Attempt at Compaq keybord swap with a PC keyboard (failed)

Chuck Guzis cclist at sydex.com
Mon Jan 23 11:56:45 CST 2017


On 01/23/2017 09:36 AM, Josh Dersch wrote:
> Just to be sure -- the PC keyboard you're using is an actual PC/XT 
> compatible keyboard, not an AT, correct?  The PC/XT used a different 
> protocol and is incompatible with later keyboards...

That occurred to me also--it seems so obvious that I passed mention of it.

But PC 5150/5160-type keyboards use a very different protocol from 5170
and later keyboards--and they're not interchangeable.   Some early
AT-style keyboards can be configured for either mode (e.g. the
Keytroics/Honeywell KB101), but if you're going to use a AT or PS/2
style keyboard with an XT-class machine, you'll need a converter.

--Chuck


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