Comp/Set 510 'micro-switch' keyboard information needed

[P-man]

hi all.

I am modifying a terminal that was originally made for photo-typesetting:


It uses a 'micro-switch' keyboard :


here's the keycaps :



The item is merely a 12" green CRT monitor and the keyboard, with a bundle of wires going out of it originally to a desk-sized bit of equipment (long gone). It has no interface electronics, just an edge connector from the keyboard module.

Before i re-invent the wheel and decode the keyboard manually, does anyone have any knowledge or data on this sort of keyboard? looks like it was used in various configurations on a few industrial applications in the 70's... Ultimately i want to translate the keyboard output with a PIC into ps2, which is within my capabilities to implement - but having the right info helps first!

I'm a new member here so go easy on me

thanks!

[XMIT]

Welcome P-man!

These old Micro USA / Honeywell Hall effect boards are great. To date, we haven't made too much progress with restoring them or getting them to work with modern systems. Not to say that it's impossible, or that hard even, just that I haven't seen it done (apart from "mmcm" converting a Space Cadet keyboard for his own use with few details posted).

I'm working on a keyboard with similar switches here:

http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/conv ... 12379.html

I'm still gathering data and will post a nice write-up when I have enough data.

[P-man]

ah i see... I also have a whole WANG terminal for sale, the restoration doesn't look to be economically feasable on it. Didn't realise they may share the keyboards.

I was recently reading a bunch of BYTE magazines i got for christmas, and in issue 1 they have a tutorial on identifying keyboards with some great deductive work, September 1975 page 62.

I have a background in microelectronics anyhow, but this article should be essential reading for anyone trying the conversion

I'll post any results i make, but its not a priority project.. it'd get bumped up the list if info fell into my lap