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Re: Dead keyboard!



Tristan Mumford wrote:
Tristan Mumford wrote:


Hello,

As you may have seen I just succeeded in resurrecting my clone.
It has one remaining issue. The keyboard doesn't work.
Well, to be more precise the LED button (control?) + Reset button combo
still works fine, and the LED on aforementioned button stays lit merrily,
but nothing else works.
What's wrong with it?

By the by, The Apple][ boot text was replaced by "APCOM".

Tristan.



I was just going to pull out the keyboard to find out what's happening.

This isn't normal, right? Please tell me it's not!

http://members.dodo.com.au/~izabellion1/tristan/fullsize/clone_keyboard.jpg

It's a big picture, so be warned.

Amazing!  I presume that's stick-on copper foil?

Apparently someone was *very* worried about ESD--and in the process
created a real "ESD antenna" if the ground lug isn't connected.  ;-)

Frankly, I'd be very surprised if this did anything to improve the
resistance of the keyboard to ESD anyway.  Providing a lower impedance
path to ground for discharges coupled to the *pins* of the chips won't
help.  ;-)

It *does* make me wonder about the environment in which it was used...

-michael

NadaPong: Network game demo for Apple II computers!
Home page:  http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/

"The wastebasket is our most important design
tool--and it's seriously underused."