Scrapyard finds and a few questions

[zeno]

Hi all, I was told to post here my finds a while ago by a user on Reddit. I've taken a while to do so, but I'm also including images of a Cherry G80-0414 that I just got (the main source of my questions). I hope that I'm posting this in the right board. If I'm not, please let me know and I will try my best to sort it out.

Without further ado, I present the somewhat battered Strong Man left-handed keyboard, the similarly-eroded Wyse terminal keyboard, which I am in the process of harvesting switches from, and the yellowed Cherry G80-0414.

Wyse

I'm not too sure what model it is but there is a little information on the case. I can't give any more pictures of this keyboard right now (I've left it in the work area I am using to take switches from it). I would really appreciate it if someone could tell me where I might buy replacement keycaps for those that have been lost/broken, as I quite like them. The main replacement cap I'd want is the 'X' key, but I wouldn't mind the others.







Strong Man

I have yet to test if this one is working but I have some hope for it (more so than for the Wyse, which I gave up on trying to get working the moment I saw its hideous connector).



Cherry G80-0414

I would very much appreciate any information on this particular model if you guys have any. The keycaps are doubleshot and what I would guess to be ABS, but I don't know for sure. I plan on getting a DIN to PS/2 or USB connector in order to test its functionality (I believe it to be in working order, judging from its condition). I also couldn't find anything on the particular model online so I'm wondering if perhaps I'm reading the wrong model number?









With regards to switches, I know that the Cherry and Wyse are MX Blacks and the Strong Man is MX Browns. The first two are "vintage" switches, correct? What does this entail, if anything? The wiki says that they supposedly are smoother -- is that it?

Lastly, do you have any idea on the value of the Strong Man, were it functioning and fixed up (e.g. if I replaced the missing keycaps or found new ones and fixed/replaced the one broken stem) and of the Cherry? I hope this kind of question is allowed; I will happily edit it out if here is not the right place to ask.

Thanks for reading and for any answers. Here is a link to the album which has a few extra pictures, including bad quality photos of the rare Hirose Orange switch (or whatever it's called).

EDIT: I am also happy to take more pictures of the boards (the Wyse will take me about a day to get to) if you are interested or if a picture will help you better answer one of my questions.

[Redmaus]

Wyse is worth around 30$, I don't know about the others.

[XMIT]

Hi there zeno! Welcome to DT! Thank you for putting your location in your profile.

The Wyse board is usable with a modern PC using “Soarer’s Converter”. You’ll need a Teensy Pro Micro and maybe some soldering skills. As for the spare key caps someone around here may have some. If I find some I’ll let you know.

With a few replacement Cherry MX key switches and some keys, that Strong Man should be easy enough to get working. If it were me I’d steal some switches from Print Screen, Scroll Lock, and Pause/Break until I found replacements. Desoldering these can be a pain, you’ll need a solder sucker to do a good job.

As for the Cherry, yes, G80-0414 is the correct model number! These are indeed double shot ABS caps. It likely speaks the XT protocol and will also need a Soarer’s Converter or similar to work with USB.

Great finds!

(Redmaus: I don’t think zeno was looking to sell these boards?)

[Redmaus]

Oh yeah right, sorry I was on mobile and mixed things up.

I have the exact model you have actually, I have the caps if you need them. Here are some pics
Wyse 85 Front by Eric Lewellen, on Flickr
Wyse 85 Switch and Connector Detail by Eric Lewellen, on Flickr
Wyse 85 Back by Eric Lewellen, on Flickr

[zeno]

Thanks for the replies. Let me know if I'm not doing the reply thing correctly here -- I've gotten a bit too adjusted to Reddit's format to remember the days in which I didn't use it.

The Wyse board is usable with a modern PC using “Soarer’s Converter”. You’ll need a Teensy Pro Micro and maybe some soldering skills. As for the spare key caps someone around here may have some.

...

It likely speaks the XT protocol and will also need a Soarer’s Converter or similar to work with USB.

Are these controllers the $5 knockoffs on ebay (the ATmega32U4)? And for confirmation, a DIN to mini-DIN (or USB or whatnot) converter won't work, then?

Great finds!

Thank you very much. The Wyse/Strong Man certainly aren't in the greatest of shape, but I do like their looks.

(Redmaus: I don’t think zeno was looking to sell these boards?)

I'm not right now. I don't have confirmation that they work and I'm uncomfortable selling boards in an unknown state unless they are wanted for switches/keycaps/the case. I may want to keep one/some, but I also don't have too much room for all of these (especially considering that I'm just starting to make another one!).

EDIT: Editing this in as a reply so I don't double-post.

I have the exact model you have actually, I have the caps if you need them.

Redmaus, that is quite the coincidence. I'd certainly be interested in completing my set, but since you have a complete one yourself, I don't know if you'd want to part with the few caps that I need. Nevertheless, I'll let you know if I decide that I want to buy from you and if I do I'll let you know which caps I want. Right now I'm in the midst of making my own custom board which I'd use the Wyse keycaps for, so I'd like a sense of how it'd look with the keycaps before I buy the ones I need.

[orihalcon]

I think yours is a WY50 and won't work with a Soarer's WYSE Converter because it doesn't have a 4p4c connector which is the only limitation of Soarer's Wyse converter. The good news is that there are lots of low priced WYSE boards with 4p4c connector out there that can be had for $30 or less shipped and even nearly in that same layout if you go with the WY60 model. The one Redmaus has pictured above is also a WY50 if you look closely at the back label

[Redmaus]

Yeah that's why I was sure to include the pic with the oddball connector.

Most people use these guys for cap donors. The Wyseverter works with it I believe. You are right orihalcon it does not have the 4p4c connector which uses this firmware:

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=52 ... msg1167938

But the WY-50 can be converted with this one:

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=50 ... msg1122882

[keycap]

I love Wyse boards. They look so cool and the caps aren't too bad. Not to mention that they are often great for Vintage Black sourcing. If only they didn't use that horrible connector and instead used a 5-pin DIN connector... That would be great.