Society of Robots - Robot Forum

General Misc => Misc => Topic started by: Joesavage1 on February 02, 2009, 09:30:56 AM

Title: What can i get from this keyboard?
Post by: Joesavage1 on February 02, 2009, 09:30:56 AM

Recently at school they randomly threw away this keyboard which seems to work perfectly, so I asked my form tutor and now its mine. Its a Microsoft Basic Keyboard 1.0A, i found it , (or something that looks exactly like it) here:    http://www.trademe.co.nz/Computers/Peripherals/Keyboards/Corded/auction-199810132.htm (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Computers/Peripherals/Keyboards/Corded/auction-199810132.htm)

If you list something i could find can you tell me what to look for when opening keyboard,

Thanks

Joe

Title: Re: What can i get from this keyboard?
Post by: Joesavage1 on February 02, 2009, 11:25:38 AM

Wow! theres not much in a keyboard,  but still some useful components.

3 resistors, 2 disc, one normal
1 Capacitor
3 LED's (for NUM CAPS AND SCROLL lock originally)

And the only other thing in it;  which i couldn't really use myself, is the PCB with a plastic button thingy on top. I just cut off the circut board and my lil' sis can use the screwed back together keyboard (good screwing practise) for playing teachers or something =D.

Sorry for starting a new post when i could have figured myself, but i hope others will now know the basics in a keyboard =D

Sorry Again.


Joe

Title: Re: What can i get from this keyboard?
Post by: TrickyNekro on February 02, 2009, 11:31:07 AM

You could use it as a keyboard..... :P
For a microcontroller of course....

Title: Re: What can i get from this keyboard?
Post by: frodo on February 02, 2009, 12:36:26 PM

so your lil sis can mess with teachers  :D i'd like to see that. i took apart a tv remote thinking i'd a see like component wonderland and all i got was a SMD Microcontroller, a PCB  and a rubber pad.   >:(

Title: Re: What can i get from this keyboard?
Post by: Razor Concepts on February 02, 2009, 04:28:55 PM

Yep, advancing technology sucks for parts scavenging, its all SMD now. But on the other hand why spend an hour desoldering 50 resistors that are worth like a dollar in the end?

Title: Re: What can i get from this keyboard?
Post by: frodo on February 02, 2009, 04:31:35 PM

true, but on the third hand( ???) if you take something apart and spend 5 hours desoldering stuff, it could be better if the parts are like really expensive that you can scavenge.

Title: Re: What can i get from this keyboard?
Post by: ed1380 on February 02, 2009, 08:49:47 PM

5 hours to desolder 7 parts  :o

Title: Re: What can i get from this keyboard?
Post by: Joesavage1 on February 03, 2009, 01:10:08 AM

Yer, i took apart a remote control once, desoldered a IR Led (cause that only useful thing i found) and burnt it out (because i had soldering gun that was too hot lol)

So annoying though we had one of those old PC monitors last week and my dad threw it in the dump before i knew anything  :o .  I rekon there would have been some OK parts in it aswell.

Joe

Title: Re: What can i get from this keyboard?
Post by: ang5t on February 06, 2009, 02:54:22 AM

Carefull with monitors though. If I remember correctly, they hold a charge long after they've been removed from a power source. Same with tv's also. If that's not the case, someone will correct me  :P

Title: Re: What can i get from this keyboard?
Post by: TrickyNekro on February 06, 2009, 03:37:45 AM

You can get the flyback from the monitor and produce nice arcs!!!
Jacob's Ladders and so on....
You can even reproduce music....... !!! (circuit needed..... :P)

Title: Re: What can i get from this keyboard?
Post by: Gertlex on February 06, 2009, 04:06:10 PM

I would really not bother with the monitor... literally for safety reasons.

Try a dead VCR.  Lots of stuff to be desoldered from those.

Title: Re: What can i get from this keyboard?
Post by: Joesavage1 on February 07, 2009, 01:33:56 AM

Ok

Thanks