/tech/ - Technology★

Upon some searching I can find, that I have swept up a device with a truly antiquated connector, it's not even the newer old ps2 standard, ti's the even older ps standard.

Simply using adapters (imbyign id'd even worg :DDD) I'd have to daisy-chain 2(two) adapters before I get a standard USB-A male end out of that weird connector on the keyboard.

Going in the direction from the Keyboard to the PC, it'd be first this:

https://www.amazon.com/SF-Cable-Keyboard-Adapter-MiniDin6/dp/B0016RTMQE/ref=sr_1_21?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1507761067&sr=1-21&keywords=ps+to+ps2+adapter

Then this:

https://www.amazon.com/Female-Keyboard-Computer-Converter-Adapter/dp/9803751263/ref=sr_1_11?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1507761241&sr=1-11&keywords=ps2+to+usb-a+adapter

My question is, would this woork to test the function?

>>804943

It is a model called "Preh Commander M84W" (made in West-Germany, kek)

It only has the keys, but also, it has a female PS-connector.

>>804946

Or make each key assigned to a certain copypasta and be the most annoying person on the server.

On a more serious note, how would I go about having the keyboard work without all those annoying adapters, or should I try the adapters?

>>804956

5 pin AT/minidin looks like this

>>804958

Yes, I saw no problem in that, thanks for posting the schematic.

I meant the fact, that an actual USB 2.0 A-Type male connector has only 4 leads. What happens in such an adapter?

Pic related, makes 5 leads into 4.

>>804960

Also forgot, is "mini-din" a synonym for "ps2"?

Also, there was a larger ps"1"which is on this keyboard I have her in front of me.

It seems, that ps"1" is actually IBM AT/ps2, I have misunderstood, it seems.

I will refer to the smaller male circular connector as minidin now, I previously called it ps2, sorry.

>>804988

Mine doesn't have a rectangle in the middle, confused what pin-out to map the connectors to now?

Is pic related use-able as a cable? It came from a mouse....

>>804963

Shows the connector currently on the Keyboard, it looks somewhat like a PS2 variant, however all pin-outs I find that show what the correlating pins on USB-2.0 standard are use a slightly different looking example in the instance of the round connector.

>>804996

You will likely need to run that through a serial-to-USB IC. From a quick web search, you would take whatever output the keyboard makes, translate it on an MCU to something your OS of choice recognizes, then send that out on USB to your computer.

So an MCU with a UART/SPI interface plus USB will work for your needs. That's what those adapters use. They are molded inside of the rubber case.

>>805340

>>805222

Yup, it's most likely a cashier's keyboard.

I found this:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Breathe-new-life-into-an-older-din-5-computer-keyb/

Problem is, I already did adapt the pin-out to a USB-2.0 connector, it didn't even switch on the POWER LED...

Well, I then just opened it up again, and hooked it up to my lab power supply at 5V, still nothing.

It is either broken, or it uses a different operating voltage than a usual PC USB-Socket provides (which is 5V afaik...).

All the current of 0,74A did at 5V was to heat up the two chips visible in one of the images, probably toast now.

Well, thanks for answering my questions.

Probably, though, the keyboard was already broken, else I would not have gotten it/it wouldn't have been laying around.

What I could do is try and figure out the way in which the two plastic circuit mats work together and put a teensy in it, I heard that some people make programmable keyboards with it, and that it isn't too difficult.

Well, well, maybe it is better I just build an entire keyboard, kek.

It would at least be a project to make me learn something about electronics and give me a nice signposting pad if I add macros to each key.

Is it unrealistic making a new, modern circuitry that works with usb for the keyboard/key arrangement (replacing the green PCB in the last pic to the right)?

>>805815

It's probably too difficult, to use the old Motorola chip for the the circuitry, as I assume it might still work, but implementing it is probably much harder than just using a teensy, which has already gotten much attention and has software/firmware already made for it...

What do you think?

Pic related is the chip: (the first two from the left, on the right are the two other chips)

If anyone could educate me on what they are for and how they may be used here, I would be very happy, even if it is just for the sake of knowing what the chips do.

I poked around a bit, and it turns out, that you need a special programmer to probably "install" code on the chip.

At the very least it's a nice thing to look at; after all you don't get a chip with such a weird window every day....

>>805843

I believe the board is toast anyways.

The power LED didn't even light up.

I'll probably just go all in and build a complete keyboard. It really snagged my interest now...

As stated, it doesn't even power up, and programming the MC68705U3CS is a nightmare, you need extra programming hardware.

On top of that, the keyboard is just rubber dome shit, as I found out now, mechanical keyboards are supposedly better.

And before I invest tons of time into a Keyboard where the switches break after a while, I'd rather build a fully mechanical keyboard.

It also turns out, after some further research, that microprocessors like the teensy+/2.0 are very well adaptable for the purpose of building keyboards. In addition it has already been done, there are instructions and tutorials for me to follow.

Would you recommend a split orthonlinear layout.

I really like the look of the keys when arranged in a grid like pic related, but the arms feel cramped, making a split design a better candidate.

