Hi!/ Sharing the technology/ LK401/ Thanks!

From: Kevin Handy <kth_at_srv.net>
Date: Tue Dec 31 10:06:00 2002

Justin wrote:

>Hi guys.
>
>I stumbled upon your list while looking for LK401 schematics, and found
>that this is the kind of list I was looking for.
>
>My name is Justin, and I like classic computers. We have an interesting
>community of technology enthusiasts who hang out at a local coffee shop
>here in Houston, TX called Kaveh Kanes.
>
>For a while now I have been trying to get rid of a lot of my old
>computers, because I didn't really want to spend more time on them, but it
>was hard to part with them. So rather than toss them, I've been getting
>them functional and setting them up as internet terminals at the coffee
>shop.
>
>A friend, Barrett put his Intel FreeBSD machine up there to start. Now I
>have my SparcSTATION 5 exporting an X session from it so people can get
>on the web.
>
>Now I'm working on getting my VAXstation 3100 up and working. IT works
>but my keyboard is shot. I have the LK201, which seems to have a matrix
>fault. about 1/6 of the keys work. :-( I bought a LK401 on ebay and the
>
Usually the problem with a group of dead keys is caused by a bad
connection in the flexible cables that plug into the logic board.
Yes, it is actually plugged in and not soldered under those metal
tabs, but it is an extremely tight fit.

What I did when I tried to repair one of these is to loosen one
end of the connector (bend back the tabs from under the logic
board), and then the cable would come out without damaging it.
Then clean the contacts (both on the plastic cable and on the logic
board) using a soft non-abrasive eraser (Staedler makes a nice one),
then put the cable back in (carefully matching up the traces).
Repeat for the second connector if the first one didn't fix it.

However, doing this has an equal chance of improving the
keyboard, doing nothing, or making it worse. Probably try
this only if you have spares available or the keyboard is
useless anyway.

>person said it had the right connector when I asked. I waited too long
>after I got it and found out it didn't in fact have the right connector.
>
>Does anyone know about these? my VAX Station takes the 4 element RJ11 for
>which I have the pinout from the netbsd archive. The LK401 I have though
>has a 6 pin (5 of those are connected) minidin. ( I think its a minidin
>anyway ).
>
The keyboard you have has a PS/2 connector on it. This is the same connector
as is used by most PC's today for the keyboard and mouse. You can plug this
keyboard into your PC and it would work.

However, what you want is the older style keyboard, which is the same one
that was used on the VT220 through VT420 terminals (but NOT the VT100).
I don't think you can convert a PS/2 keyboard into a VT220 keyboard.
If you have a VT220-VT420 terminal then you can swap keyboards with it.

>
>It looks very similar inside, but I don't know what I can connect and I'm
>having trouble finding documentation for it.
>
>Well that was a windy introduction, but it tells you a little about
>myself, and what I'm trying to do. I just want to share old technology
>with people in a way that they can still use and appreciate it at the
>coffee shop.
>
>Incidently, I have the complete reference to VAX/VMS in 3 ring binders. I
>think its about 17 binders total. If anyone is interested, I'd be OK with
>parting with it. IT would be heavy to ship though. 70 lbs?
>
>
You should mention which version of VMS these manuals go with.
Also, Dec/compaq/hp has most of the current VMS manuals available
online as PDF or HTML files.

>Next on the list after the VAX is my Amiga 2000. It needs a 68020
>processor card first before it can run either AmigaOS 3.9 or NetBSD....
>
>
>
>
Received on Tue Dec 31 2002 - 10:06:00 GMT