IBM 3741 Data Station Keyboard Module Refurb

__red__ · 25 Sep 2017, 03:35

I've created a new thread so I don't distract from JP!'s fine thread "IBM 3741 Data Station / System 3 Barn Find" (keyboards-f2/ibm-system-3-barn-find-t16698.html)

See his thread for a whole bunch of history. The tl;dr for mine is that the original capacitive pcb and electronics:
[*] Used freaky voltages, values, and protocols which I was not sure I was able to build a circuit to support correctly first time.
[*] There was no guarantee that the PCB I had was actually functional when it was pulled from the warehouse. It wasn't labelled as either a new module or an RMA.

Given the uncertainty, I built a thing:

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It should arrive sometime around Wednesday of this week - I'll keep you up to date on how successful it was

Assuming 100% success, anyone who wants to can just order it directly from pcbway, I'll add it as a shareable and downloadable project there.

Red

OldIsNew · 25 Sep 2017, 22:20

Nice! Keeping fingers crossed it works as expected. Now if I just had a 3741 keyboard!

__red__ · 26 Sep 2017, 18:56

Well, it all physically fits together, that that's the first part. Now to flash a new controller and take some measurements!

tigpha · 26 Sep 2017, 21:38

__red__ wrote: Well, it all physically fits together, that that's the first part. Now to flash a new controller and take some measurements!

Hi __red__, watching progress in this thread with great interest. I hope to follow your tracks with my own project, eventually, in due course, when time permits, etc...

__red__ · 27 Sep 2017, 13:02

Boogie! All keys are functioning perfectly and have sufficient 'swing'. I have something special for this board... more to come!

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JP! · 27 Sep 2017, 23:07

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wobbled · 27 Sep 2017, 23:29

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JP! · 28 Sep 2017, 05:05

Oh, do you have pictures of the pcb? I was told that there would be cats.

__red__ · 28 Sep 2017, 15:42

JP! wrote: Oh, do you have pictures of the pcb? I was told that there would be cats.

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It's a black PCB so hard to see the tracks / pads.

I have three left.

tigpha · 30 Sep 2017, 09:41

__red__ wrote:
It's a black PCB so hard to see the tracks / pads.

Very Kubrik 2001 Space Odyssey... Hearing György Ligeti's Lux Aeterna right now...

__red__ · 09 Nov 2017, 01:41

__red__ wrote: Boogie! All keys are functioning perfectly and have sufficient 'swing'. I have something special for this board... more to come!

The attachment IMG_0894.JPG is no longer available

So, I do electronic badges for conferences on off-years and the con organizer asked me last year if we could put a keyboard on it.

So, I showed him the prototype 2018 badge

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... and yes, the keyboard was functional.

JP! · 22 Nov 2017, 03:44

Wow

Spoiler: