geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Vocroth on Wed, 28 September 2011, 09:24:44
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Hello, got myself a olivetti keyboard for 5€ today and I don't know what kind of connector it has
Since my Camera doesn't give good close up pictures, I'll try to draw it
[ATTACH=CONFIG]27479[/ATTACH]
it kinda looks like a DIN connector, But I'm not really sure
Any Ideas how I could use it on my computer? I got PS/2 input aswell
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is it larger than a PS/2 connector but similar looking? Might be an AT connector. If that is the case you just need an AT to PS/2 adapter, they're electrically compatible, it's just a passive adapter.
If the board is XT (uses same connector as AT) you're hosed :(
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it's same looking as PS/2 connector, and even fit's in my ps/2 input, just doesn't work
how do i check if it's XT?
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I don't think anyone ever made a keyboard w/ XT protocol with small connector like PS/2. I could of course be wrong though. Not sure what the issue is now.
I'm not sure if an ADB connector would physically plug into a PS/2 port; they look kinda similar. But I don't know if Olivetti made any keyboards for Apple?
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It looks like PS/2, just with the unused pins missing. No idea why it wouldn't work - maybe it's just a dead keyboard :(
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hmm, scroll lock and so on blinks up at start and just goes off again
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Well that means the power pins are the same as PS/2 at least. And it has LEDs, so it's not XT.
Have you rebooted your computer with it attached? That might be needed to wake up the PS/2 port.
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Yep PS/2 is not 'plug and play' like USB so you will need a reboot after plugging a PS/2 board in before it will be recognised.
Apologies if you already knew that.
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Related newbie question -- is there such a thing as an AT to USB adapter? Alternately, does an AT -> PS/2 -> USB adapter chain work? (Stupid new computers with their usb-only-ness.)
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Alright so I restarted my computer and It's working like a charm
I cleaned it very carefully when I got it and it's almost like new
The typing feels really awesome aswell, best rubber dome I ever had
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Nice! If it is a good rubber dome, please post a picture of it and the model number!
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Related newbie question -- is there such a thing as an AT to USB adapter? Alternately, does an AT -> PS/2 -> USB adapter chain work? (Stupid new computers with their usb-only-ness.)
I don't believe that there is anything off the shelf that will go directly from an AT connector to a USB... but since AT and PS/2 are for all intents and purposes the same thing save for the connector, the chain works fine. Just make sure you get a *good* PS/2 to USB adapter to avoid weirdnesses. (AFAIK there is no 100% perfect adapter on the market, but the Belkin one recommended in the wiki is pretty good. I have not tried the "blue cube." ZioTek also works well except for Pause/Break. Whatever is on the shelf at your local computer sellin' emporium is probably crap.)
Alright so I restarted my computer and It's working like a charm
yeah, didn't think to mention that. PS/2 *usually* hot swaps OK but it is not part of the spec and is not guaranteed to do so. It's also not a recommended procedure.
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Thanks, N8N -- I have a couple AT to PS/2 adapters in a box since I was around during that transition, but only recently learned (via this forum) that not all PS/2 to USB adapters are the same.
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will post model tomorrow when i wake up
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yeah, didn't think to mention that. PS/2 *usually* hot swaps OK but it is not part of the spec and is not guaranteed to do so. It's also not a recommended procedure.
I've found that as long as something i plugged in when i first boot my comp, I can hot swap easily. But if I boot my computer with no PS2 keyboard connection, I need a reboot. Must be some way it powers the connection or something...doesn't see anything there so it turns it off or something.