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geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => DIY Discussions ARCHIVE => Topic started by: wcass on Fri, 15 July 2011, 00:50:18
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I have 5 ideas for things I would like to do to my 122 key Model M and can only find a few reference of anyone trying any one of these with any keyboard. I am in the planning stage, so some of these might get dropped and new things else might get added. I plan on documenting the progress in this space and hope that the Geekhack community will add encouragement, insight, and helpful suggestions on how best to proceed. With any luck, this might become a group project that we can all enjoy – if only vicariously.
[h=3]Mod I: Key Layout[/h]
Why did I buy a board with 21 extra keys? Good question. I don’t play games or use macros frequently. But there have been times that it would have been nice to have media control keys and maybe even a Windows key (gasp!). I was thinking that I would like to have my mouse closer to the home row. A SSK would be nice, but with the extra keys a terminal has up top and to the left, I could do something like what Daniel Beaver did here, (http://geekhack.org/?title=Island:12388) but hack off everything right of the Enter key. I did some test arrangements. This is what I'm planning.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]21832[/ATTACH]
[h=3]Mod II: Terminal Space Saving Keyboard Hack[/h]
I wanted to embed a 2.25” trackball inside the case on the right side. I would have covered most of the numeric and directional keys with a custom plastisol (think fake fishing worm) wrist rest, leaving two double-wide keys for mouse buttons. But it seems most people would prefer to see the “hack” instead of the “track”, so a change of plan here. I’m calling this the “TSSK” hack. The end result will be less than 15” wide which is about the same as the original SSK.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]22076[/ATTACH]
But doing this hack well will not be a walk in the park either. Cutting the back plate and barrel plate will be simple “remove 6 inches from the right”. This is not the case with the outer shell and one of the membrane sheets. Lets take a look at the membrane sheets first. The bottom sheet can be cut off because all traces terminate within the cut. In other words, no traces enter the cut area and then exit the cut area. See the graphic below - blue circles are termination points.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]22081[/ATTACH]
Unlike the bottom sheet, the top sheet has several traces that enter the cut area and then exit the cut area. If i were to cut this sheet, these traces would need to be jumpered or some keys would not work. Instead, I'm not going to cut this sheet, but will insulate the traces and fold them under the back plate.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]22082[/ATTACH]
For the keyboard case, cutting off the right side would remove ... the right side. We need the right end to keep the case rigid, so we have to remove 6” from the middle and weld the two sides together. But this can not be done with vertical cuts. We want to keep other structural element of the board. Take a look at the image below to see what I’m talking about.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]21155[/ATTACH]
You would want to cut the top where I put the two red lines, but then you would loose the right most front shell clip and the right shell screw receiver. With both of these gone, the right side would likely feel loose. As a work around, we could make a mold of the screw receiver, cast a copy and glue this in a new location. For the bottom of the shell, we want to keep the feet and the screw holes. This shifts the cut away from the top half – which is good for strength, but you have to watch out that the drainage holes and shell tabs and slots line up. We also loose a back-plate support. I can move that in the same was as the screw receiver on the top. Rather than all this cutting, I might want to build a case from scratch. I plan on consulting someone in the “Plastics Fabrication” industry for some guidance.
[h=3]Mod III: Built-In USB Hub[/h]
So when I bought the board, I also ordered a Teensy and followed Soarer’s excellent instructions (http://geekhack.org/?title=Island:17458) to make a USB converter. Depending on how the trackball is controlled (by teensy or discrete chip) I might need to embed a USB hub. I have found that the keyboard is a very convenient location for connecting other USB devices and there are good port-mounting points on the Model M sides.
I will have one USB-A port on either side of the keyboard. I’m using two panel mounts that came with a motherboard I purchased long ago. First, I check placement – is there room to mount it? Will anything get in the way when the case is reassembled? It looks like this spot is good on both sides.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]21107[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]21108[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]21109[/ATTACH]
I used the first 6 inches of the original cable and pin header as the leads to the Teensy. Double-sided tape on the back will keep it secured against the backplate. For the USB hub, I ordered an "octopus" type from e-bay. This one has a mini-USB connector that will mate with the Teensy. I will be replacing the USB-A male with a USB-B female.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]21110[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]22086[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]22085[/ATTACH]
[h=3]Mod IV: Keyboard Overhead Light[/h]
The 1394100 does not have any indicator lights, but the USB converter adds them if desired. I saw this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOn72Y5DT6M&feature=player_embedded) video and thought I could add something similar but a little more professional looking by using a booklight like this (http://www.amazon.com/Mighty-Bright-XtraFlex2-Kindle-Version/dp/B002CMLDT6/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1310618183&sr=8-7). My wife ordered one for her Kindle, but said it did not stay attached securely. It is powered by 3 AAA batteries (4.5v). It has an 8" long gooseneck and a switch on top. When it is not needed, i can fold it along the back of the keyboard.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]21112[/ATTACH]
[h=3]Mod V: On-Key Caps Lock Indicator[/h] And while we are adding indicator lights, why not have one on the Caps-Lock key like the Leopold? The Model M has a plastic stud at the top left of the key. I will be drilling that out when I do a bolt mod, what if I ran a 3mm LED or light tube up that hole. I could drill out a hole in the top left of the Caps Lock key-cap and then back-fill with translucent epoxy or plastic.
Well, there you have 5 new ideas of what someone could do with an IBM Terminal. I plan on doing some or all of these and showing off the results here. But I need your ideas and experience to help me along the way.
Thanks
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Proposed location of keys:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]20881[/ATTACH]
Proposed location of trackball and wrist rest:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]20882[/ATTACH]
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The actual arrangement of the keys like that is fairly easy. Just remember to embed some arrow keys, a la HHKB.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]20887[/ATTACH]
And cutting off the edge like that should also be fairly straightforward. Just remember to roll the membrane. Hopefully your controller is under the main block, and not off to the right like some of them are.
Edit: Actually, looking at that picture, with some modding of the case, you could also embed that CST you see to the right of my keyboards. I think that would work fairly well, honestly.
In regards to your other mods, are you going to swap in an alternate controller to provide the USB hub?
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I built a USB adapter from a teensy using Soarer's instructions:
http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:17458
it is not immediatly clear to me if haso's adapter will work on the terminal (haso - feel free to clear that up for me).
http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:14618
the adapter is in the keyboard case. there is so much room in the case, i expect to be able to add a hub with no problem.
i plan on mounting a sensor in the bottom of that PVC coupling and rest the ball on 3 bearings. for the ball i will likely use one of these:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Snooker-Replacement-Scoring-Ball-Pot-Ball-Pool-/160619908670?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2565b14e3e
2.125" solid colored, available in blue, red, ivory, green, yellow, black.
hay GH community, what color ball should i order?
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For $10 this (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0042YW2EM) is the USB hub I bought to embed in my Filco... still a work in progress as other ideas came up, I have made the case cuts however and hacked up the hub itself.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]20913[/ATTACH]
Removed 1 of the 4 type A's so I can keep the KB connection internal to the case. Also cut the board to fit in the Filco. In a model M and especially a terminal baord, you have enough room to use something like this cable (http://www.pjrc.com/store/cable_usb_panel.html) to bring the USB connection to the outside of the case. I'm going to desolder the connecter, run a cable and mount the mini-B at the original entry point.
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If you want to go crazy with all that space, get a bigger hub and you could add a flash card reader, usb sound card for headset/mic, maybe even more stuff I don't know about. Without extra power my hub can manage the KB, TrackMan Wheel (thumb ball), and USB sound card. Go past that and you may need to run some extra 5v.
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In a model M and especially a terminal baord, you have enough room to use something like this cable (http://www.pjrc.com/store/cable_usb_panel.html) to bring the USB connection to the outside of the case.
yes, i got that cable when i ordered the teensy.
that looks like a good hub. but ideally i would like to get a hub with header pins. i have several surface mount USB A female pigtails from various system builds.
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Hmmm... that's going to be truly hard to find.
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Proposed location of keys:
(Attachment) 20881[/ATTACH]
Proposed location of trackball and wrist rest:
(Attachment) 20882[/ATTACH]
You trackball area is extremely large and your cursor key placement seems a bit out of the way!
What about this:
(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=20918&stc=1&d=1310745169)
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You know, I've tried basically that. Removed the keys from the numpad, plopped my CST there upside down, and reverse everything on it.
Didn't do much for me. Then again, I missed the number pad, as I was reaching for it several times a day for the entire week that I had it that way. Oobviously, I put it back how it belonged.
Though, that picture is without springs under the keys. Just as a random note.
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7bit, that was my origional thought when i was going to do this to a standard M. But that spot is only 3" wide and reletively shallow. my current trackball is an Kensington Expert - about 5" wide. if i take the cursor key area then i get 5.5" and can move the ball closer to the alpha keys. also, by moving the ball up, i get greater depth for the mouse sensor and don't have to cut the steal backplate (but do have to cut a hole in PVC).
theferenc, you got the CST to fit in there? the optical or opto-mechanical sensor version? did you have any chalenges? i thought the sensor on that was larger.
i don't expect to miss the numeric at home. i might miss it a little at work.
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7bit, that was my origional thought when i was going to do this to a standard M. But that spot is only 3" wide and reletively shallow. my current trackball is an Kensington Expert - about 5" wide. if i take the cursor key area then i get 5.5" and can move the ball closer to the alpha keys. also, by moving the ball up, i get greater depth for the mouse sensor and don't have to cut the steal backplate (but do have to cut a hole in PVC).
theferenc, you got the CST to fit in there? the optical or opto-mechanical sensor version? did you have any chalenges? i thought the sensor on that was larger.
i don't expect to miss the numeric at home. i might miss it a little at work.
