Leading Edge DC-2014

[merlin64]

Picked this up locally! =)

I had never tried Blue ALPS before and I like it. My experience so far is that it seems almost linear with a slight bump. I'd say it feels similar to the Orange ALPS on my Apple IIGS except the bump is less pronounced and it's a whole lot smoother. Don't hang me, but they almost feel like a more tactile and smooth Cherry MX Brown. The click is also less audible than Cherry MX Blue.

I looked around online for a 5 pin to PS2 converter, I couldn't find any female ones. Anyone know of any? Or is this a converter I'm going to have to make on my own?

Anyway enough talk. Here are some pictures

[1deeg]

How about this

http://www.amazon.com/SF-Cable-Keyboard-Adapter-MiniDin6/dp/B0016RTO1M/

[SamirD]

Great find! 

The converters are quite easy to find in local used computer stores.  I just picked up a few in the clearance section of a local store for $3 each. 

[ebacho]

How about this

http://www.amazon.com/SF-Cable-Keyboard-Adapter-MiniDin6/dp/B0016RTO1M/

This isn't going to work.  The DC-2014 is XT and the one you've linked is just a physical converter from AT to PS/2.  You need an active converter for this.

@OP, I'd suggest buying a teensy and making a soarer's converter.

[frogthejam19]

Picked this up locally! =)

I had never tried Blue ALPS before and I like it. My experience so far is that it seems almost linear with a slight bump. I'd say it feels similar to the Orange ALPS on my Apple IIGS except the bump is less pronounced and it's a whole lot smoother. Don't hang me, but they almost feel like a more tactile and smooth Cherry MX Brown. The click is also less audible than Cherry MX Blue.

I looked around online for a 5 pin to PS2 converter, I couldn't find any female ones. Anyone know of any? Or is this a converter I'm going to have to make on my own?

Anyway enough talk. Here are some pictures

(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)

 
lucky dog. willing to sell?

[fohat.digs]

This isn't going to work.

@OP, I'd suggest buying a teensy and making a soarer's converter.

You will need to go one step further, a standard Soarer's/Teensy is not enough. Usually there are 4 wires to connect, here there will need to be a 5th wire, "Reset" and I will try to look it up for where it attaches on Teensy. It is buried somewhere in the TL;DR of Soarer's thread.

edit:

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=69882.msg1681062#msg1681062

[chyros]

Congratulations on the find! maybe I'll run into one someday too.

Many heretics have brutally butchered these for the switches; surely a capital offence. Glad to see you want to use it like it is .

[nickheller]

Congratulations on the find! maybe I'll run into one someday too.

Many heretics have brutally butchered these for the switches; surely a capital offence. Glad to see you want to use it like it is .

I am one of those people

[SamirD]

How about this

http://www.amazon.com/SF-Cable-Keyboard-Adapter-MiniDin6/dp/B0016RTO1M/

This isn't going to work.  The DC-2014 is XT and the one you've linked is just a physical converter from AT to PS/2.  You need an active converter for this.

@OP, I'd suggest buying a teensy and making a soarer's converter.

I was halfway thinking this myself, but didn't know if the board spoke xt or at.

GH user orihalcon sells a plug-and-play cable that will convert any 5-din to ps2.  It's not only a cable adapter, but has soarers built-in.  It's a bit pricey, but he offers a discount to orders placed directly and is very plug and play.  Right now he's even got a deal on getting one with a brand new m122 for just a bit more than the cable itself.

[fohat.digs]

GH user orihalcon sells a plug-and-play cable that will convert any 5-din to ps2.  It's not only a cable adapter, but has soarers built-in.

Orihalcon's cables use Soarer's firmware but not Teensy breakout boards.

You need to verify with him whether the 5th leg is connected before you try to use it for the Leading Edge.

[merlin64]

Hmmmmm. That is unfortunate. My teensy's are currently being used for other projects.

Was really hoping to use this keyboard at work, I took it apart to clean it out and I noticed every switch had a diode, so its also possibly NKRO!

[chyros]

Congratulations on the find! maybe I'll run into one someday too.

Many heretics have brutally butchered these for the switches; surely a capital offence. Glad to see you want to use it like it is .

