Classicamiga Forum Retro Edition
1 2 3 4 5
Thread: Pc in Amiga A1200 - started !!!
Tiago 16:05 23rd October 2011
Hi, as i told you in other topic i would convert a laptop to An Amiga 1200 case.
So i started this weekend.

Laptop is a Dell 630, that a friend gave me. I open it, and remove the board... laptops are not so easy to open... we must be very carefull.
I had a spare A1200 case so... here we go:

Problems so far:
- fan must be placed exactly as it were inside laptop, 2 milimeters out of place and the board shuts down with cooling problems.

- as i get the board out of laptop, i notice it is to big for the A1200 case, i will have to cut a bit of keyboad and metal bellow to get some space, and also have to remove the board battery connector as i will not need it.

- power on button is in the laptop keyboard, how can i remove it from the keyboard???? I guess i can put a switch from the wires...


Here is a big photo of work so far, hope you understand:

http://www.lobodias.com/Commodore_Am...20PC2AMIGA.jpg

Help about the button is much apreciated !
[Reply]
Harrison 12:53 24th October 2011
For the button you would need to multimeter and try to trace the buttons connections back into the connector.

Have you also checked to see if the motherboard will boot without the laptop keyboard connected? My wife's wouldn't when her keyboard went wrong. Could be a problem if it doesn't.
[Reply]
Tiago 13:25 24th October 2011
Originally Posted by :
Have you also checked to see if the motherboard will boot without the laptop keyboard connected?
The button on/off is on the keyboard, so if i remove the keyboard, how i would turn it on? I dont have other button for the same funtion.
Desktop keyboards have an average of 27 pins in a small circuit. To make a keypress you need to close circuit in 2 or 3 pins, like if you want the key "A" you would close pin x and pin Y and he will do the "G" key, the same with the others, some special keys, like Alt+tab would need multiple pins....
I dont now in this case of a laptop keyboard if it's the same procedure... i could cut the keyboard wire, and test with a single wire, to close these circuits to see if any would make the "on/off"
[Reply]
Harrison 15:44 25th October 2011
Is the keyboard connected via a cable or flat ribbon connector like the A1200 has? Most laptops I've seen have these plastic flat connectors and it makes it really hard to do anything with them. Steve will testify to the nightmare he had trying to repair one of these.

That is the problem using laptop components as they are heavily modified and integrated to fit them all into the laptop case.

It's also annoying about your overheating issue. I suspect the cooling was designed with the motherboard and laptop case together, so that the 2 combined channelled the air around the system exactly as it was needed. Removing the casing probably upset this design.
[Reply]
Tiago 11:11 26th October 2011
Yes it's a flat ribbon cable like the A1200,
check the photo of it:


Originally Posted by :
It's also annoying about your overheating issue. I suspect the cooling was designed with the motherboard and laptop case together, so that the 2 combined channelled the air around the system exactly as it was needed. Removing the casing probably upset this design.
Well yes i guess, but after placing the fan exactly in the correct position, it worked fine, for more then 1 hour.
now, i need to know, if i can put a on/off switch in that ribbon cable
[Reply]
Harrison 11:35 26th October 2011
Could be hard with that type of connector then. Maybe instead of trying to modify the keyboard/cable you could try to access the right connections from the motherboard end of the keyboard connector?
[Reply]
Tiago 12:01 26th October 2011
Yes, i would work the same way... i hope!! my problem is if it's a 2 or 3 pin connection...
i know there are people that hack PC keyboards for flight simulators, they put switchs instead of Keys, they open the keyboard, and do combinations from the circuit inside, conecting the pins make the keys work, so they put switchs instead of keys. usually 2 pins connected will do a Key... but some function keys culd go to 3 pin contact.... i cannot test all combinations to find the power on/off .... and i could not find a manual about it...
[Reply]
Tiago 13:10 27th October 2011
DONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the on/off is a combination of 2 pins. I opened the metal case of laptop keyboad, and look for the traces of the on/off button, i follow them they passed from 1 top layer to 1 bottom layer and then to ribbon cable, i tested with a multimeter, and the power flow when i press the button, the multimeter gave me signal. So, now that i now witch pins do the power on/off i can now remove the keyboard and use a on/off switch to power it on. Must now order the Keyrah adaptar.
[Reply]
Harrison 14:30 27th October 2011
Cool.
[Reply]
Tiago 17:55 29th October 2011
today i also look for F12 pins. I think i will put an external button for F12, since Keyrah/A1200 keyboard dont have F12...
I also want to start with a small VGA cable extension, to extend video signal from laptop board to A1200 port. I only need about 20 centimeters. I have the male and female connectors and also a VGA cable with 15 wires inside, but i think i dont need all of the 15 wires... anyone knows whitch pins i need? and do i need to solder anything to the outside of d connector?
[Reply]
Tags:Array
1 2 3 4 5
Up