richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) (11/07/87)
Well, here it is, almost my Amiga's 2 year birthday, and I *finally*
have a hardware problem. The keyboard is flakey.
Symptom: every now and again, it does this:
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
about 2 quotes a second. The only other wierd thing is that if I pick
up the keyboard, the caps lock light flashes.
I have an 18 month son, who is, uhh, a force to be reckoned with, although
the computer is NOW out of his reach.
So, any ideas netland ? Zit the cable, the keyboard, or something
else ?
--
Richard J. Sexton
INTERNET: richard@gryphon.CTS.COM
UUCP: {hplabs!hp-sdd, sdcsvax, ihnp4, nosc}!crash!gryphon!richard
"It's too dark to put the keys in my ignition..."grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins) (11/08/87)
In article <2188@gryphon.CTS.COM> richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) writes: > Well, here it is, almost my Amiga's 2 year birthday, and I *finally* > have a hardware problem. The keyboard is flakey. > > Symptom: every now and again, it does this: > > ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' > > about 2 quotes a second. The only other wierd thing is that if I pick > up the keyboard, the caps lock light flashes. > > So, any ideas netland ? Zit the cable, the keyboard, or something > else ? Well, the symptoms you describe indicate that your keyboard is not getting acknowledgements from the system. The quotes are artifacts of it's trying to "resynchronize" with the system - see the keyboard description in the back of the hardware manual. It could be: cable - try another, making sure wiring is the same, not reversed connectors - clean with a piece of papertowel and rubbing alchol keyboard microprocessor - make sure it's plugged in nice and tight 8520 U6P - try swapping the two and see if the problem goes away Let me know what happens... -- George Robbins - now working for, uucp: {ihnp4|rutgers|allegra}!cbmvax!grr but no way officially representing arpa: out to lunch... Commodore, Engineering Department fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)
UH2@PSUVM.BITNET (Lee Sailer) (11/09/87)
In article <2188@gryphon.CTS.COM>, richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) says: >Symptom: every now and again, it does this: > >''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' > Maybe it is just a sticky key. lee
ewhac@well.UUCP (Leo 'Bols Ewhac' Schwab) (11/10/87)
In article <2188@gryphon.CTS.COM> richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) writes: >Well, here it is, almost my Amiga's 2 year birthday, and I *finally* >have a hardware problem. The keyboard is flakey. > >Symptom: every now and again, it does this: > >''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' > This is exactly the same thing that used to happen to me when my 8520 started going south. It was caused by my inserting the printer cable wrong. Do you fiddle with your printer cable a lot? Does your kid fiddle with your printer cable? >The only other wierd thing is that if I pick >up the keyboard, the caps lock light flashes. > Ooo. That never happened to me. No idea about that one. I *guess* it could be the 8520. It's at least worth looking into. _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ Leo L. Schwab -- The Guy in The Cape ihnp4!ptsfa -\ \_ -_ Recumbent Bikes: dual ---> !{well,unicom}!ewhac O----^o The Only Way To Fly. hplabs / (pronounced "AE-wack") "Work FOR? I don't work FOR anybody! I'm just having fun." -- The Doctor
richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) (11/11/87)
In article <24640UH2@PSUVM> UH2@PSUVM.BITNET (Lee Sailer) writes: >In article <2188@gryphon.CTS.COM>, richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) says: >>Symptom: every now and again, it does this: >> >>''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' >> >Maybe it is just a sticky key. > Uh, perhaps, but I'd really doubt it. This wouldnt explain why the caps lock light flickers if I move the keyboard cable. The computer used to be in a part of the house where I would sit on the couch, keyboard in lap, feet up, staring at the monitor. Since the keyboard cable doesnt have a strain relief (like the nice one on the ATT contempra phones), I suspect it's the cable, since it spent about a year being s t r e t c h e d. It's on a desk now, and when it gets into spazz mode, I just unplug the keyboard, and plug it back in and it's right as rain. I think I will try to bend the metal connectors in the connector jacks to see if I can force some more complience into them. If that fails I'll buy a new cable. The fact that when the cable is wiggled wierd things happen is perhaps the clue here. > -- Richard J. Sexton INTERNET: richard@gryphon.CTS.COM UUCP: {hplabs!hp-sdd, sdcsvax, ihnp4, nosc}!crash!gryphon!richard "It's too dark to put the keys in my ignition..."
richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) (11/11/87)
In article <4415@well.UUCP> the wierd guy from another planet writes: >In article <2188@gryphon.CTS.COM> I wrote: >>Well, here it is, almost my Amiga's 2 year birthday, and I *finally* >>have a hardware problem. The keyboard is flakey. >> >>Symptom: every now and again, it does this: >> >>''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' >> > This is exactly the same thing that used to happen to me when my >8520 started going south. It was caused by my inserting the printer cable >wrong. Do you fiddle with your printer cable a lot? Does your kid fiddle >with your printer cable? Huh ? Printer cable. Oh oh. 8250, thats the UART isn't it ? Oh oh. Well yes, as a matter of fact I do share the serial port with the modem and the laserprinter. Also, because of of kiddo and the housekeeper, I have had every possible combination of things plugged into everything else. Like video plugged into parallel, laserprinter plugged into disk drive port etc. I am secretly amazed that everything is still running :-) I think the caps lock light flickering when the cable is jiggled points to a cable connector problem. >Leo L. Schwab -- Richard J. Sexton INTERNET: richard@gryphon.CTS.COM UUCP: {hplabs!hp-sdd, sdcsvax, ihnp4, nosc}!crash!gryphon!richard "It's too dark to put the keys in my ignition..."
andy@cbmvax.UUCP (Andy Finkel) (11/12/87)
In article <2255@gryphon.CTS.COM> richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) writes: >Uh, perhaps, but I'd really doubt it. This wouldnt explain why the >caps lock light flickers if I move the keyboard cable. > Flickering caps lock could indicate that you are shorting something; and that flickering you see is the keyboard microprocessor doing its reset. (or, cutting the power momentarily to the keyboard; it would reset when power is restored). -- andy finkel {ihnp4|seismo|allegra}!cbmvax!andy Commodore-Amiga, Inc. "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from a rigged demo." Any expressed opinions are mine; but feel free to share. I disclaim all responsibilities, all shapes, all sizes, all colors.