17 May
2016
17 May
'16
5:28 a.m.
Hi all,
Bought a VT420 off eBay last night which should be arriving sometime
this week. Unfortunately it doesn't come with a keyboard. Is there
anyone near Nottingham (UK) willing to sell an DEC LK401 keyboard for a
fair price?
Thanks,
Aaron
17 May
17 May
7:24 a.m.
If it's Harrison Lights he has keyboards priced so he gets what he thinks a
VT420 is worth... :-(
On 17 May 2016 10:28, "Aaron Jackson" <aaron at aaronsplace.co.uk> wrote:
Hi all,
Bought a VT420 off eBay last night which should be arriving sometime
this week. Unfortunately it doesn't come with a keyboard. Is there
anyone near Nottingham (UK) willing to sell an DEC LK401 keyboard for a
fair price?
Thanks,
Aaron
7:35 a.m.
Hi Dave,
Yes it was Harrison Lighting. I'm hoping there will be a spare
compatible keyboard lying around in my department. I don't think ?50 was
a bad price for a VT420, but it would have been much better if it
included the keyboard.
Aaron
Dave Wade writes:
If it's Harrison Lights he has keyboards priced so
he gets what he thinks a
VT420 is worth... :-(
On 17 May 2016 10:28, "Aaron Jackson" <aaron at aaronsplace.co.uk>
wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Bought a VT420 off eBay last night which should be arriving sometime
> this week. Unfortunately it doesn't come with a keyboard. Is there
> anyone near Nottingham (UK) willing to sell an DEC LK401 keyboard for a
> fair price?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Aaron
>
8:02 a.m.
Aaron Jackson wrote:
Hi Dave,
Yes it was Harrison Lighting. I'm hoping there will be a spare
compatible keyboard lying around in my department. I don't think ?50 was
a bad price for a VT420, but it would have been much better if it
included the keyboard.
If I remember correctly, the LK201 from a VT220 or a VT320 will also
work correctly on a VT420. Can anyone else confirm this?
That make help you to locate a keyboard that can be used with a VT420.
For example, the keyboard for a VT100 is completely incompatible with
both the VT220 and VT420.
Jerome Fine
Dave Wade writes:
>If it's Harrison Lights he has keyboards priced so he gets what he thinks a
>VT420 is worth... :-(
>On 17 May 2016 10:28, "Aaron Jackson" <aaron at aaronsplace.co.uk>
wrote:
>
>>Hi all,
>>
>>Bought a VT420 off eBay last night which should be arriving sometime
>>this week. Unfortunately it doesn't come with a keyboard. Is there
>>anyone near Nottingham (UK) willing to sell an DEC LK401 keyboard for a
>>fair price?
>> 
10:02 a.m.
On 17 May 2016 at 13:02, Jerome H. Fine <jhfinedp3k at compsys.to> wrote:
If I remember correctly, the LK201 from a VT220 or a
VT320 will also
work correctly on a VT420. Can anyone else confirm this?
I have an Integrity RX2660 in the workshop with a VT420 and LK201 keyboard,
so yes it's fine.
--
adrian/witchy
Owner of Binary Dinosaurs, the UK's biggest home computer collection?
www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk
10:15 a.m.
-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Jerome H.
Fine
Sent: 17 May 2016 13:03
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Subject: Re: LK401 Keyboard
Keyboards seem quite rare. I have a couple of Vax Stations that are short of keyboards and
I think these take an LK401 so I would also like one if any one has one. I am pretty sure
he knows keyboards are hard to find and so he sells them outside E-Bay. Give him a ring
and see what his price is. I got one and it wasn't totally extortionate. Daft thing is
if he listed the keyboards with the terminals I am pretty sure the price would go up....
Dave
G4UGM
Aaron Jackson wrote:
Hi Dave,
Yes it was Harrison Lighting. I'm hoping there will be a spare
compatible keyboard lying around in my department. I don't think ?50
was a bad price for a VT420, but it would have been much better if it
included the keyboard.
