Page 1 of 1
Converted my old IBM Model M Keyboard to USB but........
Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 7:30 pm
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!
Re: Converted my old IBM Model M Keyboard to USB but........
Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 9:00 pm
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.
Re: Converted my old IBM Model M Keyboard to USB but........
Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 5:07 am
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
Re: Converted my old IBM Model M Keyboard to USB but........
Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 2:07 pm
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.
Re: Converted my old IBM Model M Keyboard to USB but........
Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 6:47 am
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.
Re: Converted my old IBM Model M Keyboard to USB but........
Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 1:45 pm
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
Re: Converted my old IBM Model M Keyboard to USB but........
Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 7:49 pm
by bubba
I'll see what I got, think they all have the 10 key pad on them.
