Hello,

I want to connect a Sun Keyboard (not USB!) to my PC. I've read that
it's possible to connect this keyboard to rs232 using a max232 IC and
some "inverter" IC.

Can someone please give me as much information about this as possible?
I've not found much about this on the net. No fotos of working circuits
and no real circuit diagram.

Someone here who has someting like this running?

I would buy my parts from the german seller "reichelt.de". See here:
http://www.reichelt.de/

Maybe someone here is able to use their website.

Which of the "max232" ICs they sell is the right one for me? Is it
possible that there are max232 ICs where I don't need the capacitors? If
so: Which ones?

Which "inverter IC" from reichelt.de may I use?

Can someone give beginners-friendly instructions on how to solder the
parts together?

Thank you very much in advance

CU

Manuel

Manuel Reimer <mreimer@expires-28-02-2006.news-group.org> writes:
>I want to connect a Sun Keyboard (not USB!) to my PC. I've read that
>it's possible to connect this keyboard to rs232 using a max232 IC and
>some "inverter" IC.

You need more than that. The keyboard talks a whole different protocol
than anything on the PC. To tell you the truth, the US $60 a USB Sun
keyboard costs is going to be cheaper compared to many other options.

What are you trying to accomplish? Do you want to hook the keyboard up
to the PS2 keyboard port on your computer? Do you want to hook it up
to a serial port and have some software that maps keys coming in over
serial port into real keystrokes?

Most likely, you are looking to hook the Sun keyboard into the PS2
port, and you'll need more than just a serial RS-232 level convertor.

Most projects in the past doing this have done this with a
micro-controller, like the Moto 68HC11 or PIC line. You'll also need
to code up a program for them that talks Sun Type-5 protocol out one
side, and standard PC AT/PS2 Keyboard out the other, with a big
translation table of what keys get mapped to what keycodes.

I found several projects of what I think you are trying to do with
Google immediately. The 2nd link of my search was

http://www.buzzard.me.uk/jonathan/sunkbd.html

Note, you'll probably spend upwards of $70-$100 on parts and
programmer for the microcontroller. So, if USB is fine, $60 for the
Type-6 USB or Type-7 would be cheaper than rolling your own.

Doug McIntyre wrote:
> You need more than that. The keyboard talks a whole different protocol
> than anything on the PC. To tell you the truth, the US $60 a USB Sun
> keyboard costs is going to be cheaper compared to many other options.

Maybe, but I already have the "non USB" one.

> What are you trying to accomplish? Do you want to hook the keyboard up
> to the PS2 keyboard port on your computer? Do you want to hook it up
> to a serial port and have some software that maps keys coming in over
> serial port into real keystrokes?

I want to hook the keyboard to the serial port (RS232) and use the
"sunkbd" kernel module to use the keyboard. I don't configure the BIOS
everyday and so I don't need a PS/2 converter.

So all I need are good instructions which parts I'll need (The parts
should be available at www.reichelt.de) and good information on how to
solder the stuff together.

Thank you very much in advance

CU

Manuel

HI,

Manuel Reimer wrote:
> Doug McIntyre wrote:
>
>> You need more than that. The keyboard talks a whole different protocol
>> than anything on the PC. To tell you the truth, the US $60 a USB Sun
>> keyboard costs is going to be cheaper compared to many other options.
>
>
> Maybe, but I already have the "non USB" one.
>
>> What are you trying to accomplish? Do you want to hook the keyboard up
>> to the PS2 keyboard port on your computer? Do you want to hook it up
>> to a serial port and have some software that maps keys coming in over
>> serial port into real keystrokes?
>
>
> I want to hook the keyboard to the serial port (RS232) and use the
> "sunkbd" kernel module to use the keyboard. I don't configure the BIOS
> everyday and so I don't need a PS/2 converter.
>
> So all I need are good instructions which parts I'll need (The parts
> should be available at www.reichelt.de) and good information on how to
> solder the stuff together.
>
> Thank you very much in advance
>
Okey, you want to use a Sunkeyboard to a PC running Unix right?
And you accept that the box will not be possible to control via the
keyboard until Unix is loaded.

I have never done that but I Goggle for "sunkeyboard 2 pc" and this came up.


http://www.iptel-now.de/HOWTO/SUN_SE...erial_kbd.html


Is that what you want, then it is just to start soldering, the
capacitors is needed unless you have +/-12V somewhere then you could use
MAX1488/MAX1489 instead!

I am really unsure if you need to connect transmitt from the serial port
on the PC to the sunkeyboard, is that so what is the PC transmitting,
any clue?

