Keyboard Cable With PS-2 Connector

Hi:

I have a Sony VGC-RA716G desktop computer running XP MCE(2006) SP3 with
PS-2 cable for keyboard. The PS-2 connector on the end of the cable got bent
and is now defective.

Is there anyway to replace the PS-2 Connector (6 pin) at the end of the
keyboard cable? If not can the cable with PS-2 connector be replaced or do I
need to replace the entire keyboard? It's a somewhat special Sony keyboard
that came with the computer.

Thanks,

ColTom2

ColTom2 wrote:
I have a Sony VGC-RA716G desktop computer running XP MCE(2006)
SP3 with PS-2 cable for keyboard. The PS-2 connector on the end of
the cable got bent and is now defective.

Is there anyway to replace the PS-2 Connector (6 pin) at the end
of the keyboard cable? If not can the cable with PS-2 connector be
replaced or do I need to replace the entire keyboard? It's a
somewhat special Sony keyboard that came with the computer.

Sure - you could do that. It's just wires and solder.

What's 'special' about the keyboard?

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Where can I purchase a new PS-2 connector with wiring instructions?

Thanks,

ColTom2




"Shenan Stanley" wrote in message
...
ColTom2 wrote:
I have a Sony VGC-RA716G desktop computer running XP MCE(2006)
SP3 with PS-2 cable for keyboard. The PS-2 connector on the end of
the cable got bent and is now defective.

Is there anyway to replace the PS-2 Connector (6 pin) at the end
of the keyboard cable? If not can the cable with PS-2 connector be
replaced or do I need to replace the entire keyboard? It's a
somewhat special Sony keyboard that came with the computer.

Sure - you could do that. It's just wires and solder.

What's 'special' about the keyboard?

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

ColTom2 wrote:
Where can I purchase a new PS-2 connector with wiring instructions?

Cannot say where - offhand. Have never considered it. Probably some
electronics store/warehouse/supply type spot.

MINI-DIN6 is (I think) the actual connector type.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

On Sun, 23 Aug 2009 21:52:24 -0400, ColTom2 wrote:

Where can I purchase a new PS-2 connector with wiring instructions?


If you're in a hurry, visit a thrift store. You can probably find an old
PS-2 keyboard for about $2. There's a chance the cable will have the
same kind of connector internally so you can just open up the Sony and
swap cables. Failing that, you could cut off the defective PS-2
connector and splice the replacement cable in its place. Leave enough
wire on the old PS-2 connector so you can strip the cable and figure out
what pins go to what colors.

If both cables have the same color of wires inside, you can *probably*
just wire brown to brown, green to green, and so on. No guarantees,
though.

You might also ask around the local computer stores. Sometimes the techs
have a pile of old broken electronics they pull parts off of. Someone
one might have a broken keyboard with a cable that will work with your
Sony keyboard. There's also a small chance that Fry's electronics might
have some replacement cables or replacement connectors in their
electronics section.

If you're not in a big hurry, Jameco Electronics might have replacement
connectors but I doubt they'll have wiring instructions. A web search
for "PS-2 pinout" may be helpful on wiring the connector.

Yet another option is to look for the same model of keyboard on ebay.
You can probably find a used one for about what the connector alone
would cost. If it works then you're done, and if it doesn't then you can
use the cable to fix your old keyboard.




Thanks,

ColTom2




"Shenan Stanley" wrote in message
... ColTom2 wrote:
I have a Sony VGC-RA716G desktop computer running XP MCE(2006)
SP3 with PS-2 cable for keyboard. The PS-2 connector on the end of the
cable got bent and is now defective.

Is there anyway to replace the PS-2 Connector (6 pin) at the end
of the keyboard cable? If not can the cable with PS-2 connector be
replaced or do I need to replace the entire keyboard? It's a somewhat
special Sony keyboard that came with the computer.

Sure - you could do that. It's just wires and solder.

What's 'special' about the keyboard?

I've never bought one, but search for a "6 pin min-DIN connector".

If you run up against a minimum order requirement (at DigiKey, it used to be
$25), you could consider buying a PS/2 extension cable, and splicing the
cable onto yours. It wouldn't be pretty, but it'd be cheap.

"ColTom2" wrote in message
...
Where can I purchase a new PS-2 connector with wiring instructions?

