Path: utzoo!yunexus!geac!syntron!jtsv16!uunet!mcvax!enea!tut!santra!clinet!toweri
From: toweri@clinet.FI (Jukka Lindgren)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: detachable keyboards and the A500 (what about A1000?)
Summary: Can I take A1000 kb far away?
Keywords: detachable keyboard A500, A1000
Message-ID: <694@clinet.FI>
Date: 17 Sep 88 23:21:11 GMT
Article-I.D.: clinet.694
References: <6397@pyr.gatech.EDU>
Reply-To: toweri@clinet.UUCP (Jukka Lindgren)
Organization: City Lines Oy, Helsinki, Finland
Lines: 44

[Eat-Me]

In article <6397@pyr.gatech.EDU> davidc@pyr.gatech.EDU (David Carter) writes:
>In article <1020@lakesys.UUCP> mikes@lakesys.UUCP (Mike Shawaluk) writes:
>>Actually, there is probably an easier way to get a detachable keyboard;
>>simply buy a ... B2000 keyboard, and a 5-pin DIN jack ...
>>This is assuming, of course, that the keyboard decoder & interface is the
>>same for 2000's and 500's, which it oughta be.
>>
etc...

	Maybe this is a little bit going to a side track, but anyway:
Does anyone out there have any experience about making (a long) extension
wire for A1000 keyboard? I'm talking about a length of three to four meters.

	Basically there shouldn't be anything tricky about it. In fact,
Amiga Hardware Reference Manual by Addison-Wesley writes:

>The keyboard plugs into the computer via a four-conductor cable similar
>to a telephone handset coily cord (in fact, a telephone handset cable
>may be substituted in a pinch)...

	But they don't say a thing about maximum length for that cable!
Someone just might think that it doesn't make any difference.
	Unfortunately it isn't so simple: As the keyboard transmits data
serially to the main unit, it is done with a speed of 17 kbits/sec.
At such speed there just isn't much time for check-and-re-check, therefore it
looks to me that a cable four meters long might collect inductive, faulty,
signals, or the real signal might get spurious.
(ref. round-shaped Cray-supercomputers, in order to minimize cable-lengths)

	Now, do I manage with a simple telephone cable, or do I have to
use shielded cable, or (please not!) was it absolutely insane idea to
begin with?

If I get a definite YES or NO, I will post it for others to see too.

Thank you, in advance!

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