Author Topic: Can someone identify this keyboard? (And get it to work) (Read 2293 times)

Zoop · « **on:** Wed, 10 August 2011, 12:40:20 »

Hi everyone, I recently bought a keyboard from a garage sale that has confused me quite a bit, for several reasons. I haven't really been interested in keyboards long enough to be able to identify what type of keyboard this is. I was hoping someone would be able to identify what sort of keyboard it is, if it will ever run on modern computers, or if I'm just wasting my time trying to get it to work. Anyways here are some pictures:

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It's built pretty solid, and seems very well made, and has what seems to be cherry black switches. I'm not really sure how to confirm this, but these switches look exactly the same as the ones I have on my Filco keyboard, except black. The feel of the kays is amazing, it's very satisfying just hitting the keys. I know older keyboards used to be made much higher quality, and the rise of the rubber dome keyboard is due to the reduced cost associated with them; so the quality of this keyboard seems to make sense consider how old it seems.

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What confuses me:
- The connector for this keyboard I've never seen before on a keyboard. It looks like a 4-pin phone jack for all I know. The cable is also extremely short, making me think it must have been used as some sort of terminal keyboard, or perhaps for a cash register of some sort? Anyways everyone I've asked in the general electronics stores doesn't seem to recognize the connector, and automatically assume I'm thinking of a PS/2 connector. I haven't asked any serious electronics or hardware specialists yet, however. I'm hoping somewhere someone has created an adapter for this to either plug into a USB or a PS/2 connector. Maybe I'm being idealistic, but it seems to me that if this keyboard ever worked, there has to be a way to translate those signals into a modern interface.

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- There's no F11 or F12 keys. I suppose it's not really a big deal - off the top of my head I can't think of any important shortcuts needing these keys, except maybe help step through code in Visual Studio; but these can always be remapped.

-It's got some really interesting placement for keys, to name a few:
   - No windows keys, caps lock is where left windows key usually is
   - Left alt key is generally where left Ctrl is
   - Esc key is where ~ key generally is
   - missing right ctrl and alt keys
   - etc etc etc

-There's one key I'm particularly confused about, it's a key with a solid blue square on it. It's on the bottom right side of the keyboard, just to the left of the arrow keys. It's in one of the first pictures posted above.

Anyways, I'm not quite sure what else to show that might distinguish this keyboard, however here are some random pictures that I found on the board/chips.

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Sadly, the person I bought this keyboard off of was completely in the dark about anything electronic, and I assume she was just cleaning junk out of her house. For 2$ the quality of this keyboard is amazing, I just hope I can get it to work.

Thanks!

REVENGE · « **Reply #1 on:** Wed, 10 August 2011, 13:17:18 »

HOT!

http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?14417-MINI-Cherry-by-ScarFace

Well it looks like that board anyways, probably the same OEM. All the info you need should be in the Geekhack and KBDMania threads I linked you. Be sure to report in once you've done a mod! FYI, if you're not interested in replacing the controller, you could try making an adapter using the Teensy as a starting point. You'll need to find out more about the interface, I have a feeling it's not AT compatible.

By the way, did they only have the keyboard for sale, or did they have the computer as well?

hella · « **Reply #2 on:** Wed, 10 August 2011, 13:20:58 »

Looks like you got a terminal board. You'll have to change your RJ11 into a USB output to get it to work.

REVENGE · « **Reply #3 on:** Wed, 10 August 2011, 13:38:00 »

http://www.kbdmania.net/xe/?mid=best_article&page=4&document_srl=1680257

Just checked the pics and it's definitely the same board OEM wise. Again, scarface did a controller mod for his, but you may be able to get away with an adapter.

Zoop · « **Reply #4 on:** Wed, 10 August 2011, 13:47:25 »

YES! I can't believe its been tracked down.

Okay so I'm pretty damn incompetent when it comes down to circuitry/keyboard hardware lingo

Quote

Looks like you got a terminal board. You'll have to change your RJ11 into a USB output to get it to work.

What does this mean? I guess the RJ11 is the 'phone jack' - are you implying that I just need to find the right adapter from somewhere. Does anyone know where I could find such a cable? I'll do some searches. Thanks a ton, this keyboard is amazing on the fingers.

Quote

HOT!

http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?1...ry-by-ScarFace

Well it looks like that board anyways, probably the same OEM. All the info you need should be in the Geekhack and KBDMania threads I linked you. Be sure to report in once you've done a mod! FYI, if you're not interested in replacing the controller, you could try making an adapter using the Teensy as a starting point. You'll need to find out more about the interface, I have a feeling it's not AT compatible.

By the way, did they only have the keyboard for sale, or did they have the computer as well?

I'll look into those links! And this keyboard was actually face down on a table next to dolls and random other garage sale crap. I think the computer is long gone.

(From the link you posted)

Quote

He used the Aikon controller to make it PC compatible over USB and greased the switches. He remapped the socket to the according USB pins to keep the removable cable. No other mods have been made.

I'll look into seeing what it would take to 'implement' this controller board. As mentioned I have no circuit board experience but I am fairly technical and interested in hardware. The other thing he mentioned "remapping the socket to the according USB pins" - Does that imply he made his own cable using an old USB cable, with the wires interfacing with the phone jack's pins?

Thanks again!

REVENGE · « **Reply #5 on:** Wed, 10 August 2011, 14:26:05 »

Quote from: Zoop;396542

What does this mean? I guess the RJ11 is the 'phone jack' - are you implying that I just need to find the right adapter from somewhere. Does anyone know where I could find such a cable? I'll do some searches. Thanks a ton, this keyboard is amazing on the fingers.

You can physically adapt the cable to whatever you want, but it won't work over USB directly and there's only a slim chance it would work over PS/2. Your best bet would be to hook it up to this: http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:17458, but you will need to figure out which pin / cable corresponds to which signal. I would check the PCB near where the RJ11 cable connects and look for markings such as 'VCC', 'CLOCK', etc.

Zoop · « **Reply #6 on:** Wed, 10 August 2011, 14:40:44 »

Thanks revenge, I edited my latest post with a bit more of what I was confused about, however forgot to post it again.

I'll look at the link you just sent as well. When you say "check the PCB" does that just imply reading markings on the circuit board near the connector?

REVENGE · « **Reply #7 on:** Wed, 10 August 2011, 18:38:02 »

Quote from: Zoop;396575

Thanks revenge, I edited my latest post with a bit more of what I was confused about, however forgot to post it again.

I'll look at the link you just sent as well. When you say "check the PCB" does that just imply reading markings on the circuit board near the connector?

Yep. You're looking for "VCC" or "+5V", "Data, "Clock", and "GND". Don't assume anything based on diagrams you might find on the net, connectors that look the same may not share the same pin-outs.

snuci · « **Reply #8 on:** Thu, 05 November 2015, 17:45:25 »

Sorry to bring back an old thread but I have news on this topic. This keyboard is from a Kaypro 2000 computer from 1985. More info here: http://www.oldcomputers.net/kaypro2000.html This computer is rare so the keyboard is probably even rarer. While this is from 1985, it looks like the ones you keyboard fans are liking now a days

The key spacing and height is that of a normal keyboard even though it is from portable. It is detachable as the photos from the link above shows. The feel is very nice and the keyboard mechanism is in a metal backed enclosure to provide the rigidity. I'm not crazy about the key caps because they aren't double shots but it is a sweet compact vintage keyboard.

Here are some pics: