Hermes 808: Does anyone knows more about this board? Is it salvageable (for PC use)?

ronaldo1024 · 25 Feb 2022, 21:36

Afternoon guys!

Doing some house cleaning I noticed this really old keyboard my mom has that she gave up long long ago and she was really tempted to throw it away. Trying to repair it and maybe even if it could be adapted for PC use in any way? (I'm extremely inexperienced, not sure if that's even possible, but asking either way).

Trying to look for information about this board it pretty much doesn't exists at all, and there is very little information about it: The Hermes 808. Does anyone knows any information about it? This is the most complete info I could find about the typewriter but it is not very informative on a maintenance level: https://typewriterdatabase.com/1976-her ... typewriter

I hope someone else can give me ideas what to do with it to bring it back to life again if possible. Thanks!

jsheradin · 25 Feb 2022, 22:00

Tough to tell without pulling off a keycap. If it's got standard switches you could convert it with some effort. If it's electro-mechanical then you're pretty much out of luck as far as PC use goes.

ronaldo1024 · 25 Feb 2022, 22:05

jsheradin wrote: 25 Feb 2022, 22:00 Tough to tell without pulling off a keycap. If it's got standard switches you could convert it with some effort. If it's electro-mechanical then you're pretty much out of luck as far as PC use goes.

When I get the chance I'll try and pull the keycap but it was pretty hard to remove with moderate effort. Will have to double chehck with more calm how to remove it properly without breaking anything.

I did noticed the spacebar has springs instead of plastic stabs like modern keyboards if that helps in any way.

Findecanor · 25 Feb 2022, 23:59

I've seen mentioned that the internal mechanism would be similar to that in the IBM Selectric, made right after IBM's patents expired.
The IBM Selectric is electro-mechanical, so there should be a mechanical lever under each key, not a key switch. The only electronics inside would be there to run the main electric motor.

Now... There are actually Typewriter Conversion Kits out there for mechanical typewriters, but I couldn't find any for this model.
I also found this project.

Back in the 1970s, people did convert IBM Selectric typewriters into Tele-Types, i.e. typewriter-like devices that could both send text to and print text from a computer on a serial interface.
Teletypes (also called "teleprinters") were the precursors to "terminals" with CRT screens (also called "Glass teletypes") ... and those were used before you had the keyboard and screen interface the computer directly.
This is why text-mode terminals under Unix and Linux are still called "tty" - it is short for "teletype".

hellothere · 26 Feb 2022, 00:13

Those are cool looking caps, though. I'd like to see what they look like cleaned.

ronaldo1024 · 26 Feb 2022, 01:15

UPDATE

Tried to disarm the Machine the best I could without breaking it. I really couldn't release the keycaps in any way, and the underside seems like a really old lever typewriter.

Unless there's a way to "computerize" old lever typewriters, my disappointment to use it as a retro keyboard is unmeasured

ronaldo1024 · 26 Feb 2022, 01:17

Findecanor wrote: 25 Feb 2022, 23:59 I've seen mentioned that the internal mechanism would be similar to that in the IBM Selectric, made right after IBM's patents expired.
The IBM Selectric is electro-mechanical, so there should be a mechanical lever under each key, not a key switch. The only electronics inside would be there to run the main electric motor.

Now... There are actually Typewriter Conversion Kits out there for mechanical typewriters, but I couldn't find any for this model.
I also found this project.

Back in the 1970s, people did convert IBM Selectric typewriters into Tele-Types, i.e. typewriter-like devices that could both send text to and print text from a computer on a serial interface.
Teletypes (also called "teleprinters") were the precursors to "terminals" with CRT screens (also called "Glass teletypes") ... and those were used before you had the keyboard and screen interface the computer directly.
This is why text-mode terminals under Unix and Linux are still called "tty" - it is short for "teletype".

Wow that's really cool! Maybe in a future I'll try and revive this machine but I kinda feel I'll break it if I try harder.

It's really good there is still hope to make it modern so not all hope is lost

Really good read and thank you for your insight sir!

There was one extra pic I didn't thought it'd be relevant but yeah, there's a huge electric motor on the rear.