Slashdot Mirror
USB NeXT Keyboard With an Arduino Micro
coop0030 writes "Ladyada and pt had an old NeXT keyboard with a strong desire to get it running on a modern computer. These keyboards are durable, super clicky, and very satisfying to use! However, they are very old designs, specifically made for NeXT hardware: pre PS/2 and definitely pre-USB. That means you can't just plug the keyboard into a PS/2 port (even though it looks similar). There is no existing adapters for sale, and no code out there for getting these working, so we spent a few days and with a little research we got it working perfectly using an Arduino Micro as the go between."
... that I may, someday, be able to find a use for that old 3-button DEC hockey puck mouse I have down in the basement. Cool.
CUR ALLOC 20195.....5804M
congratulations on devoting your time & money on doing something useless, thanks for sharing!
They're using a keyboard they like, where previously they could not. And in the abstract, they found a problem and solved it... which is reason enough for a hobby project.
Now go away, troll.
I love the "old" clicky keyboards. They feel much better on the fingers and the tactile freedback is wonderful. You can still buy them from UNICOMP who bought out the IBM keyboard factory upgraded with USB: http://pckeyboard.com/page/category/UKBD
You can also pick them up on 2nd hand on eBay from these resellers: http://www.clickykeyboards.com/
When I buy a laptop they're all equal EXCEPT FOR THE KEYBOARDS. Some are better than others, but none compare to this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_M_keyboard Know people who type whole novels on their iPhone, but is it really the best way to do it?
If you like cheap keyboards just fine, then by all means, do that. Some prefer the older ones, and that's ok too.
It certainly doesn't hurt anyone to make those options available and it's not like they claim to have cured cancer... it's just a project.
Back in the 90s, a company called Northgate Computer Systems, based out of Minnesota, ranked right up there in terms of marketshare, etc as Dell, HP, etc. They had several government contracts which were exceptionally lucrative. They also made keyboards that everyone at the time lusted for because they were super-reliable, very comfortable to use, and quiet despite the snappiness of the keys. You simply couldn't find a better keyboard. Everything was looking great for them, until senior management made a series of horrible and totally avoidable blunders and within a year the company tanked. The one thing to survive the company's demise was their patents on keyboards -- bought out by a company called Avant Stellar (if memory serves). They charge a fortune for their keyboards, and they aren't as reliable as those old ones are.
I can understand why these guys decided to hack together a microcontroller assembly to get it working on modern hardware: human interface equipment back in that day and age was built to last forever. It could even survive contact with 5 year olds, as my keyboard frequently crashed onto concrete floors, was pissed on by animals, and crushed by falling monitors (remember: Back in the day, a 19" monitor weighed a good 50 pounds). Things that would kill today's keyboards dead, it simply brushed off as a non-event.
I wish things were built like that today, rather than this planned obsolesence bullsh*t. There's some things in this industry that just don't change: The power cord, the mouse, the keyboard, and the cases. Build those things to last guys. Really.
#fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
You, Sir, have the "consumer" mentality. Wasteful frivolity is the order of the day. Corporate chiefs and demons dance in glee, to see that you are so thoroughly indoctrinated. Go, Sir, and buy a dozen more useless trashy pieces of shit, so that corporate profits may increase.
"Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
Not all NeXT keyboards talked ADB, but rather some proprietary NeXT protocol.
The commercial USB-to-ADB adapters, such as the Belkin iMate are not that easy to come by.
The best option might just be to use a small microcontroller board and load it up with custom firmware.
Most keyboard hackers use the Teensy instead of an Arduino, but the boards have more similarities than differences.
You can find open source ADB adapter firmware made for the Teensy over on the Geekhack.org forum. It was made by a guy with the handle "Hasu".
"We mustn't be caught by surprise by our own advancing technology" -- Aldous Huxley
Yep.
I've got a NeXT ADB keyboard, and a Griffin iMate. Works just fine.
This thing doesn't look like it's ADB, though.
Like John Lennon once said, time you enjoy wasting isn't wasted.
If you expand your search of keyboards beyond Wal-Mart you can find plenty of modern keyboards that don't suck. There are hundreds of models of mechanical keyboards to choose from. The most popular mechanical switch brand is Cherry MX. I prefer Cherry MX red switches and have a Corsair K90 keyboard that has a lot of modern features such as back-lit keys, media keys, and a volume scroll wheel, and 26 key rollover. Cherry MX red switches only require 45 g of force so they require a lot less effort to press and I can type faster and with less errors because I don't miss keys.
The Official Site of 1337 Pwnage
When I saw this was a thread about old keyboards, I was hoping I'd find someone recommending some newer quality keyboards.
I can add that I found the ABS Model M1 keyboard to be a great alternative to the very expensive boards (lists for $69.99, but I picked mine up on clearance for $40 a few years ago). I don't need any of the added "modern" functionality of media keys or backlight, but I did want a keyboard that had a solid, "springy" resistance, and a definite clicking sound when I used it. I just can't get by on the basic factory keyboards that come with computers out of the box. Those keyboards have the feel, and only slightly more effectiveness than typing into a bowl of pudding.
Granted, this ABS hardware has never had the solid response I got from my old IBM keyboards, and someday I'm sure dropping over $100 on a nice keyboard won't hurt my wallet or my spending conscience so bad. But in the meantime, this ABS board was a decent, cheap alternative.
If you like cheap keyboards just fine, then by all means, do that. Some prefer the older ones, and that's ok too.
I tend to live at my PC and over the years it just became so tedious keeping a good keyboard clean and working well. Now I just get whatever is cheapest
A quality keyboard (quality anything IMHO) can be dismantled with real screws, cleaned and re-assembled and ends up like new. I use a 20 year old IBM AT keyboard that I clean about once every 2-3 years (I don't eat over it either). It is superb to use and worth the hour spent. Most modern keyboards are utter rubbish, and I have thrown quite a few away (like you get with new PCs) after trying a few keystrokes. What a waste of resources. It is like the difference between riding a quality bike and a riding cheap Chinese-made commuter hack, no matter how new and clean that hack is. If you are happy with the hack then I am happy for you.