Otherwise you can stick to a only the MAX1489(or is it 1488??, check)
and only use +5V.

/michael

Michael Laajanen wrote:
> Okey, you want to use a Sunkeyboard to a PC running Unix right?

Yes

> And you accept that the box will not be possible to control via the
> keyboard until Unix is loaded.

It would be nice to control Lilo, but it wouldn't be a problem if this
is impossible (I only switch between main and backup kernel. I never
needed my backup and if I ever need I may connect a PS/2 keyboard to fix
my system)

> http://www.iptel-now.de/HOWTO/SUN_SE...erial_kbd.html

Yes, I know about this, but the "inverter" they use between Keyboard and
Max232 isn't available on reichelt.de and I don't know which alternative
will work.

> Is that what you want, then it is just to start soldering, the
> capacitors is needed unless you have +/-12V somewhere then you could use
> MAX1488/MAX1489 instead!

No, I don't have 12V. But the capacitors aren't a big problem. I'll just
juse a bigger case.

> I am really unsure if you need to connect transmitt from the serial port
> on the PC to the sunkeyboard, is that so what is the PC transmitting,
> any clue?

Maybe the status of the LEDs?

CU

Manuel

HI,

Manuel Reimer wrote:
> Michael Laajanen wrote:
>
>> Okey, you want to use a Sunkeyboard to a PC running Unix right?
>
>
> Yes
>
>> And you accept that the box will not be possible to control via the
>> keyboard until Unix is loaded.
>
>
> It would be nice to control Lilo, but it wouldn't be a problem if this
> is impossible (I only switch between main and backup kernel. I never
> needed my backup and if I ever need I may connect a PS/2 keyboard to fix
> my system)
>
Hmm, without checked it might be possible to redirect lilo to a serial
port, infact I would be surprised if it did not.

>> http://www.iptel-now.de/HOWTO/SUN_SE...erial_kbd.html
>
>
> Yes, I know about this, but the "inverter" they use between Keyboard and
> Max232 isn't available on reichelt.de and I don't know which alternative
> will work.
As I told you I never done this but it looks like a "standard" inverter,
such as 74LS04, or the CMOS compatible 74HC04 i think any 74xx04 will do.

The 4049 is a "pure" CMOS inverter but no worries, try the 74 they are
usually easier to find.

>
> No, I don't have 12V. But the capacitors aren't a big problem. I'll just
> juse a bigger case.
>
Case, you mean the physical size of the cap or the value? stick to the
value, the physical size is no problem.

They are used to charge the voltage up to RS232 levels(+/-12 Volt).


>> I am really unsure if you need to connect transmitt from the serial
>> port on the PC to the sunkeyboard, is that so what is the PC
>> transmitting, any clue?
>
>
> Maybe the status of the LEDs?
>
> CU
Bingo, that must be it sometimes my mind is somewhere else.

Goodluck and PLS maka a posting here once you done with it, the type 5
is really nice!


/michael

Manuel Reimer wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I want to connect a Sun Keyboard (not USB!) to my PC. I've read that
> it's possible to connect this keyboard to rs232 using a max232 IC and
> some "inverter" IC.
>
> Can someone please give me as much information about this as possible?
> I've not found much about this on the net. No fotos of working circuits
> and no real circuit diagram.
>
> Someone here who has someting like this running?
>
> I would buy my parts from the german seller "reichelt.de". See here:
> http://www.reichelt.de/
>
> Maybe someone here is able to use their website.
>
> Which of the "max232" ICs they sell is the right one for me? Is it
> possible that there are max232 ICs where I don't need the capacitors? If
> so: Which ones?


You can get Maxim ICs for free with no problems. Just fill in an online
request for samples. Maxim have a nice policy on that. I always design
circuits around their ICs!! When I need larger quantities I buy them,
but not for one-offs.

But to be honest, looking at your post, I think you need to do some more
electronics before embarking on this. I very much doubt this is a very
simple task.

--
Dave K

Minefield Consultant and Solitaire Expert (MCSE).

Please note my email address changes periodically to avoid spam.
It is always of the form: month-year@domain. Hitting reply will work
for a couple of months only. Later set it manually.

Hi,

Michael Laajanen <michael_laajanen@yahoo.com> writes:
[...]
> Goodluck and PLS maka a posting here once you done with it, the type 5
> is really nice!
I have built such a beast years ago. And it works. But it is really
really annoying that it only works with a running kernel. After two
weeks of using it I started to hack a solution based on a
microcontroller. It never reached production state , but works for
me over two or three years.

VG
hmw

--
We're back to the times when men were men and wrote their own device drivers
Linus Torvalds