DCA IRMAkey/3270 with MX Clears $20 + shipping

[nubbinator]

Interesting ISO layout and it appears to have MX Clears.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=171433785237&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123

[SpAmRaY]

I'm gonna try to buy this.

[jdcarpe]

I'm gonna try to buy this.

Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.

[SpAmRaY]

I'm gonna try to buy this.

Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.

PS: I bought it so  Of course that shipping charge is bugging me since I'm only ~7 hours away but what are you gonna do....

[dorkvader]

From what I was able to find on the IRMA irma stuff, it was made originally in 1983 / 1984, so it might be vintage clears (undyed switches) of any type.

[SpAmRaY]

From what I was able to find on the IRMA irma stuff, it was made originally in 1983 / 1984, so it might be vintage clears (undyed switches) of any type.

I'm also wondering if maybe these are older whites which would have the same color as the clear stem but be clicky, since the auction mentioned they were clicky.

[nubbinator]

From what I was able to find on the IRMA irma stuff, it was made originally in 1983 / 1984, so it might be vintage clears (undyed switches) of any type.

I'm also wondering if maybe these are older whites which would have the same color as the clear stem but be clicky, since the auction mentioned they were clicky.

If they are, I will hate myself for posting it and not grabbing it.  You'll have to send a switch my way.

[SpAmRaY]

[IvanIvanovich]

No cam on the switch, so it's not going to be click type as even the clear/white original had the little cam 'nib' on the side of the stem just like blue/green/white do now. I would hope that linear isn't mistake for clicky... which leaves tactile usual clear. In any case, not a bad grab. Nice that it would seem from the advert it should also have AT code set, which wasn't always a given on 3270 boards. I know my 3270 board only speaks 3270.

[dorkvader]

From what I was able to find on the IRMA irma stuff, it was made originally in 1983 / 1984, so it might be vintage clears (undyed switches) of any type.

I'm also wondering if maybe these are older whites which would have the same color as the clear stem but be clicky, since the auction mentioned they were clicky.

If they are, I will hate myself for posting it and not grabbing it.  You'll have to send a switch my way.

same here for not grabbing it when I saw it (when it was psoted): I seriously thought about it.

No cam on the switch, so it's not going to be click type as even the clear/white original had the little cam 'nib' on the side of the stem just like blue/green/white do now. I would hope that linear isn't mistake for clicky... which leaves tactile usual clear. In any case, not a bad grab. Nice that it would seem from the advert it should also have AT code set, which wasn't always a given on 3270 boards. I know my 3270 board only speaks 3270.

DCA'a IRMA product was for 3270 comparability with new PC hardware.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRMA_board
check it:


Looks like that computerworld ad was from december of 1984.

[jacobolus]

PS: I bought it so  Of course that shipping charge is bugging me since I'm only ~7 hours away but what are you gonna do....

I’m glad I got the seller to pull a cap a couple days ago, and someone here wanted it.

Let us know what you think when it gets to you. (Looks like it might be dye-sub keycaps?)

[nubbinator]

I’m glad I got the seller to pull a cap a couple days ago, and someone here wanted it.

Let us know what you think when it gets to you. (Looks like it might be dye-sub keycaps?)

You're not the only one who asks for pulled caps.   I did the same as soon as I saw it posted and they messaged me back about it.  There are a metric **** ton more that I ask who refuse to pull one. There's one old crappy falling apart laptop I keep asking on that they always refuse to pop a cap on.

[jacobolus]

There's one old crappy falling apart laptop I keep asking on that they always refuse to pop a cap on.

Which laptop? Someone might know what the switches are.

(If you hop on IRC there’s often someone who can answer right away. HaaTa for instance can tell you what switches are on at least 60% of keyboards.)

[IvanIvanovich]

Oh well... pretty much all of 3270 can do AT if you have one of those zany ISA protocol converter cards. IBM and other clone makers had them too. Not even any help on todays machines though. Even though I think there do exist some of those kind of cards in PCI even if you find them for a good price it's still probably more convenient to run a soarers converter.

[SpAmRaY]

So about those light weight clicky clears and super blacks.....

And I'm not sure how the caps are printed.

[nubbinator]

So about those light weight clicky clears and super blacks.....

And I'm not sure how the caps are printed.

Are you saying it has them?

[SpAmRaY]

Yes. And which sinks in water pbt or abs?

[ComradeSniper]

PBT sinks

[nubbinator]

Phone double post

[SpAmRaY]

Well then I'm pretty sure these are dyesub pbt caps.

Also anybody familiar with these stabs?

[nubbinator]

Yes. And which sinks in water pbt or abs?

Now I'm sad I didn't grab it.  I want a sample switch.

[SpAmRaY]

Nubs you are the man. This board is awesome.

[nubbinator]

Nubs you are the man. This board is awesome.

I'm claiming bounty of one clicky clear and one super black.

