Converted my old IBM Model M Keyboard to USB but........

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HONkUS
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Converted my old IBM Model M Keyboard to USB but........

Post by HONkUS »

So I took an old Model M keyboard (Buckling spring key switches! yay!) and decided to paint it and convert it to USB. I bought one of These and spliced it in with the PS/2 wires internally in the keyboard so I have a little male USB plug sticking out the back It works great when plugged into my laptop (i'm typing this on it) but on my desktop I get a "device cannot start code = 10" error in the control panel (which actually needs the keyboard). Both machines are running Windows 7 x64.

Oh yeah here is the actual keyboard :)

If anyone has some ideas they would be greatly appreciated!
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HONkUS
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Re: Converted my old IBM Model M Keyboard to USB but........

Post by HONkUS »

Did some further research, turns out the adapter i used is just that, an adapter. I need a full ps/2 - USB converter for it to work reliably, looks like more soldering is in my future.
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Calamar
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Re: Converted my old IBM Model M Keyboard to USB but........

Post by Calamar »

I wish they were a little thinner. But I use one (1988) and are the best.
The greenest keyboards ever made. I wonder how many keyboards people have had to bought while I've been using this one. :D
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HONkUS
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Re: Converted my old IBM Model M Keyboard to USB but........

Post by HONkUS »

I never thought of it that way. I have 2 of them, one manufactured in 1989 and the other (the one mentioned) in 1993. They certainly do last! The one I painted even has drainage holes in case you spill liquid in it. Model M's are truly the Jeeps of keyboards.
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Re: Converted my old IBM Model M Keyboard to USB but........

Post by bubba »

I have piles of them things here at work but think they are PS1. Have them for old IBM dumb terminals.

I have thought of getting one of these http://www.daskeyboard.com/ to save the work of hacking one together, but cant bring myself to pay the $130 price tag.

Had a link to one that was ~$60ish but cant find it right now.
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HONkUS
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Re: Converted my old IBM Model M Keyboard to USB but........

Post by HONkUS »

the old AT connectors are just as easy to convert to USB as the ps/2 if you get an active adapter. Both AT and ps/2 use the same signal according to Wikipedia.

AT:
Pin 1 = +CLK
Pin 2 = +DATA
Pin 3 = N/A
Pin 4 = GND
Pin 5 = VCC +5V DC

PS/2:
Pin 1 = +DATA
Pin 2 = N/A
Pin 3 = GND
Pin 4 = VCC +5v DC
Pin 5 = +CLK
Pin 6 = N/A

If you have a mini Model M without the keypad I will gladly take it off your hands if you like :)
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Re: Converted my old IBM Model M Keyboard to USB but........

Post by bubba »

I'll see what I got, think they all have the 10 key pad on them.
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