X1 problem with 2 keys

The high E and F keys on my X1 stopped playing at one point. By playing them repeatedly, they have come back, but occassionaly they still do not sound.

Any ideas please as to what could have caused this and what the remedy might be.

Many thanks,

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John
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[This message has been edited by Calypso (edited 10-28-2004).]

Hi Calypso:
It sound to me like it needs a contact clean in the keybed......I would take it to the service tech and have it clean.

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mdorantes

Thanks Tato,

That's what I was thinking too.

I've had the X1 opened a few times and I have a can of contact spray.

Are the key mechanisms easily dismantled in order to access the contact points?

Calypso,

These 'contacts' are no ordinary contacts, so be careful with using fluids.

The switches are made of silicon-rubber strips containing little caps with carbon in top (inside).
By pressing a key, the cap comes down and touches two (usually not connected) spots on the printed circuit board.
The carbon shorts the spots.

I wonder why the keys stopped working.... did they die and come alive at the very same moment?
If they did, there might be a faulty connection on the PCBoard.
The best way to clean:
Remove the strip that covers the two keys, check for dirt on the PCboard or ín the caps. Carefully clean both the carbon surfaces and PCB-contact spots.



[This message has been edited by Roel (edited 10-28-2004).]

Roel,

Many thanks for your reply.

I have come across those kind of contacts before on remote controls (carbon contacts inside silicone pads) and I am sure that this is the problem.

I'm sorry to have to ask again but could you please let me know how I get to the silicone strips on the X1 please?

When I open the X1, I can see the keys pushing down on the silicone pads, but how do I access and remove the strips?

Many thanks again for your help.

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John
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[This message has been edited by Calypso (edited 10-29-2004).]

Calypso,

As far as I remember you have to unmount the keyboardunit (keys) by removing 8 or 10 screws in the bottom part of the X1.
Than remove the screws from the PCB with the contacts underneath the keyboard.
The strips have 2 contacts for each key. The time difference between closing is used for calculating the key-velocity value.

You forgot to answer my question about the 2 key failures ... did they occur at the same moments?

Thanks Roel. More complicated than I thought, but I will probably give it a try.

Hope the springs don't all fly out!!

About the two keys. I hadn't used the keyboard for a couple of weeks. Switched it on and both keys didn't work.

Worked one of them on and off for a minute or two and it slowly returned to normal. Did the same for the second key and that too started to work but has not really settled (still misses the odd sound when hit).

Sound very much like the contacts to me.

I have the keyboard under an attic window which may have dripped some rain water onto the keys.

Thank you once again for your kind help.

All the best

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John
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Hm, clever stuff. Always wondered how velocity value was detected.



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John
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