Thanks,

ColTom2




"Shenan Stanley" wrote in message
...
ColTom2 wrote:
I have a Sony VGC-RA716G desktop computer running XP MCE(2006)
SP3 with PS-2 cable for keyboard. The PS-2 connector on the end of
the cable got bent and is now defective.

Is there anyway to replace the PS-2 Connector (6 pin) at the end
of the keyboard cable? If not can the cable with PS-2 connector be
replaced or do I need to replace the entire keyboard? It's a
somewhat special Sony keyboard that came with the computer.

Sure - you could do that. It's just wires and solder.

What's 'special' about the keyboard?

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

ColTom2 wrote:
Hi:

I have a Sony VGC-RA716G desktop computer running XP MCE(2006) SP3 with
PS-2 cable for keyboard. The PS-2 connector on the end of the cable got bent
and is now defective.

Is there anyway to replace the PS-2 Connector (6 pin) at the end of the
keyboard cable? If not can the cable with PS-2 connector be replaced or do I
need to replace the entire keyboard? It's a somewhat special Sony keyboard
that came with the computer.

Thanks,

ColTom2


To make a repair, you'd start by preparing documentation for yourself.

I'm assuming the connector is still connected to the cable. Using a multimeter
set on ohms, you open the keyboard and "buzz" from one wire contact, until you
find which pin that corresponds to. So if there were four contacts
on the keyboard PCB, you'd buzz from there ("check for zero ohm reading"),
to a connector pin. A zero ohm reading, means there is a straight piece of wire
from the contact inside the keyboard, to that particular pin on the connector.
This requires disassembly of the keyboard, so you can get at the spot where the
cable is soldered to the keyboard.

Your keyboard should only be using four pins of six possible (+5V, GND, DATA, CLOCK).
There is a diagram here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS/2_connector

The ones that are important to connect correctly, are the +5V and GND. If you set
your multimeter to volts, and measured the appropriate four active pins
on the computer end, three of the four pins would read 5 volts. The power supply pin
is 5V. But both the clock and data, when idle, are pulled up to 5 volts via pullup
resistors. This is open collector logic, at least as shown on the following information
page. So doing a volts check on the computer end, could lead to confusing results.
In other words, you might not be able to rely on a voltage reading while things
are powered, to figure stuff out.

http://www.computer-engineering.org/ps2protocol/

So it really depends right now, on how "damaged" that connector is. If all
the pins are squashed together (a steam roller ran over it), then preparing
your documentation is not going to be that easy.

If the PCB inside the keyboard is clearly labeled as to which pin is which,
then your job is now a lot easier. Preparing your own documentation, is reserved
for those cases where every bit of your project is a "secret" they don't want you
to know. I doubt very much there is labeling. Using the multimeter to buzz out
the wiring, is how you'd prepare your own documentation, so you can mark
the four contacts on the keyboard PCB (+5V, GND, DATA, CLOCK).

It would be nice, if there were standard colors for the signals, but I don't know
if anyone would bother with that or not. After all. the cable is normally fully
covered with insulation, so there is no reason for color keying inside.

As for your repair materials, I was hoping to find a "captive cable" replacement,
but I couldn't locate one of those. (That would have the PS/2 miniDIN on one end,
and wires coming out the other end. You'd solder the wires to the PCB of the
keyboard.) If the keyboard had a non-captive cable, then you'd simply unplug the
old cable.

You can take a keyboard extension cable, snip the head off one end (leaving the
right kind of connector on the other end). Then strip the appropriate four
wires (using your "buzzing" skills, to map cable color to pins on the cable),
and then you'd be able to solder the replacement cable in place. Since the
cut end of the cable is now hidden inside the keyboard, you get a nice neat job.
Usually, the keyboard will have some mechanism for strain relief, and you'd duplicate
how the old cable was installed. The idea is, either plastic fingers grip the cable
and prevent it from being pulled out of the keyboard, or in some cases a loop or
knot is formed in the wire, to prevent it from being pulled out.

In terms of repair materials, you'd need.

1) Multimeter. Should be able to measure volts and ohms. Current
measurement on cheap multimeters is hardly ever used.

