Help with FKF456K-104?

[recon8659]

I recently acquired one of these keyboards in pretty good shape, it has switch with A X and S mode. I assume I want to keep it in A mode. However, I am using an adapter to plug it into a USB port and it doesn't appear to be working. Any advice?

[Polecat]

The Monterey/Mtek K104 does not have internal USB support. So you'll need an active converter rather than just a pin adapter. I'd recommend a Soarers. I'm typing on a K104 right now using a Soarers converter from Orihalcon on ebay.

The "A" position is AT mode, which is also PS/2 compatible, and supported by Soarers. "X" is XT mode, which is for even older computers (Soarers also supports this mode in most cases). "S" is XT mode with the caps lock working like a typewriter, in other words you release caps lock by pressing the shift key.

[Muirium]

Pin adapters (good name!) ruined this forever. It shouldn’t be hard: USB and PS/2 are completely different. They just overlapped for a while in the market so some keyboards internally supported both.

Still, waaaaaaay less confusing than the ingeniously iterative mess that is USB C nowadays!

https://tidbits.com/2021/12/03/usbefudd ... nd-cables/

[recon8659]

Sorry, I'm an idiot. I didn't mean to say USB. It seems to be a 5 pin din connector and I'm using a ps2 adapter. There is no USB involved lol.

The Monterey/Mtek K104 does not have internal USB support. So you'll need an active converter rather than just a pin adapter. I'd recommend a Soarers. I'm typing on a K104 right now using a Soarers converter from Orihalcon on ebay.

The "A" position is AT mode, which is also PS/2 compatible, and supported by Soarers. "X" is XT mode, which is for even older computers (Soarers also supports this mode in most cases). "S" is XT mode with the caps lock working like a typewriter, in other words you release caps lock by pressing the shift key.

[recon8659]

So I think the keyboard may be not functional unfortunately

[Muirium]

Turn off the computer. Put the switch into a different setting. Power back on. Try that till you've exhausted all options.

(The powering off is because PS/2 is *not* hot-swappable. If you treat it like a modern connector, you can fry your computer.)

Old keyboard controllers can break. (It's usually the electrolytic capacitors gone leaked out) But give it a fair shot, first.

[Polecat]

Good advice from Mu. I have a parts donor K104 PC board if that would help.

edit: Any lights when powered? Also check the cable--with an ohmmeter make sure each wire connects to a pin on the DIN5.

[recon8659]

Turn off the computer. Put the switch into a different setting. Power back on. Try that till you've exhausted all options.

(The powering off is because PS/2 is *not* hot-swappable. If you treat it like a modern connector, you can fry your computer.)

Old keyboard controllers can break. (It's usually the electrolytic capacitors gone leaked out) But give it a fair shot, first.

I have tried this, I have a few other PS/2 Boards, I guess ill take it apart later and check for any obvious damage.
I can solder in new capacitors no problem.

[zrrion]

correction: while ps/2 is not hot-swappable, modern computers with a ps/2 port on them aren't actually ps/2, they're internally converting that to USB and going from there, and USB is hot-swappable. unless you have an older motherboard that has native ps/2 it's not something yo need to worry about

[Muirium]

correction: while ps/2 is not hot-swappable, modern computers with a ps/2 port on them aren't actually ps/2, they're internally converting that to USB and going from there, and USB is hot-swappable. unless you have an older motherboard that has native ps/2 it's not something yo need to worry about

Last motherboard I had with a PS/2 port probably had an Athlon XP on it, so I'm a touch out of date.

Are they converting PS/2 to USB with 6KRO I wonder? Not USB's fault, but the usual lousy way motherboard manufacturers half-arse their way to BIOS compliance.