Hi,
Thanks everybody for your replies. The bottom line is, that this is
*not* possible and the recommendations ranged from buying a new
keyboard to getting used to PC style keyboards.
Thanks to: Olle Eriksson <olle_at_cb.uu.se>
Lucio Chiappetti <lucio_at_ifctr.mi.cnr.it>
Simon Tardell <tardell_at_particle.kth.se>
"Dr. Tom Blinn, 603-881-0646" <tpb_at_zk3.dec.com>
"William H. Magill" <magill_at_isc.upenn.edu>
This is my original posting:
On Thu, 28 Nov 1996, Thomas Leitner wrote:
> Hello managers,
>
> This is more a hardware question:
>
> I'm in the process of replacing an old Personal DecStation 5000/33
> by a new Alpha Box (Aspen "Alpine" motherboard). The old DecStation
> will be converted to a server with a serial console and I hate the
> idea of throwing away its keyboard and mouse as I just don't like
> these PC style keyboards on an Alpha workstation. The DecStation's
> keyboard is a LK501 with the mouse directly connected to the keyboard.
>
> So my quesion: Is it, by any means, possible to connect this keyboard
> to the new Alpha Box which has a standard PC style keyboard connector?
>
> The old DecStation docs say, that the keyboard has an EIA423 interface.
> The pinout lists CLOCK, DATA, GND and +12V. This seems to be in contrast
> to the PC connector which only delivers +5V. Though, this wouldn't be a
> problem as our electronics department could easily hack together a +5V to
> +12V converter for me.
>
> The only questions left are:
>
> 1.) Is the serial protocol compatible in any way?
> 2.) Is this undertaking worthwhile? Or are new LK4xx keyboards
> with PC style connectors so cheap that I better buy a new one?
> 3.) Is there anyone who did this before?
>
> Thanks a lot -- Tom
Here are the replies:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>From olle_at_cb.uu.se Mon Dec 2 11:27:31 1996
Date: Thu, 28 Nov 1996 09:04:06 +0100
From: Olle Eriksson <olle_at_cb.uu.se>
To: tom_at_finwds01.tu-graz.ac.at
Subject: Re: LK501 keyboard on new alpha motherboard (PC connector) ??
Buy a new LK461 or LK46W keyboard if you don't like the PC-style keyboard
LK460 are the old style keyboards. They are around $100.
I don't think you can get LK501 to work on any alpa station.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>From lucio_at_ifctr.mi.cnr.it Mon Dec 2 11:27:50 1996
Date: Thu, 28 Nov 1996 10:50:21 +0100 (MET)
From: Lucio Chiappetti <lucio_at_ifctr.mi.cnr.it>
To: Thomas Leitner <tom_at_finwds01.tu-graz.ac.at>
Subject: Re: LK501 keyboard on new alpha motherboard (PC connector) ??
Don't know about your particular h/w configuration. When we bought our Alphas
(one 200/100 and teo 255/233) we insisted in having LK 461 keyboards. I
believe the 200/100 came with a PC style keyboard, but a separate order for a
decent DEC-style keyboard was placed.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>From tardell_at_particle..kth.se Mon Dec 2 11:27:54 1996
Date: Thu, 28 Nov 1996 11:07:57 +0100
From: Simon Tardell <tardell_at_particle.kth.se>
To: Thomas Leitner <tom_at_finwds01.tu-graz.ac.at>
Subject: Re: LK501 keyboard on new alpha motherboard (PC connector) ??
Your message dated: Thu, 28 Nov 1996 08:33:13 +0100
>So my quesion: Is it, by any means, possible to connect this keyboard
>to the new Alpha Box which has a standard PC style keyboard connector?
Short answer: no.
A lengthier answer to a similar question this spring:
skk_at_slmedia.com said:
> Date: Wed, 1 May 1996 20:25:43 -0700 From: skk_at_slmedia.com (Stuart
> Kreitman) To: tardell_at_msia02.msi.se, neeland_at_madmax.hrl.hac.com
> Subject: keyboard question
> Simon, thanks for forwarding this posting to me. I'm not clear on
> the author's message, but it sounds like he's asking a question:
> "can a DS2100 keyboard (PS/2) be interchanged with a DS3000-X00
> keyboard (LK401)"
> The answer to this question is sorry, no. The LKXXX keyboard series
> was entirely specified and designed internally. It happens to be a
> 1200 baud device, but was not designed to be even an RS232 device.
> Because the rs232 levels are so broad, I was able to use it that way
> (ie plug into the aux rs232 connectors).
> The PS/2 keyboard (if its anything like the AT flavors) is a closed
> loop device that communicates with the 8742 (that was the name at AT
> time) keyboard port.
> With the PCI family, DEC wisely bought into industry standards for
> peripherals including kbds and mices.
> In talking to people solving the multi-user NT problem you'd expect
> that one of these days someone will come up with the multi-keyboard
> adapter. It may get alot easier with the emerging desktop daisy chain
> connection standards (apple bus, access bus).
> hope this helps
> Stuart Kreitman
Regards,
Simon.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>From tpb_at_zk3.dec.com Mon Dec 2 11:27:58 1996
Date: Thu, 28 Nov 96 09:16:09 -0500
From: "Dr. Tom Blinn, 603-881-0646" <tpb_at_zk3.dec.com>
To: Thomas Leitner <tom_at_finwds01.tu-graz.ac.at>
Subject: Re: LK501 keyboard on new alpha motherboard (PC connector) ??
> The only questions left are:
>
> 1.) Is the serial protocol compatible in any way?
Probably not. The older keyboard is NOT supported by Digital UNIX, and
even if you can figure out how to plug it in, it may not work at all.
> 2.) Is this undertaking worthwhile? Or are new LK4xx keyboards
> with PC style connectors so cheap that I better buy a new one?
The latter. Get a new keyboard with the layout you prefer. However,
trust me on this, you're better off getting used to the PC style layout
sooner or later -- over time, the non-standard (that is, non-PC) style
of keyboards will disappear from the marketplace. There are a number
of PC style keyboards that work well. I've even seen Digital people
with the Microsoft "Natural" keyboard hooked up with no problems.
> 3.) Is there anyone who did this before?
Probably not. You're talking about a very unique problem.
Tom
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>From magill_at_isc.upenn.edu Mon Dec 2 11:28:45 1996
Date: Sat, 30 Nov 1996 05:22:21 -0500
From: "William H. Magill" <magill_at_isc.upenn.edu>
To: tom_at_finwds01.tu-graz.ac.at
Subject: Re: LK501 keyboard on new alpha motherboard (PC connector) ??
> 2.) Is this undertaking worthwhile? Or are new LK4xx keyboards
> with PC style connectors so cheap that I better buy a new one?
>
I just automatically order the new units with an LK411 keyboard - that is
the "standard" Digital Keyboard - not the wiered PC thing.
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T o m L e i t n e r Dept. of Communications
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Received on Mon Dec 02 1996 - 12:04:33 NZDT