Wey EK2000

[litster]

Bought this recently. It comes with a cable for that wide connector. But I don't have anything to connect the keyboard to. Connecting the keyboard to a computer through the PS/2 connector and the keyboard "boots" up, some LEDs come on and I can toggle between the WS LEDs on the right, but the keyboard doesn't act as a functional keyboard, capslock and scroll lock LEDs can't be toggled (computer was rebooted as PS/2 isn't plug and play). I don't have a male USB to male USB cable to try with. Anyone knows if this keyboard could be a standalone keyboard by itself? I haven't been able to find any manual for this keyboard on the web.

The keycaps are very nice though after a dental tablet bath. There a quite a few interesting keycaps, I especially like the Power icon keycap and the "PROPS" keycap.

Wey Keyboard-3.jpg (128.2 KiB) Viewed 21875 times

Wey Keyboard-1.jpg (99.85 KiB) Viewed 21875 times

Wey Keyboard-2.jpg (138.58 KiB) Viewed 21875 times

[sixty]

They are pretty awesome. The keycaps are made by Cherry btw, genuine double shots (with some pad printed as usual). I never knew this company made them without LCD screens too. If you ever get this running on PC, be sure to let me know how you managed

[Ascaii]

I remember reading that the Wey boards are compatible to SUN systems as well, I think there should be a toggle somewhere internally to switch it to pc use. Or you might have to press the appropriate button while booting to select a mode, which the WS Configuration chart on the back seems to suggest.

[sixty]

Usually these keyboards connect to some weird HUB/KVM though. Chances are the important parts for the different codesets are hardcoded in there.

[harrison]

Out of curiosity, what does a board like that cost to procure, and where do you find them?

[Spharx]

On artlebedev they claim that you have to pay $1,600 for this model.

[Minskleip]

What does the props do?

[litster]

I think that wide connector connects to a "Connector Box" that I don't have. I will have to play around with it to see if it is actually usable. It has Cherry clear switches by the way.

I found this on ebay a while back. BiNiaRiS pointed me to it.

[litster]

What does the props do?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=props

The second explanation seems to be the best:

PROPS 980 up, 261 down
Props is short for "propers" as in, "proper respect"
On 13 Dec 2001, Joe M**** answered the question on Deja News. Here is how it is explained:
Props, short for Propers, -Don't forget that the entire word "propers" is used in the song "Respect", written by Otis Redding and most famously recorded by Aretha Franklin in 1967. At least, I think it is ("all I'm askin' in return honey is to give me my propers when I get home")-

[Findecanor]

In most systems that have a "Props" key, it brings up an object's properties ...

[ripster]

Actually it starts up the propellers.

[litster]

I couldn't get it to work through the PS/2 connector. I ordered a USB male to USB male cable yesterday in hope that the USB port would work. I am not counting on it though. If it doesn't work, I will just find ways to use the key caps. I already put 1x "GO" and 2x "CANCEL" keycaps on the Phantom phototype. "GO" for the Esc key, and "CANCEL" for the Backspace key

[xbb]

http://www.dicis.nl/pages/structure/sec ... /index.asp

I think you need a connector box?

[litster]

Yeah, I think I need a connector box. Probably not gonna happen...

[webwit]

Guys like this.

[litster]

Apparently Wey keyboards are very popular with the stock trading crowd. I guess that's why Heliar was able to source some to sell the keycaps in Hong Kong (from Hong Kong Stock Exchange I suppose). These keyboards may still show up at recycling places an ebay later, years later.

[Gilgam]

http://www.weytec.com/fileadmin/user_up ... RAY_en.pdf

page 2 connector box

i think you may get a chance to grab one , either on ebay or brand new from them.

[litster]

Male-to-male USB came. with the USB cable the keyboard "boots" up just like the PS/2 connection. I can toggle a few "workstation" keys, but not Scroll Lock or Capslock, so the keyboard never gets into "PC EMU" mode as noted on the label on the back of the keyboard. I would need the missing "Connection Box".

I guess I can either just harvest the keycaps, or work on adding a Teensy to it to make it work. I probably don't have time to do the Teensy thing.

[Gilgam]

By curiosity i emailed weytec to ask them about a connector box. The cheapest one (wey light as they said) is 350 € and you can connect to up to 6 PCs but it depends about the keyboard, as some old ones may need to be updated...

He thought i was working for a Bank or an Insurance company

[Icarium]

So what's the deal with this thing? You connect it to multiple computers and switch between them? Like with a KVM?

[litster]

Yes, it is like a KVM, except you can't use just any keyboard, the KVM box and the Wey keyboard require each other.

[litster]

I opened up the case. And it is actually more complicated than regular keyboards. There are 2 PCBs. One at the bottom with all the chips and connectors to communicate with the "connector box". There are 2 8-pin headers on it (see highlight in pictures). The keyboard PCB has 2 8-pin holes to connect with the 2 pin headers on the main PCB. At first I thought, great! Those must be the pins for the matrix. But no. It has over 130 keys. 8x8 is not enough. Then I saw there are more tiny chips on the keyboard PCB. I think the chips convert the matrix into a different protocol to the main board and then communicate to the connector box.

Wey Inside 1.JPG (823.96 KiB) Viewed 21427 times

Wey Inside 2.JPG (689.63 KiB) Viewed 21427 times

[Gilgam]

I was sure that the connector box is more than a simple kvm.