If I remember correctly, the LK201 from a VT220 or a VT320 will also work
correctly on a VT420. Can anyone else confirm this?
That make help you to locate a keyboard that can be used with a VT420.
For example, the keyboard for a VT100 is completely incompatible with both
the VT220 and VT420.
Jerome Fine Dave Wade writes:
>If it's Harrison Lights he has keyboards priced so he gets what he
>thinks a
>VT420 is worth... :-(
>On 17 May 2016 10:28, "Aaron Jackson" <aaron at aaronsplace.co.uk>
wrote:
>
>>Hi all,
>>
>>Bought a VT420 off eBay last night which should be arriving sometime
>>this week. Unfortunately it doesn't come with a keyboard. Is there
>>anyone near Nottingham (UK) willing to sell an DEC LK401 keyboard for
>>a fair price
>> 
1:11 p.m.
On 17/05/2016 13:02, "Jerome H. Fine" <jhfinedp3k at compsys.to> wrote:
If I remember correctly, the LK201 from a VT220 or a
VT320 will also
work correctly on a VT420. Can anyone else confirm this?
That make help you to locate a keyboard that can be used with a VT420.
Ta-daa - http://binarydinosaurs.co.uk/vt420lk201.jpg
It was only in taking that picture that I realised there hasn't been an
LK401 with that VT for *years*
--
Adrian/Witchy
Binary Dinosaurs creator/curator
Www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk - the UK's biggest private home computer
collection?
2:56 p.m.
Ah great. There is at least one VT220 where I work so I wouldn't be
surprised if there was a spare LK201 keyboard lying around. You have
broadened my options by quite a bit. Thanks for the information. :)
Aaron
Adrian Graham writes:
On 17/05/2016 13:02, "Jerome H. Fine"
<jhfinedp3k at compsys.to> wrote:
--
If I remember correctly, the LK201 from a VT220
or a VT320 will also
work correctly on a VT420. Can anyone else confirm this?
That make help you to locate a keyboard that can be used with a VT420.
Ta-daa - http://binarydinosaurs.co.uk/vt420lk201.jpg
It was only in taking that picture that I realised there hasn't been an
LK401 with that VT for *years*
18 May
18 May
1:21 p.m.
New subject: Issues with VT420 (was Re: LK401 Keyboard)
The terminal arrived today but unfortunately it doesn't power
on. I've checked the fuse and continuity of the cable, fiddled with the
contrast, etc. It doesn't do anything, not even a self test. The
terminal is completely silent, not even a transformer humming.
I have contacted the seller, but if anyone has any suggestions about
what might be the issue, please let me know.
Thanks all,
Aaron
Aaron Jackson writes:
Hi all,
Bought a VT420 off eBay last night which should be arriving sometime
this week. Unfortunately it doesn't come with a keyboard. Is there
anyone near Nottingham (UK) willing to sell an DEC LK401 keyboard for a
fair price?
Thanks,
Aaron
--
2:01 p.m.
New subject: Issues with VT420 (was Re: LK401 Keyboard)
On 18/05/2016 18:21, "Aaron Jackson" <aaron at aaronsplace.co.uk> wrote:
The terminal arrived today but unfortunately it
doesn't power
on. I've checked the fuse and continuity of the cable, fiddled with the
contrast, etc. It doesn't do anything, not even a self test. The
terminal is completely silent, not even a transformer humming.
I have contacted the seller, but if anyone has any suggestions about
what might be the issue, please let me know.
Thanks all,
Aaron
The power switch at the front was notorious for breaking because it's a
left/right slider and people got too 'energetic'. The terminal should show
either 'keyboard error 4' if one isn't connected or 'VT420 OK' in a
box in
the centre of the screen if one is, as well as a beep. Make sure the power
switch does slide cleanly from left (off) to right.
Mind, if you've just bought this you'll not be wanting to take it to bits. I
would, but that's because we as a company used to fix them.
