Panasonic FS-A1WX keyboard experience

Rookie (19)

06-05-2015, 12:08

Hi everyone. This is my first post!

I recently got a Panasonic FS-A1WX. I am really happy with it. it's very well preserved, upgraded to 512kB RAM and working perfectly.

After some use I realized the keyboard feeling it's a bit harsh though. Sometimes the keys get stuck if you type fast. The FS-A1GT keyboard is smoother and easier to type in. I was wondering if that's a design issue or I should get similar results.

What are your experiences with these machines?

Thanks.

By tvalenca

Paladin (747)

06-05-2015, 21:34

Hi, I am a proud owner of a FS-A1WX and FS-A1GT too.

I do have the same problem with my WX (maybe a little less). One thing that I noticed is this keyboard (which is the same for both models, only with different color) is prone to some keyboard wearing. What happened to my GT, (and probably to your GT too) is because it is in a (almost) mint condition, which suggests that it's previous owners had A LOT OF care with it. I had it's RAM expanded to 1024kB by a very good friend of mine and he said to me "this GT was probably kept in its box when it wasn't in use. It is in a very good shape!". And I doubt he found any lump of dust inside it because of what he said. But that's not the case of my WX, which has some notable wear marks over the top case. (and a considerably amount of dust under the keys). It had its RAM expanded to 256kB by it's japanese owner, as its previous owner told me, so I can tell that it was nearly abused.

So I'm going to take the WX keyboard apart, (again), and do a meticulous cleaning on each key. I'll probably have to dissassemble each key pole, and depending on it's state i'll have to polish or lube some key holes (due to dust probably causing more fricction between plastic walls from the hole and plastic key post - what can potentially cause wear to the key pieces). This is a very good keyboard, of a very good machine, to be left in a bad condition! (and that squeaky space bar and cursor arrows drives me crazy!)

By xesco

Rookie (19)

06-05-2015, 23:15

Thanks for your response!

So yes, you are probably right. My GT was amazingly preserved too, almost never used, and it came in it's original box with all the manuals, disks, stickers and cables. Maybe that's the reason why the keyboard it's so smooth compared to the WX.

https://flic.kr/p/ssPx6W

Nevertheless, the WX it's in a very good shape but a closer look tells me there's some dust on the side of the keys. I might try to take it apart and do my cleaning process too. Let me know how it goes... I will do the same.

The key information you pointed out is the two keyboards are exactly the same. So they should feel the same. And hopefully they will soon!

Thanks.

By meits

Scribe (6535)

06-05-2015, 23:38

Got both of them as well, be it an st turbo r... I've not noticed any difference in the touch of the keys... Got me curious... Might compare sometime...

By AxelStone

Prophet (3193)

07-05-2015, 08:44

I think that Philips keyboards like VG8235 or NMS8245 are the best on any MSX by far.

By NYYRIKKI

Enlighted (6033)

07-05-2015, 09:06

Yes, originally the keyboards are same except for color... If you want, you can swap them, but it just moves your problem.

By xesco

Rookie (19)

07-05-2015, 10:15

@Meits If you haven't noticed any difference that's a good sign assuming both perform well of course. In my case I can assure you there's a big difference.

@AxelStone That's a good topic. I also own a Sony HB-F9 and the keyboard is excellent. Remember me old style IBM-like keyboards.

@NYYRIKKI well, that would be a nice MOD! a GT with a black keyboard. I will give it a thought after fixing the problem

By meits

Scribe (6535)

07-05-2015, 12:47

This is what you get then

By xesco

Rookie (19)

07-05-2015, 14:18

Wow nice! I kind of like it...

Do you use them like this? Or just checking? Sometimes I am amazed of how easily you guys open your MSX up and perform these kind of changes.

By meits

Scribe (6535)

07-05-2015, 14:57

I have two WXes and when I got my turbo R, the iron stabilizer bar in the spacebar seemed missing... Therefore the spacebar had to be pressed exactly in the middle... If I pressed it on the left, the right side came up and vice versa... I didn't feel like disassembling the keyboards to swap the stabilizer bar at first so I just swapped the complete keyboards...
In the mean time Daemos (who's lending one of the WXes, the one which is missing the stabilizer, to see how his Mario clone works on a Pana 2+ in turbo mode) gave it a fresh stabilizer bar...
Both Panasonics here at home already have their own keyboard back for quite a while...

One can even take it an ultimate step further, like OeiOeiVogeltje did with his GT...

By tvalenca

Paladin (747)

08-05-2015, 22:56

@Meits, Unless you found an almost never used mint condition ST, it's keyboard may have similar wear condition than your WX. This is not a abuse problem, it's most likely the "natural wearing progression" of this keyboard type/model (the more it has been used since first assembled, and the worst storage conditions it went thru, the more wear the keys will have). And the missing (or non-functioning) spacebar stabilizing bar could be caused by a incomplete reassembling process after a cleanup. Sometimes is just not that simple to reassemble an space bar, and some people just don't have the patience and/or hability to do that.

@AxelStone I never had a chance to put my dirty hands on a Philips MSX2, only on a VG-8020 (which had a very good keyboard too). I'm not sure if these philips keyboards were made on same factory (Philips' MSX1 were made in japan by Kyocera, and most Philips' MSX2 were made by Sanyo - maybe assembled in Netherlands, but designed in Japan. note that most Philips' MSX2 boards has Sanyo's signature and codes printed on it). But I do know the good fame of Sanyo's machines for it's great keyboards. And the little I used them, (Sanyo ones) I can tell they're best than Panasonic's and Sony's keyboards by far. Not fancy at all, but great quality.