›SUPPLIED BYT THE CHAOS BBS›(517) 371-1106›››XE CONSOLE KEY FIX...›... that really works.›››I found that I was not alone when I›started having trouble getting my›console keys to work on the ATARI›130XE the CHAOS club used for its›BBS.  It seems that very many of›the machines develop this problem.›I asked around and found several›others that had done as I did,›opened the keyboard and cleaned the›button contacts, only to get good›results for a week or so before›losing them again.››I then received a couple reprints›of articles suggesting hardware›fixes.  I tried a couple that did›not work, but one that worked the›best came from Alan Haskell›(printed in the SBACE GAZETTE,›April/May '86).  Heres how, with a›small modification to save you the›trouble I made for myself trying›his recommended installation.››You will need a small phillips head›screwdriver, needle nose pliers, a›small soldering iron, and three 3k›(3,000 ohm) resistors.›Quarter-watt rating is plenty, in›fact, the smaller the resistors are›physically, the better.››1.   Turn over the XE computer and›remove the 4 screwss that hold it›together. Turn the computer over›again and remove the top half of›the case.››2.   Lift out the keyboard and›gently pull the ribbon out of its›connector. DO NOT OPEN THE KEYBOARD›as cleaning internally will not›help, and you may damage the carbon›tracks on the baking sheet inside.››3.   Remove the motherboard from›the lower half of the case by›removing the phillips screws›holding it down.››4.   Remove the top and bottom›metal sheilds from the board by›carefully straghtening the bent›tabs that go through the board.››5.   Observe the top and underside›of the connector you pulled the›keyboard ribbon out of. As seen›from the top as you would look at›the computer normally, there are 24›connections, with connection #1 at›te left and #24 at the right.›Connection #3 (from the left) is›the ground connection.  The last 4,›#21, #22, #23, #24 are the START,›SELECT, OPTION, and RESET›connections. When a connection is›made from these points to the›ground, the computer will know one›or several of the keys are being›pushed.  Due to a design problem,›the console keys have a bit too›much resistance to always register›even when you really lean on them.›So, we will install the three›resitors between the connections›and ground so as to "leak" a bit›more ground signal to the computer.›That way, not nearly so good a›connection is required by the›actual keys when pressed.››6.   Identify the proper pins on›the bottom side of the circuit›board. We will install the resitors›under the board.››7.   Solder one end of all three›resitors together. Then connect›this common end to the ground›connection (pin 3). Then solder the›free end of the resiters, one each,›to pins 21, 22, and 23. (The reset›system never seems affected, nor›any other keys.)››8.   Be certain that the wires on›the resistors do not touch each›other nor any other circuitry! Use›as little solder and as short a›heating time as possible. Tape the›resitors to prevent shorting if›needed, and press them close to the›circuitboard.››9.   Reassemble the shields to the›board, bending back the tabs to›hold it all together. Look inside›to be sure the resitors do not›touch the lower shield.››10.  Complete the re-assembly,›taking extra care not to stress or›insert the keyboard ribbon too many›times.  The spring contacts bend›easily, and the conductive coating›on the ribbon, if scratched›through, will cause the keyboard to›be useless. Don't worry too much,›thats hard to do if you are›careful. (The original mod›suggested pressing the resistor›leads into the connector so as to›make it solder-free and simpler....›but that "simplicity" ruined my›connector and made hour more work!›Solder it!)››11.  Test the repair. Power up the›machine and type in this one line›basic program:››   10 PRINT PEEK(53279):GOTO 10››Then type RUN. You will see a row›of 7's down your screen.  Push›OPTION. They should turn to 3's. ›SELECT will give you 5's, and›starts will give you 6's.›Combinations will give other›numbers from ) to 7. If each key›responds, you have finished the›repair.›››This has permanently fixed the›problem on dozens of XE's. It has›restored my keys to "feather touch"›after a long siege of having to›boot 5 or 6 times mashing the›OPTION key trying to get a boot›without BASIC. It WILL work for›you.›››John Nagy, SYSOP of the CHAOS BBS›(517) 371-1106›››EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE