#Need New Amiga Keyboard
6 messages in this thread
Bill:
Yes, and No. All NorthGate Ultras are switch settable to work on the
Amiga. There is no adapter as such needed, the normal PC cable will also
work with the A2000 & A3000 (I think the A4000 used a different
connector). What you'd have to order seperately from Northgate is the
Amiga keycap set. I have Northgate keyboards on all my computers (my
Amiga, my PC at home, and my PC at the office), on the Amiga I'm using
their Omnikey Plus (basically the same as the ultra except without the
extra row of fkeys on the upper edge), and on the PC's I'm using the
Omnikey 102 keyboard (it has a slightly different layout for the cursor
keys, etc), and all of them can be used on the Amiga, however the 102's
won't fit the help keycap that comes with the Amiga keycap set. The KB at
the office was originally on my Amiga for a few years, and then I took it
into the office, and replaced it with the Plus which I got from a local PC
store for something like $60.00 (much cheaper than buying direct from
Northgate).
// -Mike Schiller
\X/ AMIGA! On AutoPilot in sunny Fort Lauderdale
Thanks, Mike. I'm also using a 102 and a Plus, both with the F-keys "where they
belong." My Plus is a 1989 prototype with an odd key layout (backspace on
second row — not recommended), and two Macintosh connectors. It has a
5-position DIP switch, but docs don't show any settings for Ami (or Mac).
You're right about that A4000 connector. PS/2-type (6-pin mini-DIN).
Bill:
My Ultra also has 2 connectors, one of which looks suspiciously like a Mac
connector. It also has a reset button on it as well, and on my Amiga it
will actually reset the machine properly most of the time. To use the Plus
on an Amiga, switches 1 & 4 need to be down, all the others up. Is your
102 one of the newer style ones, or an older style one? (I have 1 of each)
The older style one is in a case very similar to the plus, while the new
style one's case is about 2" longer, and instead of the switches being on
the back edge of the case they're under a door on top of the case under
the Northgate logo.
// -Mike Schiller
\X/ AMIGA! On AutoPilot in sunny Fort Lauderdale
>> Is your 102 one of the newer style ones, or an older style one?
I dunno. Just got it a week ago from a dealer, but it looks more like your
description of an older one. The only switch I see is an A/X (for AT / XT)
slide switch on the back. It has no connectors, cable is permanently
attached. Otherwise, same case as my Plus. However, my Plus is an early
prototype (3/89), so may not be the same case as the real Plus. Serial
number (if that's what it is) on the new keyboard is lower.
My Plus has a mini push button on the back, which maybe corresponds to
your Ultra's reset button, and detachable cable with male 6-pin mini-DIN
(like PS/2) on keyboard end, with 1 pin bent down so it doesn't make
contact. It only has one set of F-keys (on the left). I'm calling the extra
connectors Macs because that's how they're labeled on the circuit board
inside. I'd be surprised if it supports Mac or Amiga.
I had bought an earlier model Northgate keyboard. It had a ROM bug that
sent the wrong scan codes for certain 3-key combinations. They replaced it
with the prototype, since all their production keyboards at the time
(early 1989) had the same ROM.
Bill:
My keyboard with a reset button IS the plus, not an Ultra, I don't have
one of those. Your 102 sounds strange, as both of my 102's have a
detachable cable, and DIP switches in one location or another. Sounds like
Northgate has had several revisions of their keyboards!
// -Mike Schiller
\X/ AMIGA! On AutoPilot in sunny Fort Lauderdale
Hey guys, you will never guess what arrived today from Grapevine! A nice,
new A2000 keyboard! Now, it DID take 6 weeks, just like they warned me,
but sure enough, here it is. You might give them a call.
-Karl