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Author Topic: Using classic Apple Keyboard with modern hardware?  (Read 2045 times)

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Offline paldepind

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Using classic Apple Keyboard with modern hardware?
« on: Thu, 20 February 2014, 07:10:20 »
Hi!

Today I found an Apple Keyboard with ALPS switches in a thrift store. It does however use ADB (I thought it was a PS2 port).

I have not been able to find much info on the keyboard on this forum. But I'm not sure if that's because Apple ALPS are rare or just not worth it? Does anyone have experience with using this keyboard with current hardware? Is it doable? I mean, it doesn't have F-buttons and I can't really figure if it will just work if I get a ADB to USB converter?
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Offline sth

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Re: Using classic Apple Keyboard with modern hardware?
« Reply #1 on: Thu, 20 February 2014, 07:15:38 »
griffin iMate, or google "tmk firmware" if you want to get fancy.
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Using classic Apple Keyboard with modern hardware?
« Reply #2 on: Thu, 20 February 2014, 07:19:50 »
If you want to get interested in old Apple keyboards, you should get a Griffin iMate for $25.

If the keyboard does not have F keys, it is likely an "Apple Keyboard" not an "Apple Extended Keyboard" but some people really like the small size.

The orange (maybe salmon/pink) switches are considered desirable, you could harvest them at the minimum.
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"Starting in 2011, the deficits again started to shrink. During Obama’s term  the deficit was reduced by $900 Billion  before finally in 2015 the GOP managed to wrangle a “reconciliation” bill out of Obama where he again cut corporate taxes, as well as made permanent some of George W. Bush’s original tax cuts. This is the year everything reversed. Before this, under Clinton, Bush and Obama the deficit in almost every year was gradually decreasing. The balance we had of taxes and the economy was bringing the deficit down, the money coming in was slowly catching up with the money going out until 2015. Trump’s subsequent tax cut has continued the new trend even after the rest of Bush’s cuts have since expired. Obama had an average GDP of 2.3%, with 11.6 million jobs created and unemployment peaking at 10% in 2009, then falling to 4.3% in 2016. If we had continued on that downward deficit track, we would have again reached balance and another surplus in 2017-2018.
– Frank V Walton 2025-07-01

Offline paldepind

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Re: Using classic Apple Keyboard with modern hardware?
« Reply #3 on: Thu, 20 February 2014, 07:25:42 »
Yes, it's an Apple Keyboard. This one to be specific: http://deskthority.net/wiki/Apple_M0118

Well. I actually bought the keyboard. I'm just not sure what to do with it now that it's not PS2 connected as I thought.
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Offline sth

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Re: Using classic Apple Keyboard with modern hardware?
« Reply #4 on: Thu, 20 February 2014, 07:28:20 »
Quote from: paldepind on Thu, 20 February 2014, 07:25:42
Yes, it's an Apple Keyboard. This one to be specific: http://deskthority.net/wiki/Apple_M0118

Well. I actually bought the keyboard. I'm just not sure what to do with it now that it's not PS2 connected as I thought.

it's ADB. Apple has never used PS/2.
look up TMK like I said -- i'm pretty sure you can use the firmware to map a function layer to use F1-etc.
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Offline paldepind

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Re: Using classic Apple Keyboard with modern hardware?
« Reply #5 on: Thu, 20 February 2014, 07:31:49 »
Quote from: sth on Thu, 20 February 2014, 07:28:20
it's ADB. Apple has never used PS/2.
Yes. That's what I said ^^

Quote from: sth on Thu, 20 February 2014, 07:28:20
look up TMK like I said -- i'm pretty sure you can use the firmware to map a function layer to use F1-etc.
Ok cool. I'll look into it.

The keyboard is pretty neat in a retro way and the switches are quite nice even though I prefer the linear reds in my Poker 2 (which I got a few days ago).
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Offline sth

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Re: Using classic Apple Keyboard with modern hardware?
« Reply #6 on: Thu, 20 February 2014, 07:32:51 »
Quote from: paldepind on Thu, 20 February 2014, 07:31:49
Quote from: sth on Thu, 20 February 2014, 07:28:20
it's ADB. Apple has never used PS/2.
Yes. That's what I said ^^


werps. just saw :)
i have one of these boards too, they're really cool!
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Offline Computer-Lab in Basement

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Re: Using classic Apple Keyboard with modern hardware?
« Reply #7 on: Thu, 20 February 2014, 07:36:14 »
Quote from: paldepind on Thu, 20 February 2014, 07:31:49
Quote from: sth on Thu, 20 February 2014, 07:28:20
it's ADB. Apple has never used PS/2.
Yes. That's what I said ^^

Quote from: sth on Thu, 20 February 2014, 07:28:20
look up TMK like I said -- i'm pretty sure you can use the firmware to map a function layer to use F1-etc.
Ok cool. I'll look into it.

