Author Topic: How to make a homemade 5-din -> PS/2 connector? (Read 6110 times)

Pylon · « **on:** Sat, 16 October 2010, 10:09:45 »

I just bought 2 model Ms at a yard sale for $1 each - a 1986 1390131 and a 1993 Lexmark branded 1398601. The problem is the guy only had one cable and it's a 5-din type. I'm too cheap to buy a cable or an adapter, so I'm probably going to build one myself.

Is it possible to make a homemade 5-din adapter? Thanks.

WhiteRice · « **Reply #1 on:** Sat, 16 October 2010, 10:15:15 »

It's certainly possible, do you have any old ps/2 connectors to splice?

Pylon · « **Reply #2 on:** Sat, 16 October 2010, 10:16:32 »

Yeah, I could cut one off one of my rubber domes.

WhiteRice · « **Reply #3 on:** Sat, 16 October 2010, 10:24:48 »

It might be even simpler than I was suggesting...

Linky

ripster or kishy would probably most qualified to answer.

Pylon · « **Reply #4 on:** Sat, 16 October 2010, 10:30:50 »

I'm also probably going to sell the 1390131 and keep the Lexy. Both of the Model Ms don't feel as great as I expected, though better than my Quietkey. The force curve is WAY different.

JohnElliott · « **Reply #5 on:** Sat, 16 October 2010, 11:12:45 »

I've done it for Terminal M to PS/2. It's pretty straightforward:

1. Get hold of a lead with a PS/2 plug at one end. I bought mine from RS Components, but if you've got a scrap keyboard you could also cannibalise it from there.

2. Get hold of a 5-pin DIN socket. I bought mine from RS along with the cable.

3. Use a multimeter to work out which wire in the cable corresponds to which PS/2 pin.

4. And solder them to the appropriate pins in the DIN socket.

keyb_gr · « **Reply #6 on:** Sat, 16 October 2010, 11:37:25 »

Quote from: JohnElliott;234739

3. Use a multimeter to work out which wire in the cable corresponds to which PS/2 pin.

Or
3.' Ask teh interwebs for the respective connector pinouts.

JohnElliott · « **Reply #7 on:** Sat, 16 October 2010, 11:41:53 »

Quote from: keyb_gr;234749

Or
3.' Ask teh interwebs for the respective connector pinouts.

You need to do that as well. The pinout will tell you which pin is +5v, which is Data and so on, and the multimeter tells you which wire at the other end of the cable is connected to that pin.

keyb_gr · « **Reply #8 on:** Sat, 16 October 2010, 12:33:07 »

Quote from: kishy;234756

Adapters are cheaper to buy...just do that.

ACK. Not worth the trouble.

Pylon · « **Reply #9 on:** Sat, 16 October 2010, 12:38:57 »

I just committed a serious crime then...

Pylon · « **Reply #10 on:** Sat, 16 October 2010, 14:26:14 »

Alright, I'm typing on my Model M (the Lexmark in my sig) now. Thanks guys.

I basically hacked apart my SDL cable and more or less spliced a PS/2 cable from my KB-9970 onto it. I more or less guessed which cables went onto which, based partly on the colors. Thank God I didn't kill the controller or the PS/2 controller on the motherboard.

This is a really high force keyboard.

News:

Author Topic: How to make a homemade 5-din -> PS/2 connector? (Read 6110 times)