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dansalvato
Boise, ID

Posted Wed Aug 28, 2019 12:19 am

I've had an issue for a while with my A1000 keyboard where some keys get stuck in place when pressed down. Some keys just feel a little "sticky" while others are firmly stuck in place until you pull it back upwards. I recently gave the keyboard a thorough cleaning without any improvements.

I remember reading somewhere that A1000 keyboards tend to have this issue - are there any known remedies? The worst-case scenario is that I can use an adapter for a PS/2 keyboard, but I'd rather keep using the original if possible.

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EzdineG
Springfield, MO

Posted Wed Aug 28, 2019 5:50 am

You can buy replacement keyboard switches on Amibay from time to time. It’s a little work, but the end result is well worth it.

I once “fixed” a sticky A1000 Return key by adding an additional spring to the guide side (left.) and the result felt as good as new.

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intric8
Seattle, WA, USA

Posted Wed Aug 28, 2019 11:43 am

I've been doing a lot of research on Amiga keyboards for an upcoming post/video on A2000 keyboards. As such, some of the A1000 info hit my radar as well as I was doing comparisons.

Along the way I found a place that still sells the Mitsumi hybrid switches for the A1000 brand new. Hold onto your wallets, though. They are shockingly expensive. You could easily find a complete replacement keyboard - even a broken one - and pilfer its switches for far less.

However, I have a friend who has told me about a connection in Germany that has these for less than half the price linked above (I don't know where). I've been tempted to go in halfsies with him to stockpile some of these for the future but have never pulled the trigger.

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dansalvato
Boise, ID

Posted Wed Aug 28, 2019 1:26 pm

Thanks for the info, glad it's on your radar. My best guess is that the original springs are just barely strong enough to support the keys, so the smallest amount of added friction, or a weakening spring, causes the keys to stick.

The Mechboard64 made me long for an Amiga keyboard to get the same treatment. But come to think of it, mechanical keyboard hobbyism is such a thriving industry right now that you could probably put together an Amiga-inspired PS/2 mechanical keyboard and use it with an adapter. I'll keep that in consideration for a future mini-project.

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McTrinsic

Posted Wed Aug 28, 2019 1:55 pm

In the past I „cleaned“ A1k keyboard switches with a few drops of isopropanol.

YMMV.





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