Questions tagged [keyboards]
For questions about the maintenance, usage, or history of retro keyboards.
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Which keyboard replaced the IBM Model M?
Setting aside the fact that the Model M keyboard is still made by Unicomp, which keyboard did IBM market as the successor to their Model M (aka "Enhanced") keyboard? My understanding is that ...
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Micro-Term ERGO 301 (C134) Terminal Keyboard compatibility
I dug up my old ERGO 301-C134 Terminal, but in the various house-moves, the keyboard has gone missing. I searched and searched the roof-cavity, but it has probably been lost.
Click to embiggen
...
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The two types of Return keys on keyboard layouts
Why have these two types of Return keys persisted to this day? A quick look at different keyboards from different keyboard manufacturers from today shows the Shift-style Return seems to have more ...
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WY85 terminal with WY60/ASCII keyboard
Some time ago I've found a working Wyse WY85 terminal, and a keyboard that can (physically) connect to it, marked WY60/ASCII. I was now trying to make the terminal work, but noticed that none of the ...
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Was there ever a microcomputer with a full-size keyboard and a hex numpad?
I'm aware of some early/super hobbyist microcomputers that came with ONLY a hex numpad (that is, no letters beyond F/no punctuation). I'm also aware of home microcomputers that had the usual decimal ...
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Meaning of KP_Begin and VK_CLEAR names of numpad 5
The key "5" at the standard keyboard numpad ("keypad" in XFree86) is named KP_Begin in XFree86 and VK_CLEAR in Windows virtual key space. What are these names originated in? Are ...
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Did other Acorn keyboards use two-shot molding?
The BBC Micro hardware specification includes the clause:
The legend on the keys will be achieved by two-shot moulding
This is a process by which the glyphs are made to run all the way through the ...
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Cleaning buckling spring keyboards
How do you clean keyboards with buckling springs?
I have mentioned in an earlier question that I've recently bought an IBM keyboard but how do you clean a keyboard with buckling springs? I only know ...
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Unicomp's IBM model keyboards
I've recently purchased the Spacesaver M Black Buckling Spring USB keyboard (still didn't get it due to shipping delays) and was wondering whether anyone has a real original IBM keyboard.
What is so ...
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Why did the Speak & Spell have an alphabetic keyboard?
Many of us remember the original Speak & Spell from 1978:
Image source: Wikipedia
One of the interesting things about this early handheld educational game console is the keyboard. It's not normal!...
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Is this keyboard a clone of IBM Model M?
I have this old Quest keyboard:
And I was wondering whether IBM did allow rebranding of their keyboard technology. Physically it seems similar-looking to IBM Model M. Is that a typical el-cheapo ...
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PS/2 Keyboard not working on Windows 95 and MS-DOS
I received a Packard Bell Multimedia 550 and it came with Windows 95. The problem is that keyboard input was not coming through. Before it attempts to boot into Windows 95, it shows the safemode ...
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8 pin Mini-DIN to USB converter; where can I buy one?
I have a vintage Sun Microsystems Type 6 keyboard that uses an 8 pin Mini-DIN and I want to use it on a modern computer with at least a USB 2.0 port. I've searched online e-commerce websites but most ...
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What's the deal with Commodore's RESTORE key?
Most early microcomputers provided either a dedicated key (e.g. Apple ][), keyboard combination (e.g. PC clones), or dedicated hardware button (countless examples) to "Reset" the computer. ...
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What is the general term for keyboard overlays that show special commands or hotkeys?
I was reminded of the plastic keyboard overlays that I remember from the 1990s. They showed key combinations, hotkeys, and command keys for certain applications. The most common one was just an ...
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Did the keyboard "scancodes" available to Commodore PET software differ between models?
As mentioned on my Were there any standard tricks to fix PET upper/lower case differences? question, I'm trying to figure out what to expect when running software generically labelled as "PET&...
