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geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: y11971alex on Tue, 23 August 2016, 19:34:39

Title: Selectric Keyboard
Post by: y11971alex on Tue, 23 August 2016, 19:34:39

I bought a Selectric that I want to convert to a usable computer keyboard for a leisure project.

(http://www.cryptomuseum.com/covert/bugs/selectric/img/302227/013/full.jpg)

I think I'll start by sticking magnetic reed switches close to these latches that are apparently magnetized for some reason.  Each key on the typewriter displaces a distinct number of latches, which is digital information that could be decoded by reading signals from the reed switches.

Title: Re: Selectric Keyboard
Post by: zzxx6400 on Thu, 25 August 2016, 19:50:47

Had the same idea for a while; never got around to actually do it.
I don't think the latch interposers are designed to be magnetic; the soviets swapped in magnetic ones so that their bug would work:
http://www.cryptomuseum.com/covert/bugs/selectric/
Some kind of switch to detect interposer motion is probably needed.

Also, the interposers only move when the typeball moves; that means you will need extra stuff to detect tab, space, enter, shift, and backspace keys.