exxos's Atari, Amiga & retro forum

JezC wrote: 04 May 2021 22:42 @rubber_jonnie I managed to collect that NC100 from work today...powers up OK but so far not managed to get any of the keys to respond (but to be honest, that's what the original listing said, so no real surprise there).

I suspect that my first task will be to open it up & see how the insides look - no obvious battery damage for either the CR2032 or the 4x AA, so that's a promising start.

Edit: And to think that my 1000th post is about an Amstrad... :lol: :roll:

Lol, who'd have thunk it!!

My bet is on a disconnected or broken keyboard ribbon. There are two of them, mine seemed pretty robust if I'm honest.

Be interesting to see if you have had the power fuse replaced or bodge wired.

@rubber_jonnie I probably won't get chance to open it up before the weekend... will try to remember to check and post a comment about the fuse when I get inside!

I should also find out the state of the keyboard connection with any luck...

JezC wrote: 05 May 2021 08:11 @rubber_jonnie I probably won't get chance to open it up before the weekend... will try to remember to check and post a comment about the fuse when I get inside!

I should also find out the state of the keyboard connection with any luck...

If I recall, it's 4, maybe 5 screws, so not a difficult proposition, just be careful with the clips, especially the front edge, as the top case is very thin and easily broken where it surrounds the keyboard.

They keyboard is a double layer mylar sheet with matching contacts top and bottom activated by a rubber dome when you push a key down. The key barrels can get sticky like mine, but a wash and bit of mineral oil does the trick.

Keys do just pull out, but if you fully disassemble the KBD, which is a metal plate, mylar sheet and plastic key retainer, put the rubber domes back in and reassemble, then re-fit the keys, as it's almost impossible to do it with the keys fitted.

@rubber_jonnie Thanks for the info... I've had to start moving most of the retro collection from the study into some space I've cleared in our garage.
Net result is that I can now only fit a small number of old computers in the study at a time...and only get chance to move things around at the weekend.

The long term prospect is to have a lot more space available for the retro kit (including synths, samplers etc.) but at the short term cost of less kit being close at hand for now.

It will get some attention over the weekend!
I might even do my own blog about it...

JezC wrote: 05 May 2021 10:11 @rubber_jonnie Thanks for the info... I've had to start moving most of the retro collection from the study into some space I've cleared in our garage.
Net result is that I can now only fit a small number of old computers in the study at a time...and only get chance to move things around at the weekend.

The long term prospect is to have a lot more space available for the retro kit (including synths, samplers etc.) but at the short term cost of less kit being close at hand for now.

It will get some attention over the weekend!
I might even do my own blog about it...

I feel for you, my retro collection, bar my MSTE & Lynx II and the BBC B and NC100 which I bought after moving here, is all in storage.

Not to mention that, nearly all of my tools to, so I am having a bit of an adventure buying tools cheaply to see just how little you need to be able to troubleshoot, in my case my BBC B.

I will probably do a little blog on my experiences once I get the Beeb running again.

I said a while back, I'd see if the Amstrad NC100 would work with the ST diag cart over serial.

Well, it does:


It's not great due to the limited display, but work it does :)

:D

One more incentive to sort the keyboard on my NC100...and try it on my Psion 3a/c...

The NC100 definitely makes for a portable solution!

The Psion 5MX is a decent terminal for this sort of thing.

stephen_usher wrote: 18 Sep 2021 21:59 The Psion 5MX is a decent terminal for this sort of thing.

Sadly I couldn't afford the Psion 5 when they came out (and haven't picked one up since then either :roll:) but good to know!

Of course, if any of my Windows laptops had a battery worthy of the name then I'd already have a suitable portable terminal capability... :lol: