CF-28 Illuminated Keyboard Question

Toughbook, yes the "delete" key is broken. this is what the guy put in his ad.

"Panasonic Toughbook CF-28 Emissive Backlit Keyboard"

This also comes with the cables and power inverter needed to make the backlit keyboard work. Most CF-28 800MHZ toughbooks don’t have the power inverter needed to make this keyboard work.

This keyboard types just like a normal keyboard.
This keyboard was pulled from a working cf-28 and worked fine other then the delete key.
PLEASE NOTE: The delete keyboard has broken off and I can’t get the delete function to work it seems very sticky as if someone tried to glue it back. The key next to it (INS) also seems very loose but works.
ALL KEYS DO LIGHT UP WHEN INSTALLED CORRECTLY.

I don"t really use the delete key that often to worry about it not working but it sucks that it is not visually appealing. I did not know that you fix them. I would most definitely like to take you up on your offer to fix it if that is possible with what the ad says. I could ship it to you with those other items we talked about if that is ok with you? It looks like they will all be here around the same time. Another option is that one item I purchased off of ebay is in Windsor Mills, MD. I don't know if that is anywhere near you or not but I do like road trips and if I pick up that item and you are somewhat close to there I could meet up with you and hand deliver your items and drop off keyboard too. Oh, by the way, I was rereading some of my original posts etc.. Did you guys think that I actually drive or can afford that truck that I use as my avitar? I have a superduty but it's nowhere near the size of that f-650. That my friends is my dream truck. Those things go for 130,000.00USD easily from my inquiries into them. The only way I could afford one of those is if I won the lottery. I am picking up my mount for my truck down there. RAM brand version looks real nice but I am going to have to remove their mounting dock and install a plate that I can bolt the Kodiak to. I am getting ahead of myself. Do you even think it is possible to fix my keyboard??? Did you have the time to look into that other item that we talked about that you might have or have we all been keeping you up late at night with GPS bug?

 

Gravitar, yes I can see the pics but I am a member of yahoo. I have to log in when I want to look at pictures on there though. Strangely enough I happened to be checking my email on yahoo and looked in the files on group and downloaded your pictures without realizing that that was you, as not the same name on there. I am apparently now a member of that group too. I had to do that request thing to become a member there and kind of forgot about it after finding this group. I just went on there tonight and was reading over the posts and thought to check there if anyone had info or pics and there they were.LOL. Thank you so much for taking the time to get them for me anyway.

 

Speed... Yes I can probably fix it. The stuck key might be able to be fixed... Not sure on that one. I can take the key off and look at what is wrong.

Windsor Mill looks to be about 25-30 miles away. I'm sure we could probably meet somewhere... We'd just need to coordinate. Let me know.

Not sure about the the other thing you're talking about... (the mounts?) It's late... I'm fried, sleepy and headed for bed.

See you guys in the AM...

 

Yes the mounts. They should be here in a day or two. If not this weekend then next I should be headed down for it and we could meet up. I am headed in the same direction as you. See you guys tomorrow.

 

Just let me know... I'm sure we could meet...

The keyboard can come apart with A LOT of care. You need a replacement key obviously...I have a few donor keyboards that I steal the keys from. You need a light touch with a pin or dental pick and the legs that hold them down can be unsprung... Then pushed back and taken out. The installation is roughly the reverse though I use a toothpick to keep the legs pried apart. Then tuck in the back legs and start the third leg. Use a pin, small screwdriver or dental pick to push the 4th leg into place and you're set.

It's easier to do than type out... I'd take pictures and post them but I don't think I could get the camera in the right position and do the job at the same time.

 

I was wondering if anyone has successfully replaced keys. I tried once and ended up with more breakage than when i started!

 

Anything can be done if you try hard enough...

 

Your patience threshhold is obviously much higher than mine!

 

Hi, i am new here.
I am from Belgium, so my English is not so good.
I have a 1G with the rubber keyboard, and i was wondering why the F11 key is red lighted in stead of white ????
I have also problems whit the pcmcia port, the two ports on the outside don't work, the third (inside) works fine.
They are both enabled in th bios and XP says they are working fine.

Any idea's ?

Thanks,

 

The F11 is the Emergency call buttom on police cars running an MDT software on their toughbooks. They press the button when they need help fast like finding the donut shop As for your PC cards you may want to check your BIOS to make sure they are enabled "Cardbus Controller A" in the advanced settings.

 

Thanks for the F11 issue.

And yes the cardbus controller A and B are enabled in bios
Windows hardware manager say they work fine, but when i put a device in its not working (cardbus A, cardbus B is working)
I put 3 different devices in it and non of them works
Maybe its a driver issue, because windows show different drivers for A and B
If somebody have a other driver for the A bus (windows XP pro) Let me know please.

