IBM clickety-clack keyboard question

  • Thread starter Thread starter John
  • Start date Start date
J

John

Hello all,

I just picked up an old IBM clickety-clack 102 keyboard, a 139140. Only
paid a buck for it but of course its missing its removable cord. Darn
shame as it looks as though it was hardly used. I used these keyboards
years ago and you just can't beat them for feel. Their multiple key
press ability is impressive too, I believe they you can activate unto 6
keys at once! That would be a great gaming board although its not what I
want it for. The keyboards made today are all junk in my opinion no
matter their price. Who needs all the extra keys and gadgets attached to
modern keyboards? Even Windows keys seem silly to me. The worse part is
the unnecessary garbage crowds out the keys actually needed to type.


The missing cord needs what looks like an over sized telephone jack on
the keyboard end of the line.

So does anyone know:

1. What is the formal name of the IBM port that looks like an oversize
telephone jack. I would guess an RJ something or other but I honestly
don't know. So I can Google for parts to make a cord if need be.

2. How I would find the part number for just the cord so I could Google
specifically for it. I found the keyboard with no problem and it sells
for as little as $40 wo/ a cord or for parts and up to $145 new in the box.

If it helps:

Fru. No. is 1392090
I.D. No. is 8737549
and mfg. date is 03-10-93

Thanks in advance with any help you people can offer.

John
 
Hello all,

I just picked up an old IBM clickety-clack 102 keyboard, a 139140. Only
paid a buck for it but of course its missing its removable cord. Darn
shame as it looks as though it was hardly used. I used these keyboards
years ago and you just can't beat them for feel. Their multiple key
press ability is impressive too, I believe they you can activate unto 6
keys at once! That would be a great gaming board although its not what I
want it for. The keyboards made today are all junk in my opinion no
matter their price. Who needs all the extra keys and gadgets attached to
modern keyboards? Even Windows keys seem silly to me. The worse part is
the unnecessary garbage crowds out the keys actually needed to type.


The missing cord needs what looks like an over sized telephone jack on
the keyboard end of the line.
Click to expand...
So does anyone know:

1. What is the formal name of the IBM port that looks like an oversize
telephone jack. I would guess an RJ something or other but I honestly
don't know. So I can Google for parts to make a cord if need be.
Click to expand...

Keyboards that use that type of jack were used on 3270 dumb terminals. Not
sure whether they can be converted to use with PCs however.
 
XModem said:
Keyboards that use that type of jack were used on 3270 dumb terminals. Not
sure whether they can be converted to use with PCs however.
Click to expand...

Yea, I read on the net where some people needed to solder in a couple of
resistors to the keyboard PCB because the keyboard draws more amperage
than modern ones. But some found that they worked just fine on their
rigs. But without a cord ...

Thanks,
John
 
John said:
Hello all,

I just picked up an old IBM clickety-clack 102 keyboard, a 139140.
Only paid a buck for it but of course its missing its removable cord.
Darn shame as it looks as though it was hardly used. I used these
keyboards years ago and you just can't beat them for feel. Their
multiple key press ability is impressive too, I believe they you can
activate unto 6 keys at once! That would be a great gaming board
although its not what I want it for. The keyboards made today are all
junk in my opinion no matter their price. Who needs all the extra keys
and gadgets attached to modern keyboards? Even Windows keys seem silly
to me. The worse part is the unnecessary garbage crowds out the keys
actually needed to type.


The missing cord needs what looks like an over sized telephone jack on
the keyboard end of the line.

So does anyone know:

1. What is the formal name of the IBM port that looks like an oversize
telephone jack. I would guess an RJ something or other but I honestly
don't know. So I can Google for parts to make a cord if need be.

2. How I would find the part number for just the cord so I could Google
specifically for it. I found the keyboard with no problem and it sells
for as little as $40 wo/ a cord or for parts and up to $145 new in the box.

If it helps:

Fru. No. is 1392090
I.D. No. is 8737549
and mfg. date is 03-10-93

Thanks in advance with any help you people can offer.

John
Click to expand...

Should have included this, its a picture of the back of the keyboard
showing the jack.

http://us.geocities.com/jszybowski/keyboard/MakeCable.htm

John
 
John said:
Yea, I read on the net where some people needed to solder in a couple of
resistors to the keyboard PCB because the keyboard draws more amperage
than modern ones. But some found that they worked just fine on their
rigs. But without a cord ...

Thanks,
John
Click to expand...

I believe I know which keyboard you are talking about, and they were
referred to as "Click type" keyboards in my group. If you can't find a
cord, you can solder in a cord from a PS2 keyboard you have scrapped.
If it comes to that, I can send you the wiring points for that
conversion as I have done many of them. Those that I have done did not
require any resistor. They are nice keyboards and built like a rock.

Ken
 
Ken said:
I believe I know which keyboard you are talking about, and they were
referred to as "Click type" keyboards in my group. If you can't find a
cord, you can solder in a cord from a PS2 keyboard you have scrapped. If
it comes to that, I can send you the wiring points for that conversion
as I have done many of them. Those that I have done did not require any
resistor. They are nice keyboards and built like a rock.

