Wired mini keyboard (aluminium)

[brownbread]

Hi chaps

Firstly, this is my first post to this board so HELLO! I hope to be useful over time, and not just ask inane questions. For now though.....

I bought an eBay 'bargain', a keyboard with a cut wire (see picture). Paid approx £12 - not cheap but a lot cheaper than a good 2nd hand one.

It showed up today and I fixed the cable using a genuine apple keyboard extension cable that I found lying around at work - this was handy because those cables are USELESS for anything other than apple keyboards. PLUS, all the wire colours were guaranteed to match up. And match up they did.

But when I'd finished I came to testing it, and it turns out a few keys don't work (see picture, faulty keys in yellow). Questions:

1. Do you think the eBay seller knew about the faulty keys, so just cut the wire hoping that a) he'd get more money as it's a simpler fix and b) the buyer wouldn't notice for a while?
   
2. Why on Earth do keys on mac keyboards fail so often? Is it always water ingress? I've had a large aluminium one for a couple of years and it's been perfect, but so often I see knackered examples - what are people doing to them??? Poor keyboards. Is there a way of fixing faulty keys?
   
3. Should I go back to the seller and very tactfully ask if he knew about this issue?

Thoughts welcomed. There's twelve pounds at stake here. Mmm steak.

Regards

Dave

 

[skorpien]

Can't really help you with fixing it or answering of your questions, but from what I've seen, IT guys usually cut the cords on whatever peripherals are broken so that they know it's broken and don't end up using it again later. Unless the seller went dumpster diving or otherwise acquired it without knowing why the cord was cut, chances are he knew it was broken prior to selling it to you.

 

[rgarjr]

those are the risks u take when buying as is items.

 

[brownbread]

Thanks for the replies guys. Very good point about IT bods. I'll check the auction again, see how it was worded exactly... and potentially will write this off to experience/try and open the keyboard up and repair it.

As I understand it they're difficult to repair. People say the glue is too strong and the aluminium is too easily bent. Perhaps if I heat it up first......