LED moving message sign programmed with IR keyboard: Missing keyboard...possible solutions?

Sign board in question is a LaBelle industries express 152 (of around

1989 vintage) that works, but is missing the keyboard and a hunt for a replacement has been futile. I found a wired keyboard from the same manufacturer, but there is no place to plug it into the sign. The IR receiver in the sign is a philips TDA3047 that uses a 36Khz input signal. Is it safe to assume I'd possibly be able to somehow program this using philips IR protocol using a universal remote? If not, what options do I have aside from tossing this into the trash? I opened up the wired keyboard, and it's a simple switch matrix setup with 20 pin connector. Thanks,

Alex

Reply to
427Cobraman
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Are there any external jacks? DB9? Round DIN? Headphone style?

Some of the scrolling signs (Alpha, for example) have a serial port for connecting a PC and they have PC software for doing the programming.

John

Reply to
John

No external jacks. There is a 20 pin connector inside on the PC board that has lines going to the eeprom as well as a sram chip. The output from the ir decoder appears to go to one leg of an octal buffer IC. Most of the traces are hidden under the LED modules, so it's hard to be sure where they all go. The keyboard I found has a 10 x 2 pin connector on it but only about 15 of the lines are used. I just tried using a universal remote using various phillips product setup codes to no avail. Also tried using a wireless PC keyboard, but it probably doesn't use philips protocol.

Reply to
427Cobraman

Reply to
Dick

Just wanted to update. I found a gentleman who offered me two IR keyboards for my sign. Thanks for the assistance all!

P.S. Dick, What model is your sign?

Dick wrote:

Reply to
427Cobraman

Labelle model 202 LA EXPRESS is what it says on the label. Let me know if you want it because I have to start hunting for the manual.

Dick

Reply to
Dick

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