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Sony NEWS keyboard converter

Posted: 14 Nov 2012, 07:57
by hasu
SONY NEWS is a BSD workstation with 68K/MIPS from late 1980s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_NEWS

NEWS keyboards is Topre capacitive. Pics of my boards.
http://imgur.com/a/JyMzw

This converter allows NEWS keyboard to be connected to modern PC via USB. It will work on Atmel USB AVR family like ATMega32u4 or AT90USB. You can use PJRC Teensy for this.

At this time the converter does not support:
- Buzzer(Speaker)
- LEDs on NWP-5461

You might need to turn DIP switch on NWP-5461 all OFF.

Source code is available at Github. See under converter/news_usb/ directory.
https://github.com/tmk/tmk_keyboard

See this for detail of pinout and protocol of NEWS keyboard.
https://github.com/tmk/tmk_keyboard/blo ... col/news.c

NEWS keyboard connector
Image

Wiring. It needs just three lines, VCC(Black in this pic), GND(White) and Keyboard Data(Red). Keyboard Data is connected to RXD.
Image

NWP-5462
Image

NWP-411A
Image

Posted: 14 Nov 2012, 08:26
by 002
Nice :)
How does your 411A feel compared to the 5461?
My 411A feels a little better but the large keys (especially 'Enter') feel terrible on both boards.

Posted: 14 Nov 2012, 09:12
by woody
hasu, have you got bigger desk/flat, so the moving to bigger keyboards? ;)

Posted: 15 Nov 2012, 03:47
by hasu
002, I don't feel difference so much. But curiously, right hand part of my 411A is heavier than rest, very weird :D
To be honest, I cannot stand daily use of these boards without thorough overhaul, though, I still love them.

woody, unfortunately I still live with small desk and house. Small is always gold, for me :)

Posted: 15 Nov 2012, 09:04
by 002
Do you mean the numpad keys? If they feel heavier it might just be because they were used less?
Ill take some measurements from mine tonight.

Posted: 22 Jul 2018, 02:46
by snacksthecat
Got my Xerox Docutech keyboard working with this converter and a modified keymap. Thank you hasu!

workshop-f7/xerox-docutech-keyboard-cle ... ml#p419577