Thanks,

 

I suppose I should ask just because it's been bothering me. My backlit keyboard is great (not that I need it to type, but it looks cool), but my A, S, and Z keys have a problem. They are extremely sensitive, and if I even brush over the key it will enter it.

Any ideas?

 

I have a backspace key like that. If you stare at it... It erases stuff. I'm not sure what it is. Hmmmm... Maybe if you take the key off and trim the thing below... Nah...

 

I suppose once I get my new keyboard, I'll tamper with it. I like the keyboard other than that. It glows, looks great, etc... but it just annoys me that it "sticks".

On a side note, did anybody see the English/French keyboard on eBay? has a fairly low buy it now price on it, and I've seen it listed a few times with no bidders. Are they that unliked up there in French Canada?

 

Modly, Sorry to go off topic but I notice that you have 768MB of RAM in your 800Mhz Toughbook. Did you run the latest BIOS update to get it to do that?

 

Yup, I did. Grabbed a 512 stick out of a bad compaq, stuck it in, and updated the BIOS, and I was in business.

 

Did you run run the BIOS update for the 1Ghz model on the 800Mhz model? I didn't see an update for the 800Mhz for the RAM upgrade.

 

I ran one for a Mark 2, but maybe I mis-read something and managed to make something weird work. I know I've got version 2.00L13 of the BIOS.

Edit; ftp://ftp.panasonic.com/pub/Panasonic/toughbook/downloads/BIOS/CF-28/28m2bl13.zip

That's the BIOS I'm using (I hope)... They don't have it on the .ca site anymore, which is where I got it.

 

That's the BIOS that came with mine & I can't get it to recognize anything other than 256 .... so far...

 

SO.... If Cardbus B doesn't show in BIOS....and If I boot with a card in the slot... will the BIOS then recognize there is a B slot..or will I have to do something else to get it to recognize it?

 

Correct! Cardbus B is invisible UNTIL you put something in it. Then when you go into the BIOS Cardbus B will show as disabled. Just enable it and you are set!

 

Hey,

I have a CF-28, and when I got it, it was missing some keys and was not working, so I ordered a new Keyboard. The new Keyboard looks different, and has black keys with gray floor and the keys are well-spaced out. The old keyboard was completely black.
Both keyboards have 3 connectors on the back and have that light thing under F12.

After replacing with the new keyboard, the back-light is not working. I have checked all connections and they all seem fine. Along with the keyboard, I also got a small chip that goes exactly behind the keyboard (on the back side and has 3 small connectors on it too). When I open it, there was already a chip in there, but I went ahead and replaced it. Still does not work.

Is there something that I am missing? Or is there anyway to tell that my laptop just does not support back-light?

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

 

Where did you get the new keyboard? You may have gotten the one for the CF-29 which operates on 5Volts The keyboard on the 28 runs on 80V AC and that is why you need the inverter.

 

I got it directly from Panasonic. If I give you the part numbers, would it help?
What does an invertor look like?

 

I'm willing to bet you have the backlight cable flipped the wrong way. The cable on the keyboard facing to the right - it needs to have the pins facing up when you slide it into the connector. You're right about switching the circuit though, that keyboard needed the circuit that came with that keyboard.

 

And speaking of BL keyboards...
The 28/800 I bought for the kid has the chicklit type and worked fine when we got it, now it quit.
Is there a switch some where (that sounds stupid but you know what I mean and not the FN F12, thats what's not doing anything).
Rick H...

 

If you have another of those little PCBs for the underside, you can try swapping them out. Usually if it just dies (not moving it or anything) it's either that PCB or the keyboard itself.

 

I am pretty sure that the right cable is plugged in right. Attaching an image, not very clear though...

I will try another PCB and will get back later.
As Rick indicated above, is there anywhere else in the system where you can turn the lights on/off like maybe BIOS or some Panasonic Util software?

 

Jatin - the other pcb won't help you. You have to use the one that came with the keyboard. That one that was in there doesn't work with the different style. My previous comment was meant for Rickh. As you said, it's not very clear but it looks like you have the right-facing cable with the contacts down, it needs to have them facing up which means folding it back on itself.

 

you are absolutely right!!! the cable on the right needs to be flipped 180degrees and then plugged in.... that is so weird! But the light works now.. I am going to plug in the keyboard for my other laptop too and hopefully it will work there too...

thanks a lot..

 

Well on ours, it starting working now it has quit again. Will need to pull the keyboard and have a look.
Rick H...