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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Drewflynn on Thu, 13 September 2012, 18:35:17

Title: Help with Terminal Model M; I'm a newb
Post by: Drewflynn on Thu, 13 September 2012, 18:35:17

Hey, I'm hoping you guys are pretty friendly, if not you are free to lay the b&hammer on me, I found this forum site through Google and thought it would be one of the better places to ask this.

I recently bought a Model M keyboard, knowing that it didn't have a PS/2 connector on it.It was only 3$ so I said why the hell not and assumed I would just be able to find an adapter for it.

After researching, I found that these are pretty hard to interface with a normal PC.

Here's what I found through a Google search that I think might help.

-Soarer's converter for XT/AT/Terminal keyboards
-Using a 'Teensy' microcontroller http://www.pjrc.com/store/teensy.html

I had found a couple websites but had lost them because I was using my girlfriends computer at the time, but it showed a list of keyboards someone was working on converters for.

Originally I thought it would be maybe possible to rewire and interface it with a Arduino or other ARM based microcontroller but that doesn't seem like it would work.

Anyways, any help would be greatly appreciated, and I'm not afraid to tear the thing apart speaking how it was only 3 USD.

Note: I am completley noob when it comes down to this kind of stuff so speak to me as if you are speaking to a child.

Also if this helps, here is a picture worth a thousand words.

(http://ompldr.org/vZmhmcA/2012-09-13%2018.01.30.jpg)

edit: Another important thing to note is this is a 1993 Model M, who's cord cannot be separated from the back.

Title: Re: Help with Terminal Model M; I'm a newb
Post by: fohat.digs on Thu, 13 September 2012, 19:59:05

If you are going to get serious about Model Ms, it was well worth your purchase price for parts alone including keycaps (they sell for $30 per set).

For the $20+ it will cost you to make this one work, you can almost buy a standard one.

Maybe the keys, springs, or case from this one will spruce up a shabby specimen!
 

Title: Re: Help with Terminal Model M; I'm a newb
Post by: __red__ on Thu, 13 September 2012, 21:04:12

I'm pretty sure that Soarer's converter will do the job.

It's a 122 key board, get it working :-)  you'll love it!

Ask in the builders forum.

Title: Re: Help with Terminal Model M; I'm a newb
Post by: tp4tissue on Thu, 13 September 2012, 21:59:06

Depends, if any of those keys are mushy, then don't bother.. but if all the keys are still crisp, it's definitely worth the additional input.