IBM model F help

[seebart]

I bought a IBM model F recently. The keyboard is dead. No function. Openning it I found the following:

The rest looks "fine" but since I have no knowledge of fixing this wonderful keyboard I would appreciate your help what to look for aside from this.

Tell me if you want other pics.

Thank you for your help.

[quantalume]

Which model F is that? With the exception of the AT, none of them will attach to a modern PC without a converter or new controller.

Edit: looks like an AT. What are you connecting it to the computer with?

[seebart]

right I just remembered that myself, unfortunatley I don´t have a converter or new controller right now

This baby looks like this and the sticker on the back reads:

ID NO.515X-55-87113L
MODEL 000
PART NO. 6450200
DATE OF MFG 16-07-1985
MADE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

but that part in my first pic looks bad. Any tips on replacing something like that?

I just connected it with an DIN > PS2 adapter.

With the exception of the AT

so I do NOT need a converter or new controller?

[Icarium]

As far as I can tell, there is nothing that looks definitely broken in your picture.

[quantalume]

It should work with just the DIN->PS/2 adapter. Are you sure it's plugged into the keyboard and not mouse port? I wouldn't worry too much about the original cable, that's just part of the shield sticking out.

[scottc]

Same here... If I were you, I'd just buy a cheap adapter and test it.

[seebart]

I have it hooked up via a normal DIN->PS/2 adapter. The adapter is fine. I´m using it now with my Focus FK-2002 . Unfortunately the model F is not responding at all. I took it apart, looks fine except for the cable shield. Any ideas?

[Icarium]

Hm...do look any of the components look weird? Does something look burned or broken? Or the common bulging capacitors....

[Hypersphere]

It would be good to test the continuity.

[JBert]

Can the conical part on the cable slide around?

If I recall correctly, the black rectangle and that conical part are supposed to be one plastic part functioning as strain relief. If it got so worn that it broke (for example if the cable was too tightly wound around the keyboard while in storage), the cable itself might have suffered some damage.

Can you take a multi-meter with built-in continuity tester and check if the cable is still fine?

EDIT: Seems I spent too long digging up pictures of the strain relief, Hypershere beat me to posting.

Here's a picture of that strain relief, found on http://www.epiguru.com/2012/04/model-f- ... sassembly/

[seebart]

Hm...do look any of the components look weird? Does something look burned or broken? Or the common bulging capacitors....

not in my opinion, BUT I am not experienced in this, you guys take a look:

That´s some solid information in that link JBert, thanks for that !! I don´t have the tools for the continuity test now, it will have to wait.

Looks like this is gonna be a long-term project for me, I was hoping it would run "out of the box" but hell the keyboard is 29 years old!

[Icarium]

Hm...do look any of the components look weird? Does something look burned or broken? Or the common bulging capacitors....

not in my opinion, BUT I am not experienced in this, you guys take a look:

That´s some solid information in that link JBert, thanks for that !! I don´t have the tools for the continuity test now, it will have to wait.

Looks like this is gonna be a long-term project for me, I was hoping it would run "out of the box" but hell the keyboard is 29 years old!

I'm with JBert. Just check the cable it's probably not a big deal.

[cherry-jade]

white V
black G
red and brown c d or d c .
PS2 is OK.

[Hypersphere]

Hm...do look any of the components look weird? Does something look burned or broken? Or the common bulging capacitors....

<snip>
I don´t have the tools for the continuity test now, it will have to wait.

<snip>

Before I got a multimeter, I used to test continuity using a battery, light bulb, and a piece or two of wire.

[xwhatsit]

Sign up for the next ibm-capsense-usb Model-F-USB group buy

Probably just the cable though—that first pic looks pretty scary.