Restore a Liberty Freedom 110 keyboard

[joneslee85]

I found this baby in a trash can and to my surprise it is a cherry mx black, the layout is very weird, the cable is cut and is covered in dust. The case is very sturdy, the keycap is doubleshot.

I have no idea who made it, it seems to me a terminal keyboard with brand Liberty.

I'm going to clean it up and figure out how to get new cable installed.

UPDATED: It's Cherry G80-0472. Any info?

[dragonxx21]

How do people find these things.

[joneslee85]

How do people find these things.

in Australia, there are certain days in a year where company could throw rubissh near the kerb of the street for council rubbish collection. I just need to lurk around big tech companies. I found 1 model M + XT/AT computer /w monitor and this one. For FREE!

[PointyFox]

My company recently paid to have a whole pallet of IBM model Ms recycled :C
I wish I could have taken them but it's against company policy.

[Reomero]

in Australia, there are certain days in a year where company could throw rubissh near the kerb of the street for council rubbish collection. I just need to lurk around big tech companies. I found 1 model M + XT/AT computer /w monitor and this one. For FREE!

such nice find
much luck
wow

[joneslee85]

Keycap are cleaned up and let dry

[terran5992]

Dat Enter key

[Grendel]

Hah, a "Rub Out" key   These caps look like they would benefit from a Retr0Bright treatment.

[joneslee85]

Dat Enter key

Yeah, the first L Enter shape I have ever since

[joneslee85]

Hah, a "Rub Out" key   These caps look like they would benefit from a Retr0Bright treatment.

I know, wondering what kind of app this kb is for, lol

[SpAmRaY]

Just saw this, awesome board, that PCB color...nice!

[Grendel]

Hah, a "Rub Out" key   These caps look like they would benefit from a Retr0Bright treatment.

I know, wondering what kind of app this kb is for, lol

VT100 terminal clone.

[joneslee85]

the keyboard is now clean up, now I am going to see how I could make this beast work with modern computer, I am no pro here, so suggestion is very welcome, what should I do next?

[tuxsavvy]

I don't have much of a clue either, though at the same time there really isn't all that much information floating around the web apart from an old ebay listing for a similar Cherry G80 series board. The last four digits were not the same as yours plus the seller did not mention any information on what sort of connector that keyboard would have used. That ebay listing is here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHERRY-G80-0531-Tastatur-Keyboard-Top-Raritat-Ohne-Gehause-und-Kabel-/281076859334

I also found Cherry filing patent with the label on the PCB. According to the patents, it was filed around early 90s. Of course these information may not be all that useful but I thought it might still be worthy to point it out: http://www.google.com/patents/DE8710488U1

Also looking at the photo of where the cable was chopped off I guess it would have used something kind of like a 5 pin connector. Which would have been DIN sort of connector. The PS/2 had 6 pins and USB would probably have had 5 pin (with the last one being ground, most likely). Again only very roughly guessing that it might just work if it was mated to a DIN 5 pin sort of socket. There are a couple of variations around that era (when Cherry filed patent) but I am sort of willing to guess that it might just be a regular 5 pin and not those fancy 270 degrees IBM connectors.

There might be some information that you can scour for with the characters, etc printed on the chip of the PCB. They might give you hints as to what sort of connection it would have had.

[joneslee85]

I don't have much of a clue either, though at the same time there really isn't all that much information floating around the web apart from an old ebay listing for a similar Cherry G80 series board. The last four digits were not the same as yours plus the seller did not mention any information on what sort of connector that keyboard would have used. That ebay listing is here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHERRY-G80-0531-Tastatur-Keyboard-Top-Raritat-Ohne-Gehause-und-Kabel-/281076859334

I also found Cherry filing patent with the label on the PCB. According to the patents, it was filed around early 90s. Of course these information may not be all that useful but I thought it might still be worthy to point it out: http://www.google.com/patents/DE8710488U1

Also looking at the photo of where the cable was chopped off I guess it would have used something kind of like a 5 pin connector. Which would have been DIN sort of connector. The PS/2 had 6 pins and USB would probably have had 5 pin (with the last one being ground, most likely). Again only very roughly guessing that it might just work if it was mated to a DIN 5 pin sort of socket. There are a couple of variations around that era (when Cherry filed patent) but I am sort of willing to guess that it might just be a regular 5 pin and not those fancy 270 degrees IBM connectors.

There might be some information that you can scour for with the characters, etc printed on the chip of the PCB. They might give you hints as to what sort of connection it would have had.

thx much, appreciate

[joneslee85]

according to

, this keyboard uses 6pin unknown RJ??

[dbme]

I actually have one of the terminals these keyboards connect to complete and working.

The keyboard actually connects to the VT using a 6P6C connector - basically a phone plug.

I *think* (and this is just a guess, mostly) that the keyboard *may* talk over serial. It's certainly a complex beast, considering it has a full-out microcontroller (INS8039) and a UV-EPROM for firmware in it.

As an aside, that video is mine.