[SpAmRaY]

Now if I could get this shift key back on. :facepalm:

[dorkvader]

Well then I'm pretty sure these are dyesub pbt caps.

Oh, I could-a told you that from the auction pictures.

Now if I could get this shift key back on. :facepalm:

Looks like you just push it straight down.

[SpAmRaY]

Well then I'm pretty sure these are dyesub pbt caps.

Oh, I could-a told you that from the auction pictures.

Now if I could get this shift key back on. :facepalm:

Looks like you just push it straight down.

The trick with the stabilizer is getting the wire back in those legs, I finally managed to get it.

[kalrand]

Well then I'm pretty sure these are dyesub pbt caps.

Also anybody familiar with these stabs?

Show Image

Did you ever figure out what these stabs are?

I've managed to acquire the same board, and it never really occurred to me that the stabilizers would be so different.

Those black legs seem to be epoxied into the bottom of the stabilized keys. And I can't seem to find out where to get more of them... which might make changing keycaps quite a pain...

[dorkvader]

I guess you could mod the plate to accept a costar stab and glue the plate clips in place? Lot of work though.

Or just be happy with the dyesub PBT keycaps that came with it: hard to beat those.

[kalrand]

I guess you could mod the plate to accept a costar stab and glue the plate clips in place? Lot of work though.

Or just be happy with the dyesub PBT keycaps that came with it: hard to beat those.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm very happy with the keycaps themselves, it's just that this was the board I was going to put the Nuclear Green set on...

[SpAmRaY]

I guess you could mod the plate to accept a costar stab and glue the plate clips in place? Lot of work though.

Or just be happy with the dyesub PBT keycaps that came with it: hard to beat those.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm very happy with the keycaps themselves, it's just that this was the board I was going to put the Nuclear Green set on...

I still am not sure if anyone has seen this stabilizer style before. I managed to get the stab legs out of the one shift key I removed but they had clearly been epoxied/glued in. I just wiggled on them until they came out.

[kalrand]

I still am not sure if anyone has seen this stabilizer style before. I managed to get the stab legs out of the one shift key I removed but they had clearly been epoxied/glued in. I just wiggled on them until they came out.

They're definitely epoxied/glued in. I didn't poke around the stabilizers (honestly, mine feel too solid... I'm afraid they'll snap), but I did some work on the wire and the clips holding it down. The wire can be removed by guiding it sideways through the clips, and the wireclips come on and off pretty easily once the wire is out.

I think the plate holes that the stabilizers glide through are too small for any of the currently on the market stabilizers...

Stupid question, but is there something that dissolve epoxy without dissolving PBT, assuming that is epoxy (it's like an orange color, but I know that can be anything)?

[kalrand]

I still am not sure if anyone has seen this stabilizer style before. I managed to get the stab legs out of the one shift key I removed but they had clearly been epoxied/glued in. I just wiggled on them until they came out.

They're definitely epoxied/glued in. I didn't poke around the stabilizers (honestly, mine feel too solid... I'm afraid they'll snap), but I did some work on the wire and the clips holding it down. The wire can be removed by guiding it sideways through the clips, and the wireclips come on and off pretty easily once the wire is out.

I think the plate holes that the stabilizers glide through are too small for any of the currently on the market stabilizers...

Stupid question, but is there something that dissolve epoxy without dissolving PBT, assuming that is epoxy (it's like an orange color, but I know that can be anything)?

I have a hunch I can replace the wires with costar wires, and then just put in costar inserts and have this work...

What's the best place to buy those?

[dorkvader]

I have a hunch I can replace the wires with costar wires, and then just put in costar inserts and have this work...

What's the best place to buy those?

http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/products/keyboard-parts.html

I think you will need to mod the plate to get the costar clip to fit, but I could be wrong.

[SpAmRaY]

I still am not sure if anyone has seen this stabilizer style before. I managed to get the stab legs out of the one shift key I removed but they had clearly been epoxied/glued in. I just wiggled on them until they came out.

They're definitely epoxied/glued in. I didn't poke around the stabilizers (honestly, mine feel too solid... I'm afraid they'll snap), but I did some work on the wire and the clips holding it down. The wire can be removed by guiding it sideways through the clips, and the wireclips come on and off pretty easily once the wire is out.

I think the plate holes that the stabilizers glide through are too small for any of the currently on the market stabilizers...

Stupid question, but is there something that dissolve epoxy without dissolving PBT, assuming that is epoxy (it's like an orange color, but I know that can be anything)?

I have a hunch I can replace the wires with costar wires, and then just put in costar inserts and have this work...

What's the best place to buy those?

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=62204.0

But I'm not sure how they would work either without some modifications.

derp...dv already posted that :facepalm:

[kalrand]

I have a hunch I can replace the wires with costar wires, and then just put in costar inserts and have this work...

What's the best place to buy those?

http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/products/keyboard-parts.html

I think you will need to mod the plate to get the costar clip to fit, but I could be wrong.

