Converting an IBM Pingmaster

[just_add_coffee]

Did you flash anything first?

[__red__]

Yup - the firmware that I posted earlier in the thread.

I may need to re-compile for your keyboard layout but the version I posted should give you your basics.

What's your model# and I'll check?

[just_add_coffee]

Yup - the firmware that I posted earlier in the thread.

I may need to re-compile for your keyboard layout but the version I posted should give you your basics.

What's your model# and I'll check?

Model 6341739

[__red__]

Identical to mine, flash it!

[Madhias]

I dipped my wick and added heat. Ever seen a cleaner hole?

I'm by no means an expert on holes, but I'd say that was one clean hole!

Not to derail this thread (I also will convert my Pingmaster sometimes) — but imagine reading just those lines on web search.

[just_add_coffee]

Done! Typing on it now. I cheated and used the Teensy loader.

But wow! That was easy! Thank you!

[__red__]

Sweet! Now assemble all the photos and write a guide <3

[just_add_coffee]

...but imagine reading just those lines on web search.

New motto ... Deskthority: We know holes!

[__red__]

If you own a DMM and a camera... with your new confidence... maybe you want to convert that broken one to a 60%

[seebart]

Sweet! Now assemble all the photos and write a guide <3

This thread is a guide already.

[__red__]

I'm looking at the PCB right now to try and determine if we can recover the other board.

74159N - Drive
7404N - NOT
D8049HC - 8 bit microcontroller - 11Mhz.
386D - Audio amp (for peaker)

[just_add_coffee]

Sweet! Now assemble all the photos and write a guide <3

This thread is a guide already.

Cool! But most of this thread is ... ummmm ... well ... you know.

A guide on how not to do it?

[just_add_coffee]

If you own a DMM and a camera... with your new confidence... maybe you want to convert that broken one to a 60%

It's two boards. Yes, I'm that much of an idiot.

I had thought about using those switches in a custom project down the road. These are the smoothest switches that I have ever experienced; they would rock in a steel plate Ergodox.

[seebart]

Sweet! Now assemble all the photos and write a guide <3

This thread is a guide already.

Cool! But most of this thread is ... ummmm ... well ... you know.

A guide on how not to do it?

Yeah I know it's not exactly your average guide.

These are the smoothest switches that I have ever experienced;

Agreed. I own two other keyboards used keyboards with (cream) SKCC's and neither feel anywhere as smooth as these.

wiki/Apple_M0110

wiki/Tatung_71739

[just_add_coffee]

wiki/Tatung_71739

Those are some nice-looking keycaps! I had never heard of Tatung before.

[seebart]

wiki/Tatung_71739

Those are some nice-looking keycaps! I had never heard of Tatung before.

Yeah those doubleshots are the best thing about that keyboard.

[just_add_coffee]

Some other thoughts about this keyboard ...
1) An external converter would've had the advantage of easy access to the Teensy button when changing the layout. In the not-too-distant future, I'll make some sort of mount for the Teensy and drill a small hole in the case.
1A) I should've made the wires longer.
2) http://www.tmk-kbd.com/tmk_keyboard/edi ... _rev1_alps ... VERY nice!
3) Definitely in the market for another, more conventional keyset. I speak some Mandarin, so the components on the keys don't bother me. Rather, there are differences in the pairings (e.g., 8 and (, 9 and ), etc.) that it's a bit hard to get used to.
4) I still want to experiment with replacing the speaker with a vibration motor.

[__red__]

4) I still want to experiment with replacing the speaker with a vibration motor.

It's certainly possible - but you'll need additional circuitry to drive it. Not to mention USB-spec is kinda a douche about drawing solenoid level currents.

[just_add_coffee]

mojave_sunise.jpg

I call it Mojave Sunrise.

Stay tuned for my upcoming group buy!

[codemonkeymike]

I like the colors but not the font. I think it might look better with a high weight Helvetica and solid arrows.

[seebart]

I think I'd go with the original look.

[just_add_coffee]

I think I'd go with the original look.

And I think you should sell me the keycaps from that glorious Tatung you mentioned earlier.

[Wingklip]

I have to say that the colours are a little too intense for a color scheme like the IBM Pingmaster. It looks quite oddly out of place, as codemonkeymike placed it. After all, those fonts do not compliment the scheme well at all.