I may be able to stick a logic analyser on it over this weekend, if I have some free time.

---

Posted from a bugmenot throwaway account.

[terran5992]

Old keyboards sure are a pain in the ass, how does typing on it feel ?

[Soarer]

I suspect that's a 5V regulator on the left with the heatsink, which would mean that the terminal supplied the keyboard with more than 5V (probably 12V). What's the part number on it?

There's some protocol info in the 1982 Cherrry catalogue, but not detailed and may well not apply to this particular module.

Latest (readable) datecode on the chips is 8523 = mid-1985.

Even if you work out the protocol, it may not send release events for most keys. If that's the case, conversion would have limitations, particularly for modifier keys (something like sticky-keys would have to be used).

A sure-fire way to get it working would be to remove the CPU (and any other parts that might interfere, like the regulator) and replace it with a Teensy or similar - there's multiple firmwares you could choose from these days

Or you could venture into programming 8039 assembly and make a new EPROM to plug in

[IvanIvanovich]

Nice find! I wish I could find rare very vintage Cherry models for free.
As others have said, I am also fairly certain it's a serial keyboard as all the others I have encountered with those EPROM have been.

[Danule]

Hahahha that name so american. Contains german switches.

[joneslee85]

I actually have one of the terminals these keyboards connect to complete and working.

The keyboard actually connects to the VT using a 6P6C connector - basically a phone plug.

I *think* (and this is just a guess, mostly) that the keyboard *may* talk over serial. It's certainly a complex beast, considering it has a full-out microcontroller (INS8039) and a UV-EPROM for firmware in it.

As an aside, that video is mine.

I may be able to stick a logic analyser on it over this weekend, if I have some free time.

---

Posted from a bugmenot throwaway account.

Oh, awesome, let me know if you could find any details, really appreciate

[joneslee85]

I suspect that's a 5V regulator on the left with the heatsink, which would mean that the terminal supplied the keyboard with more than 5V (probably 12V). What's the part number on it?

There's some protocol info in the 1982 Cherrry catalogue, but not detailed and may well not apply to this particular module.

Latest (readable) datecode on the chips is 8523 = mid-1985.

Even if you work out the protocol, it may not send release events for most keys. If that's the case, conversion would have limitations, particularly for modifier keys (something like sticky-keys would have to be used).

A sure-fire way to get it working would be to remove the CPU (and any other parts that might interfere, like the regulator) and replace it with a Teensy or similar - there's multiple firmwares you could choose from these days

Or you could venture into programming 8039 assembly and make a new EPROM to plug in

I think the best solution for me now is to throw away all and replace with a Teensy.

[Grendel]

I think the best solution for me now is to throw away all and replace with a Teensy.

I'll second that !

[joneslee85]

I think the best solution for me now is to throw away all and replace with a Teensy.

I'll second that !

It will be a fun project, i hope the completed work won't be a mess with cables

[tuxsavvy]

I am not sure but I guess a good idea is to probably take a close up photo of the controller, at least there might be more information that can be scoured then sort of guessing and hoping. Of course I could be wrong but I think it wouldn't help to try out either.

I would personally retain the controller board for now. If the keyboard sends out exotic information that your controller has not been programmed to take on it might give weird results. Probably it might help if you could grab out as much information out of the keyboard via the controller for instance then making your own teensy board with all the right setups.

[Soarer]

I think the best solution for me now is to throw away all and replace with a Teensy.

Well maybe not all - some of those chips could be useful to reduce the number of connections to the Teensy...

HCF4514 is a 4-to-16 line decoder.
HCF4051 is an 8-channel analogue multiplexer.

So perhaps 10 connections (8 + power and ground) instead of 24

[Grimey]

Hahahha that name so american. Contains german switches.

And found in Australia !!!

[dorkvader]

I'm very interested in this keycap (below)

Is that the "block" cap with the window? what's the red stuff? the window looks clear from the top.

[joneslee85]

I'm very interested in this keycap (below)

Show Image

Is that the "block" cap with the window? what's the red stuff? the window looks clear from the top.

I have no idea, its like another layer similar to doubleshot.

[IvanIvanovich]

It's a tripleshot. I've had some windowed tripleshot like that in the past.
I keep looking at this keyboard and thinking how much nicer it would be with actual Cherry keycap like those from my 1300 set.

[Findecanor]

I don't have much of a clue either, though at the same time there really isn't all that much information floating around the web apart from an old ebay listing for a similar Cherry G80 series board. The last four digits were not the same as yours plus the seller did not mention any information on what sort of connector that keyboard would have used. That ebay listing is here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHERRY-G80-0531-Tastatur-Keyboard-Top-Raritat-Ohne-Gehause-und-Kabel-/281076859334

That is a Commodore PC-5 keyboard. At that time, each keycap layout had a different article number.
The US variant is G80-0499.

[zqs1qiwan]

Are those switches are vintage black?

[rxc92]

You have to admire the dedication and thought process of people who think the OP will respond 6 years later.

[chyros]

It's called a "Liberty Freedom"? XDDD