>>805848

I opened it up, and the sticker was already removed.

Does anyone know how to fix a keyboard membrane "sheet"? It's torn between the "domes" that register key presses so, while it is working for now, I want to prevent further tearing.

Apologies for making up the names for those things, I don't know how they are usually called in English.

So;

I engaged in some autism and mapped the keyboard matrix.

I also tested the most suspect traces and found out, that the keyboard matrix is completely intact.

On the left you see a standalone of the keyboard part of the whole device. It has got, as can be seen to the top center of the image, two flat-flex cable bundles. The left flat-band cable has 10 leads, the right one has 13.

The next image is an ode to my autism.

I mapped all the connector locations ABCDEFGHIJ for the left connector, abcdefghijklm for the right one.

The keys can be seen represented as crosses, the two letters denote which connectors are shorted when the key is pressed. The numbers are simply a numerical version of the same mapping.

Is it possible to connect the matrix to a new controller and adapt the controller to work with the matrix?

Do I even have to know how exactly the keyboard is mapped in order to have a controller recognize certain keystrokes and put a predefined, programmable action on it?

How would I go about building such a controller, can I simply mount a teensy to a PCB (that can, as it seems be produced for ~20$ in china?)/Hole-Matrix PCB that I have laying around?

How would the circuit look, how does the adaption to the matrix work?

The rightmost picture shows the whole Matrix with its old PCB mounted.

It is attached to the metal back-plate of the matrix via 2 screws an 2 brass standoffs, so the mounting of a new PCB is relatively easy...

I already have an Idea for how to build an enclosure for it, I'd make a wooden frame and maybe add in brass thread inserts. I could even leave a little room between the aluminum back-plate and the current matrix in case I ever want to replace it with mechanical switches...

>>806189

>>806167

Thank you very uch.

Wiring an old controller from another keyboard won't work, as the matrices are different, right?

Oh well, I could do it for shits and giggles, kek.

xec54rtfgvb67uzjhmn´8i+k

(typed by randomly shorting wires from a controller I just took out of an acer keyboard and shorted randomly with a wire)

>>804938 (OP)

Cool thread.

Would be nice to see OP finish the project:

>convert hardware to USB

>write driver

>write shitposting configurable hardware interface

>shitpost with new, custom hardware

>/thread with examples of shitposting-in-action

I tend to latch onto something obscure at times and then try and follow it down the rabbit hole. I would probably do the same with this thing, but I can foresee that it would be a waste of time for me and would take time away from fapping.

>>807332

I fear, that doing this has become much more difficult.

I opened the keyboard, and it seems someone removed the sticker before I got the keyboard into my hands, meaning the software is gone on the MC68705C3SU, and I am not about to toss up lots of dough for a programming interface for it.

What I'll probably try to do, is to somehow use my arduino that I already have to jerry-rig something together.

It would be a nice project to figure out, anyways.

The only problem I have, is that my keyboard matrix is 7x12 using 10+12 wires on its flatband, the arduino only has 14 digital pins (of which two are Rx/Tx) and 6 Analog pins that are actually inputs (don't know if they can be used for key-matrix scanning, sorry; beginner here).

I'd need 22, and only have 20 at best.

There are 3 keys that are wired separately, maybe I can just connect them... that would put me into the range of the arduino...

How can I even make a program that scans the matrix, I literally know nothing, but am willing to learn.

I researched a bit and saw some people use like 5-6 buttons, but they never used some sort of scanning algorithm much less a matrix for their keys, as there were enough digital inputs/outputs to wire the keys separately.

Does anybody have a good method of connecting wires to the flat-band without having to solder onto possibly melt-y plastic?

Like, some connector that I can use, that adapts the flat-band to through-hole, because the one on the old controller-board is pretty windy and I'd like a more robust solution.

It is probably better I make one proper keyboard before I spend time fucking around with a cheap plastic matrix...

My plan would be to have a split keyboard that has 2 pads with each 5x5 keys...maybe more columns (5rows 6 columns etc, for macro keys)

But then again, if I happen to use a teensy, I can simply use the QMK firmware that a nice anon called metalliquaz already programmed, in order to have layers that can then house the macro keys...

Pic related, someone else built it, I would however much rather prefer to have a case, that is not sandwich style.

Maybe I could even use a wireless chip and connect it with a dongle... it'd be much more aesthetic...

Oh well, it's just too much money to pay for a fucking keyboard.

Looks like I'll have to wait until the manufacurers finally get their shit together and stop staggering their fucking keys like goddamn idiots and people realize, that standard keyboards are more likely to give you carpal tunnel syndrome.

Maybe, just maybe I'll work on making circuit diagrams, casing models and g-code data and put them online for anons willing to do the project and invest the money.

It might even be satisfying to plan the project, even if I don't end up paying the 100+ Euros that would easily be required to make it a reality.

Well, maybe it's best to let the memes be dreams..kek.

Also, regarding macros, I could probably also do it with a program like AHK, which I found out about just now.

>>808273

*ahem*

Pic related, someone else built it, I would however much rather prefer to have a case, that is not sandwich style.