Ken
Click to expand...

Thanks Ken. This site shows what you are talking about but I don't even
have a multimeter and my soldering skills most definately need parctice.
So you can see I would much rather get a cord if possible. But if it
comes to that I am willing to give it a try, but I would hate to scrap
the keyboard due to my lack of skill. It is in *really* good condition.

http://us.geocities.com/jszybowski/keyboard/MakeCable.htm

Thanks again,
John
 
Ken said:
I believe I know which keyboard you are talking about, and they were
referred to as "Click type" keyboards in my group. If you can't find a
cord, you can solder in a cord from a PS2 keyboard you have scrapped. If
it comes to that, I can send you the wiring points for that conversion
as I have done many of them. Those that I have done did not require any
resistor. They are nice keyboards and built like a rock.

Ken
Click to expand...

OK Ken I appreciate the help. Send them to ...

(e-mail address removed)

Remove the XXXXX first, the spam is killing me!

Thanks so much,
John
 
The missing cord needs what looks like an over sized telephone jack on the
keyboard end of the line.

So does anyone know:

1. What is the formal name of the IBM port that looks like an oversize
telephone jack. I would guess an RJ something or other but I honestly
don't know. So I can Google for parts to make a cord if need be.

2. How I would find the part number for just the cord so I could Google
specifically for it. I found the keyboard with no problem and it sells
for as little as $40 wo/ a cord or for parts and up to $145 new in the
box.

If it helps:

Fru. No. is 1392090
I.D. No. is 8737549
and mfg. date is 03-10-93
Click to expand...

Is this it:

http://www.affordablesurplus.com/detail.asp?product_id=KB-IBM-1393120
 
John said:
Hey thanks! At least I have the cable part number now. Did some searches
and no one (except in lots of 1000, lol) have them in stock right now
but I will continue looking.
Click to expand...

Try your local second hand stores like Goodwill/St. Vincents/ whatever you
have locally. Sometimes the right store will have boxes of cables you can
pick through to find the right one.

Jon
 
Try your local second hand stores like Goodwill/St. Vincents/ whatever you
have locally. Sometimes the right store will have boxes of cables you can
pick through to find the right one.
Click to expand...


Some of them might even have similar-enough keyboard with a
cable already on it.
 
John said:
Hello all,

I just picked up an old IBM clickety-clack 102 keyboard, a 139140.
Only paid a buck for it but of course its missing its removable cord.
Darn shame as it looks as though it was hardly used. I used these
keyboards years ago and you just can't beat them for feel. Their
multiple key press ability is impressive too, I believe they you can
activate unto 6 keys at once! That would be a great gaming board
although its not what I want it for. The keyboards made today are all
junk in my opinion no matter their price. Who needs all the extra keys
and gadgets attached to modern keyboards? Even Windows keys seem silly
to me. The worse part is the unnecessary garbage crowds out the keys
actually needed to type.


The missing cord needs what looks like an over sized telephone jack on
the keyboard end of the line.

So does anyone know:

1. What is the formal name of the IBM port that looks like an oversize
telephone jack. I would guess an RJ something or other but I honestly
don't know. So I can Google for parts to make a cord if need be.

2. How I would find the part number for just the cord so I could Google
specifically for it. I found the keyboard with no problem and it sells
for as little as $40 wo/ a cord or for parts and up to $145 new in the box.

If it helps:

Fru. No. is 1392090
I.D. No. is 8737549
and mfg. date is 03-10-93

Thanks in advance with any help you people can offer.

John
Click to expand...

I found two suppliers for the cord. Prices w/ shipping are $15 or less.

Thanks all,
John
 
John said:
Hello all,

I just picked up an old IBM clickety-clack 102 keyboard, a 139140.
Only paid a buck for it but of course its missing its removable cord.
Darn shame as it looks as though it was hardly used. I used these
keyboards years ago and you just can't beat them for feel. Their
multiple key press ability is impressive too, I believe they you can
activate unto 6 keys at once! That would be a great gaming board
although its not what I want it for. The keyboards made today are all
junk in my opinion no matter their price. Who needs all the extra keys
and gadgets attached to modern keyboards? Even Windows keys seem silly
to me. The worse part is the unnecessary garbage crowds out the keys
actually needed to type.


The missing cord needs what looks like an over sized telephone jack on
the keyboard end of the line.

So does anyone know:

1. What is the formal name of the IBM port that looks like an oversize
telephone jack. I would guess an RJ something or other but I honestly
don't know. So I can Google for parts to make a cord if need be.

2. How I would find the part number for just the cord so I could Google
specifically for it. I found the keyboard with no problem and it sells
for as little as $40 wo/ a cord or for parts and up to $145 new in the box.

If it helps:

Fru. No. is 1392090
I.D. No. is 8737549
and mfg. date is 03-10-93

Thanks in advance with any help you people can offer.

John
Click to expand...


As a follow up I received the cord from Unicomp, Inc. The cost was $7.25
+ $5.28 shipping and it works perfect;y on my P4 - 2.4. The part number
with mini-din is 1395110 if any one else is looking for it.

Thanks again for all your help,
John
 
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