Might be better off with pastelly industrial blue or cherry red colours. Helvetica or Arcon would make good fonts, I concur.

[just_add_coffee]

I have to say that the colours are a little too intense for a color scheme like the IBM Pingmaster. It looks quite oddly out of place, as codemonkeymike placed it. After all, those fonts do not compliment the scheme well at all.

Might be better off with pastelly industrial blue or cherry red colours. Helvetica or Arcon would make good fonts, I concur.

I was going for a desert sunrise colorway here. The Pingmaster's colors made me think dust and sand.

But the font was indeed half-assed. Star Trek Final Frontier wasn't a great choice, but I couldn't locate anything better. And of course the Chinese components on the keys ... nothing I can do there unless I somehow snag another keyset for this thing.

[emdude]

I agree with the previous commenters; as much as I enjoy the novelty of the Final Frontier font, that combined with the choice of colors evokes Star Trek V: The Final Frontier...

final_frontier.png (119.67 KiB) Viewed 5179 times

[seebart]

I think I'd go with the original look.

And I think you should sell me the keycaps from that glorious Tatung you mentioned earlier.

Hmm... nope sorry no can do. Of course those wouldn't cover what you need anyway.

[just_add_coffee]

Hmm... nope sorry no can do. Of course those wouldn't cover what you need anyway.

No worries. I wouldn't sell it to anyone either if I were you. I was trying to be funny more than anything.

I've got enough extra Pingmasters that I can supplement the base set with relegendables.

Only a slightly-related note, if I could figure out a way to make precise, tiny cuts, I think an SA profile MX Cherry keyset could be converted for use with the Pingmaster.

Edit: I have a complete set and grab bag extras of SA Jukebox that I might use for this experiment.

[SaltyMcSushi]

First off thanks to everyone for this great knowledge dump on making a Pingmaster converter. I got one this week and I'll be making the converter tonight with my dad.

I'm not sure of the best way to provide labels for all the relegendables, I feel like if I make them myself they'll be inconsistent. I've looked into buying some, but all the ones I've seen are stickers, and I don't want to stick anything to this.

I wouldn't try to adapt a Jukebox set for this, those are really great caps that are worth a lot of money. At least, try it on cheaper caps first.

I'm also looking to replace some of the caps on my pmaster. I'm trying to find keyboards with compatible keysets:

-The TI-99/4A is common and cheap and the caps look good. However, there were four different keyboards made for it, and only one of them used these old alps switches. (Annoyingly, one of them uses a smaller version of the alps switches, and those caps are incompatible.) Still, I tried to figure out the small differences between each keyboard's fonts and bought a broken one for cheap. Hopefully I was right- I'll find out later this week.
-The Apple m0110 and m0110A are also common and fairly inexpensive. However, they have cylindrical keycaps, and they use a taller version of the Pingmaster's switches, so I don't know if they'll work (the cap might hit the board before the switch bottoms).
-The TRS-80 models 1 and 3 look great. Not all of them use these switches, but it's not hard to tell the difference. However, they are expensive.
-The TeleVideo 9xx keyboards look beautiful and have a ton of keys, but they're expensive too. They use Futaba MD switches (aka Futaba complicated linear) and though the caps are a tight fit on the pingmaster, they do fit (according to one source).

Between boards that have these old Alps switches and the Futaba MD switch, there's probably a lot more, but nothing for reasonable prices.

[just_add_coffee]

I wouldn't try to adapt a Jukebox set for this, those are really great caps that are worth a lot of money. At least, try it on cheaper caps first.

From what I've seen, it would be easier to replace the Jukebox keyset than to acquire one of the boards you've listed. People selling Jukebox frequently list on /r/mechmarket and sets pop up on pimpmykeyboard.com from time to time. And future runs are likely.

But I wouldn't attempt altering them unless I felt assured of success.

I'll definitely keep an eye out for the boards you listed! That's great information. Thank you!

Regarding the relegendable labels, I found a .doc template, cleaned it up, tweaked and customized, and printed it. Then I cut strips long-ways using a rotary trimmer board and short-ways using a pair of scissors. It isn't terribly hard at all.

And congratulation on your own Ping! And don't forget to post pics!

[__red__]

And congratulation on your own Ping! And don't forget to post pics!

Yup, gratz - now let's get you a Model F