Author Topic: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC  (Read 4049 times)

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Offline engicoder

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B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« on: Wed, 02 July 2014, 19:11:07 »
Amkey Capacitance Keyboard - 3 available by sealed bid.

http://www.govliquidation.com/auction/view?auctionId=7814014&convertTo=USD

   

Offline CPTBadAss

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 02 July 2014, 19:12:57 »
Um...

Quote
Application: Stratofortress B-52 Aircraft

That is the ****ing coolest thing I've seen today. I want one  :eek:

Offline digi

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #2 on: Wed, 02 July 2014, 19:19:02 »
I just want to press the "Freedom" button, there has to be one on there somewhere. :D

Offline cpt.charisma

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 02 July 2014, 19:20:31 »
 :eek: Wish my keyboard needs a 'RDR JAM' key.
-===CC=-

Offline CPTBadAss

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #4 on: Wed, 02 July 2014, 19:21:45 »
I wanna press Radar Jam or Bomb Score :D

Offline cpt.charisma

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 02 July 2014, 19:23:09 »
'RUB OUT' - wow. 
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Offline Xenderwind

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #6 on: Wed, 02 July 2014, 19:24:19 »
'RUB OUT' - wow. 
2 of them!...one on each side....for each hand.
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #7 on: Wed, 02 July 2014, 19:41:29 »
Awesome

In the true sense of the word "awe"

If somebody here gets one, please share some coolness in photos.
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Offline JPG

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #8 on: Wed, 02 July 2014, 19:51:07 »
Looks so badass. That bomb score button /drool
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Offline False_Dmitry_II

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #9 on: Thu, 03 July 2014, 00:02:38 »
I wonder what it would take to make a controller.
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Offline Pacifist

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #10 on: Thu, 03 July 2014, 00:04:38 »
B-52 is the carpet bomber right? Shieeeeeeeeeeeeeeetttttttttttttttttttttttttttt

Offline dorkvader

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #11 on: Thu, 03 July 2014, 01:33:45 »
I wonder what it would take to make a controller.

Well it's capacitive, so in theory a capsense controller could be modified to work.
relevant patent: http://www.google.com/patents/US4163222

A better option is likely to just get a logic analyzer and rever-engineer whatever protocol the actual controller speaks.

Bytheway, I do not think this keyboard was installed on the B-52 when it was introduced in the 1950's. The B-52 is still in service and does need to be updated with new computers every once in a while.
« Last Edit: Thu, 03 July 2014, 01:35:16 by dorkvader »

Offline False_Dmitry_II

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #12 on: Thu, 03 July 2014, 01:39:17 »
How do you know the controller is built into the keyboard, rather than being in the plane? It's just a ribbon cable connector.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." - Ben Franklin (11 Nov. 1755)

Offline dorkvader

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #13 on: Thu, 03 July 2014, 13:05:04 »
How do you know the controller is built into the keyboard, rather than being in the plane? It's just a ribbon cable connector.

it's that green PCB. There's no room for it on the brown matrix PCB. You can tell by looking at the lack of solder points. Plus most (almost all?) capacitive kbs I know of use a separate pcb for the matrix and controller.

It's got a huge row of connections across the top and a huge column of connections down the side, and has tons of DIP-looking things inbetween, with an edge connector. I don't know what protocol, but it's clearly got logic on it,a nd therefore is almost certainly a controller of some sort.

Offline xavierblak

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #14 on: Fri, 25 July 2014, 20:41:32 »
Anyone end up bidding on these? It was a closed bid so they don't even reveal how much it went for.  :(

Offline xavierblak

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #15 on: Mon, 28 July 2014, 13:58:33 »
Hah Nevermind. I guess not every auction site runs as fast as ebay. A day later they confirmed I won all 3 of these boards. Guess I didn't need to bid on all of them.  :))

Offline awong

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #16 on: Mon, 28 July 2014, 14:01:48 »
Hah Nevermind. I guess not every auction site runs as fast as ebay. A day later they confirmed I won all 3 of these boards. Guess I didn't need to bid on all of them.  :))
How much? Pictures please ;D

Offline False_Dmitry_II

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #17 on: Wed, 30 July 2014, 03:21:00 »
That sounds like a potentially expensive mistake!
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Offline xavierblak

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #18 on: Wed, 30 July 2014, 10:05:07 »
Yeah it's more than I was wanting to spend. If you combine the cost of all the boards and shipping it worked out to be around $70 per board. When I was saw that I won all 3 I was worried my shipping quote for $59 would triple! Lucky it only went up to $65.

They are being picked up on Friday so I'd guess I'll have them sometime late next week. I'll post some pictures when I get them. I'll need something sufficiently hardened to use as a case. Any suggestions?


Offline Techno Trousers

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #19 on: Wed, 30 July 2014, 23:18:07 »
Sweet score! You should see if xwhatsit is interested in trying to adapt his IBM beamspring/Model F capsense controller for these boards. It might only cost you one board plus shipping to New Zealand if he's interested.

Offline dorkvader

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #20 on: Wed, 30 July 2014, 23:47:33 »
Sweet score! You should see if xwhatsit is interested in trying to adapt his IBM beamspring/Model F capsense controller for these boards. It might only cost you one board plus shipping to New Zealand if he's interested.
DPH capsense should be able to handle it as well.

---
hardened cases: The only military hardened KB is the one I brought to keycon. From what I read there's three levels:
1 : commercial grade stuff
2: somewhat hardened (mine is this)
3: very hardened.

My KB is in a well-grounded case of welded magnesium. It's pretty awesome. Something similar should be of sufficient quality for these boards.

Offline xavierblak

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #21 on: Tue, 05 August 2014, 18:43:29 »
Photos posted here:thumb:

Offline katushkin

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Re: B-52 Keyboard for anyone near OKC
« Reply #22 on: Tue, 05 August 2014, 22:49:17 »
I can't believe this site is real. I want to buy so much stuff, the military always has so much **** lying around.
Can we get them to build the Alps ten feet higher and get Cherry to pay for it?
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