2) 25 to 35W soldering iron. Better to err on the high side, so you have
enough heat. The +5V and GND wires might be a bit harder to solder and
unsolder, if there is a lot of copper plane at the solder point. A soldering
iron with a grounded tip is sometimes used for better electrostatic discharge
protection. The largest iron I have in my collection is 80 watts, and
if I'm having problems removing old solder, that one helps. If you
go for something like a 15W iron, there is virtually no chance your
project will ever get finished. I don't know why Radio Shack sells stuff
like that.

The old style "solder gun" with the penlight bulb to light up the
work area, is not recommended. I used to have one of those, and you
have to be careful not to exceed the duty cycle. (Work for 1 minute,
let the gun cool off for 5 minutes. Too much trigger pulling and
the transformer inside overheats.)

3) Solder wick. 0.050" wide wick might be used to soak up the old solder,
where the wires go into the PCB. The larger the wick, the more heat it
takes to get it to wick up the solder. Better to use thinner wick, than
thicker stuff. So 0.050" or 0.025" might work, nothing larger.

(This is what is in my toolbox right now, for super fine work.)
http://www.alliedelec.com/Search/Pro...610190&MPN=423

You can use diagonal cutters, to ship off the old cable. Then all you're
left with, is a small bit of wire and the holes to clean out.

4) "Electronic" solder, not plumbing ("acid core") solder. Electronic solder
uses a resin core flux, and resin cleanup is possible with various alcohols.
I have a one pound roll of solder which is smaller diameter than this
(angel hair). This is better than nothing (or better than plumber's solder).
I notice Radio Shack sells plenty of stuff you should not be using.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2062713

5) Wire strippers. Many times, you can find the yellow handled ones at the
hardware store. They're better than using your teeth to strip the insulation
off the wire. At the other extreme, there are automated strippers, where the
stripping action is more fully controlled, and those won't nick the wire strands
by accident. The cheap stripper from the hardware store, would require a lot of
practice, to get a clean strip without nicks. You need to examine the lengths
of bare wire on the existing captive cable, to figure out how long to make
each one on your replacement cable.

Sounds like loads of fun if you've never soldered before.

HTH,
Paul

ColTom2 wrote:
Where can I purchase a new PS-2 connector with wiring instructions?

Thanks,

ColTom2

Snip the end off one of these. "PS/2 extension cable". There is a
male and a female connector, so you cannot go wrong.

http://images.quill.com/images/produ.../56470_ENL.JPG

Paul





"Shenan Stanley" wrote in message
...
ColTom2 wrote:
I have a Sony VGC-RA716G desktop computer running XP MCE(2006)
SP3 with PS-2 cable for keyboard. The PS-2 connector on the end of
the cable got bent and is now defective.

Is there anyway to replace the PS-2 Connector (6 pin) at the end
of the keyboard cable? If not can the cable with PS-2 connector be
replaced or do I need to replace the entire keyboard? It's a
somewhat special Sony keyboard that came with the computer.

Sure - you could do that. It's just wires and solder.

What's 'special' about the keyboard?

Thanks to all for all the great responses!

ColTom2


"ColTom2" wrote in message
...
Hi:

I have a Sony VGC-RA716G desktop computer running XP MCE(2006) SP3 with
PS-2 cable for keyboard. The PS-2 connector on the end of the cable got bent
and is now defective.

Is there anyway to replace the PS-2 Connector (6 pin) at the end of the
keyboard cable? If not can the cable with PS-2 connector be replaced or do I
need to replace the entire keyboard? It's a somewhat special Sony keyboard
that came with the computer.

Thanks,

ColTom2

Simple keyboards are cheap enough, buy a new one before you make your old one a $100 mess (assuming
your labor is worth something). Go to a Goodwill store and pick up a used one for $5

"ColTom2" wrote in message ...
| Thanks to all for all the great responses!
|
| ColTom2
|
|
| "ColTom2" wrote in message
| ...
| Hi:
|
| I have a Sony VGC-RA716G desktop computer running XP MCE(2006) SP3 with
| PS-2 cable for keyboard. The PS-2 connector on the end of the cable got bent
| and is now defective.
|
| Is there anyway to replace the PS-2 Connector (6 pin) at the end of the
| keyboard cable? If not can the cable with PS-2 connector be replaced or do I
| need to replace the entire keyboard? It's a somewhat special Sony keyboard
| that came with the computer.
|
| Thanks,
|
| ColTom2
|
|
|