Author Topic: My IBM 3278 / IBM 6580 Beam Spring Keyboards.  (Read 6566 times)

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Offline mrduul

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 118
My IBM 3278 / IBM 6580 Beam Spring Keyboards.
« on: Tue, 30 May 2017, 03:16:05 »
Here it is, My beauty. An amazing keyboa- oh..

Wait wait...

shhhhh she is sleeping....   ;D

« Last Edit: Fri, 11 August 2017, 05:18:42 by mrduul »

Offline mrduul

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 118
My IBM 3278 / IBM 6580 Beam Spring Keyboard.
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 30 May 2017, 10:22:07 »
Well she's awake this morning and will need a cleaning but here are some pictures.  :D

Enjoy, will take more photos when I start cleaning inside the board.  8-)

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Desk Setup
---


I took pictures of the full IBM 3278 Manual and compiled a PDF file.

PDF is uncompressed, 200MB.

Download IBM 3278 Manual by MrDuul: http://www.mediafire.com/file/uy22uys64lcgozk/IBM-3278-Manual.pdf

I didn't crop the photos because it looked not good.
Won't be scanning because I really don't want to risk pressing on the manual and potentially damaging it.

(The link keeps going down sometimes, not sure why)
« Last Edit: Sat, 03 June 2017, 08:16:30 by mrduul »

Offline thad

  • Posts: 65
Re: My IBM 3278 Beam Spring Keyboard.
« Reply #2 on: Thu, 01 June 2017, 09:31:31 »
Nice. I just want to type on one once to see what it's like.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


Offline K3lp_Boy

  • Posts: 5
  • Location: New Jersey
Re: My IBM 3278 Beam Spring Keyboard.
« Reply #3 on: Thu, 01 June 2017, 09:58:55 »
I'm assuming there's no way to connect these beauties to modern computers?

They still make great display pieces, though.
Ducky One w/ Cherry MX Blues, Tai-Hao Lavender doubleshots

Planck on the way!

Really into lofi hip hop now.

Offline Pretendo

  • Posts: 154
Re: My IBM 3278 Beam Spring Keyboard.
« Reply #4 on: Thu, 01 June 2017, 10:13:48 »
I'm assuming there's no way to connect these beauties to modern computers?

They still make great display pieces, though.

You can, but it's by no means a simple plug and play.  I'm oversimplifying, but you essentially have to build your own controller.  It's been done by some of the more die-hard beam-spring aficionados out there.
IBM Model F-122 6110347 -- September 13th, 1984
IBM Model M 1391404 -- April 14th, 1988
Rosewill RK-9000

Offline mrduul

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 118
Re: My IBM 3278 Beam Spring Keyboard.
« Reply #5 on: Thu, 01 June 2017, 13:50:29 »
All beamsprings can be modified to be used over USB using a xwhatsit beamspring controller PCB. https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=58138.0

My displaywriter is USB modified.

Except the 3277 which is only PS/2 and then you can just use a PS/2 to USB adapter.

Here is a video of beamspring connected via usb. VERY CLICKY with solenoid turned on, loudest mechanical switch ever like a typewriter.

At 0:40 solenoid is turned on.

« Last Edit: Thu, 01 June 2017, 14:04:01 by mrduul »

Offline Joey Quinn

  • Posts: 4543
  • Location: Houghton
  • "..."
Re: My IBM 3278 Beam Spring Keyboard.
« Reply #6 on: Thu, 01 June 2017, 17:15:17 »
Reminds me of this when you turn the solenoid on.

People in the 1980s, in general, were clearly just better than we are now in every measurable way.

