Subject: Type-3 keybaords on recent machines
To: None <port-sparc@NetBSD.ORG, port-sun3@NetBSD.ORG>
From: der Mouse <mouse@Collatz.McRCIM.McGill.EDU>
List: port-sun3
Date: 06/14/1996 14:00:20
As I've mentioned on one or both of these lists in the past, I know a
type-3 keyboard is signal-compatible with a type-4 or higher; recently,
I finally checked other things.  In particular, I actually measured the
current draw of a type-3, and found it was about 180ma (no mouse
connected), which is well under what the sticker on a type-4 claims it
is rated at and thus presumably well under what the keyboard power fuse
is rated at.  So I went ahead and built an adapter with a miniDIN-8 on
one end and a female DB-15 on the other, and am happy to report that
"my" NetBSD/sparc machine, an IPC, is running with a type-3 keyboard
and seems entirely content.

If anyone cares, I'll be glad to describe the relevant cable in more
detail, though it's hardly necessary - the Sun hardware FAQ contains
the pinout of the miniDIN-8, and Sun-3 hardware manuals contain the
pinout for the keyboard DB-15.

					der Mouse

			    mouse@collatz.mcrcim.mcgill.edu