Searching for Sun2 and Sun3 bits and bobs- a long-running project approaches completion!

[Frank McConnell]

On Feb 24, 2018, at 18:57, Ian wrote:
> 
> Glen, thanks for the response.
> 
> The keyboard I’m looking for which I need for the 2/120 looks like this: 
> https://www.flickr.com/photos/alanc/4013376694/in/photostream

That is a Sun Type 2 keyboard.

> Part #: 540-1006-01
> 
> It terminates with a registered jack and not a d-sub. 
> 
> Perhaps maybe some late mode Sun2s used the one you pointed at... I have one for the Sun3. I’m not sure.
> 
> I also know the mouse for the Sun2/120 looks like the one for the 3, but is in black and again terminated with a registered jack that connects to the CPU directly, and not via the keyboard as on the keyboard you posted.

The Sun 2/120 had the two RJ connectors for keyboard and mouse and the Type 2 Keyboard and Type 2 Mouse (which you correctly describe) fit them.

I am thinking that there was a passive adapter box that went between the 15-pin D connector on later Suns and the two RJ connectors.  Maybe for the Sun 2/50.  It also allowed one to use the Type 2 keyboard and mouse on the Sun 3/60 (and probably other models too).

Type 2 and Type 3 are electrically the same, the big differences are the connectors and that the Type 3 keyboard is where the mouse signals are split out.

> I’m sure somewhere, some rotten keyboard collector is using the keyboard I need with their Dell PC because the keys click with some vaguely unique hysteresis curve or something…

I remember preferring the Type 2 keyboard to the Type 3 keyboard, and for a while using a Type 2 keyboard and mouse with a Sun 3/60 through one of the passive adaptor boxes.  I do not recall why I preferred the Type 2 keyboard.

And the keyboard collectors want "decent mechanical switches".

<https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=12506.0>

And look at this page, and the 12th picture, for another Type 2 keyboard:

<http://www.9999hp.net/botnet/>

I have to wonder whether that is a sort of thing the keyboard collectors get up to.

-Frank McConnell