C.ITOH Alps Buckling Spring board (possible to convert)
- snacksthecat
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- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: SSK
- Main mouse: BenQ ZOWIE EC1-A
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I recently got a really cool Alps bucking spring board. The badge on it says C.ITOH.
With some help on reddit, I was able to figure out the pinout of the 6p6c connector. I tried to build a Soarer's converter but unfortunately it did not work. I was wondering if anyone had any information about this board or possible ways to convert it over to usb?
With some help on reddit, I was able to figure out the pinout of the 6p6c connector. I tried to build a Soarer's converter but unfortunately it did not work. I was wondering if anyone had any information about this board or possible ways to convert it over to usb?
- Daniel Beardsmore
- Location: Hertfordshire, England
- Main keyboard: Filco Majestouch 1 (home)/Poker II backlit (work)
- Main mouse: MS IMO 1.1
- Favorite switch: Probably not whatever I wrote here
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That's really odd — the PCB is branded C-ITOH and doesn't have any Alps codes on it.
Has anyone ever seen the membranes in these? Maybe those are Alps branded. Certainly the Alps-made AppleDesign Keyboard has an Alps-branded PCB and Alps-branded membranes.
Has anyone ever seen the membranes in these? Maybe those are Alps branded. Certainly the Alps-made AppleDesign Keyboard has an Alps-branded PCB and Alps-branded membranes.
- Chyros
- Location: The Netherlands
- Main keyboard: whatever I'm reviewing next :p
- Main mouse: a cheap Logitech
- Favorite switch: Alps SKCM Blue
- DT Pro Member: -
It looks just like a rebranded SM-101 tbh, but yeah, it's weird to have the name even on the PCB. And the plug is different.
Is there a label at the back?
Is there a label at the back?
-
- Location: Austria, Europe
- Main keyboard: Unicomp PC/5250
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Based on the images, the cables should carry the following:
Red, Yellow -> Vcc
Green, Blue, Thick White -> Gnd
Thin White - Clock/Data (presumably)
Is this what your Reddit fellows told you? If not, what did they tell you?
If so ... whatever that is, it's not PS/2 layout (which has separate Clock and Data lines), and thus not Soarer Converter compatible.
Red, Yellow -> Vcc
Green, Blue, Thick White -> Gnd
Thin White - Clock/Data (presumably)
Is this what your Reddit fellows told you? If not, what did they tell you?
If so ... whatever that is, it's not PS/2 layout (which has separate Clock and Data lines), and thus not Soarer Converter compatible.
- snacksthecat
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- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: SSK
- Main mouse: BenQ ZOWIE EC1-A
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Just watched your video on the SM-101 and yes, it looks identical besides the badge and the cable. (great videos by the way!)Chyros wrote: ↑It looks just like a rebranded SM-101 tbh, but yeah, it's weird to have the name even on the PCB. And the plug is different.
Is there a label at the back?
The label on the back of the board simply says "BRITISH"
I have the original box and it says "C.ITOH CIT324/CIT324E". I'm not sure if that's the model number of the board or the terminal (or both?).
Yes, /r/askelectronics told me the pinout exactly as you described. I'm not sure what voltage it is expecting. I tried the following:Arakula wrote: ↑Based on the images, the cables should carry the following:
Red, Yellow -> Vcc
Green, Blue, Thick White -> Gnd
Thin White - Clock/Data (presumably)
Is this what your Reddit fellows told you? If not, what did they tell you?
If so ... whatever that is, it's not PS/2 layout (which has separate Clock and Data lines), and thus not Soarer Converter compatible.
• 5V -- no lights
• 7V -- all lights come on and stay lit
• 9V -- all lights come on and stay lit. The board lets out a constant "beep"
• 12V -- all lights come on and stay lit. The board lets out a brief "ray gun"/"pew" noise when I plug it in.
Bummer that it's not Soarer's compatible. I'm not sure where I even start trying to communicate with the board
- macboarder
- Location: Norway
- Main keyboard: NYM96@78g Zilents v2 | Wooting Two @ Adomax Flaret
- Main mouse: QPad 5k
- Favorite switch: Orange Alps / Adomax Flaretech Clicky
- DT Pro Member: -
I’ve got one of those recently myself, I was worried USB conversion won’t be easy I think I’ll try looking into replacing the controller, but if I manage to avoid it, I’ll let you know.
