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I've just bought an Ultra 5 off eBay. I don't have a Sun keyboard, but
I've read that it communicates over something like RS232 at TTL levels.
So, can I just put a MAX232 between the serial port on my PC and the Sun
keyboard port, and write a program to translate the data?

If so, does anyone have good info on the keyboard protocol/codes?

Thanks
David

On Mon, 23 Oct 2006, David Graham Knoll wrote:

> I've just bought an Ultra 5 off eBay. I don't have a Sun keyboard, but I've
> read that it communicates over something like RS232 at TTL levels. So, can I
> just put a MAX232 between the serial port on my PC and the Sun keyboard port,
> and write a program to translate the data?

It's not quite that straight forward. Get a Sun keyboard (and mouse);
they're very cheap, and great qaulity too (if you get the Type 5 one;
avoid the Type 6).

--
Rich Teer, SCNA, SCSA, OpenSolaris CAB member

President,
Rite Online Inc.

Voice: +1 (250) 979-1638
URL: http://www.rite-group.com/rich

David Graham Knoll <news@davidknoll.me.uk> writes:
>I've just bought an Ultra 5 off eBay. I don't have a Sun keyboard, but
>I've read that it communicates over something like RS232 at TTL levels.
>So, can I just put a MAX232 between the serial port on my PC and the Sun
>keyboard port, and write a program to translate the data?

Why would you do that (not that it would work)? Why don't you just
hookup a serial cable straight into the serial port, and since there
is no keyboard connected, you'll have full console right there for no work?
Console over serial has worked on Sun workstations for several decades.

>If so, does anyone have good info on the keyboard protocol/codes?

There's some copies floating available, or the original source is the SPARC
internataional website, which probably still charges for the spec,
much like any of the other spec (ie. recent IEEE standards) places do.

Or, pay the $2.99 that a type-5 Sun keyboard goes for on eBay.

Hi All,

I wish Sun keyboard went that cheap in the UK ebay, moree like $35/40
dollars overhere inc delivery

You could also try a Sun Adapter from Belkin, i have one but unfortunetley
does not seem to work , i am getting another one if it does not work the nit
may be the cable, but i will know for sure when i get a hold of a Sun
keyboard at some point the the next week.


So i think you would be best to get a Keyboard and a sun monitor adaptor as
well that way you can use the local graphics engine and avoid and network
traffic to display remote graphical sessions and also be able to get a root
login on the graphical side without to much effort.


Thanks Graeme


"Doug McIntyre" <merlyn@geeks.org> wrote in message
news:453c60ef$0$47439$892e0abb@auth.newsreader.oct anews.com...
> David Graham Knoll <news@davidknoll.me.uk> writes:
>>I've just bought an Ultra 5 off eBay. I don't have a Sun keyboard, but
>>I've read that it communicates over something like RS232 at TTL levels.
>>So, can I just put a MAX232 between the serial port on my PC and the Sun
>>keyboard port, and write a program to translate the data?
>
> Why would you do that (not that it would work)? Why don't you just
> hookup a serial cable straight into the serial port, and since there
> is no keyboard connected, you'll have full console right there for no
> work?
> Console over serial has worked on Sun workstations for several decades.
>
>>If so, does anyone have good info on the keyboard protocol/codes?
>
> There's some copies floating available, or the original source is the
> SPARC
> internataional website, which probably still charges for the spec,
> much like any of the other spec (ie. recent IEEE standards) places do.
>
> Or, pay the $2.99 that a type-5 Sun keyboard goes for on eBay.
>

On 2006-10-23, Graeme Brett Houston <graemebrett.houston@btopenworld.com> wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I wish Sun keyboard went that cheap in the UK ebay, moree like $35/40
> dollars overhere inc delivery

You didn't look very hard, did you?

They seem to go from GBP4.99 to GBP10.00. A search for "Sun keyboard"
on ebay.co.uk found 7.




--
"Other people are not your property."
[email me at huge [at] huge [dot] org [dot] uk]

"Graeme Brett Houston" <graemebrett.houston@btopenworld.com> writes:

>I wish Sun keyboard went that cheap in the UK ebay, moree like $35/40
>dollars overhere inc delivery

Other options include:

- Make sure you run Solaris 10 or later (if running Solaris)
- get a USB card (for $10, most any will work)
- get a USB keyboard.

Drawback: no output on boot, serial console output only until multiuser.

Casper
--
Expressed in this posting are my opinions. They are in no way related
to opinions held by my employer, Sun Microsystems.
Statements on Sun products included here are not gospel and may
be fiction rather than truth.

"Rich Teer" <rich.teer@rite-group.com> wrote in message
news:Pine.SOL.4.64.0610222132340.8214@marrakesh...
> On Mon, 23 Oct 2006, David Graham Knoll wrote:
>
> > I've just bought an Ultra 5 off eBay. I don't have a Sun keyboard, but
I've
> > read that it communicates over something like RS232 at TTL levels. So,
can I
> > just put a MAX232 between the serial port on my PC and the Sun keyboard
port,
> > and write a program to translate the data?
>
> It's not quite that straight forward. Get a Sun keyboard (and mouse);
> they're very cheap, and great qaulity too (if you get the Type 5 one;
> avoid the Type 6).
>
> --
> Rich Teer, SCNA, SCSA, OpenSolaris CAB member
>
> President,
> Rite Online Inc.
>
> Voice: +1 (250) 979-1638
> URL: http://www.rite-group.com/rich

Oh no, say it isn't so. I had to toss a couple of type 5 keyboards and mice
to make room for
some more Sun stuff that I picked up. I needed the storage spot for a Sun
USB keyboard.
To me the Type 5 keyboard is a little heavier duty, but the type 6 is ok
too. I actually wish I could
use them on my PCs, but no chance of that.

The idea about just buying a USB PCI card and hooking up a "regular" USB
keyboard and mouse is one I never
thought about, but sounds great.
>

On Sun, 19 Nov 2006, Gerry Sinkiewicz wrote:

> To me the Type 5 keyboard is a little heavier duty, but the type 6 is ok
> too. I actually wish I could
> use them on my PCs, but no chance of that.

If you get the USB variant, you *can* use a Sun keyboard on a PC.

--
Rich Teer, SCSA, SCNA, SCSECA, OpenSolaris CAB member

President,
Rite Online Inc.

Voice: +1 (250) 979-1638
URL: http://www.rite-group.com/rich

On 2006-10-23 05:33:43 +0100, Rich Teer <rich.teer@rite-group.com> said:

> It's not quite that straight forward. Get a Sun keyboard (and mouse);
> they're very cheap, and great qaulity too (if you get the Type 5 one;
> avoid the Type 6).

It's a strange world where people can describe the type 5 as "high
quality". I mean, I'm sure that relatively speaking it is, but we
should have some values here: the type 3 was high quality, anything
later is basically more-or-less shoddy crap, just slightly less shoddy
than most.

--tim

On Mon, 20 Nov 2006, Tim Bradshaw wrote:

> It's a strange world where people can describe the type 5 as "high quality".
> I mean, I'm sure that relatively speaking it is, but we should have some
> values here: the type 3 was high quality, anything later is basically
> more-or-less shoddy crap, just slightly less shoddy than most.

Horses for course, I guess. I can only just remember the Type 3; I have
a Type 4 here, and it's OK. But from Type 4 -> Type 7, the Type 5c is
my favourite. (I think the Tyep 5 mouse is best, too.)

--
Rich Teer, SCSA, SCNA, SCSECA, OpenSolaris CAB member

President,
Rite Online Inc.

Voice: +1 (250) 979-1638
URL: http://www.rite-group.com/rich