SC>  RW> On the old remotes I've taken a part there seems to be a little 
SC>  RW> piece of carbon  over a open circuit and when you press 
SC>  RW> the button the carbon completes the circuit.
SC> 
SC> It's actually carbon impregnated rubber.  There is so much carbon 
SC> that the 
SC> rubber conducts electricity.  But the surface will wear and you are 
SC> left 
SC> with less conductive material.  At that point the rubber often starts 
SC> tearing around the keys too.
    I wonder if he has some _environmental_-type problem where he has the 
scanner (dust, fumes, etc.): most scanner users rarely use the keypad often 
enough to wear it that much.
--- Simplex BBS (v1.07.00Beta [DOS])
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