Can a C64 keyboard be used as a drop-in replacement?

IsaacKuo · Post by **IsaacKuo** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 3:48 pm

My VIC20 has squarish keys; I take it this is the "PET" style keyboard. It's not very good, and has issues with double-strikes. My dead C64's keyboard is much nicer to use. It doesn't require as much downforce, the curved keys are more comfortable, and it doesn't have double-strike issues.

It looks like I could simply swap the keyboards with nothing more than a screwdriver; no electrical modifications required. Is that true?

(If I ever get my hands on a dead C64c with a full size motherboard, I'd like to frankenstein together the low profile C64c case with the old C64 curved keyboard and a VIC20 motherboard...the best of all worlds!)

shem · Post by **shem** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 3:56 pm

one word
YES!!
they are compatible just remove the keyboard from the vic and swap it with the keyboard from your dead c64

Pedro Lambrini · Post by **Pedro Lambrini** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 4:06 pm

What will you do with your old keyboard?

IsaacKuo · Post by **IsaacKuo** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 6:31 pm

Thanks, it worked!

It turns out the years have not been as kind to my C64 keyboard as I had hoped; it's not 100% with registering keystrokes. It's an improvement over the VIC keyboard, though.

The PET style VIC keyboard is now installed in the C64...it sure looks funny

Post by **Jeff-20** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 8:00 pm

Technically, yes. Ethically, I'm not sure. . .

a4000bear · Post by **a4000bear** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 6:48 am

IsaacKuo wrote:Thanks, it worked!

It turns out the years have not been as kind to my C64 keyboard as I had hoped; it's not 100% with registering keystrokes. It's an improvement over the VIC keyboard, though.

The PET style VIC keyboard is now installed in the C64...it sure looks funny

You might need to disassemble it and give it a good clean.

eslapion · Post by **eslapion** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 1:13 am

@IsaacKuo

Your VIC PET style keyboard requires more downforce because the carbon rubber contacts inside are dirty or worn out.

About 2 years ago, I suggested using this product.

It was a lot of work to apply properly but it did wonders for my old VIC with PET style keyboard. It now works better than new.

thebytewasbit · Post by **thebytewasbit** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 6:30 pm

It's really funny that that cleaning product is owned by an ITW company! My former employer (the company) was sold to ITW. Apparently ITW owns over 800 companies worldwide!

Vic20-Ian · Post by **Vic20-Ian** » Sun Oct 11, 2009 1:20 pm

will conductive silver paint / circuit repair paint work on those carbon rubber pads?

eslapion · Post by **eslapion** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 2:08 am

Vic20-Ian wrote:will conductive silver paint / circuit repair paint work on those carbon rubber pads?

Not sure but the product I suggested does contain silver so there's a great deal of chance the answer would be yes.

I just never tested/tried circuit repair paint.

I suspect a potential problem is that circuit repair paint is not designed to be flexible. The rubber pads on which you apply the stuff does flex a little when you press a key. Circuit repair paint may crack and flake off, I suppose.

The product I suggested is made for any rubber keypad so it is designed to be flexible once applied.

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 2:18 am

eslapion wrote:I just never tested/tried circuit repair paint. [...]

I tried it once, with the keyboard of a C116 ...

[...] Circuit repair paint may crack and flake off, I suppose.

..., and this is exactly what happened in my case.

While it happened to "work" for a few minutes, after that most keys didn't respond anymore - I found some of the contacts located on the PCB had been shortened by traces of the conductive paint.

Highly *not* recommended!