Model F XT: name / source for connector to pcb

[AJM]

I just finished my first Model-F-XT-USB-conversion, by building a mini cable with the connector to the PCB and a female DIN plug, in which I plugged a Soarer's converter - attached to an USB extension, which I then stuffed all into the case.

connector.jpg (68.19 KiB) Viewed 2512 times

Concerning this connector to the PCB of the keyboard (of which I made this awful photo, sorry): This time I used the original one from a cable that was already damaged. When I make such a conversion again, I don't want destroy an working cable, so I wondered: Where could I get such a connector - without having to buy 1000 pieces minimum, including these tiny metal contacts inside it. And what's even the name of this piece? So far I don't even know what to google for.

[Muirium]

I don’t know the name of that connector, either. It’s a pretty simple 5x2 something or another.

And I don’t quite understand what cable comes out of your keyboard: presumably a USB cable, as you installed the Teensy inside the XT’s body?

XT’s have got a pretty nice vintage feeling cable and connector, and I run mine with an external Soarer box I made. The Teensy lives inside this, with a selector for multiple sockets: DIN, PS/2 and Terminal.



A dedicated Teensy, inside the keyboard, is more elegant. But I kind of like my vintage knob…

[Engicoder]

Amphenol/FCL/ICC 69176-014LF

[AJM]

@Engicoder: Thank you, that's the first big step - to know what I'm looking for.

If anyone can recommend a vendor (maybe even in Europe) for a small amount of parts ....

@Muirium:
Yes the original cable is quite nice. And has a proper plug - compared to that flimsy PS/2 thingy, that replaced it.
But at work (where I'm testing my Model F for the fist time today) I want to put the keyboard away in a cupboard at least every second day, before the cleaners come in. The heavy original cable including a Soarer's converter could get a bit cumbersome over time.
So I've put inside the case:
My cable: pcb plug -> DIN-5 female
+ soarer's converter (DIN5->USB)
+ female end of USB extension

The rest of the USB extension is now the externally visible keyboard cable.

[Engicoder]

I would check Farnell/Element14 or Mouser, I think they both have it in stock.

Edit: You can use Octopart https://octopart.com/ to check who has a given part number

[Muirium]

If you’re running Soarer’s converter on a Teensy, you could hook it straight to the four required pins on the XT without DIN plugs coming into it. I’ve wired Teensies internally without intermediate connectors before. (Even run an entire keyboard matrix into one, replacing the original controller outright.) The Teensy is well named. The less you bung inside the keyboard body, the better!

[JBert]

My XT keyboard had the label "Berg" on the connector, but that won't help much seeing how these connectors are nowadays made by multiple manufacturers. I've lucked out before by coming across a slightly larger box connector where I could cut off a few pins.

However, as µ was saying you could also look at individually connecting pins rather than having to source a single connector of the right size. If you want to do this cleanly you could simply buy a bunch of "pin header femal-to-female jumper cables" or a "pin header breakout ribbon cable which you can cut and split to have just a few cables terminated by a 1x1 pin header. Just connect them between the Teensy and the right pin in the XT on-board connector and Bob's your uncle!

Only downside of the pin-by-pin technique is that you need to look up the right pins each time you disconnect the thing, but then again you're not doing this daily.

[AJM]

@Engicoder
Thanks again.
May I bother you one last time: I'm not quite sure which contacts for the connector are the right ones for my case. There are dozens listed and I can't quite see what is the difference between them apart from the colour.

@Muirium
I've read about that Teensy a bit. If someone sells finished "plug-and-play" Teensy adapters that work for my use case, I would certainly be interested. But if I would have to build it myself including soldering and flashing eproms and such, that's a bit out of my league at the moment.
(and filling a bit of that empty space in the keyboard case with stuff maybe makes it a bit quieter. )

@JBert
Thank you, good point! But I don't think I have such cables at hand as well and if I'm going to order electronic stuff, I probably should try to get the perfect parts. (I quite like the blue internal connector with his 2 securing hooks and would like to use it as IBM intended. )

[Engicoder]

Here is the IBM 83 key XT /PC keyboard pinout. Note: Reset is only used on very early examples.

xt_pinout.jpg (25.94 KiB) Viewed 2409 times

[Engicoder]

Oops. I misunderstood. I read it took quickly. The correct contacts are Amp # 47649-000LF although several others will work. The difference between the various contacts are usually wire gauge, surface plating/finish and contact pressure.

[AJM]

Awesome! Thank you so much!