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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: iri on Sat, 07 December 2024, 13:08:38

Title: My AEK broke
Post by: iri on Sat, 07 December 2024, 13:08:38
I always used my old AEK with the Tinkerboy controller. It worked flawlessly, then was put into storage for a while, then when I tried to use it again, it just wouldn't work. The keyboard will blink the LED's when plugged in, but that's all it does. No keypress registers at all.

I'm on Linux and dmesg's output correctly identifies the controller when it's plugged in, so I think the problem is in the board itself.

I captured the USB output with Wireshark and it kind of confirmed my hypothesis about the keyboard itself being broken and the controller healthy. I would get traffic when the board is plugged/unplugged, but whenever I hit the keys, I'd get nothing.

I can guarantee that nothing was spilled on the board, but can't guarantee that it wasn't knocked.

Any ideas on how to repair it?
Title: Re: My AEK broke
Post by: Findecanor on Sat, 07 December 2024, 23:29:33
I see nothing obviously wrong on the PCB. Have you tried both ADB ports? With another converter?

I would test the capacitors with a multimeter (that has such a function) to see if one could have dried out.
Title: Re: My AEK broke
Post by: iri on Sat, 18 October 2025, 13:33:02
It was the Tinkerboy controller.

What's the probability that it wasn't the PCB from 1987 that broke, but the controller from 2021? That correctly identified itself to my operating system?

Jesus ****ing Christ.
Title: Re: My AEK broke
Post by: zegonix on Mon, 20 October 2025, 06:40:17
HAHAHAHA, what an absolute classic
Title: Re: My AEK broke
Post by: iri on Mon, 20 October 2025, 13:49:48
On the plus side, I really stacked on the replacement PCB's for the AEK. If you can't find one for yourself to buy, it's because of me.