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What keyboard protocol do IBM 3151 Terminals speak over RJ45
I've recently acquired an IBM 3151 Terminal without keyboard and I'm not willing to spend any money on an original keyboard. This is why I've tried searching Google for any datasheets of the IBM RJ45 ...
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Why do Sun keyboards use diamond for meta?
The Sun Type 3 keyboard labelled its meta keys "Left" and "Right". The Type 4 changed this to a hollow diamond, or lozenge: ◇. The Type 5 and on uses a solid diamond: ◆.
My ...
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When does an IBM-compatible PC keyboard controller dequeue scancodes?
There is a not-unheard-of technique in DOS software to detect certain keypresses (like Ctrl+Break) by intercepting the keyboard interrupt (IRQ 1) and reading the scancode directly from the keyboard ...
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Extending C128D Keyboard cable
I need to make a 25 pin Sub-D extension cable for my C128D keyboard. I think it may be as easy as connecting male pins from one side to corresponding female pins on the other side, but need ...
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Origin of Ctrl-Alt-Delete key combination to reset
The Ctrl + Alt + Del key combination to reset is known to me to work on older PC/MS-DOS PCs, some versions of Atari TOS, on runlevel 3 / multiuser.tager Linuxes (it can be disabled).
The older of ...
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Amstrad CPC 6128 - Key cap spring missing
Of course the unthinkable happened and I lost one cap key spring while cleaning the keyboard. I am still searching but assuming all things went south, what would be the best solution to replace them? ...
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Why are older Shift keys shaped the way they are?
On today's keyboards, the two Shift keys are somewhat elongated horizontally, but otherwise look much the same as any other key on the keyboard. However, in times past it was not altogether unusual ...
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What is the easieset way to replace some missing key-caps for the AT&T 6300 keyboard?
I have an what appears to be an AT&T 6300 Computer. It seems to work fine, but I am missing the F5, #7 and numpad + key caps on the keyboard.
What is the easiest way to find a replacement for ...
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How ZX Spectrum avoided key ghosting
Was ZX spectrum better at handling than later PCs-keyboards without having diodes in its key matrix? I encountered this comment on ycombinator but I fail to understand it.
Couldn't be Speccy method ...
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Was there an input device capable of entering all Algol 60 symbols with correct appearance?
This question was inspired by recent discussion on early keyboards and character sets, and mention in passing about how the COBOL designers were concerned about not using "non-existent" ...
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Why do keyboards have an asterisk key?
While we're all accustomed to using * as the multiplication symbol (not to mention other esoteric meanings in programming, command-lines, etc.) it is of course not actually the everyday standard ...
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Why is there only one PS/2 port on my computer?
I have an old computer from around 1995. It's from a computer brand that I've never heard of called Samanna Compu-Solutions. I am unsure of the model. The problem is, I only have one PS/2 port to work ...
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When and Which (PC) Keyboards Introduced Browser and/or Multimedia Keys to Windows
Background:
Multimedia/Internet keys are additional function keys on PC keyboards that either invoke specific applications like browser, e-mail, media player, etc. or invoked certain function for ...
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Why do keyboards with a NumPad repeat the numbers?
This question is related to this one.
I realise not all keyboards have the NumPad, but why do those who do have a NumPad have two sets of keys for numbers ( the numbers above the letters and below the ...
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Were there any parallel port keyboards?
I was reading this QA ( Why is the clock frequency of the PS/2 keyboard protocol so high? ) and read in the replies that a high frequency was chosen (at least in-part) to reduce the latency between a ...
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Why is the keyboard and cellphone / telephone numbers in a different order?
Cellphone / Telephone have the seven bottom-left and the one top-left.
While the keyboard has the seven top-left and the one bottom-left
How did this come to be? Is there an interesting computing ...
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Why is the clock frequency of the PS/2 keyboard protocol so high?
The PS/2 keyboard protocol allows the keyboard to generate a clock rate between 10 kHz and 16.7 kHz.
At 11 bits per scancode, 10 kHz is a massive 909 scancodes per second. World-record holder Barbara ...
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Z80 PIO Keyboard [closed]
I am working on designing a Z80 computer and I would like to use a PS/2 Keyboard for input. I would like to use a PIO to communicate with it, but I am having trouble finding any documentation online ...
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Part number / model for IBM PC 350 keyboard
what was the part number or model of the original keyboard shipped with IBM PC 350?
Trying to restore the full set.
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What is _KBSE (Keyboard Sense) signal in CDTV and what is it used for
I just managed to unmod CDTV keyboard (swapped wires for CD32) with community's help, but the original wire was gone, so I'm left without _KBSE signal connected. It seems the system doesn't mind.
What ...
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How to unmod CDTV keyboard
I have a CDTV keyboard that someone modded to work with CD32. There are no bridges or extra components on the board, however pinout was changed at the board - wire connector and I'm not sure how to ...
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Which Commodore CDTV models came with keyboard with grey caps
I've noticed on the Big Book of Amiga Hardware site, that CDTV keyboard came in 2 versions, one with black caps, one with grey ones. Which one came first and with which model of CDTV?
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keyboard not operating electronica-bk-0100-01
I own a Electronica-bk-0100-01. I have only got around to connecting it up. Before that I opened up the system, checked for bad tracks, obvious issue etc. I also checked the end to end of the ...
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How do I navigate the boot menu in later model Spectrum emulators?
35 years ago I had an original 48K Sinclair ZX Spectrum. I never had any of the Plus or 128K models and practically never even touched one as I moved onto the Amiga quite early.
I'm now playing with ...
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Trying to use IBM model F (5 pin DIN) with modern Windows PC
I have a vintage IBM Model F which I just bought from eBay, that I am trying to connect to my new Windows Pc. I ordered a DIN to Ps/2 converter from Newegg, because I my pc has a combined ps/2 port, ...
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Keys on Omnikey Inverted T Ultra
On my Inverted T ultra keyboard, the SF9 key and the number pad asterisk (*) keys perform the same function; the num pad equal (=) key and the F7 keys are similarly tied together. I don't know if this ...
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Why was the return key symbol ↵ drawn differently from the motion of a CR-LF?
In the operating system (DOS) of IBM PCs, newlines were represented by a carriage return (CR) character, followed by a line feed (LF) character. The motion of a printer or teletype receiving such a ...
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Why are the homing bumps on D and K on Apple keyboards?
Some Apple keyboards, such as the Apple //e, some early Macintosh models, and the venerable Apple Extended Keyboard have the homing bumps on the D and K keys instead of the standard F and J keys that ...
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What do the '80/40' and 'keyboard' buttons on my Apple IIc do?
Above the keyboard of my Apple IIc there are two buttons that say "80/40" and "Keyboard".
On my machine, they both kinda feel broken. When I press them, they recede into the case and remain there for ...
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Why did the Sinclair QL keyboard lack a Delete key?
It seems like an odd key to omit, given how frequently used it is and given that both the Spectrum + and 128 have one, which acts like backspace does on a modern PC. They could have swapped it for two ...
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How I can install Windows 98SE in Hyper-V, but can't run it after
Create the Gen 1 machine with less than 512MiB Ram (above requires you to put MaxFileCache=524288 and MaxPhysPage=40000 in the system.ini later).
Add either a virtual or physical IDE drive (physical ...
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How to make old keyboard more responsive
Have an old (HP Omnibook from 1993+) keyboard that feels too sluggish. It takes a little bit too much effort to press the buttons. There is no difference between individual buttons. This particular ...
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Did the BBC ask for any unusual key colors on the BBC Micro?
Perhaps the most visually distinctive feature of the BBC Micro is the row of red function keys on the keyboard. I don't know who came up with that.
I could swear I read somewhere that the BBC asked ...
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Did the Oric-1 improve on the Spectrum's keyboard?
So I've been whiling away some of a quiet Saturday night reading up on an early eighties computer called the Oric-1, which seems to be a curious little machine that has been largely unsung; moderately ...
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