Okay I found one of these elusive IBM RT boards. It is identical to this one, even has a cable!
http://deskthority.net/photos-f62/ibm-r ... t4101.html
After seeing that Soarer added support for the IBM RT boards with v1.11 of his converter, I got this thing. I have not received it yet however, so I have yet to try it out myself.
Just feeling a little paranoid...does anyone out there have one of these working? I can not find a posting here or at Geekhack where anyone has even attempted to get one working (except hopefully for Soarer???)
Also just curious how many of these things are out there? They seem kind of exotic and rare.
Thanks everyone!
Soarer's Converter with IBM RT E57888?
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bitslasher
- Main keyboard: IBM Model M 5/88
- Main mouse: PS/2
- Favorite switch: Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: -
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bitslasher
- Main keyboard: IBM Model M 5/88
- Main mouse: PS/2
- Favorite switch: Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: -
Update:
I now have it working. Soarer v1.12 with Teensy 2.0. USB port fit right in opening for cable. I've attached some pics.
This board is the original RT board from '86. ICs inside have date codes from late '85. The board looks like a cross breed between a Model F 122, Model M 101, and Wheelwriter III from the year 1986.
The workmanship and quality of the board is outstanding. All the keys register and function, but not well enough for normal typing. Deliberate and heavy pressing is required for most of the keys.
As many of you know, this board is rubber dome + capacitive, with foil contacts against a PCB. I've attempted cleaning the contacts with alcohol with limited improvement. However it is still very unusable. It is a shame since it a gorgeous board. The rubber domes are very tactile and provide great feedback.
I'd appreciate any tips on restoring/cleaning these types of contacts!
I now have it working. Soarer v1.12 with Teensy 2.0. USB port fit right in opening for cable. I've attached some pics.
This board is the original RT board from '86. ICs inside have date codes from late '85. The board looks like a cross breed between a Model F 122, Model M 101, and Wheelwriter III from the year 1986.
The workmanship and quality of the board is outstanding. All the keys register and function, but not well enough for normal typing. Deliberate and heavy pressing is required for most of the keys.As many of you know, this board is rubber dome + capacitive, with foil contacts against a PCB. I've attempted cleaning the contacts with alcohol with limited improvement. However it is still very unusable. It is a shame since it a gorgeous board. The rubber domes are very tactile and provide great feedback.
I'd appreciate any tips on restoring/cleaning these types of contacts!
- Attachments
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- USB Type-B jack fits perfectly. No modification of the keyboard was necessary, only needed to shave some of USB plug body to make room for speaker.
- IMG_4752.JPG (84.38 KiB) Viewed 2420 times
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- IMG_4751.JPG (148.36 KiB) Viewed 2420 times
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- Side shot showing Model F style keyboard stand. This one is different though-- the legs are actually spring-loaded. If you press the buttons the legs will automatically rotate outward.
- IMG_4754.JPG (102.62 KiB) Viewed 2420 times
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- Another shot showing numpad. Notice how the keys are all white, like a Wheel Writer III.
- IMG_4746.JPG (183 KiB) Viewed 2420 times
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Touch_It
- Location: Nebraska, United States.
- Main keyboard: Unicomp Classic USB 103 key (work) IBM F 4704 107
- Main mouse: Logitech g502 Proteus Core
- Favorite switch: Buckling spring (yet to try Beam Spring)
- DT Pro Member: -
I can't provide any advice on cleaning or restoring in regards to this but I did want say that the board does look beautiful. I was also curious if the switches felt similar to another switch type like topre etc. Hopefully you will be able to get this beauty working better.
Edit OMG what a week I'm having. I just saw and read your previous thread (again). Question answered
Edit OMG what a week I'm having. I just saw and read your previous thread (again). Question answered
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Muirium
- µ
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
- Main mouse: Apple Magic Mouse
- Favorite switch: Gotta Try 'Em All
- DT Pro Member: µ
Beautiful board indeed. One of the lesser known unicorn IBMs!
I wonder what's actually up with it. Sounds odd that the capsense would fail before the domes. Maybe have a good close look at the controller and see if there's any leaky capacitors. I've never had that on a capsense controller — I'm typing on a 30 year old one right now — but your board is different enough from regular IBM capsense that all bets are off!
I wonder what's actually up with it. Sounds odd that the capsense would fail before the domes. Maybe have a good close look at the controller and see if there's any leaky capacitors. I've never had that on a capsense controller — I'm typing on a 30 year old one right now — but your board is different enough from regular IBM capsense that all bets are off!
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scottc
- ☃
- Location: Remote locations in Europe
- Main keyboard: GH60-HASRO 62g Nixies, HHKB Pro1 HS, Novatouch
- Main mouse: Steelseries Rival 300
- Favorite switch: Nixdorf 'Soft Touch' MX Black
- DT Pro Member: -
Wow, I can't believe I missed this. This is a really nice find! Sorry to hear that it's not working well.
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XMIT
- [ XMIT ]
- Location: Austin, TX area
- Main keyboard: XMIT Hall Effect
- Main mouse: CST L-Trac Trackball
- Favorite switch: XMIT 60g Tactile Hall Effect
- DT Pro Member: 0093
Nice find! I've been eyeing this "IBM 6247440". Similar but not identical.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/121184199564
This one is membrane based, not capacitive. I wonder if it feels any different.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/121184199564
- 6247440.JPG (165.77 KiB) Viewed 2377 times
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bitslasher
- Main keyboard: IBM Model M 5/88
- Main mouse: PS/2
- Favorite switch: Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: -
That board (you just posted a picture of) do you know who manufactured it? It looks like it shares the same DNA as my '86 edition, in that the keycaps and body molding looks almost identical (the caps, the bottom body, speaker grille, etc.) It looks like an evolution of my board.
One more thing-- I haven't seen where anyone has yet gotten an RT running with Soarer's converter-- although he added support for the RT in v1.11. I'm assuming Soarer tested it, but haven't seen any posts about it, and word is he's disappeared. Does anyone know what happened to him? Hope everything is okay!
But in any case, I can vouch for it. Soarer's converter works like a charm!
One more thing-- I haven't seen where anyone has yet gotten an RT running with Soarer's converter-- although he added support for the RT in v1.11. I'm assuming Soarer tested it, but haven't seen any posts about it, and word is he's disappeared. Does anyone know what happened to him? Hope everything is okay!
But in any case, I can vouch for it. Soarer's converter works like a charm!
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XMIT
- [ XMIT ]
- Location: Austin, TX area
- Main keyboard: XMIT Hall Effect
- Main mouse: CST L-Trac Trackball
- Favorite switch: XMIT 60g Tactile Hall Effect
- DT Pro Member: 0093
The keyboard I posted has a Brother branded membrane, I found some more photos by running a Google search for the model number. It has a membrane instead of a PCB.
I'd like to try one but it is a little spendy for me. Though, if HaaTa or someone else has tried one and says it feels like a 55g Topre, I'll buy that instead of the Topre for now!
I'd like to try one but it is a little spendy for me. Though, if HaaTa or someone else has tried one and says it feels like a 55g Topre, I'll buy that instead of the Topre for now!
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Halvar
- Location: Baden, DE
- Main keyboard: IBM Model M SSK / Filco MT 2
- Favorite switch: Beam & buckling spring, Monterey, MX Brown
- DT Pro Member: 0051
What makes Topre special and different from a common rubberdome is the capacitive sensing because you don't have to bottom out and apply pressure to the membrane to actuate. With a membrane, it's just an ordinary rubberdome keyboard, right?