Re: A2e newbie - Keyboard issue

[Knut Roll-Lund <kr-lund@nogarbage.online.no>]

fsh wrote:

> Hello there!
>
> I got me an A2e on eBay recently for my small but growing collection of 
> old 8bits. So bear with me when I asking the obvious.
>
> So, since I'm in Germany I've got a German not *that* enhanced IIe, with 
> the European(?) motherboard and German keyboard layout.
>
> But somehow enhanced it is anyway. Wondering why the keyboard wouldn't 
> responed I opened up the case, only to find that the keyboard is not 
> connected to the mobo at all. Instead there is a replacement board of 
> sorts where the regular Keyboard ROMs used to sit. From this board leads 
> a cable to the back of the machine with a 15-pin plug at its end (for 
> some third party keyboard, I guess), and a plug to the KEYBOARD 
> connector where usually the IIe's regular keyboard is plugged in. I hope 
> make myself clear, I could send anyone who is interested in helping me 
> some photos, just remove the obvious spamspamspam from my email address.
>
> Anyway, how do I get a working keyboard for my "new" Apple IIe? Or how 
> do I get its own keyboard working again? I'm lacking the original 
> Keyboard ROMs and the connecting cable from the mobo to the IIe's keyboard.
>
> Any help yould be greatly appreciated!
>
> Thanks,
>
> Frank
Hi, I too bought a German IIe. It wasn't enhanced.

The keyboard could be switched between German and US layout with a 
switch under the front. I don't think there was anything special about 
the keyboard it connected directly to the motherboard. The keyboard ROM 
is a ROM.

The original motherboard reads APPLE IIe P.A.L. 820-0073-B (c) 1982 and 
the original keyboard has German symbols to the left and US symbols to 
the right for those keys that are different.

I have since replaced both the keyboard and the motherboard. The 
keyboard was not good and the German layout was useless to me (I'm 
Norwegian) I have later repaired the keyboard so I have it as a spare. 
Also I didn't like the very small enter key. The motherboard I got was a 
US enhanced one so it was mainly an upgrade. NTSC/PAL doesn't matter 
much to me as I use a monitor (CGA monitor with an RGB card)

There is a connector for that German/US switch J19 at location F11

If it is so that an enhancement kit contains a keyboard ROM (slightly 
unsure about that) what you have might be a hack so the German keyboard 
would still be German.

Very often the problems with old computers are because of bad contact, 
loose connectors etc. Though I have come across broken ic's too but then 
the reason for it to be put away is often that it stopped working. I 
often buy in the untested category because the prices are lower.
--
Knut
(delete 'nogarbage.' for email)