[Sol-20 Restoration: further adventures..] - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

8 Nov 1999

On Mon, 8 Nov 1999, Charles Eicher wrote:

...
  I've been periodically posting updates on my
restoration project of my
 old Processor Technology Sol-20. These usually coincide with pleas for
 help. Now may be such a time. 
...
  I can't remember any commands, so I just try
typing on the keyboard. No
 response... 
 The LEDs are dead, or I'm not getting any power to the keyboard...
 Darn it, the keyboard is attached, although there are two extremely
 similar non-keyed molex connectors right next to each other, maybe
 its connected wrong. I vaguely recall this being a problem once, about
 20 years ago. Hmm.. time to dive back into the construction manual
 again. 
Keyboard goes to J3, the one nearest the center of the mainboard.
Fortunately (by accident or design), connecting the keyboard to the wrong
jack rarely causes any damage...

...
  But I have a failed keyboard. Its a damn shame
 because one of the strengths of the Sol was its professional quality
 keyboard. 
...
  Hope its not anything internal, these PT keyboards
were shipped
 assembled from the factory, there's not anything you can do to repair
 that I know of. And I was really good at fixing keyboards, so maybe I'll
 figure it out. If anyone has suggestions or prior experience with this
 sort of problem, please chip in your 2cents. 
Well...  unless the keyboard has been vacuum sealed for the last 20 years,
I can pretty much say with certainty that the contact pads in the
mechanism have deterioriated.

They can be repaired however.  (I've done a lot of them)  I have
replacement contact kits available as well as keyboard rebuild services.
Details are available on my web site on the 'Parts/Objects/Services'
page...

with the contacts gone, the keyboard will appear to be totally dead in
most cases, although I have not seen too many serious logic failures on
them. (YMMV)

-jim
---
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