ta2@VIRGINIA.CSNET (tom allebrandi) (03/06/86)
Does anyone have any technical info on the LK201? I know the pin configuration of the keyboard connecter and I believe that it sends/receives data with an 8251 UART. (Haven't opened up the keyboard to look - yet :-) ). I need to know the framing of the data, the scan codes, and if there is any protocol involved (like make/break on the IBM-PC). I haven't tried our favorite computer company yet for the information because I'm sure they will want money. (My budget is so small that I can't buy paper clips :-( ) My desk is suffering from an over abundance of keyboards. Between the VT240, the PC-AT and the occasional Workmaster (TM), I normally have 2 or 3 keyboards on my desk! What I am considering doing is to build myself a black box that makes the AT believe that its talking to an IBM keyboard, and makes the LK201 believe that its talking to something from DEC. The box would have switch that either connects the 201 directly to my VT240 or to the AT via undetermined magic. (Probably an 80?? microcontroller depending on what I can scrounge up.) Any help would be appreciated. (Workmaster is a trademark of the General Electric Company) (IBM Personal Computer At is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation) Now, with the business out of the way, my ten cents worth. I am also one of those people who prefers the LK201. (A side effect of being dropped on my head too many times :-|) Years ago, I trained myself to use control-h for backspace. (I came to VMS from TOPS-10; where backspace meant something! Since VMS doesn't generally use backspace; I had to learn to stop using it.) I don't miss the escape key because I have trained myself to use control-[. Most of what I type that is of the form escape-whatever, the whatever is another control key. I am not a touch typist, so my left pinky floats in that corner of the keyboard anyway. I like the feel of the keyboard and very rarely hit the compose key by mistake. The arrow key layout is more logical than on a VT100 keyboard. The break key is happily out of the way; our port selector used to use break for disconnect. I agree with the complaint about the "<" and ">" key. I would like them back on the "," and "." keys where they belong. Keyboards that I can't stand include the Qume VT-103 keyboard (makes my hands hurt for some reason) and the IBM PC keyboards (arrow keys on the keypad; 10 yard penalty. Are you listening IBM?) Best; Tom #-} ............... tom allebrandi general electric automation controls operations ta2@edison.uucp edison!ta2%virginia@csnet-relay.arpa (804) 978-5566 box 8106, charlottesville, va, 22906 ............... "Real programmers use TECO; and are damn proud of it!"
daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU (The devil himself) (03/09/86)
> Does anyone have any technical info on the LK201? I know the pin configuration > of the keyboard connecter and I believe that it sends/receives data with an > 8251 UART. (Haven't opened up the keyboard to look - yet :-) ). > > I need to know the framing of the data, the scan codes, and if there is > any protocol involved (like make/break on the IBM-PC). I haven't tried > our favorite computer company yet for the information because I'm sure > they will want money. (My budget is so small that I can't buy paper clips :-( ) > tom allebrandi general electric automation controls operations > ta2@edison.uucp edison!ta2%virginia@csnet-relay.arpa > (804) 978-5566 box 8106, charlottesville, va, 22906 There is a book called something like "Professional 350 Technical Reference Manual" you can get from DEC. One chapter of it is devoted to the LK201 keyboard. It contains everything you'd ever want to know about the LK201, short of a schematic. -- Larry Campbell The Boston Software Works, Inc. ARPA: maynard.UUCP:campbell@harvard.ARPA 120 Fulton Street UUCP: {harvard,cbosgd}!wjh12!maynard!campbell Boston MA 02109