Apple Extended Keyboard II locks up SE ADB bus

[compact-mac]

Greetings,

I've recently acquired a Macintosh SE. The SE boots and I have a new old stock mouse that happily drags the pointer and lets me click.

I also acquired a delightfully clicky AEK II (big one with all the F-keys) and alas, when I connect it to my SE the ADB bus locks up. Each of the keyboard's three status LEDs illuminate and stay that way no matter what num or caps lock I press. I can't move the mouse, even if the mouse is connected directly to the Mac's other ADB port.

I disassembled the keyboard and found corrorsion inside - it mustn't have been stored in ideal condtions. But it was sold as "working" so presumably the seller tested it on a newer Mac? I'm not certain. Would anyone have experience of using an AEK II on a Mac SE? Is this an otherwise known problem?

 

[AwkwardPotato]

AEK II should work just fine on the Mac SE; used that setup myself for a few years. I would try another ADB cable just to make sure that's not the problem, although I already have a feeling that's not going to change anything.

I have an AEK II with the exact same symptoms (all LEDs come on, and mouse freezes) and traced it down to the microcontroller in the keyboard being faulty. It really isn't worth it to replace it; you'd need to buy the EPROM version of the microcontroller (Intel 8749 I think?), and then build a custom programmer to flash it with the AEK II ROM (design for such a programmer can be found online, ROM file is available on bitsavers.org).

 

[volvo242gt]

It should work fine. I've used an AppleDesign keyboard with an SE before. It's likely that the keyboard suffered the damage after the seller tested it. In any case, it will need work before it can be used.

 

[LaPorta]

I have an AEK II with the exact same symptoms (all LEDs come on, and mouse freezes) and traced it down to the microcontroller in the keyboard being faulty. It really isn't worth it to replace it; you'd need to buy the EPROM version of the microcontroller (Intel 8749 I think?), and then build a custom programmer to flash it with the AEK II ROM (design for such a programmer can be found online, ROM file is available on bitsavers.org).

Could you not just find a real beater AEK II and swap chips?

 

[mg.man]

Could you not just find a real beater AEK II

@compact-mac, I might have an AEK II I'd let go for parts. Have a few things in the queue I need to sort through for other MLA'rs in the coming days, so drop me a PM if you're interested.

 

[AwkwardPotato]

Could you not just find a real beater AEK II and swap chips?

Could definitely do that too, just that the last time I looked at AEK I/II prices on eBay, I remember the prices of trashed units not being that much better than those of nice working ones (assuming it's because these models are a favorite of keyboard hobbyists too, who frequently salvage all the switches for use in modern keyboard designs).

 

[volvo242gt]

^Yeah, the M0115, 0116, 3501, and the A9M0330 are frequently bought up by the hobbyists to salvage the switches from. Some of the early Dell QuietKey keyboards also use the salmon Alps switches, so they've all but disappeared from the 'bay as well. So, I felt like I got lucky when I bought my M0115 last winter for $90, plus shipping. It's yellowed, has a missing nub for the overlay strip that goes around the function keys, but that's fine. All the keys work.

 

[compact-mac]

Ah it is as I feared then. I expected there would be no intrinsic reason that an ADB keyboard wouldn't work with an ADB Mac. I think given the age and quality of the keyboard it is worth keeping and trying to repair. In fact, the keys are so pleasant for typing that I am tempted to someday get an ADB to USB converter for my modern machine.

@mg.man Thanks for the offer. Has your AEKII the chips? What condition is it in? I could well combine it with mine and get one workable AEK II from the pair. Even better if it helps replace some of the corroded parts of mine.