Cn you convert a 9100 to a 9105 and vice versa?

[grahamf]

I was looking at a replacement shell to turn my sligltly busted pink 9100 into a new black 9100, and i found this.
However, it mentions compatibility with both the 9100 AND the 9105.

My question is: can you convert a 9100 to a 9105 and vice versa by swapping out the keyboard?

[grahamf]

Hello? Anybody?

[kurtla]

why don't you contact the company, toll free # is 888-406-0803 - i am sure they are more expert on what parts fit what than anyone here

[grahamf]

So far I sent them an email.

I'm banking on it being possible, because when I was trying to fix a crooked screen I noticed that the keyboard connected to the main circuit board by s port, instead of having a gazillion buttons. It looked as if a T9 keyboard can be swapped in, and it'll tell the circuit board to work in T9 mode.

[grnrprl]

REALLY?! Unfortunetelly, they - probably - won't confirm your presumptions... However, hardware BB-DIY at home would be great ) Please, let us know if succeed. I do hate T9 keyboard. It's like unfair treason of BB evergreen rules!

[grahamf]

here's a picture of it from a dissassembally video:

I'm 100% sure the hardware is identical, but it may be firmware-locked.
either way, it would be nice if someone could confirm this.

[grnrprl]

vide: 9100/9105 keyboard

[grahamf]

That page never gave any proof, but merely said that it's a software thing.
BUT: if you plug a Pearl into DM it shows up as "BlackBerry Pearl 9100/9105, which leads me to believe that if you swap out the KB and use DM to install a 9105 OS version, the 9100 will work as a 9105.
If it was even firmware specific, it would show up as either 9100 or 9105, not 9100/9105. This leads me to believe that the only difference is Keyboard and OS version. No doubt to streamline the progress, making it cheaper to produce both models.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[grnrprl]

I wish it'd be! But here, in Europe, we have BBs manufactured e.g. in Hungary. I am not sure but there is a probability that these ones differ much more inside from those ones offered by RIM in North Amreica Let's have hope and wait for the RIM official response for your enquiry...

[pacotill]

Hello,

I am researching the same topic. I web pictures, we can see that membrane connectors are the same in bb 9100/bb 9105.

But I can not find anyone who knows if the bb is firmware locked. RIM has answered your cuestion?.

Is it enough just changing the membrane and keyboard? or Is it necessary to change some parameter in firmware? .... That's the question ....


Thanks in advance.

[pgerhard]

I just tried it and it won't work, basically the 9105 has less pressure points (below the keypad) than the 9100, so you can mount the keyboard of a 9100 on a 9105, but some keys will press nothing (as the K9 only has 9 pressure points below the keyboard)...

unless there is a way to also change, below the keyboard the sheet of plastic on which the pressure points are soldered (whcih itself is soldered to the motherboard)...

p

[pgerhard]

so how do I order this membrane to try it out? everythink blackberry only delivered the keyboard

[grahamf]

what do you mean? on my pearl the membrane as permanently attached to the keyboard and socketed to the motherboard.

[ebeneezerc]

I know you can buy the 9100 membranes as well as the keypad as I've seen them for sale on the Internet. Assuming the pressure pints work by opening or closing circuits and have different impedance then there needs to be some way the bb can distinguish between 9 keys and 12 keys and this will be more than in the os - I suspect there must be some sort of EPROM set up. However has anybody tried swooping both the keypad and membrane?

[fatreg]

It works!

I've just done it! 9105 > 9100..

Bought a 9100 keypad and PCB off the bay.

Took my 9105 apart, changed the keypad, turned it on and got a lang error, error 523, so used BBSAK to wipe BB, then it worked, so updated to OS6 and all is sweet now!

Woohoo!!