Keyboard for my Osborne 1

[ex-parrot]

Hi all,

I've recently retrieved my Osborne 1 from storage and it's looking a little worse for wear

I've never actually had a keyboard for it (bought it around ~ 2000 from the Nelson Refuse Transfer Station). Does anyone have a keyboard to suit this model of Osborne lying around?

[ex-parrot]

I should clarify that I feel an Osborne-less keyboard is likely to be very rare, I would also be interested in entire Osborn or Kaypro systems

[tezza]

Yes, I think the keyboard would be rarer than the Osborne 1 units themselves! I don't know much about these keyboards but if they are like Kaypro ones, it's quite a simple RS-232 interface. If that's the case, you might be able to connect it to an RS-232 port in an old PC or protable, which some rewiring etc. A bit like Philip Avery did here using a comms program on his Model 100
http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blo ... yboard.htm

[ex-parrot]

I don't know much about these keyboards but if they are like Kaypro ones, it's quite a simple RS-232 interface. If that's the case, you might be able to connect it to an RS-232 port in an old PC or protable, which some rewiring etc.

I have the service documents with the keyboard pinout, fortunately. It's just a matrix though

I did build a replacement keyboard at one point some time ago, but have lost it since.

Meanwhile, I now own: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=1054664295, so problem solved I think