-
- Location: Austria, Europe
- Main keyboard: Unicomp PC/5250
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Do you have a voltmeter? If not, get one. Got one now? Good. The right upper pin of the various chips (74LS06, 74LS145, Intel P8049AH; "right upper" referring to "the pin right to the notch in the chip". If you're unsure what I mean look up their pinout, their data sheets are freely available in multiple versions on the 'net) should receive +5V. Don't apply an input voltage that leads to a higher voltage on their Vcc pins.snacksthecat wrote: ↑Chyros wrote: ↑I'm not sure what voltage it is expecting. I tried the following:
• 5V -- no lights
• 7V -- all lights come on and stay lit
• 9V -- all lights come on and stay lit. The board lets out a constant "beep"
• 12V -- all lights come on and stay lit. The board lets out a brief "ray gun"/"pew" noise when I plug it in.
- snacksthecat
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- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: SSK
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Thanks for this breakdown! I'm going to move forward making a teensy controller instead of messing with conversion but I'll try this and post back what I find in case anyone finds the information useful.Arakula wrote: ↑ Do you have a voltmeter? If not, get one. Got one now? Good. The right upper pin of the various chips (74LS06, 74LS145, Intel P8049AH; "right upper" referring to "the pin right to the notch in the chip". If you're unsure what I mean look up their pinout, their data sheets are freely available in multiple versions on the 'net) should receive +5V. Don't apply an input voltage that leads to a higher voltage on their Vcc pins.
- snacksthecat
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- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: SSK
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Just removed all the plastic rivets and I'm seeing the membrane is indeed branded AlpsDaniel Beardsmore wrote: ↑That's really odd — the PCB is branded C-ITOH and doesn't have any Alps codes on it.
Has anyone ever seen the membranes in these? Maybe those are Alps branded. Certainly the Alps-made AppleDesign Keyboard has an Alps-branded PCB and Alps-branded membranes.
- Daniel Beardsmore
- Location: Hertfordshire, England
- Main keyboard: Filco Majestouch 1 (home)/Poker II backlit (work)
- Main mouse: MS IMO 1.1
- Favorite switch: Probably not whatever I wrote here
- DT Pro Member: -
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Very sneaky — maybe C-Itoh had a reason to make their own PCBs? It's always good to have proof, although I hope the keyboard didn't suffer too badly in being forced to give up its secrets!
- snacksthecat
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Here's the membrane wiring mapped out. I'll post the key matrix in a table format once I get a bit more time to work on this. Hopefully this will help someone from having to cut the rivets on theirs.
- snacksthecat
- ✶✶✶✶
- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: SSK
- Main mouse: BenQ ZOWIE EC1-A
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5v - too lowArakula wrote: ↑Do you have a voltmeter? If not, get one. Got one now? Good. The right upper pin of the various chips (74LS06, 74LS145, Intel P8049AH; "right upper" referring to "the pin right to the notch in the chip". If you're unsure what I mean look up their pinout, their data sheets are freely available in multiple versions on the 'net) should receive +5V. Don't apply an input voltage that leads to a higher voltage on their Vcc pins.
9v - regulated down to 5v on each of those chips
12v - regulated down to 5v on each of those chips
those are the only voltages I can try but it at least confirms that the board requires something more than 5v
- snacksthecat
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- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: SSK
- Main mouse: BenQ ZOWIE EC1-A
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Now that I've got the membranes mapped out I bolt modded her back together again
didn't want to get any little flecks of nasty plastic in the switch holes
ground down the rivet bumps with my cheap little Dremel
I'm lucky the plastic was so flimsy because this thing runs on double-A batteries!
The cutouts on the plate were 1/4" so I had to find some extra wide washers
starting to come together
almost done
good as new!
used the following materials:
https://www.mcmaster.com/nav/enter.asp? ... =91116A240 (washers)
https://www.mcmaster.com/nav/enter.asp? ... =92000A013 (screws)
https://www.mcmaster.com/nav/enter.asp? ... =90591A265 (nuts)
didn't want to get any little flecks of nasty plastic in the switch holes
ground down the rivet bumps with my cheap little Dremel
I'm lucky the plastic was so flimsy because this thing runs on double-A batteries!
