Cut Model F Cable

podgen · 27 May 2023, 11:58

Hiya, let me know if I've done something wrong, first time posting.
I recently got my Model F XT for a very reasonable price - the catch was a cut cable. Ideally I'd get a replacement cable then buy a premade converter as making my own converters has done me no good, but on the rare occasion that a model f cable pops up it tends to cost almost the same as the board I'd be buying it for.

Is my only avenue wiring a teensy to the remnants of cable left in the case, or is there another solution?
Thanks!

fohat · 27 May 2023, 16:43

Hard-wiring a Teensy inside the case, with a USB cable ready to plug-and-play with modern computers without drama, seems like the ideal scenario to me.

podgen · 27 May 2023, 21:27

fohat wrote: 27 May 2023, 16:43 Hard-wiring a Teensy inside the case, with a USB cable ready to plug-and-play with modern computers without drama, seems like the ideal scenario to me.

Alright thanks so much, I'm hoping this one'll be a bit easier than my ongoing ADB project

Muirium · 28 May 2023, 14:56

Definitely try Soarer’s converter. You’ll find instructions how to wire your teensy there as well as how to use his excellent firmware.

I ran it on an XT myself for many years. Highly recommended!

MathematicalJ · 28 May 2023, 20:02

I just happen to be dealing with the exact same situation as OP.

Muirium wrote: 28 May 2023, 14:56 Definitely try Soarer’s converter. …I ran it on an XT myself for many years. Highly recommended!

The reason I opted against Soarer's converter is because it is closed source, hasn't been updated since 2013, and as far as I know the author hasn't been heard from since 2014. On the other hand, I do think it's reasonable to take the position that, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. In other words, Soarer's converter is "done," so doesn't need maintenance, and it's been field tested enough to be confident it works. I would feel more confident with the software for the thing I type my passwords and everything else into being open source.

TMK has a converter. Someone ported it to QMK, made a PR, and then closed it, so if you know a little about git and compiling software, you could probably use QMK also, which means you aren't tied to Atmega microcontrollers. Slap it on a $2 blue pill, and Bob's your uncle.

Polecat · 28 May 2023, 20:29

podgen wrote: 27 May 2023, 11:58
Is my only avenue wiring a teensy to the remnants of cable left in the case, or is there another solution?
Thanks!

Why not just splice a new DIN5 (or PS/2) cable onto the remnant of the original cable and use a plug-in converter?

podgen · 05 Jun 2023, 21:37

MathematicalJ wrote: 28 May 2023, 20:02 I just happen to be dealing with the exact same situation as OP.

Muirium wrote: 28 May 2023, 14:56 Definitely try Soarer’s converter. …I ran it on an XT myself for many years. Highly recommended!
The reason I opted against Soarer's converter is because it is closed source, hasn't been updated since 2013, and as far as I know the author hasn't been heard from since 2014. On the other hand, I do think it's reasonable to take the position that, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. In other words, Soarer's converter is "done," so doesn't need maintenance, and it's been field tested enough to be confident it works. I would feel more confident with the software for the thing I type my passwords and everything else into being open source.

TMK has a converter. Someone ported it to QMK, made a PR, and then closed it, so if you know a little about git and compiling software, you could probably use QMK also, which means you aren't tied to Atmega microcontrollers. Slap it on a $2 blue pill, and Bob's your uncle.

that is a good point. I think if the barrier for entry for TMK wasn't so high, i totally would use that for everything - but trying to program an adb converter has meant much stress and learning that honestly doesn't seem worth.

i ended up buying a teensy and did an internal conversion with soarer's, you have no idea (you probably do) how lovely it is just being able to install the hex file like that

podgen · 05 Jun 2023, 21:40

Polecat wrote: 28 May 2023, 20:29
podgen wrote: 27 May 2023, 11:58
Is my only avenue wiring a teensy to the remnants of cable left in the case, or is there another solution?
Thanks!
Why not just splice a new DIN5 (or PS/2) cable onto the remnant of the original cable and use a plug-in converter?

awh that would've made sense, i can't quite find it in myself to dismantle a vintage keyboard for the cable though! I ended up going for an internal conversion, but if i want the cable to be detachable i need to file the case a little bit

AndyJ · 16 Jun 2023, 16:53

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... =0&_sop=15

Lot of 5 DIN 5 male connectors for US$2.86.

The pinout is on the web.

Muirium · 16 Jun 2023, 16:54

Ah, but those are cheap feeling crap though. You want the original cable?

I did salvage one just recently…

podgen · 18 Jun 2023, 14:50

Muirium wrote: 16 Jun 2023, 16:54 Ah, but those are cheap feeling crap though. You want the original cable?

I did salvage one just recently…

Oh really? I've internally modded now but I will forever miss the original cable - no promises, but how much might you want for it?

Muirium · 19 Jun 2023, 13:37

Similar story to my own. I nodded my AT to a USB C port on the back (its cable had disintegrated into a sticky rubber ooze) but there’s something right about the big original IBM cable and its plug, so I salvaged one from an XT that I parted out. Don’t think I’ll actually undo my USB mod to put it into the AT, but the original aesthetic is ever tempting.

fohat · 19 Jun 2023, 15:19

Muirium wrote: 19 Jun 2023, 13:37
its cable had disintegrated into a sticky rubber ooze

This has been my experience with the overwhelming majority of the original black IBM cables of that era.

I have gotten them in the original styrofoam and found the little white balls melded into them. Yuck!

LambdaCore · 21 Jun 2023, 08:11

I wonder if you couldn't attempt to reuse the rubber cable housing over a USB cable, of course that sounds like a lot more work than simply finding a working old black IBM cable and wiring a USB A end to it and soldering the end of the wire to a USB converter. Besides that, you could probably find industrial grade coiled USB cables that look and feel similar enough, at least to a point (it's hard to top early 80's IBM build quality!)

Muirium · 21 Jun 2023, 12:07

When a cable’s cut off, you don’t typically get the cable.

That rubber cable housing is the bit that so often melts into sticky inky ooze, as well.

AndyJ · 21 Jun 2023, 19:03

6-conductor coil cable, up to 3.75 meters, on eBay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/354844841520

It's shiny black instead of flat black like the original IBMs.

podgen · 21 Jun 2023, 19:22

LambdaCore wrote: 21 Jun 2023, 08:11 I wonder if you couldn't attempt to reuse the rubber cable housing over a USB cable, of course that sounds like a lot more work than simply finding a working old black IBM cable and wiring a USB A end to it and soldering the end of the wire to a USB converter. Besides that, you could probably find industrial grade coiled USB cables that look and feel similar enough, at least to a point (it's hard to top early 80's IBM build quality!)

that sounds interesting - i honestly think it would be easier to get a cablemod one made. after i usb modded my F i'm now using a coiled, black but braided cable that i got with my zoom tkl. It's a nice homage to the original.