Search found 532 matches

by orihalcon
17 Aug 2023, 06:17
Forum: Other external
Topic: Great/Interesting Finds
Replies: 26261
Views: 6044093

Re: Great/Interesting Finds

Get out your popcorn!

Datastation beamspring keyboard, though definitely is more of a partial unit missing quite a few capsense pads:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/115888769317

Haven't been following custom capsense PCBs, but was one ever made for the datastation?
by orihalcon
01 Feb 2023, 04:34
Forum: Gallery
Topic: Keyboards in movies/TV series!
Replies: 528
Views: 335904

Re: Keyboards in movies/TV series!

Not sure this one has been brought up but was watching "Real Genius" and around 1 hour 25 minutes Laslo is using a symbolics board around 1:26 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psriMDJ2Iv8
by orihalcon
15 Nov 2022, 05:45
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: The Franken XT - XT Case and Wheelwriter keyboard assembly (updated pic w/coverplate)
Replies: 10
Views: 2883

Re: The Franken XT - XT Case and Wheelwriter keyboard assembly

Case modifications are always interesting. Good deal if it works better for your needs. I like the large CODE key that can almost be used as a split shift, good news is that you can fit those to regular model M's or F's with some spring rearrangement if I recall correctly. Reminds me of an 87 key mo...
by orihalcon
11 Nov 2022, 18:53
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Model F BigFoot faulty board.
Replies: 16
Views: 3055

Re: Model F BigFoot faulty board.

I haven't converted one myself, but I always thought the easiest route would be to use an FXT capsense pcb instead which is easier to convert.
by orihalcon
20 May 2022, 13:31
Forum: Workshop
Topic: 40 % Buckling springs keyboard
Replies: 29
Views: 72147

Re: 40 % Buckling springs keyboard

Very impressive work! I remember back in the day when the Xtant and FSSK were the only custom model F's, but there have been numerous projects since building on those sorts of ideas. You wouldn't happen to be interested in designing other custom capsense PCBs at a fee would you? I've had these in mi...
by orihalcon
09 May 2022, 01:56
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Help with a Datahand Replacement Controller Upgrade
Replies: 12
Views: 2384

Re: Help with a Datahand Replacement Controller Upgrade

UPDATE - It's becoming increasingly more apparent that I am not an electrical engineer to be able to fully understand direction of current flow and properties of phototransistors and such. The ULN2003's seem to be used to effectively "strobe the columns to ground" by completing the circuit using the...
by orihalcon
05 May 2022, 03:57
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: history/scanned images of Lexmark International, Inc keyboard brochure (1993)
Replies: 8
Views: 2505

Re: history/scanned images of Lexmark International, Inc keyboard brochure (1993)

Nice post! When you mentioned Lexmark Brochure, I was wondering if they'd highlight the "Erase-Eaze" M13, and looks like they indeed did. Clickykeyboards - how many Erase Eaze M13's have you run across in your vast Model M acquisitions? Seems they don't pop up too often, or maybe they do and I'm jus...
by orihalcon
04 May 2022, 02:52
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Help with a Datahand Replacement Controller Upgrade
Replies: 12
Views: 2384

Re: Help with a Datahand Replacement Controller Upgrade

Hmm. I'm thinking would probably need both halves to do anything with original controller PCBs, but definitely cool to see the originals up close. Seems for as much of a cult following these have or did have at one time that there isn't as many pictures out there of the different versions compared. ...
by orihalcon
03 May 2022, 06:26
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Help with a Datahand Replacement Controller Upgrade
Replies: 12
Views: 2384

Re: Help with a Datahand Replacement Controller Upgrade

Haven't seen any examples of a "replacement controller" for the Datahand on the internet. https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=12212.0 I may have briefly seen that thread - lots of good info there. Not sure if it will help me much since I don't have the original controller to replace the microproce...
by orihalcon
02 May 2022, 21:47
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Help with a Datahand Replacement Controller Upgrade
Replies: 12
Views: 2384

Re: Help with a Datahand Replacement Controller Upgrade

Haven't seen any examples of a "replacement controller" for the Datahand on the internet. I bought it really without pictures as parts and being told that it was in the process of being converted to USB and never finished, which I took to mean that the original cable was clipped with the intention o...
by orihalcon
02 May 2022, 14:49
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Help with a Datahand Replacement Controller Upgrade
Replies: 12
Views: 2384

