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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Maledicted on Fri, 26 June 2020, 20:28:47

Title: IBM 7690 Nursing station keyboard interface/protocol?
Post by: Maledicted on Fri, 26 June 2020, 20:28:47
So, I'm the new owner of one of these bad boys, as of a few minutes ago:

(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/5BUAAOSwO3pe779I/s-l1600.jpg)


IBM 7690 Nursing Terminal Assembly KEYBOARD Brown Alps. Dyesub caps. ULTRA RARE (https://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-7690-Nursing-Terminal-Assembly-KEYBOARD-Brown-Alps-Dyesub-caps-ULTRA-RARE-/143637510980?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=hGSVeShtyg%252Bt3UyXpj%252FaO5wSPZ8%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc)

Apparently the computer they originally connected to was an IBM PS/2 inside (https://vintagecomputer.ca/ibm-7690-nursing-station-yup-its-a-ps2/), so maybe (hopefully) the keyboard's protocol is the same? It does sound like they did at least have a functioning ps/2 port for external keyboards, so maybe I can just wire this sucker up to a 5-pin DIN or ps/2 connector.

Does anybody know for sure? There's not much information on those systems at all on the internet. Apparently they were only made in small numbers for clinical trials but were never put into full production?
Title: Re: IBM 7690 Nursing station keyboard interface/protocol?
Post by: E TwentyNine on Sat, 27 June 2020, 05:38:56
It looks like a rehoused 5140 keyboard, most likely will hook up to ps/2.

Might want to search if anyone has repurposed a 5140 keyboard and how they did so.
Title: Re: IBM 7690 Nursing station keyboard interface/protocol?
Post by: Maledicted on Sat, 27 June 2020, 23:52:47
It looks like a rehoused 5140 keyboard, most likely will hook up to ps/2.

Might want to search if anyone has repurposed a 5140 keyboard and how they did so.

Good call. You're probably right. I see that at least one person has at least already figured out the pinout of the ribbon cable for that board, so even if I'm not lucky enough to find some kind of ps/2 controller inside, I should be able to wire up a Teensy or something.
Title: Re: IBM 7690 Nursing station keyboard interface/protocol?
Post by: jacobalbertus1 on Fri, 10 July 2020, 19:58:37
id say the thing uses AT/ps/2 protocol because it has lock lights