Displaywriter guts!

User avatar
dorkvader

13 Dec 2013, 06:12

Cross posted at GeekHack
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=52241.0

Ok so I recently got an IBM displaywriter keyboard on eBay. Thanks to all the people that helped me get this once it was found. (The listing didn't say "keyboard" anywhere in the title or description, so it may have slipped past some people's radar.)

Pictures were taken with my galaxy s3 in a moderately lit room, so some are blurry, If you point them out, I'll rephotograph them. Full resolution is on my Flickr, link at the end.

2602678
Image
1982 week 11. Most parts are dated from 1981

Lock key down. This key has no external spring, just the "beam spring". Pushing it down sets a mechanism. Pressing either shift raises it back up. The left shift is "tunable" with a screwdriver. (see later on)
Image

Left shift lock key raise tuning system. The plastic acts as a spring you press against. You can set teh height of the plastic spring by adjusting the nut on the bottom and screw on top
Image

Spacebar stabilizer. I really like this one! the wide plate moves forwards when the stabilizer is pressed. Grease from IBM is still on the mechanism. (Grease not shown.)
Image

Controller. Closeups showing all the chip labels are on flickr.
Image

Using Webwit's "unique" beamspring naming scheme, we should call this the "IBM Clare Division Keyboard". :D (Image is of the label on the cable)
Image



OK on to the cool PCB shots!

Notice on this one there are 8 strobes. 4 on each side run the full width of the KB. The need for this becomes apparent when we see the back. The up down alternation is critical to the design. There are 12 sense lines.
Image

Right of PCB. Notice the alternation on the far right function keys.Image

This is the back, so the far left corresponds to the right of the previous image. Notice they are in parallel! When I first saw this I was at first dumbfounded. That would mean this KB was a low KRO and makes no sense whatsoever. Why did IBM do it this way, when they had a good already established circuit for the rest? Then I flipped it back, noticed the alternation and it all became clear. The alternation is so they can have parallel sense lines for the keys. I do not know how this affects things, but I feel like keeping the sense lines short is a good idea.
Image

Longest sense lines are for the spacebar and keys on that row. They are not paralleled like others. Makes sense to me, though I am only starting to understand IBM capacitive circuits.
Image

Obligatory backlit PCB image. I'll get my roommate to scan the PCB in properly sometime.
Image


Fly plates and associated hardware
Image

Ok that was fun. Feel free to ask questions! Keycaps are cleaning now in a mug on top of the frige.

edit: corrected sense/strobe terminology.

xwhatsit

13 Dec 2013, 07:14

Ooooh nice. I want the linked shift key system bad!

Great shots of the matrix. Very interesting story at the numpad end, I wonder what drove them that way!

You can see hints of the Model F here. A good stepping stone I think.

User avatar
Hypersphere

10 Jun 2014, 17:17

I just took delivery of a Displaywriter keyboard. What would I need to do to make the Lock key act like a regular key? I would like to use it as Control if possible. Thanks.

User avatar
Muirium
µ

10 Jun 2014, 17:21

Don't do it! Latching keys are the best! Use it as a layer lock!!

The one on the great white is particularly nice and Selectricky: as it releases when you press Shift. Reminds me of my old mech typewriter days.

User avatar
Hypersphere

10 Jun 2014, 17:36

Muirium wrote:Don't do it! Latching keys are the best! Use it as a layer lock!!

The one on the great white is particularly nice and Selectricky: as it releases when you press Shift. Reminds me of my old mech typewriter days.
Yes, I know it seems like sacrilege to modify this unique mechanism. It does indeed provide a link to the Selectric (in addition to the fact that Selectric keys, at least from early model Selectrics, can be used on the Displaywriter. (I, too, once used a mechanical typewriter -- completely mechanical -- nothing electric.)

However, I was hoping to use the Lock key as a Control key. Perhaps if there were a readily reversible way to disable temporarily the lock mechanism....

User avatar
Muirium
µ

10 Jun 2014, 17:46

How does the lock mechanism work? I suspect you could probably disable it without permanently damaging anything. Or perhaps even move the latching switch to another position on the board where you find it more useful… although you'd surely lose the Shift linkage.

The easiest solution is, of course, to leave it in place and learn the love the latch!

quantalume

10 Jun 2014, 18:01

Muirium wrote:The easiest solution is, of course, to leave it in place and learn the love the latch!
Yes, Keyboard Buddha says go with the flow. Remap to your heart's content with a modern controller, but don't question the electromechanical wisdom of your ancestors. :lol:

User avatar
Hypersphere

10 Jun 2014, 18:04

quantalume wrote:
Muirium wrote:The easiest solution is, of course, to leave it in place and learn the love the latch!
Yes, Keyboard Buddha says go with the flow. Remap to your heart's content with a modern controller, but don't question the wisdom of your ancestors. :lol:
This grasshopper humbly bows to the wisdom of his ancestors.

User avatar
Muirium
µ

10 Jun 2014, 18:58

Can't argue with the Keyboard Buddha. He'll just type OMMMMMMMMMMMMMM longer than you can possibly imagine.

Besides, inaction is always worth a shot!

User avatar
Hypersphere

10 Jun 2014, 19:05

Muirium wrote:Can't argue with the Keyboard Buddha. He'll just type OMMMMMMMMMMMMMM longer than you can possibly imagine.

Besides, inaction is always worth a shot!
In this case, inaction is worth a doubleshot!

quantalume

10 Jun 2014, 20:19

Hypersphere wrote:
Muirium wrote:Can't argue with the Keyboard Buddha. He'll just type OMMMMMMMMMMMMMM longer than you can possibly imagine.

Besides, inaction is always worth a shot!
In this case, inaction is worth a doubleshot!
A doubleshot of Scotch? I'll see your two and raise you two!

User avatar
Muirium
µ

10 Jun 2014, 20:40

There are many Buddhas. The Scottish one has a cheeky smile, and a certain glow about him. You can guess why…

User avatar
Hypersphere

11 Jun 2014, 19:28

dorkvader wrote:Cross posted at GeekHack
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=52241.0

Ok so I recently got an IBM displaywriter keyboard on eBay. Thanks to all the people that helped me get this once it was found. (The listing didn't say "keyboard" anywhere in the title or description, so it may have slipped past some people's radar.)

<snip>

Ok that was fun. Feel free to ask questions! Keycaps are cleaning now in a mug on top of the frige.

edit: corrected sense/strobe terminology.
Do you plan to replace the contamination shield? If so, what material will you use?

Post Reply

Return to “Gallery”