Re: Help with a Datahand Replacement Controller Upgrade

Photos attached of both PCBs. All 4 of the chips are the same ULN2003A which apparently are a package of 7 NPN Darlington transistors which must amplify the output of the phototransistors. Also attached are some schematics of the original switch modules that I can't recall the specific source I got ...
by orihalcon
02 May 2022, 08:20
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Help with a Datahand Replacement Controller Upgrade
Replies: 12
Views: 2384

Re: Help with a Datahand Replacement Controller Upgrade

It’s got a 25 pin serial cable that connects the two halves (original had 15 pins I believe) and that I think essentially extends access to the matrix to the other half along with some LED functiona. The original modules are arranged in a 13x2 matrix each half and together they make a 13x4 matrix. I...
by orihalcon
01 May 2022, 12:54
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Help with a Datahand Replacement Controller Upgrade
Replies: 12
Views: 2384

Re: Help with a Datahand Replacement Controller Upgrade

Hmmmmm. The plot thickens. Upon further review. Looks like the interface PCBs are not original and uses simplified modern components compared to what I am seeing here: https://octopup.org/computer/datahand/repair This one also uses a 25 pin connector between halves instead of the 15 pin one that thi...
by orihalcon
01 May 2022, 11:40
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Help with a Datahand Replacement Controller Upgrade
Replies: 12
Views: 2384

Help with a Datahand Replacement Controller Upgrade

Hello all! I have some basic questions that I feel like many serious datahand owners would be able to answer pretty quickly and am looking to be pointed in a direction to go in. I have a "parts" Datahand "Personal" that had been modified by the previous owner with what I believe is a Teensy 3.1 swap...
by orihalcon
30 Apr 2022, 18:58
Forum: Other external
Topic: Great/Interesting Finds
Replies: 26261
Views: 6044093

Re: Great/Interesting Finds

Not sure how "great" the find is, but this has the display writer main computer and beamspring keyboard with the illusive BAE that some really want as it's about as close to ANSI as you can get in an original beamspring:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/284790458696
by orihalcon
22 Apr 2022, 01:40
Forum: News
Topic: RIP Bob Tibbetts "Northgate Bob"
Replies: 28
Views: 50938

Re: RIP Bob Tibbetts "Northgate Bob"

Never had the privilege of interacting with Bob but definitely wish his family peace. From what I understand, he helped a lot of people with a skill that not everyone is cut out for or would take the time to do (coordinating shipping to and back for keyboard repairs can be rather discouraging all on...
by orihalcon
19 Apr 2022, 03:05
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: IBM Model F XT Question
Replies: 6
Views: 1172

Re: IBM Model F XT Question

I've seen stickers with some thickness/texture used and that works pretty well. That way it's not a permanent modification if it doesn't go the way you want. I'm thinking like those plastic adhesive backed label maker media - definitely has a thickness and you could just put a strip of it at the bot...
by orihalcon
19 Apr 2022, 03:02
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Model F Flipper Numbers
Replies: 2
Views: 731

Re: Model F Flipper Numbers

Can be ignored, I think they use those to identify if they start getting defects in some hammers so they can tell which mold it came from so they can either retire/repair that mold!
by orihalcon
06 Apr 2022, 13:33
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Model M
Replies: 4
Views: 1032

Re: Model M

This is kind of an obscure post of mine, but I did it back in 2015 with an SSK (membrane) and an M0110 (SKCC ALPS) using an Xwhatsit controller wired to the matrix. From there, you can just plug in the corresponding solenoid driver and solenoid. https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=69394.0 Essential...
by orihalcon
20 Mar 2022, 18:40
Forum: Gallery
Topic: 500+ photos of my IBM Keyboards
Replies: 8
Views: 3085

Re: 500+ photos of my IBM Keyboards

Ah yes, the IBM 1393915. I kind of refer to those as the M49/M50 and am not sure what they really went to originally. Most of the ones that I've seen or handled had "property of IBM" stickers on them, so they may have been used more internally for something? Someone found some sort of original docum...
by orihalcon
20 Mar 2022, 18:19
Forum: Other external
Topic: Great/Interesting Finds
Replies: 26261
Views: 6044093

Re: Great/Interesting Finds

So at least there're two variants existing, hall effect and ITW switches respectively? I found out the hard way, at least three. I was convinced I would finally get my hands on a nice MS keyboard that I wouldn't know how to convert, instead I got a foam&foil keyboard I don't know how to convert ins...
by orihalcon
18 Mar 2022, 03:19
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: I need help identifying a keyboard!
Replies: 6
Views: 1383

Re: I need help identifying a keyboard!

