A journey in bringing a Hall effect keyboard to life

[CommunistWitchDr]

Through a series of coincidences, I stumbled upon an old hall effect keyboard in one of my irc channels. The owner at the time posted this picture-



With hall effect switches and some of the best keycaps I have ever seen on any board, I had to have it. So I bought it off him, and today it got to me-

The keyboard-


Side view-


Weird enter key-


Stripped-



Enter key stabilizer-


Spacebar stabilizer-


Light cluster-


A keycap-



The pcb-


The connector-



Now, it would be a shame to let such a nice old board sit around unused, so I'm going to convert it to work with a modern computer using a teensy and have a case laser cut from acrylic. The light cluster may also be replaced with RGB leds since I very much doubt all the bulbs are still functioning.

Anyone with knowledge of the subject willing to help is very appreciated.

[CommunistWitchDr]

This post reserved for summary of the process

[CommunistWitchDr]

This post reserved for an overview of the completed board

[SpAmRaY]

BEAUTIFUL

[Reomero]

Through a series of coincidences

Such luck
Much coincidence
Wow

Looking forward to the end result.

[dorkvader]

There are a few ways of sampling a HE matrix. One is to just take the output of that ribbon cable and put up with either 2KRO or 4KRO that the matrix gives you inhereantly (that looks like a 2KRO matrix). THe other is to do fun and exciting things with the PCB and wire it up with diodes for NKRO.

As far as code goes: instead of applying voltage to rows and seeing what comes back on the columns, you can just detect the presense (or absense) of 5V at junctions.

I think HaaTa might have a module for this, or you can maybe adapt the bud keypad module for hall effect use.
gitorious.org/kiibohd-controller

I will be doing a similar mod to my two "dual magnet" hall effect keyboards that are like this later on.

Excellent KB bytheway: this has a number of semi-unique properties for a microswitch keyboard. Check that enter key! It also has decently placed modifiers!

[jwaz]

* jwaz mashes the Who Are You key

[McWilloughby]

* jwaz mashes the Who Are You key

I think the WHO ARE YOU key definitely needs to make its way into a GB at some point...

Beautiful keyboard, best of luck getting it working again.

[eddie]

This keyboard looks AMAZING!

[terran5992]

How does hall effect feel like?

[CPTBadAss]

There's so many cool things on that keyboard...the Who are you key, that odd enter, colors of the caps, the light cluster, that layout...

I'm pretty excited to see this all built up. And to see the lights working

[CommunistWitchDr]

There are a few ways of sampling a HE matrix. One is to just take the output of that ribbon cable and put up with either 2KRO or 4KRO that the matrix gives you inhereantly (that looks like a 2KRO matrix). THe other is to do fun and exciting things with the PCB and wire it up with diodes for NKRO.

As far as code goes: instead of applying voltage to rows and seeing what comes back on the columns, you can just detect the presense (or absense) of 5V at junctions.

I think HaaTa might have a module for this, or you can maybe adapt the bud keypad module for hall effect use.
gitorious.org/kiibohd-controller

I will be doing a similar mod to my two "dual magnet" hall effect keyboards that are like this later on.

Excellent KB bytheway: this has a number of semi-unique properties for a microswitch keyboard. Check that enter key! It also has decently placed modifiers!

2kro is plenty for most anything this board would be used for. NKRO would be interesting to implement, but I'd rather just go with the simpler 2kro, at least to start with. I am curious how I would go about the process in the sentence I bolded in your post, where would the voltage be applied in order to detect the 5v at the junctions, and would the detection be with a multimeter or done through the controlling teensy?

How does hall effect feel like?

Hall effect are linear, not entirely dissimilar to MX Red or MX Black. However, Hall effect switches (or at least the honeywell/microswitch ones, I can't speak for other companies and knockoffs) are much much smoother on account of not needing touching parts to actuate. To the degree they make Cherry linear switches feel like they have sandpaper sliders. The hall switches also have a much longer throw before bottom out, I don't know how long the throw is until actuation since I haven't actually used a working hall board yet.

[yasuo]

I really like the colors,even ribbon cable and switches have colors same as the keycaps
How hall effect tactile be compared toprek?

[Game Theory]

Great keyboard find   Have fun on the new project.

[stoic-lemon]

I would love to see this board live again. It's really rather cool. Good luck!

[SpAmRaY]

What was this used for originally? Any idea?

[Awful]

I know nothing about hall effect, but this board looks killer. I can't wait to see it in a case!

[IvanIvanovich]

Cool old TELEX (sort of like a step between telegraphs and fax) keyboard. Good luck on getting it resurrected to work with a modern PC.

[kps]

The code is a five-bit Baudot version, ITA2 (International Telegraph Alphabet 2), standardized in the '30s. Wikipedia has a chart.

