T1500 Update

The Laptop Lagger

27 May 2022, 20:45

Dear reader!

This post is really for the handful of people who read my original post regarding the Toshiba T1500 keyboard I got in a trade.

Today I finally found the time to go out to a local computer museum, where I was able to test the board on period correct IBM XT hardware.
Good news! The board is fully compatible with the XT protocol, even the lock lights worked properly with the IBM PC XT unit.

Bad news! ALT and U are cooked, no output whatsoever. On the ALT I noticed a dark spot on one of the traces. I'm going to see if this can be resolved with contact cleaner but I fear the worst. The U has no visual damage but I could not get the switch to register for the life of me. I obviously couldn't do any cleaning or maintenance onsite, being in a museum and all, but I am quite worried about this.
If it turns out to simply be a failed switch I'll be inclined to swap a less used switch (think F10 or so) for the U as a stop gap measure.
If it turns out to be a trace issue we'll be having a way worse day.

Regardless, we shall soon be purchasing a PC XT to USB converter, having confirmed the board's compatibility with this protocol.

Here's hoping, since I would LOVE to daily drive a period correct first generation complicated Alps SKCL Green board! It pings so nicely.

Cheers!

Shorle

03 Jun 2022, 08:43

Sorry for the broken keys.
Why not use your old thread for updates though, or at least link to it here so they are at least somewhat connected?

Post Reply

Return to “Keyboards”