Go-Kart wrote:
17 Mar 2022, 22:34
Great looking board.
Agreed! I never understood why split spacebars and "thumb shifts" never really took off in other markets outside of Japan. Canon Cat had something similar, but that's one of the few I've seen outside of Japan at least for vintage/non ergo boards with split hands.
cat.jpg
cat.jpg (554.14 KiB) Viewed 1178 times
by orihalcon
18 Mar 2022, 03:11
Forum: Gallery
Topic: 500+ photos of my IBM Keyboards
Replies: 8
Views: 3085

Re: 500+ photos of my IBM Keyboards

Very nice collection indeed! Still kind of kicking myself for not buying the original F77 you had on ebay for $2k well before we'd ever seen a keyboard sell for anything close to that price, and now I'm sure you'd get offers for multiples of that :D If I had to off the top of my head name the few fo...
by orihalcon
13 Mar 2022, 23:35
Forum: Other external
Topic: Great/Interesting Finds
Replies: 26261
Views: 6044093

Re: Great/Interesting Finds

Anyone know why this microswitch board is going for so much? https://www.ebay.com/itm/294838082188

Seems like a pretty average one in terms of character/aesthetics. I suppose the bidders might have an original system that they need it to go with perhaps?
by orihalcon
03 Mar 2022, 13:48
Forum: Workshop
Topic: Yet another unfinished custom topre project. Help!
Replies: 7
Views: 2027

Re: Yet another unfinished custom topre project. Help!

Mad props for your design skills and work on this! It is probably for the best that I do not have such knowledge, as having those sorts of abilities would eat up any remaining free time I have working on projects like this! I once wanted to just have a custom/compact beamspring made and this looks w...
by orihalcon
26 Feb 2022, 05:04
Forum: Other external
Topic: Great/Interesting Finds
Replies: 26261
Views: 6044093

Re: Great/Interesting Finds

For all those Symbolics fans, whoever found this in an estate sale no doubt had a great find:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/114933868710

Interesting that it notes the microswitches to be tactile. I think I've only ever seen/tried linear microswitches myself ;)
by orihalcon
21 Feb 2022, 18:17
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Azeron - Successor to Datahand?
Replies: 1
Views: 616

Azeron - Successor to Datahand?

Saw this randomly on Amazon and it seems to draw heavily on the data hand design, which it appears to have drawn a lot of inspiration from. Certainly looks more adjustable. Anyone have experience with one of these? https://www.amazon.com/Azeron-Classic-Programmable-Customized-Thumbstick/dp/B08GKWQ54...
by orihalcon
12 Feb 2022, 23:03
Forum: For sale
Topic: [WTS] Original IBM Model F107's with Xwhatsit Controller Installed
Replies: 40
Views: 9631

Re: [WTS] Original IBM Model F107's with Xwhatsit Controller Installed

I agree, I miss the good old days as well. Seems now there is a much greater awareness that vintage boards can fetch a pretty penny, and once more people realized that, the people searching for them got exponential before long. Good news is that this has undoubtedly saved a lot of boards that would ...
by orihalcon
09 Feb 2022, 12:38
Forum: For sale
Topic: [WTS] Original IBM Model F107's with Xwhatsit Controller Installed
Replies: 40
Views: 9631

Re: [WTS] Original IBM Model F107's with Xwhatsit Controller Installed

True, I could sell them for less, but with the market price being more, they most likely will be flipped either now or a year from now, and that's not a great feeling to know you are selling something for significantly less than the fair market value. They also are the last few, so I'm not really in...
by orihalcon
09 Feb 2022, 01:09
Forum: For sale
Topic: [WTS] Original IBM Model F107's with Xwhatsit Controller Installed
Replies: 40
Views: 9631

[WTS] Original IBM Model F107's with Xwhatsit Controller Installed

If you clicked on the link, chances are that you already know what these are. I have some original F107's yet that are UNRESTORED (other than that I've cleaned their outer metal case with an ultrasonic cleaner and installed an original style microUSB Xwhatsit controller and USB cable). I believe the...

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