Teletype machines each had a name programmed into it for identification (in the case of electromechanical machines, this could be pins on a drum). Sending ‘Who are you’ (WRU = 01001 in this particular code) would cause the remote machine to automatically send back its name, so that the operator could verify that they were connected to the right destination. Similarly the ‘Here is’ key would cause the machine to send its own name to the destination.

‘USA TWX’ refers to AT&T's TeletypeWriter eXchange, a competitor of Western Union's Telex until sold to them in 1969.

I don't recognize this machine.

[tuxsavvy]

From afar I can see it a nice looking old board but I didn't have any noteworthy input until I reluctantly agreed to pitch in from my bit of google-fu skills. I am not sure if any of these links are useful but I hope they may continue to shed some light on the said topic.

I was looking for numbers or letters that I could harvest with on google to see what results comes up. There was a lacking closeup photo of the label printed on the side of the board;
I am looking in particiular at the inscriptions on the label printed with black backgroiund and white/silver letters.

I found a ebay listing of possibly the similar sort of keyboard but it has a slightly better photo of the inscriptions: http://www.ebay.com/itm/MICRO-SWITCH-KEY-BOARD-KEYBOARD-KEY-PAD-CIRCUIT-BOARD-SW-12589-63SW5-15-S-/300621173764

(From ebay listing):


I then found this link: http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8/1977-microswitch-keyboard-t5395.html

Of some interesting hint was this:

Microswitch is a division of Honeywell. It was purchased in 1950 by Honeywell (first started in 1932 in Freeport, Illinois).

Source.

Another thread of interest: http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8/micro-switch-64sw1-4-t3906.html

Could there be another PCB that is missing in your photos (CommunistWitchDr)?

Show Image

Source.

Unfortunately other ASCII bits and pieces resulted in nothing relevant on google search apart from the words "microswitch keyboard".

[alosec]

Is that space larger than a 10x space? o_o

[CommunistWitchDr]

What was this used for originally? Any idea?

The previous owner says it was from a military computer (air force IIRC), but I don't know the exact application.

Is that space larger than a 10x space? o_o

It's actually only 8x. The keys look larger than cherry keys (at least they did to me) but they actually have right about the same dimensions on the bottom.

From afar I can see it a nice looking old board but I didn't have any noteworthy input until I reluctantly agreed to pitch in from my bit of google-fu skills. I am not sure if any of these links are useful but I hope they may continue to shed some light on the said topic.

I was looking for numbers or letters that I could harvest with on google to see what results comes up. There was a lacking closeup photo of the label printed on the side of the board;

Show Image

I am looking in particiular at the inscriptions on the label printed with black backgroiund and white/silver letters.

I found a ebay listing of possibly the similar sort of keyboard but it has a slightly better photo of the inscriptions: http://www.ebay.com/itm/MICRO-SWITCH-KEY-BOARD-KEYBOARD-KEY-PAD-CIRCUIT-BOARD-SW-12589-63SW5-15-S-/300621173764

(From ebay listing):

Show Image

I then found this link: http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8/1977-microswitch-keyboard-t5395.html

Of some interesting hint was this:

Microswitch is a division of Honeywell. It was purchased in 1950 by Honeywell (first started in 1932 in Freeport, Illinois).

Source.

Another thread of interest: http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8/micro-switch-64sw1-4-t3906.html

Could there be another PCB that is missing in your photos (CommunistWitchDr)?

Show Image

Source.

Unfortunately other ASCII bits and pieces resulted in nothing relevant on google search apart from the words "microswitch keyboard".

There is no second PCB. At least nothing present, and by the looks of things nothing missing either. I think that hall board with two PCBs HaaTa had was a much older one than mine.

I took some more pics of the keyboard labels, snapped one of pretty much anything with a number.

[tuxsavvy]

There is no second PCB. At least nothing present, and by the looks of things nothing missing either. I think that hall board with two PCBs HaaTa had was a much older one than mine.

I took some more pics of the keyboard labels, snapped one of pretty much anything with a number.

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

Thanks for the photos. The last photo I was able to get the information I need from your initial thread however all of these inscriptions, numbers, etc seems to be cropping up nothing useful on google search. At least not for images anyway. I guess part of the blame would have been the fact that the keyboard predated the time of internet (on a global scale).

The ribbon cable I thought in your initial post was way too big/thick. As a result maybe there might have been an "intermediate board" in between to communicate with that ribbon cable. Also the lack of IC (Integrated Chipset) is somewhat of a little concern (at least to me). Apart from that the cable looks like it is probably as big as those IDE/SCSI cables used on hard drives.

I am pretty much stumped at this point as to what other further information I can harvest out.

Good luck with the modern conversion! I'll try and keep tabs on it and maybe add some inputs where possible.

[CommunistWitchDr]

The ribbon cable I thought in your initial post was way too big/thick. As a result maybe there might have been an "intermediate board" in between to communicate with that ribbon cable. Also the lack of IC (Integrated Chipset) is somewhat of a little concern (at least to me). Apart from that the cable looks like it is probably as big as those IDE/SCSI cables used on hard drives.