The cutouts on the plate were 1/4" so I had to find some extra wide washers
starting to come together
almost done
good as new!
used the following materials:
https://www.mcmaster.com/nav/enter.asp? ... =91116A240 (washers)
https://www.mcmaster.com/nav/enter.asp? ... =92000A013 (screws)
https://www.mcmaster.com/nav/enter.asp? ... =90591A265 (nuts)
- //gainsborough
- ALPSの日常
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: some kind of alps keyboard
- Favorite switch: clk: SKCM blue, lin: SKCL cream, tac: SKCM cream
- DT Pro Member: 0188
Wow, dude! You're doing some really great work on this thing! How's it feel with the bold mod done?
- snacksthecat
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- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: SSK
- Main mouse: BenQ ZOWIE EC1-A
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Feels fantastic! I just hope I don't have to take all ~60 screws out for any reason//gainsborough wrote: ↑Wow, dude! You're doing some really great work on this thing! How's it feel with the bold mod done?
Down the rabbit hole I gooooooooo....Chyros wrote: ↑Wow, that's quite impressive. This is the first Alps buckling spring bolt mod I've heard of =o .
- snacksthecat
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- Main keyboard: SSK
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Here's where I landed with the matrix.
I was able to program my Teensy++ 2.0 with QMK firmware and all of the keys work.
I haven't a clue how to get the num/scroll/caps lock LED indicators to work though.
I was able to program my Teensy++ 2.0 with QMK firmware and all of the keys work.
I haven't a clue how to get the num/scroll/caps lock LED indicators to work though.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H/I | J | K | L | M | N | |
1 | Left | Pause | NEnter | N+ | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | Home | End | Up | |
2 | RAlt | Scroll | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | LAlt | |||||
3 | Z | A | Q | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | ` | 1 | Tab | Esc | |
4 | X | S | W | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | F1 | 2 | Caps | ||
5 | RCtrl | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | LCtrl | ||||||
6 | RShift | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | LShift | ||||||
7 | B | V | F | R | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | 5 | 4 | T | G |
8 | C | D | E | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | F2 | 3 | F3 | F4 | |
9 | N | M | J | U | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | 6 | 7 | Y | H |
10 | / | \ | ; | P | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | - | 0 | [ | ' |
11 | Down | Num | N1 | N7 | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | Del | F11 | N4 | |
12 | Right | N\ | N2 | N8 | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | Ins | F12 | N5 | N0 |
13 | , | K | I | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | = | 8 | ] | F6 | |
14 | . | L | O | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | F8 | 9 | F7 | # | |
15 | N* | N3 | N9 | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | PgUp | PgDwn | N6 | N. | |
16 | Space | Enter | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | F9 | F10 | Backsp | F5 |
Last edited by snacksthecat on 02 Feb 2018, 21:56, edited 1 time in total.
- macboarder
- Location: Norway
- Main keyboard: NYM96@78g Zilents v2 | Wooting Two @ Adomax Flaret
- Main mouse: QPad 5k
- Favorite switch: Orange Alps / Adomax Flaretech Clicky
- DT Pro Member: -
Amazing work, well done!
