Can a C64 keyboard be used as a drop-in replacement?
Moderator: Moderators
Can a C64 keyboard be used as a drop-in replacement?
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!)
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!)
- Pedro Lambrini
- Vic 20 Scientist
- Posts: 1132
- Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2008 11:36 am
You might need to disassemble it and give it a good clean.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
- eslapion
- ultimate expander
- Posts: 5458
- Joined: Fri Jun 23, 2006 7:50 pm
- Location: Canada
- Occupation: 8bit addict
@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.
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.
Be normal.
-
- Vic 20 Newbie
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Tue Oct 06, 2009 6:37 pm
- eslapion
- ultimate expander
- Posts: 5458
- Joined: Fri Jun 23, 2006 7:50 pm
- Location: Canada
- Occupation: 8bit addict
Not sure but the product I suggested does contain silver so there's a great deal of chance the answer would be yes.Vic20-Ian wrote:will conductive silver paint / circuit repair paint work on those carbon rubber pads?
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.
Be normal.
- Mike
- Herr VC
- Posts: 4845
- Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2004 1:57 pm
- Location: Munich, Germany
- Occupation: electrical engineer
I tried it once, with the keyboard of a C116 ...eslapion wrote:I just never tested/tried circuit repair paint. [...]
..., and this is exactly what happened in my case.[...] Circuit repair paint may crack and flake off, I suppose.
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!