Ah, I did not think of such a large track ball.
However, I think the scroll wheel idea isn't that bad.
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It wasn't embedded, it was just sitting directly on the barrel plate, held in place with a single small piece of double stick tape.
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here is a new image with both sides together - to better visualize it.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]21005[/ATTACH]
in the key cluster on the left are:
[ Esc ] [Scroll Lock]
[Stop] [Play Pause]
[Trk v] [ Track ^ ]
[Vol v] [ Vol ^ ]
[ Win ] [ Menu ]
the top rows are functions 1-12 (lighter keys, two rows of 6 on left side), [insert] thru [page down] (2 rows of 3 keys), and the directional keys (with [print screen] and [pause break] in the top corners - 2 rows of 3 keys).
This layout gives me all the keys of the SSK, plus multi-media and (out of the way) Windows keys and puts the trackball right up against the right side of the alpha keys. Should i need the 10 key, there will be a USB port on the right (and left) side to plug one in.
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So when I bought the Teensy, I also got a USB-B panel mount from PJRC so that I could put the Teensy in the keyboard case and have a removable cable.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]21096[/ATTACH]
Mounting this in the keyboard bottom was pretty easy; drill some holes, screw it on and … now the keyboard doesn’t fit. The USB-B panel mount is too big to use where I have it. So now I’m trying to think of a different way of doing this. I can only go 2cm deep. Please send your suggestions.
Thanks
[ATTACH=CONFIG]21101[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]21102[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]21099[/ATTACH]
On a more positive note, the USB A ports should work very well. See updates in the main article.
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i need some keycaps for this project. i know i can get them from Unicomp, but thought i would ask the GH community first.
i will be posting this in the classified section also.
IBM keycaps - Windows, Menu, and multimedia (stop, play, previous track, next track, volume down, volume up).
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here is a new image with both sides together - to better visualize it.
(Attachment) 21005[/ATTACH]
in the key cluster on the left are:
[ Esc ] [Scroll Lock]
[Stop] [Play Pause]
[Trk v] [ Track ^ ]
[Vol v] [ Vol ^ ]
[ Win ] [ Menu ]
the top rows are functions 1-12 (lighter keys, two rows of 6 on left side), [insert] thru [page down] (2 rows of 3 keys), and the directional keys (with [print screen] and [pause break] in the top corners - 2 rows of 3 keys).
This layout gives me all the keys of the SSK, plus multi-media and (out of the way) Windows keys and puts the trackball right up against the right side of the alpha keys. Should i need the 10 key, there will be a USB port on the right (and left) side to plug one in.
You know, I wouldn't really care for the Trackball you're proposing, but chop that entire area off and this layout would make for a SWEET terminal space saver!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]21114[/ATTACH]
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DOOOO EEEEEET!!!
(http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/4792/winrarq.jpg)
Actually, I would personally prefer the version with the function keys on the left.
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this time, i would like to try to add the trackball.
if it is not going to work though, i will be chopping off the right side.
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On the USB port... long machine screws, metal tubing (alu?) cut to size... Mount the connector housing outside the case in that overhang using the tubes to hold the distance.
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You know, with the shape of the membrane in a Model M Terminal board, you probably could even cut off the top, and fold the membrane over the metal backplate, so that you could still access the ribbon cables. Buckling spring HHKB, anyone?
I have 2 1397000s I'm not currently using. Maybe I'll try that with one of them. Or with a 1391401, but I currently only have 3 of those I plan to keep, and I have other plans for chopping those up.
I like most of the ideas presented here, in fact, except for the trackball. That I would want to be separate for me.
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On the USB port... long machine screws, metal tubing (alu?) cut to size... Mount the connector housing outside the case in that overhang using the tubes to hold the distance.
i thought about that; aluminum rectangular tube or C channel, but then the case shell hole gets blocked.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]21125[/ATTACH]
I may have to custom make a USB-B mount.
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I'm planning on sticking one of these (http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Amphenol-PCD/USBBF7/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMulM8LPOQ%252bykzAp4yt8IxVbLHPeN12PzWw%3d)in mine. I'm not sure if it'll work for you size/cost wise but I figured I'd post it anyway. I'm using it because it can connect to this (http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Amphenol-PCD/USBBF6200/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMulM8LPOQ%252bykzAp4yt8IxVbnVmOZqMnsKo%3d) and give me a connection that won't come unplugged when I'm being rowdy.
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wow, that port looks like it could take a lot of abuse. it is real tempting, but i don't have that kind of space to work with. that thing is a full cubic inch!
i only have about 20x20x15mm. i think i will use a standard board mount (16x12x10mm) hot glued to a bracket.
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Yep. Slightly over an inch since you have to account for the distance from corner to corner of the hex nut you'll be screwing on. But it wouldn't take up much room at all on the inside of the keyboard. Have you considered just having a permanent cable?