The keyboard is pretty neat in a retro way and the switches are quite nice even though I prefer the linear reds in my Poker 2 (which I got a few days ago).

I have one of these Apple keyboards, and I do agree, the switches are quite nice (I'd say comparable to dampened MX Browns). However, I don't have the need to make it work with a modern PC because it's currently connected to my Mac Classic. :D

Best of luck converter hunting, hope you find what you're looking for! :thumb:
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Quote from: Computer-Lab in Basement on Mon, 23 March 2015, 15:14:18
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Offline paldepind

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Re: Using classic Apple Keyboard with modern hardware?
« Reply #8 on: Fri, 21 February 2014, 02:26:20 »
Quote from: sth on Thu, 20 February 2014, 07:32:51
i have one of these boards too, they're really cool!
And you're using it with the iMate and tmk firmware with success?
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Offline jacobolus

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Re: Using classic Apple Keyboard with modern hardware?
« Reply #9 on: Fri, 21 February 2014, 17:17:23 »
If you really like the keyboard, but also like linear switches, you can always buy an old board with complicated green Alps switches, and swap them. [On ebay recently, I’ve seen various green Alps boards for like $60 shipped.] Complicated green Alps are nicer linear switches than MX reds, IMO.

If you want to have fun with keyboard layouts, and you can handle some soldering and simple programming, buy a Teensy 2.0 microcontroller and look at hasu’s tmk_keyboard firmware project, which has a nice ADB-to-USB converter as a sub-project. Or if you just want to plug the thing in and have it work, get one of those Griffin iMate thingies.
« Last Edit: Fri, 21 February 2014, 17:20:31 by jacobolus »
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Offline CPTBadAss

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Re: Using classic Apple Keyboard with modern hardware?
« Reply #10 on: Fri, 21 February 2014, 17:25:05 »
You can convert it with a Teensy: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=14290.0
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Using classic Apple Keyboard with modern hardware?
« Reply #11 on: Fri, 21 February 2014, 18:50:53 »
I love Teensys, and have at least 3, but for old Apple hardware just get one of these and don't worry about it anymore:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Griffin-iMate-ADB-to-USB-adapter-BRAND-NEW-/360863571305?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5405251d69

Plug and play. Keep it around for whenever an AEK turns up.
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"Starting in 2011, the deficits again started to shrink. During Obama’s term  the deficit was reduced by $900 Billion  before finally in 2015 the GOP managed to wrangle a “reconciliation” bill out of Obama where he again cut corporate taxes, as well as made permanent some of George W. Bush’s original tax cuts. This is the year everything reversed. Before this, under Clinton, Bush and Obama the deficit in almost every year was gradually decreasing. The balance we had of taxes and the economy was bringing the deficit down, the money coming in was slowly catching up with the money going out until 2015. Trump’s subsequent tax cut has continued the new trend even after the rest of Bush’s cuts have since expired. Obama had an average GDP of 2.3%, with 11.6 million jobs created and unemployment peaking at 10% in 2009, then falling to 4.3% in 2016. If we had continued on that downward deficit track, we would have again reached balance and another surplus in 2017-2018.
– Frank V Walton 2025-07-01

Offline jacobolus

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Re: Using classic Apple Keyboard with modern hardware?
« Reply #12 on: Fri, 21 February 2014, 21:18:55 »
Quote from: fohat.digs on Fri, 21 February 2014, 18:50:53
I love Teensys, and have at least 3, but for old Apple hardware just get one of these and don't worry about it anymore:
Hasu’s firmware is great though, and you can do a lot more with it than you can with an iMate.

For example, on that M0118, there are a bunch of keys along the bottom row (`, \, arrows) that can be productively used for various function layers.

Programmable keyboards are the best. :-)
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