Hardware Fixing up a Casio Keyboard

[notnarb]

It was a tossup of posting this in the computer systems and general offtopic forums, but this issue goes down to the computer components of the keyboard

So I was going to pick up a piano keyboard for 40 dollars used (Casio CTK-530 if you must know) but the guy found out that it didn't work and kindly offered it for free instead (score! free AC adapter and stand). The keyboard has two things wrong with it that are most likely related:

1. Any output audio is very quiet (almost inaudible) and most likely distorted, this is a problem listed under the troubleshooting for if you are using batteries that need to be replaced, but it is the same regardless of whether it is plugged in or running off batteries. The guy said that it was the same when headphones were plugged in, and I can't find my 5.5mm to 3.5mm adapter to test this out myself.

2. This I find somewhat eerie: after 16 notes played they keyboard will freeze without fail. It will accept no further input and the display will either go blank or display a zero. It doesn't matter if I play a rhythm in between the 16 notes or do anything else not pertaining to touching the white and black keys, upon the 16th note being played it will freeze. Playing two notes at once will result in two presses, and pressing 16 at once results in a freeze (while 15 doesn't).

I was intending to use this keyboard as a midi keyboard, but I do not know if the second issue will still occur so I am hesitant in buying a 16 dollar MIDI cable from dealextreme. I would love some insight on this problem, some other things I could do to diagnose the problem (I have it opened up and can probably take pictures), or even a suggestion for a cheap midi compatible keyboard

 

[Trolly]

I should think almost any keyboard is MIDI compatible. Possibly even all of them.
As for your problems, they seem fairly serious. Unless there's someone on here with intimate knowledge of a keyboard's insides, I don't think you'll find an answer.

 

[DarkRey]

okk here is wht u have to do to fix it:
1.go and get ur tool box
2.take a big hammer from the box
3.now hold it strongly in the hand
4.look up and say a prayer
5.then smash the keyboard with the hammer
6.make an evil laugh

7.be happy

 

[Sinkhead]

okk here is wht u have to do to fix it:
1.go and get ur tool box
2.take a big hammer from the box
3.now hold it strongly in the hand
4.look up and say a prayer
5.then smash the keyboard with the hammer
6.make an evil laugh

7.be happy

No. A rubber mallet on the other hand...

Someone's already said this though, that this is probably a serious problem with the electronics inside and probably isn't easy to fix

 

[DarkRey]

uhh forgot to say while ur smashing the keybord scream like tarzan
check 1:08

 

[notnarb]

okk here is wht u have to do to fix it:
1.go and get ur tool box
2.take a big hammer from the box
3.now hold it strongly in the hand
4.look up and say a prayer
5.then smash the keyboard with the hammer
6.make an evil laugh

7.be happy

No. A rubber mallet on the other hand...

Someone's already said this though, that this is probably a serious problem with the electronics inside and probably isn't easy to fix

Oh well, it was worth a shot, but I must ask: Does the UK simply not have any electronics recycling programs?

QUOTE

I should think almost any keyboard is MIDI compatible. Possibly even all of them.

I have 4 keyboards that would have to disagree with you

If there is no easy way for me to go about fixing it, I guess I will make a new topic to see where I can get another cheap midi compatible keyboard, thanks for saving me some grief!

 

[Trolly]

I have 4 keyboards that would have to disagree with you

Oh...lol.
Well, any decent keyboard that is less than 10 years old. How's about that?
If I'm wrong, I'm surprised, MIDI compatibility is a big feature for keyboards. Any keyboard worth it's salt should be MIDI compatible. And it's easy enough to check btw, you just look for a MIDI port at the back of the keyboard. But I'm sure you already knew that.