Hi folks: It's been a while since I have felt the need for any help with my computers, and to be honest, I have doubts that anyone here can do much with this issue any way. I own a Compaq Portable 1, manufactured in 1983 as the first IBM clone. The computer is in great physical condition, however, there is a special condition with the keyboard. It seems as though Compaq had run into a design flaw in their keyboards, so they went with a design that doesn't use a direct connection between contacts in order to register a key stroke. Instead, Compaq chose to use a capacitive design that uses a foam backed thin non-conductive foil. Key strokes are registered by the foil coming into very close contact causes a change in capacitance. The foil doesn't make actual contact because there is a thin layer of something covering it so keep it from creating a circuit.
Any way, the foam used in these keyboards is Compaq's week point. After up to 30 years of use, plus improper storage, the foam is virtually disintegrating underneath each of the keys. I was wondering if anyone had tried to retrofit another key design into these keyboards. Is there a substitute for the original keyboard that can be modified to fit into the 1st series of Compaq Portable's keyboard case?
Do any of you have any suggestions on any kind of modification I can make to this board to make it more reliable?
Thank you very much.
Any way, the foam used in these keyboards is Compaq's week point. After up to 30 years of use, plus improper storage, the foam is virtually disintegrating underneath each of the keys. I was wondering if anyone had tried to retrofit another key design into these keyboards. Is there a substitute for the original keyboard that can be modified to fit into the 1st series of Compaq Portable's keyboard case?
Do any of you have any suggestions on any kind of modification I can make to this board to make it more reliable?
Thank you very much.
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