Southwest ISO IBM 5281/5282/5285/5286 Data Station Keyboard (P/N 2658984)

[bolex]

I know that this is probably a long shot since this is the holy grail for many keyboard scalpers, but I would love to find this keyboard. I'm picking up a 5285 that I would love to restore, but alas it's missing the keyboard. I assume this will be a multi-year search. Keyboard picture is from keebtalk

 

[NeXT]

It IS a long shot, but prove to those you aren't a fly-by-night new member with an actual use for it and I'm sure you'll find PM's in your inbox.

(No I don't have one, sorry. )

 

[bolex]

prove to those you aren't a fly-by-night new member with an actual use for it and I'm sure you'll find PM's in your inbox

That's what I'm hoping for!

 

[bolex]

IBM was not fooling around when they built the 5285. I just picked it up and it barely fit in the trunk. I'm still looking for the keyboard.

 

[bolex]

Well...I paid way too much in my opinion, but I can't believe they sold 3 in less than a day. At least mine is coming home to be reunited with the workstation and not being torn apart.

 

[bolex]

I spent some time last night cleaning out the protective membrane that had disintegrated inside the 5280 keyboard. It looks like the gunk was originally designed to keep debris out of the beam springs but it was doing the exact opposite.

 

[NeXT]

That's what I saw on the System/32. It felt like a very thin rubber that when disturbed just broke into little pieces.
I hate keyboarders, but of all the people left in the universe who would still care, I bet you $20 and a box of donuts they have someone making repros.

 

[oktology]

Who are the maniacs paying $800 for a keyboard...that has no collector value without the machine, and which doesn't connect to any modern computer and will barely fit on a desk?

 

[bolex]

These keyboards are very easy to convert to USB with the Xwhatsit USB adapter.

 

[NeXT]

These keyboards are very easy to convert to USB with the Xwhatsit USB adapter.

Just look at this and think about the time that went into this.
Someone had to search for a compatible edge connector header. They had to then prototype a board that had a compatible form factor for the original enclosure, then develop a final pcb, Then write firmware to adapt it and emulate a keyboard for a host machine.
Think about how much potential and the technical abilities that were wasted here because "heh, keyboard feel good".

It's like going through Harvard to get a masters in Astrology.

 

[bolex]

I have to admit that I screwed up on that keyboard. The keyboard that I purchased is for the 525X terminals - not the 528X terminals. The layout is the same, and I'm sure the keyboard itself is the same, but I'm not sure the keyboard controller inside the keyboards are compatible. I need to do some research and figure that out.

 

[bolex]

They keyboard that I need is this one. Layout is the same, but physically it has a larger palm rest. Picture stolen from deskthority.

 

[Admiral Shark]

I have to admit that I screwed up on that keyboard. The keyboard that I purchased is for the 525X terminals - not the 528X terminals. The layout is the same, and I'm sure the keyboard itself is the same, but I'm not sure the keyboard controller inside the keyboards are compatible. I need to do some research and figure that out.

I believe the keyboard's pad card and key-matrix (circuit for the capacitance sensing pads) are the same, but there are differences further down the chain. The controller card board layouts are different between 528X's and 525X's and were both designed to operate different audible cue elements; 528X keyboards have speakers, whereas your 525X keyboard should have a solenoid. The plug pinout is also different. Theoretically, one could probably source and fit a 528X controller card to a 525X keyboard assembly (though you may need to adjust the edge connector socket angle), but that would of course mean potentially participating in another 528X keyboard being dismantled (since realistically the only source of these would probably be from those who have fitted xwhatsit controllers to their keyboards and don't need the original controller).

For reference to compare to your 525X counterparts, a 528X keyboard controller card:



...and its plug:

 

[ajacocks]

Welcome to the forum @Admiral Shark ! Thanks for the detailed assistance on the keyboard internals.

- Alex

 

[Hirudov]

Hello,
I acquired IBM 5285 configuration with two 8-inch floppies. Not sure if it has hard drive inside, but it makes really strange noises when powered on:

Sadly the keyboard is missing.
Is there any chance to use modern keyboard replacement? Or built my own keyboard converter?

I don't have any 8-inch diskettes as well. Can I use Gotek with Shugart 50-to-34 Adapter?
The adapter is sold for 25$ on eBay. I have the older and newer versions of Gotek, on which I am ready to install any firmware.

Not sure where to start with the restoration. Is this normal boot screen (as shown on the video above) or it is some error?

 

[Hak Foo]

Just look at this and think about the time that went into this.
Someone had to search for a compatible edge connector header. They had to then prototype a board that had a compatible form factor for the original enclosure, then develop a final pcb, Then write firmware to adapt it and emulate a keyboard for a host machine.
Think about how much potential and the technical abilities that were wasted here because "heh, keyboard feel good".

It's like going through Harvard to get a masters in Astrology.

As a side effect, it did make capacitive mechanisms a viable thing for hobbyists. There are a few projects to upgrade a Model M assembly (available new from Unicomp, so little pressure on vintage supplies) with a capacitive-sense PCB (allowing for N-key rollover, even if the feel is subjective), and it did spawn the New Model F and New Beamspring boards.

I'm hoping that those sort of projects will over-time depress the market for vintage keyboards on new PCs. If it's about the feel, you can get what you want without culling rare terminals. Of course, you still have idiots chasing Veblen goods, but they can also do artisan keycaps for that...