The keyboard likely connected directly to one specific computer with a port made for that one specific keyboard. No need for an IC to make a keyboard work with a universal port when universal ports weren't really around the same as today.

[noisyturtle]

OK ok, dude, I just wanna say, and it's not just the booze talking, but man, that enter key is amazing. Seriously, I want a GB for that weird ass **** right there. **** man. Look at it.

[StylinGreymon]

That Who Are You key is amazing.

[Krogenar]

What about the Straight Up Tully color, eh? Salmon and Blue? Anybody? Anyone? .... Hello?

(crickets)

 

The Enter key is wicked weird.

[TacticalCoder]

The "who are you" key is just great.

I kind like the 'D' key with the Templar cross on it too : )

[terran5992]

What about the Straight Up Tully color, eh? Salmon and Blue? Anybody? Anyone? .... Hello?

(crickets)

 

The Enter key is wicked weird.

Thats a good thing right?

[Krogenar]

What about the Straight Up Tully color, eh? Salmon and Blue? Anybody? Anyone? .... Hello?

(crickets)

 

The Enter key is wicked weird.

Thats a good thing right?

Oh sure. I'm just wondering what the purpose of the "Who Are You" and oddly ridged Enter key would be. Is the ridge supposed to make finding it key easier somehow? And 'Who Are You" key -- is it for login purposes?

Also, I hope someday people will give the salmon (eraser pink) and blue color scheme a try. I like those two colors together.

[kps]

I'm just wondering what the purpose of the "Who Are You" ...

See above.

[Wildcard]

Thanks for the info, I also can't wait to see the final result.

[Game Theory]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telex

"A major advantage of telex is that the receipt of the message by the recipient could be confirmed with a high degree of certainty by the "answerback". At the beginning of the message, the sender would transmit a WRU (Who aRe yoU) code, and the recipient machine would automatically initiate a response which was usually encoded in a rotating drum with pegs, much like a music box. The position of the pegs sent an unambiguous identifying code to the sender, so the sender could verify connection to the correct recipient. The WRU code would also be sent at the end of the message, so a correct response would confirm that the connection had remained unbroken during the message transmission. This gave telex a major advantage over less verifiable forms of communications such as telephone and fax."

[VolantPhalanx]

Amazing board, that key cap color palette is really nice and the shape of said caps is awesome too. The who are you key is way to sick, would love neat caps like that to be made for topre.

[kps]

Wikipedia also has a photo (and description) of the WRU mechanism on a Teletype Model 33: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TTYanswserbackMechanism.jpg

WRU was renamed ENQ (enquiry) in the 1967 revision of ASCII. Many terminal emulators support it; in xterm and rxvt and descendants the response can be set with the answerbackString resource.

[terran5992]

Wikipedia also has a photo (and description) of the WRU mechanism on a Teletype Model 33: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TTYanswserbackMechanism.jpg

WRU was renamed ENQ (enquiry) in the 1967 revision of ASCII. Many terminal emulators support it; in xterm and rxvt and descendants the response can be set with the answerbackString resource.

Wut?

[kps]

Wut?

WUT was renamed NAK (Negative AcKnowledge) in the 1967 revision of ASCII.

[dorkvader]

Could there be another PCB that is missing in your photos (CommunistWitchDr)?

Show Image

Source.

Unfortunately other ASCII bits and pieces resulted in nothing relevant on google search apart from the words "microswitch keyboard".

Most likely not. That is a very early keyboard (perhaps one of the first, based on patent dates) and the long ribbon connector is to connect the KB matrix together so a custom matrix can be made.
This keyboard (and another hall effect one I have) have no real logic on the PCB and just export the matrix on a ribbon cable to an external controller (you can see my pictures here )

HaaTa's KB is about 9 years older

[Wildcard]

So any updates on your progress? That's one heck of a microswitch keyboard

[wrwhoami]

It looks like cook
I like it very much!

[dgreekstallion]

This looks incredible!

[1pq]

How does typing feel? I know they're linear, but are they stiff? Smooth?

[tricheboars]

Amazing.  I want one.

[StylinGreymon]

Someone should submit the Who Are You key to SP.
Maybe they'll make it.

[jacobolus]

Are you still working on this?

[OnTheBrink]

Wow talk about thick keycaps. How do the caps and switches feel? What type of cherry switch does it compare to if any? Is it tactile?

[Bludude4]

Wow talk about thick keycaps. How do the caps and switches feel? What type of cherry switch does it compare to if any? Is it tactile?

Thick keycaps are life.    Cherry MX Blacks, because they're linear, but heavier than reds.  The caps and switches feel more stable than a nuclear fallout shelter, and these switches make blacks feel like sandpaper.

Are you still working on this?

^^^^^

How does typing feel? I know they're linear, but are they stiff? Smooth?

Typing feels amazing.  They're linear and stiff, but they're smooth as butter.