--
Adrian/Witchy
Binary Dinosaurs creator/curator
Www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk - the UK's biggest private home computer
collection?
2:05 p.m.
New subject: Issues with VT420 (was Re: LK401 Keyboard)
On Wed, May 18, 2016 at 2:01 PM, Adrian Graham
<witchy at binarydinosaurs.co.uk> wrote:
On 18/05/2016 18:21, "Aaron Jackson"
<aaron at aaronsplace.co.uk> wrote:
Agreed. I have replaced more than one power switch on DEC terminals
The terminal arrived today but unfortunately it
doesn't power
on. I've checked the fuse and continuity of the cable...
The power switch at the front was notorious for breaking because it's a
left/right slider and people got too 'energetic'. from "over-frobbing". The VT220/VT240 switch
had a standard
footprint, so I was able to get a functional replacement at Radio
Shack for a few dollars. The VT100-family can take a standard
ball-bat type toggle with brass fast-on tabs. I'm not sure about the
switch type on the VT420, but definitely check that power is getting
through it, especially if it feels "soft" when flipping it.
-ethan
2:27 p.m.
New subject: Issues with VT420 (was Re: LK401 Keyboard)
I couldn't resist myself and had already taken it to bits by time you
replied. I was a bit nervous but also very careful to discharge the
cathode. It seems that the rocker switch was not being pushed into the
'on' position far enough, so it was always in the off position. I'll
just have to remember not to switch it off... :P
Fairly poor design with the switch, I have to say.
Thanks for your reply anyway.
Aaron
Adrian Graham writes:
On 18/05/2016 18:21, "Aaron Jackson"
<aaron at aaronsplace.co.uk> wrote:
--
The terminal arrived today but unfortunately it
doesn't power
on. I've checked the fuse and continuity of the cable, fiddled with the
contrast, etc. It doesn't do anything, not even a self test. The
terminal is completely silent, not even a transformer humming.
I have contacted the seller, but if anyone has any suggestions about
what might be the issue, please let me know.
Thanks all,
Aaron
The power switch at the front was notorious for breaking because it's a
left/right slider and people got too 'energetic'. The terminal should show
either 'keyboard error 4' if one isn't connected or 'VT420 OK' in a
box in
the centre of the screen if one is, as well as a beep. Make sure the power
switch does slide cleanly from left (off) to right.
Mind, if you've just bought this you'll not be wanting to take it to bits. I
would, but that's because we as a company used to fix them. 
2:18 p.m.
New subject: Issues with VT420 (was Re: LK401 Keyboard)
I suspect there is noting for it but to open it up and check the power supply. Should it
be necessary I have a small supply of flyback transformers, but I doubt it is that.
Regards
Rob
Sent from my Windows 10 phone
From: Aaron Jackson
Sent: 18 May 2016 18:21
To: cctalk at classiccmp.org
Subject: Issues with VT420 (was Re: LK401 Keyboard)
The terminal arrived today but unfortunately it doesn't power
on. I've checked the fuse and continuity of the cable, fiddled with the
contrast, etc. It doesn't do anything, not even a self test. The
terminal is completely silent, not even a transformer humming.
I have contacted the seller, but if anyone has any suggestions about
what might be the issue, please let me know.
Thanks all,
Aaron
Aaron Jackson writes:
Hi all,
Bought a VT420 off eBay last night which should be arriving sometime
this week. Unfortunately it doesn't come with a keyboard. Is there
anyone near Nottingham (UK) willing to sell an DEC LK401 keyboard for a
fair price?
Thanks,
Aaron
--
2987
days inactive
2988
days old
12 comments
7 participants
participants (7)
-
aaron＠aaronsplace.co.uk -
binarydinosaurs＠gmail.com -
dave.g4ugm＠gmail.com -
ethan.dicks＠gmail.com -
jhfinedp3k＠compsys.to -
robert.jarratt＠ntlworld.com -
witchy＠binarydinosaurs.co.uk