Inside a Bull Questar 310 type KBU 3031

[arapineau]

I have this board laying in a box for a while now and I decided to finally take care of it.



A while ago I bought a Bull Questar 210 terminal but it didn't have the keyboard to go with it and the only Questar keyboard I could found was for a 310 model on ebay.
So, lacking of information about it and hopping for some sort of compatibility, I took a gamble and bought it.
I tend to lose when I gamble and this time is no exception, as you can see the slight compatibility issue here...



I thus shoved it in a box until I dug it up again a few days ago. Why taking care of it now if I can't use it?
Well I've got pretty frustrated after a failed attempt at recaping a nForce2 motherboard and an EPIC failed attempt to recaping a 3dfx voodoo 5500, I just wanted a break.
Also this thing was filthy as Hell and came wrapped in a bubble wrap ever more disgusting, so I thought I might as well clean it up and take pictures of the internals while I am at it,
and maybe some folks would find the journey interesting. So here it is.



The top case is made of ABS, the bottom one of steel and hold in place by 8 rusty screws that will go in a mix of water, ethanoic acid and hydrogen peroxide.
I don't own a caliper so I may be wrong but it looks like the back panel is 0.8 mm thick. The two feet doesn't have any spring in them.



The caps are made of thin double shot ABS.



I was hopping for NMB spaces invaders switches... but sadly they appear to be BTC dome with sliders



Removing the back panel, it appears this keyboard is actually made by Wyse, probably a rebranded model but I don't know which one.




Looking at the back of the PCB, it looks like there is a Wyse 211001-02 527 controller




and also a bad 47 µF 10 V electrolytic capacitor D:



So much for my break of recaping things, uh?
Seriously Wyse, you made a keyboard with a PCB, double shot lettering and metal back panel but it was too expensive to use multiple ceramic capacitors or a tantalum one in here?
And I don't have a replacement with the right values, I'll have to order some DDD:

Anyway, regarding the other side of the PCB



it's smeared with flux and sport the number 980324-01 REV.B2



The rubber mat uses the classic carbon pads, nothing special here.




There isn't much to say about the inside on the front panel either



beside some discrepancies going on with the dates




I guess Wyse wasn't big on the just in time at that time.

The cable is just thin coiled telephone like, also stretched and dirty.



After a few hours of rubbing with soapy water and isopropanol,
I must admit this board was probably used  for experimenting on dirt sublimation as even magic erasers don't seems to make a dent into some "residues" on the plastic.
Oh well, at least all the parts are now clean and I am waiting for my tantalum capacitors to finish the reassembly.





I'll publish more once the capacitor is replaced.

[ander]

This is great. If it weren't for this, I doubt any of us would've been inside one of these particular keebs any time in the foreseeable future. Now we have. In fact, it's almost like we've actually been in there—as if we were tiny people who could walk around inside old keebs and explore the switches and components and dust and grime and bits of office lunches and so on. I don't know about you, but I'm going to change my shoes now.

[arapineau]

This is great. If it weren't for this, I doubt any of us would've been inside one of these particular keebs any time in the foreseeable future. Now we have. In fact, it's almost like we've actually been in there—as if we were tiny people who could walk around inside old keebs and explore the switches and components and dust and grime and bits of office lunches and so on. I don't know about you, but I'm going to change my shoes now.

If you love that kind of thing, I have a few other dusty and dirty I can dig into.

[SBJ]

This is great. If it weren't for this, I doubt any of us would've been inside one of these particular keebs any time in the foreseeable future. Now we have. In fact, it's almost like we've actually been in there—as if we were tiny people who could walk around inside old keebs and explore the switches and components and dust and grime and bits of office lunches and so on. I don't know about you, but I'm going to change my shoes now.

If you love that kind of thing, I have a few other dusty and dirty I can dig into.

Please do, this was interesting.

[arapineau]

I received the capacitors for this board and thus I finished to reassembly.

The PCB has been washed with IPA.



The replacement capacitor soldered in place.



Sadly when I removed the PCB, some screws ripped off the plastic threading they were tapped into.
I tried to smear some epoxy on them before putting them back in place.
Hopefully I won’t have to open this board too often.



And finally I tried to cut a new foot out of a piece of cork to replace the one missing. I am not terribly happy with it but that will have to do.



Now I suppose I’ll need to acquire the rest of the terminal to try the keyboard out?

[Findecanor]

Now I suppose I’ll need to acquire the rest of the terminal to try the keyboard out?

Maybe Soarer's WYSE Converter firmware would work with that one. I think it has been verified only with mechanical WYSE keyboards though.
You would need a $5 Arduino Pro Micro (or $16 Teensy 2.0) microcontroller board and solder on a few leads, or leads and socket if you'd want that.

[arapineau]

Now I suppose I’ll need to acquire the rest of the terminal to try the keyboard out?

Maybe Soarer's WYSE Converter firmware would work with that one. I think it has been verified only with mechanical WYSE keyboards though.
You would need a $5 Arduino Pro Micro (or $16 Teensy 2.0) microcontroller board and solder on a few leads, or leads and socket if you'd want that.

Thanks, I will probably check that out at some point

[Retronics]

I have questar 210 . Nice keyboard.

[arapineau]

I have questar 210 . Nice keyboard.

Pretty nice 

What switches does it use?

[suicidal_orange]

Looks like a lot of effort for a board you couldn't test!

Did you try the converter or did it go back in the box?