have not had repeat problems.

BTW, the Mac original ADB keyboard, just called "Apple keyboard," has all
keys in exactly the same layout as the GS keyboard.   It has slightly
wider edges than the GS keyboard, but it never gives any problem with the
ADB sockets.   In fact, I use this keyboard (obtained in a thrift shop but
supplies with Mac SE), even now.

Some Mac keyboards have rearranged the positions of important keys such as
ESC, and these are confusing to IIgs devotees.

Steve Buggie


  Stephen Buggie                                  |Sorry sir, "APPLE II |
  Psychology Dept.                                |  FOR DUMMIES"  was  |
  Univ. of New Mexico, Gallup                     |   never published;  |
  200 College Rd.                                 |could you get the IBM|
  Gallup, NM  87301                               |   version instead?  |
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Avi Drissman (avi@ultra.rsl.wayne.edu) wrote:
: JGreer4350 (jgreer4350@aol.com) wrote:
: : I have been trying to get a couple of GS computers to operate.  The keyboards
: : seem to be defective.  Is this common to many GS computers?  My mac keyboard
: : works ok though.  Thanks.

: Yes, this is incredibly common. There is no reinfocement for the ADB
: connectors, and the circuit board takes all the stress. It'll cause annular
: cracks in the solder connection if you're lucky. If not, it'll rip the
: traces right off the PCB.

: My recommendation is to get a soldering iron, open up the keyboard and 
: look at the ADB connectors. If the traces are OK, just resolder the 
: connectors (be careful not to bridge any traces!). If not, you may have to 
: solder in a replacement wire, and that won't be fun. Once you resolder, you
: should insert shims at the backs of the connectors to take the stress. I
: used popsicle stick pieces wrapped in masking tape for the correct thickness
: when I used to fix GS keyboards in batch for the local school.

: Good luck!

: Avi

: -- 
: Avi Drissman: drissman@acm.org
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