On Sun, May 28, 2017 at 4:50 PM, Mattis Lind via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Hello!
I recently received a HP9816 machine. The previous owner originally got the
machine without a keyboard but subsequently sourced a keyboard off ebay.
Unfortunately this keyboard was not in the best shape. One key was stuck
and when taking it apart it was evident that it has taken a bath for quite
some time. At least the electronics around the space bar were quite
affected with corrosion. Luckily this keyboard is quite simple design with
only CMOS 4XXX IC, and better yet, Tony Duell has already reverse
engineered it (together with the rest of this little machine). Thanks a lot
Tony!
IIRC it's a very odd design electronically, in that the keyswitches
are not wired
as a matrix. Rather they are each wired between ground and an input of a 4051
multiplexer. I have no idea why it was done this way.
But the stuck key appeared to be cause by the "plunger" (is that the
correct english word?) is slightly cracked in the corner. When the keytop
is inserted it is not sliding very well.
I have not found a method of repairing it so I am asking the community if
there are anyone that has spare "plungers" for the HP9816 keyboard.
I believe the same plungers were used on many other machines. I know for
a fact that a VT52 keycap will fit an HP9816 keyboard, so the plunger is
very likely to be the same as that machine. Other likely ones are VT100,
early TRS80 model 1, TI99/4A, HP85 (etc). That may help you find a scrap
keyboard to raid.
-tony