PowerStation by KEA Model PS205 AA

[Curiosity]

Got these at work (freebies) and wanted a bit more info?

So i found out that the switches are wiki/Mitsumi_miniature_mechanical#Yello ... y_MX_mount

I'm still a bit lost as to what type of adapter i'll need to be able to use (at least the basic keys for now) and maybe later on remapping the other keys. Someone on reddit said to use http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-XT-AT-to-US ... 1476427201 but for right now id like to find a cheaper alternative just to get the thing working for now. Do you guys also have any details on this keyboard? Thanks

[XMIT]

Oh, wow, look at these, brand new in the packaging. Very nice.

You'll need to buy or make Soarer's Converter or similar. You can try a regular old PS/2 to USB converter with an AT to PS/2 adapter.

These switches are peculiar, I find. If you press a couple they seem like they will be really great! But, then, typing on them is just brutal. There is a nice rise, a clear tactile point, and then ... nothing. Just, nothing. Your fingers slam through the tactile point down to the bottom of the switch.

I think, if these were dampened with soft O-rings, they could be saved.

[Curiosity]

That was one thing i wasn't sure of when getting a cheapo ps2 adapter was at or xt.. still not sure what that actually means

I found it comfortable to type on. I guess everyone has a preference though right?

Any idea what the dip switches are for?

[XMIT]

You may as well try a cheapo PS/2 adapter, it may work. XT and AT refer to different signalling protocols used by the keyboard.

Yes, what I said earlier was my opinion. Some people love these switches!

I don't know what the DIP switches do, sorry.

[Redmaus]

I used these switches once while rummaging at a warehouse, and they felt like the worst switches IMO.

Maybe they were dirty? They just felt super hard to press and hurt my fingers. Wonder what functions the DIP switches have.

[OleVoip]

Oh, what's happened here? I was just about to write that this keyboard should be compatible to a DEC LK250/450 such that a regular AT->PS/2->USB adapter chain should suffice for the beginning and the remapping can be done by means of the operating system. Or what was the initial question?

edit: "Oh!" again - Now all the nonsense is gone and my answer fits in. Have I missed anything important?

edit2: OK, now that it is quiet here, I can add that the blue front legends indicate what a PC should understand when you press the respective keys. I think you can switch the board to another mode but then you need to fiddle with the keyboard driver, which I don't have any documentation for. Maybe the DIPs can switch that, but for those I don't have documentation, either.

[kbdfr]

The Demongolator seems to have been cleaning here

[OleVoip]

I have a love-hate relationship with DEC equipment since the early 90s, when I had no PC on my office desktop but a vt330 terminal, as the DECstation I actually worked with (which had an LK250 keyboard!) was so noisy that we had to keep it in the cellar. A DECserver connected me to it and to the Vaxen in the computing center by thick ethernet.
The keyboards were awful. Still the sight of them and their lookalikes (like this one) brings me back some melancholic memories of good old days. So, no matter what has happened thereafter, cheers to Curiosity for opening this thread and many thanks to the mods for tidying it up.

[terrycherry]

Very nice found! Never seen this layout with that rare Mitsumi switch.

[buzzking00]

I have the same keyboard and I am trying to figure out my dip switch settings.
Any chance you have the manual with your new keyboard? If so, can you upload it pleaseeeeee!

[urbancamo]

I have a manual for this keyboard somewhere - I will scan it when I find it!

In the meantime I found this image on an eBay post:

kea-dips.PNG (888.19 KiB) Viewed 4957 times

Not all the switches but probably a help.

[0100010]

Based on that image, if you put the DIP switches like the first diagram, it should work with just an AT to PS2 passive adapter.

That is very interesting that it can also do XT (it says WYSE as well, but I assume that is PS2 and not the other WYSE).

[urbancamo]

It's such a shame the keys on these things just feel so crap. I used the one I'm selling for a bit but just couldn't quite get over that crap key feeling - that's coming from someone who uses DEC keyboards a lot too!

[urbancamo]

Finally, as promised, here is the full manual: http://wickensonline.co.uk/static/files ... Manual.pdf