Adaptor for very old keyboard

[lonedruid]

hi, guys, i was a geekhacker for quite awhile, but hasnt been here quite a long time.I would like to ask a question. I got some very old 3 keyboards, that my mum used when she a printer shop in 1990s. So, naturally a geekhacker, me fingered all of them. Then, i found out one of them is the clicky kind, like my Ducky 2013 snake 103 keys keyboard. And, it looks like in good health, so i want to use it, however the connector end looks so huge that i cant seem to find the fit online. I have one USB-adaptor from my Steelseries good old 6GV2, but that seems too small to act as an adaptor.

Please refer to the attached files and tell me if there is any suitable adaptor and if so where can i get it

Thanks in advance.

[Findecanor]

That is most likely a common AT connector. They were used before the smaller PS/2 plug but carry the same signals.
There are adaptor cables from AT keyboards to PS/2.

Then you could use an active adaptor from PS/2 to USB. Those are also called "protocol converters".
(The small green or purple adaptors don't work, and are intended for devices that talk both USB or PS/2 and auto-detect. They don't translate the protocol, i.e. they are "passive")

So.. two adaptors might be needed. You can both find them among old stock in some computer stores if you are lucky, or more easily on eBay.
There are a few unusual active adaptors with both types of sockets on them.

If you want to build a converter yourself, there is TMK and "Soarer's Converter", that can be flashed onto a Pro Micro. Some people have done that, and put the Pro Micro into the keyboard itself (provided that there was room in inside the keyboard), with a USB cable coming out of it.
Both feature remapping, if you're interested in that.

[Leslieann]

Yep, that's an AT keyboard, it predates ATX motherboards.

Getting from AT to PS/2 is usually pretty easy, just a straight adapter.
Getting from PS/2 to USB is where it gets complicated, as mentioned you may need an active adapter (powered), but also AT keyboards used quite a high amperage, higher than PS2 and even some PS/2 boards hate using modern PS/2 port much less USB ports. in other words, not all PS/2 adapters will work. The Soarers converter is a good option, the other is to look at what works on IBM Model M boards, a common one is called a "blue cube".

personally unless you absolutely LOVE this keyboard it's not worth it.

[fohat.digs]

Personally, I have had little trouble going from AT to USB in 2 steps of adapters using low-end gear, and those green and purple "Y" adapters have worked for me 90% of the time.

As a rule I use powered USB hubs and look to buy the ones with strong power ratings, so maybe that provides enough juice to meet most demand.

But I built a Soarer's-based converter box with all 4 female sockets so I use that now for my testing purposes.

[Maledicted]

I have had a similar experience to fohat. As long as the USB controller or powered hub can supply the required amperage, most random generic PS/2 to USB adapters I have tried just work. I bought a whole ton of variations trying to see if I could get any to work with oddball almost AT protocols, like the infamous beige label Z-150 (which actually looks to potentially have full functionality with TMK, finally?).

Maybe, if I do one heck of a lot of searches, I might be able to find documentation on this board, but I struck out in a few quick searches of the model number and FFC ID. Have you pulled a cap yet to figure out what sort of presents may lurk beneath? Mystery boards are just like Christmas, especially clicky ones.

[yui]

i have 2 working boards with an old AT connector, i managed to find a used AT to PS/2 adapter on ebay a while back and so far had 100% success rate with very cheap blue dual input adapters (KB and mouse) from there as well. although they seem to work well their usb connector is rather weak (broke 3 in 1 and a half year from the weight of the model M cable). i had far less luck with y cables, even name brand ones, although only ever had problems with the 122 keys unicomps so maybe you will have better luck

[Maledicted]

i have 2 working boards with an old AT connector, i managed to find a used AT to PS/2 adapter on ebay a while back and so far had 100% success rate with very cheap blue dual input adapters (KB and mouse) from there as well. although they seem to work well their usb connector is rather weak (broke 3 in 1 and a half year from the weight of the model M cable). i had far less luck with y cables, even name brand ones, although only ever had problems with the 122 keys unicomps so maybe you will have better luck

These?



I have had good luck with them as well. I used one with all of the ports desoldered to jam it inside of  that old Scorpius board I converted to wireless.

[yui]

i have 2 working boards with an old AT connector, i managed to find a used AT to PS/2 adapter on ebay a while back and so far had 100% success rate with very cheap blue dual input adapters (KB and mouse) from there as well. although they seem to work well their usb connector is rather weak (broke 3 in 1 and a half year from the weight of the model M cable). i had far less luck with y cables, even name brand ones, although only ever had problems with the 122 keys unicomps so maybe you will have better luck

These?

I have had good luck with them as well. I used one with all of the ports desoldered to jam it inside of  that old Scorpius board I converted to wireless.

yep those, they work with all my AT and ps/2 boards, although does not support code page 3 (IBM terminal) and have not tried on a code page 1 (i do not have a working XT board)

[lonedruid]

wew, thanks for your replies guys. But looks quite hard for me to do it now, since like most of you mentioned, i need AT to PS2 adaptor which it seems i need to build it myself or sth, and then connect it with PS2/USB adaptor again. That seems quite a work for me right now, and i will just let it low for now i guess.

[lonedruid]

I have had a similar experience to fohat. As long as the USB controller or powered hub can supply the required amperage, most random generic PS/2 to USB adapters I have tried just work. I bought a whole ton of variations trying to see if I could get any to work with oddball almost AT protocols, like the infamous beige label Z-150 (which actually looks to potentially have full functionality with TMK, finally?).

Maybe, if I do one heck of a lot of searches, I might be able to find documentation on this board, but I struck out in a few quick searches of the model number and FFC ID. Have you pulled a cap yet to figure out what sort of presents may lurk beneath? Mystery boards are just like Christmas, especially clicky ones.

nah thanks, last time i fiddled whats underneath my Ducky, i broke one screw inside.

[Leslieann]

i need AT to PS2 adaptor which it seems i need to build it myself or sth, and then connect it with PS2/USB adaptor again.

AT to PS2 adapters can be had on Ebay for a few dollars.

[Maledicted]

I have had a similar experience to fohat. As long as the USB controller or powered hub can supply the required amperage, most random generic PS/2 to USB adapters I have tried just work. I bought a whole ton of variations trying to see if I could get any to work with oddball almost AT protocols, like the infamous beige label Z-150 (which actually looks to potentially have full functionality with TMK, finally?).

Maybe, if I do one heck of a lot of searches, I might be able to find documentation on this board, but I struck out in a few quick searches of the model number and FFC ID. Have you pulled a cap yet to figure out what sort of presents may lurk beneath? Mystery boards are just like Christmas, especially clicky ones.

nah thanks, last time i fiddled whats underneath my Ducky, i broke one screw inside.

I mean just pull a cap off to see what sort of switches you have got underneath.

i need AT to PS2 adaptor which it seems i need to build it myself or sth, and then connect it with PS2/USB adaptor again.

AT to PS2 adapters can be had on Ebay for a few dollars.

^ This. I have tons of them lying around. For a time I was using IBM F ATs with nothing other than AT to PS2 adapters. One of those and just about any active PS2 to USB adapter goes a long way in using just about any random old board you can find that's not XT protocol, or even more obscure than that.