The dumber the reason the more it must be done

Offline mrduul

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 118
Re: My IBM 3278 Beam Spring Keyboard.
« Reply #7 on: Thu, 01 June 2017, 18:22:27 »
Yeah man that is gold.  ;D

Offline alienman82

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  • Posts: 4051
Re: My IBM 3278 Beam Spring Keyboard.
« Reply #8 on: Thu, 01 June 2017, 18:46:48 »
removed.
« Last Edit: Thu, 01 March 2018, 12:43:14 by alienman82 »

Offline mrduul

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 118
Re: My IBM 3278 Beam Spring Keyboard.
« Reply #9 on: Thu, 01 June 2017, 19:20:23 »
You can do the dental floss trick to get less of the "ping" on Model F.

https://deskthority.net/wiki/Dental_floss_mod
« Last Edit: Thu, 01 June 2017, 19:39:12 by mrduul »

Offline invariance

  • Posts: 257
  • Location: Brisbane, Australia
  • ...here with all the other boson's
Re: My IBM 3278 Beam Spring Keyboard.
« Reply #10 on: Fri, 02 June 2017, 03:19:55 »
Reminds me of this when you turn the solenoid on.
More

All beamsprings can be modified to be used over USB using a xwhatsit beamspring controller PCB. https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=58138.0

My displaywriter is USB modified.

Except the 3277 which is only PS/2 and then you can just use a PS/2 to USB adapter.

Here is a video of beamspring connected via usb. VERY CLICKY with solenoid turned on, loudest mechanical switch ever like a typewriter.

At 0:40 solenoid is turned on.
More



Wish I had one though.
« Last Edit: Fri, 02 June 2017, 03:22:43 by invariance »
The only BS I
want to hear is
from a Model M:
PN:1391401
DOB: 04FEB87
      Wyse 85      Mtek K104
SMK Blue: Chicony KB-5181; HyperX Aqua: HyperX Alloy Origins *Yet-to-rebuild: A 69 key C. P. Clare Foam & Foil assy *Rubber: Digital LK46W-A2; uSoft Natural Pro RT9401, Natural Multimedia 1.0A RT9470, Natural Ergonomic 4000 KU-0460; "Avid" Sejin SLKR2233; "Diamond Touch" Mitsubishi 6511-PB

Offline mrduul

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 118
Re: My IBM 3278 Beam Spring Keyboard.
« Reply #11 on: Fri, 02 June 2017, 04:00:38 »
Well you got your model M mah brah  :p

Offline pr0ximity

  • Posts: 2705
  • Location: Maine
Re: My IBM 3278 Beam Spring Keyboard.
« Reply #12 on: Fri, 02 June 2017, 05:26:37 »
I'm assuming there's no way to connect these beauties to modern computers?

They still make great display pieces, though.

You can, but it's by no means a simple plug and play.  I'm oversimplifying, but you essentially have to build your own controller.  It's been done by some of the more die-hard beam-spring aficionados out there.

Not in the least bit true. Find an xwhatsit, unplug the old controller, plug the xwhatsit in it's place. Literally no soldering involved, the controller is attached via a socket.

USB, fully programmable, NKRO. It's pretty damn great, tbh.
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Offline mrduul

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 118
Re: My IBM 3278 / IBM 6580 Beam Spring Keyboards.
« Reply #13 on: Fri, 02 June 2017, 06:40:36 »
Exactly.

See here:


Offline Pretendo

  • Posts: 154
Re: My IBM 3278 / IBM 6580 Beam Spring Keyboards.
« Reply #14 on: Fri, 02 June 2017, 07:30:58 »
I'm assuming there's no way to connect these beauties to modern computers?

They still make great display pieces, though.

You can, but it's by no means a simple plug and play.  I'm oversimplifying, but you essentially have to build your own controller.  It's been done by some of the more die-hard beam-spring aficionados out there.

Not in the least bit true. Find an xwhatsit, unplug the old controller, plug the xwhatsit in it's place. Literally no soldering involved, the controller is attached via a socket.

USB, fully programmable, NKRO. It's pretty damn great, tbh.

Should have known that.  I knew you couldn't do it with a Soarer's Converter, but I'd seen demonstrations of them working on Youtube.

I'd love to try a beam spring.  As it stands, I just upgraded from an early 1391401 Model M to a 122 Model F last week, so I couldn't justify an expensive keyboard purchase any time soon.  The F still needs a full restoration (a couple of the keys are a bit gummy -- likely a rotting foam issue) so I have plenty to keep me busy over the next year or so.
IBM Model F-122 6110347 -- September 13th, 1984
IBM Model M 1391404 -- April 14th, 1988
Rosewill RK-9000