I am one of those people

Show Image

That's horrible! You even took pictures of your poor victim! You sick bastard!

STOP THIS MAN! STOP HIM! DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY!

[fohat.digs]

I am one of those people

Me, too. I simply can't stand weird-o layouts, especially when there are such great switches that are generally unavailable anywhere else.

[SamirD]

GH user orihalcon sells a plug-and-play cable that will convert any 5-din to ps2.  It's not only a cable adapter, but has soarers built-in.

Orihalcon's cables use Soarer's firmware but not Teensy breakout boards.

You need to verify with him whether the 5th leg is connected before you try to use it for the Leading Edge.

True, but from my discussion with him on the one I got from him, it will work for anything AT/XT/terminal and be plug-and-play, which would work for what the OP has in mind of using it at work.

[1391406]

That is an odd layout. I don't like it.

[chyros]

I am one of those people

Me, too. I simply can't stand weird-o layouts, especially when there are such great switches that are generally unavailable anywhere else.

No respect for precious old things. Humbug. Humbug I say!

*shakes walking stick around*

[fohat.digs]

No respect for precious old things.

Don't try and pull that **** on me. I am typing this on a keyboard dated 15 MAR 1985.

When I was born, Truman, Churchill, and Stalin were the principal world leaders.

[jacobolus]

almost linear with a slight bump [...] similar to the Orange ALPS [...] except the bump is less pronounced [...] The click is also less audible than Cherry MX Blue.

What are you comparing "slight bump" to, besides orange Alps? The amount of tactile feel should be relatively similar to orange Alps, maybe slightly but not substantially less.

I suspect that at some point this keyboard was stored with all the keys held down for an extended period of time, bending all the click leaves slightly out of shape and reducing the click.

The sound of new blue Alps switches is different than MX blue, but in general should be comparable in volume. (Though this depends a whole lot on the context; MX blue switches are a plastic-on-plastic click which makes almost no sound for a loose switch, but can reverberate quite a bit with the right keycaps and case.)

[merlin64]

LOL, I guess this is why people like different switches

The bump isn't substantially less, but i would agree that it feels like orange alps the most. I think the smoothness is what makes the bump seem smaller.

[chyros]

almost linear with a slight bump [...] similar to the Orange ALPS [...] except the bump is less pronounced [...] The click is also less audible than Cherry MX Blue.

What are you comparing "slight bump" to, besides orange Alps? The amount of tactile feel should be relatively similar to orange Alps, maybe slightly but not substantially less.

I suspect that at some point this keyboard was stored with all the keys held down for an extended period of time, bending all the click leaves slightly out of shape and reducing the click.

The sound of new blue Alps switches is different than MX blue, but in general should be comparable in volume. (Though this depends a whole lot on the context; MX blue switches are a plastic-on-plastic click which makes almost no sound for a loose switch, but can reverberate quite a bit with the right keycaps and case.)

For sure it should be MORE tactile than orange Alps I'd say Oo . Tactile Alps aren't as tactile as clicky ones I've found oO .

No respect for precious old things.

Don't try and pull that **** on me. I am typing this on a keyboard dated 15 MAR 1985.

You mean the DC-2014 is too modern for your tastes then?

[ebacho]

This isn't going to work.

@OP, I'd suggest buying a teensy and making a soarer's converter.

You will need to go one step further, a standard Soarer's/Teensy is not enough. Usually there are 4 wires to connect, here there will need to be a 5th wire, "Reset" and I will try to look it up for where it attaches on Teensy. It is buried somewhere in the TL;DR of Soarer's thread.

edit:

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=69882.msg1681062#msg1681062

FWIW I never had to do this on the Soarer I made.  The DC-2014 was fine with whatever the standard configuration was when I made my soarer.

[fohat.digs]

FWIW I never had to do this on the Soarer I made.  The DC-2014 was fine with whatever the standard configuration was when I made my soarer.

That is good to know. I tried 3 DC2014s with my outboard Soarer's/Teensy which works fine with IBM F XTs and nothing happened, so maybe I had just gotten dud Leading Edge boards. All the more reason to euthanize them and harvest their organs.