I'm not going to use the costar clip, just the wires and the inserts. Once I realized that the wire clips already installed could be reused easily, I don't see why I wouldn't. do that.

I might need to bend my own wires, I think the standard stabilizer wires are too thick, but the inserts should be fine.

[SpAmRaY]

I have a hunch I can replace the wires with costar wires, and then just put in costar inserts and have this work...

What's the best place to buy those?

http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/products/keyboard-parts.html

I think you will need to mod the plate to get the costar clip to fit, but I could be wrong.

I'm not going to use the costar clip, just the wires and the inserts. Once I realized that the wire clips already installed could be reused easily, I don't see why I wouldn't. do that.

I might need to bend my own wires, I think the standard stabilizer wires are too thick, but the inserts should be fine.

But the inserts won't have anything to rest on, the current stab legs are much longer to go down into whatever the mechanism is this board has.

[kalrand]

But the inserts won't have anything to rest on, the current stab legs are much longer to go down into whatever the mechanism is this board has.

From what I can tell, the current stab legs just go into holes that don't really do much in the way of providing guidance.

Having never used costar stabilizers, how much do the inserts actually need the clips to keep them inline?

[kalrand]

Bonus: the numberpad's 0 and enter key are unstabilized. And you can definitely tell when you hit them off center.

[kalrand]

Having never used costar stabilizers, how much do the inserts actually need the clips to keep them inline?

Answering my own question here, I'm willing to bet that's where the lateral stabilization comes from, since the wires bent through the sides like that wouldn't be able to stabilize laterally very much.

GRR.

[Zeal]

@SpAmRaY

Just curious -- so the "whites" don't have the sprue mark on the stem? Once you get a sample switch desoldered, I'm curious if the clicky leg is black like modern MX Whites, or some other colour. Also, do all switches click the same? 

[SpAmRaY]

@SpAmRaY

Just curious -- so the "whites" don't have the sprue mark on the stem? Once you get a sample switch desoldered, I'm curious if the clicky leg is black like modern MX Whites, or some other colour. Also, do all switches click the same? 

To me these don't fit any modern category of what I have experienced with either white, clear or even blue cherry mx  switches.

The click is very, very light  almost would not call them clicky but the sound is present.

They are also not very tactile either and the switches just seem lighter than I would expect as well. Perhaps its simply due to age.

 No sprue mark on stems.

I haven't had time to open it up yet but haven't decided what I want to do with it either.

[kalrand]

I haven't had time to open it up yet but haven't decided what I want to do with it either.

It's easily one of the oddest boards I've seen.

[SpAmRaY]

I haven't had time to open it up yet but haven't decided what I want to do with it either.

It's easily one of the oddest boards I've seen.

That's why I like it so much!

[kalrand]

Did you ever figure out what scancode set the IRMAKey is using?

I had assumed it would use the AT set, with some extra scancodes for extra keys like an IBM 3270 model M, but today I finally got a chance to test it, and that doesn't seem to be the case. Or I have a broken keyboard.

Have you discovered anything?

[SpAmRaY]

Did you ever figure out what scancode set the IRMAKey is using?

I had assumed it would use the AT set, with some extra scancodes for extra keys like an IBM 3270 model M, but today I finally got a chance to test it, and that doesn't seem to be the case. Or I have a broken keyboard.

Have you discovered anything?

I haven't had a chance to do anything with mine other than take it out of the box take a pic and put it up.

[kalrand]

I haven't had a chance to do anything with mine other than take it out of the box take a pic and put it up.

Sounds like you're on my testing schedule.

If you get a chance to try plugging it in, I'd love to know the results. I think I'm probably going to end up selling my board, and I don't want to put it up as "possibly not working" when the answer is "not working".

[SpAmRaY]

I haven't had a chance to do anything with mine other than take it out of the box take a pic and put it up.

Sounds like you're on my testing schedule.

If you get a chance to try plugging it in, I'd love to know the results. I think I'm probably going to end up selling my board, and I don't want to put it up as "possibly not working" when the answer is "not working".

Actually I currently don't even have any thing to attempt to plug it in with, I'll have to either make or buy an adapter.

[kalrand]

Actually I currently don't even have any thing to attempt to plug it in with, I'll have to either make or buy an adapter.

I laughed so hard at this for some reason.

[dorkvader]

I haven't had a chance to do anything with mine other than take it out of the box take a pic and put it up.

Sounds like you're on my testing schedule.

If you get a chance to try plugging it in, I'd love to know the results. I think I'm probably going to end up selling my board, and I don't want to put it up as "possibly not working" when the answer is "not working".

you guys are killing me.

Just mail one to me I'll mod it or whatever, take a ton of pictures, elucidate y'all on whatever and mail it back with whatever you wanted done on it done.

[kalrand]

you guys are killing me.

Just mail one to me I'll mod it or whatever, take a ton of pictures, elucidate y'all on whatever and mail it back with whatever you wanted done on it done.

I.... might just take you up on this.