-
- Location: France
- Main keyboard: F122
- Main mouse: Logitech MX Ergo
- Favorite switch: IBM Beamsprings
I added the N- key (Numpad Minus) as it was missing in the matrix definition:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H/I | J | K | L | M | N | |
1 | Left | Pause | NEnter | N+ | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | Home | End | Up | |
2 | RAlt | Scroll | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | LAlt | |||||
3 | Z | A | Q | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | ` | 1 | Tab | Esc | |
4 | X | S | W | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | F1 | 2 | Caps | ||
5 | RCtrl | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | LCtrl | ||||||
6 | RShift | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | LShift | ||||||
7 | B | V | F | R | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | 5 | 4 | T | G |
8 | C | D | E | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | F2 | 3 | F3 | F4 | |
9 | N | M | J | U | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | 6 | 7 | Y | H |
10 | / | \ | ; | P | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | - | 0 | [ | ' |
11 | Down | Num | N1 | N7 | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | Del | F11 | N4 | |
12 | Right | N\ | N2 | N8 | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | Ins | F12 | N5 | N0 |
13 | , | K | I | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | = | 8 | ] | F6 | |
14 | . | L | O | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | F8 | 9 | F7 | # | |
15 | N- | N* | N3 | N9 | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | PgUp | PgDwn | N6 | N. |
16 | Space | Enter | (led scroll) | (led caps) | (led num) | (leds ???) | (???) | F9 | F10 | Backsp | F5 |
-
- Location: France
- Main keyboard: F122
- Main mouse: Logitech MX Ergo
- Favorite switch: IBM Beamsprings
Update:
After waiting several weeks for the parts to arrive and for myself to find some time to work on my C.ITOH keyboard, I was able to convert it using the details available across the post.
Thanks to the work done by snacksthecat who decoded the matrix, I was able to write the QMK firmware using the following matrix definition: ROWS: COLUMNS: I was also able to make the locklights work by wiring the I and H columns to VCC on the Teensy++ 2.0 controller and assigning LED_NUM_LOCK_PIN, LED_CAPS_LOCK_PIN and LED_SCROLL_LOCK_PIN respectively to F0, F1 and F2 in QMK.
Please note that the J column doesn't need to be wired to any pin.
I'm sharing the QMK firmware code along with the pictures and the resources I used to convert my keyboard.
Hoping that this would save some time to any person wanting to convert this keyboard to USB
After waiting several weeks for the parts to arrive and for myself to find some time to work on my C.ITOH keyboard, I was able to convert it using the details available across the post.
Thanks to the work done by snacksthecat who decoded the matrix, I was able to write the QMK firmware using the following matrix definition: ROWS: COLUMNS: I was also able to make the locklights work by wiring the I and H columns to VCC on the Teensy++ 2.0 controller and assigning LED_NUM_LOCK_PIN, LED_CAPS_LOCK_PIN and LED_SCROLL_LOCK_PIN respectively to F0, F1 and F2 in QMK.
Please note that the J column doesn't need to be wired to any pin.
I'm sharing the QMK firmware code along with the pictures and the resources I used to convert my keyboard.
Hoping that this would save some time to any person wanting to convert this keyboard to USB
- Hypersphere
- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: Silenced & Lubed HHKB (Black)
- Main mouse: Logitech G403
- Favorite switch: Topre 45/55g Silenced; Various Alps; IBM Model F
- DT Pro Member: 0038
@snacksthecat: Great work on this C.ITOH board! I've been looking for one of these for some time, but no luck.
@Razerban: Likewise, kudos for writing the QMK firmware and sharing it.
Regarding the keycaps on this board -- What kind of plastic and which method of printing?
@Razerban: Likewise, kudos for writing the QMK firmware and sharing it.
Regarding the keycaps on this board -- What kind of plastic and which method of printing?
- snacksthecat
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- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: SSK
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They are definitely pad printed. You can see a small transparent outline around each letter.Hypersphere wrote: ↑18 May 2021, 00:56@snacksthecat: Great work on this C.ITOH board! I've been looking for one of these for some time, but no luck.
@Razerban: Likewise, kudos for writing the QMK firmware and sharing it.
Regarding the keycaps on this board -- What kind of plastic and which method of printing?
I'll have to get back to you on the type of plastic as I can't recall off-hand. I'll take a close-up pic as well.
- snacksthecat
- ✶✶✶✶
- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: SSK
- Main mouse: BenQ ZOWIE EC1-A
- DT Pro Member: 0205
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Now I'm not sure about the caps.Hypersphere wrote: ↑18 May 2021, 00:56@snacksthecat: Great work on this C.ITOH board! I've been looking for one of these for some time, but no luck.
@Razerban: Likewise, kudos for writing the QMK firmware and sharing it.
Regarding the keycaps on this board -- What kind of plastic and which method of printing?
- snacksthecat
- ✶✶✶✶
- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: SSK
- Main mouse: BenQ ZOWIE EC1-A
- DT Pro Member: 0205
- Contact:
Here's a typing video I made today