Want a Pin Pad to go with your 4704?

[engicoder]

IBM 4718 Pin Pad
http://www.ebay.com/itm/371094522296

[unoab]

Your link is missing /itm/
http://www.ebay.com/itm/371094522296

And too bad it is not a buckling spring pad to go with the keyboards of the series.

[engicoder]

Your link is missing /itm/
http://www.ebay.com/itm/371094522296

And too bad it is not a buckling spring pad to go with the keyboards of the series.

Whoops..thanks.

[SamirD]

Weird looking thing.  Like the PC jr keyboard.

[kishy]

Something unusual here. It's pretty apparently part of the 4700 system, and the 4704 did have pin pad capability, but there is no mini-DIN connector on a 4704 base unit (I have one).

If I were to take a guess (only a somewhat, and self-educated one) it would be that this does plug into a normal PS/2 port (though may or may not speak traditionally useful scancodes) and was used for one of the Personal System/2 computers that could be up-optioned to function with that system.

[engicoder]

Something unusual here. It's pretty apparently part of the 4700 system, and the 4704 did have pin pad capability, but there is no mini-DIN connector on a 4704 base unit (I have one).

If I were to take a guess (only a somewhat, and self-educated one) it would be that this does plug into a normal PS/2 port (though may or may not speak traditionally useful scancodes) and was used for one of the Personal System/2 computers that could be up-optioned to function with that system.

Thats a good point. What is the tiny pin pad like device in this picture (from your site), next to the mag stripe reader:

[kishy]

Something unusual here. It's pretty apparently part of the 4700 system, and the 4704 did have pin pad capability, but there is no mini-DIN connector on a 4704 base unit (I have one).

If I were to take a guess (only a somewhat, and self-educated one) it would be that this does plug into a normal PS/2 port (though may or may not speak traditionally useful scancodes) and was used for one of the Personal System/2 computers that could be up-optioned to function with that system.

Thats a good point. What is the tiny pin pad like device in this picture (from your site), next to the mag stripe reader:

Show Image

Unfortunately not my photo (though I do know where you got it ;) ), so I'm not so sure on that. The 4704 could be optioned with a pin pad and mag stripe reader so it does belong there...

This system predates the existence of PS/2, but I'm sure mini-DIN connectors already existed, so it's hard to say exactly what's up with the ebay pin pad. Perhaps it daisy-chains off the magstripe reader, I don't know. Perhaps the pin pad is otherwise identical but the one that is used with the 4704 has the old d-sub connector instead.

[E3E]

Oh my... All the vintage goodness in this thread. That little pin pad is so adorable. Also, a mini DIN with gold plated pins? That's classy!

[engicoder]

Something unusual here. It's pretty apparently part of the 4700 system, and the 4704 did have pin pad capability, but there is no mini-DIN connector on a 4704 base unit (I have one).

If I were to take a guess (only a somewhat, and self-educated one) it would be that this does plug into a normal PS/2 port (though may or may not speak traditionally useful scancodes) and was used for one of the Personal System/2 computers that could be up-optioned to function with that system.

Thats a good point. What is the tiny pin pad like device in this picture (from your site), next to the mag stripe reader:

Show Image

Unfortunately not my photo (though I do know where you got it ;) ), so I'm not so sure on that. The 4704 could be optioned with a pin pad and mag stripe reader so it does belong there...

This system predates the existence of PS/2, but I'm sure mini-DIN connectors already existed, so it's hard to say exactly what's up with the ebay pin pad. Perhaps it daisy-chains off the magstripe reader, I don't know. Perhaps the pin pad is otherwise identical but the one that is used with the 4704 has the old d-sub connector instead.

I will try to find out if any of my contacts have any ideas.  I have seen pictures of the machine that they used to test the 4704 mag stripe readers. It was a truly terrifying beast. A belt studded with metal brackets holding credit cards that looped endlessly swiping cards at variable speeds. The whole thing was enclosed in plexiglass box because at high speeds it was common for a slight misalignment to result it exploding credit cards.