Help using IBM knock-off keyboard (Unitek K-150L) with modern OS

Howdy friends, new poster long time lurker. I recently came into an IBM knock-off keyboard from what I suspect to be 1986-1988. Like most IBM-compatible keyboards, it has an onboard DIN-5 connection. Since my motherboard (Asrock Z590 Extreme) has onboard PS/2, I ordered a DIN5 >> PS/2 converter in the hopes it would “just work” (unlikely, I know).

To nobody’s surprise, it didn’t work. I’ve been doing further research and suspect the keyboard’s protocol is XT, not AT, and additional research leads me to believe that the protocol mismatch is part of why Windows cannot seem to find or detect that I’ve connected any PS/2 devices. I’ve tried hot-swapping the cable, connecting it while the sytstem is off and then powering it on, removing Keyboard drivers and re-discovering keyboards, and nothing provoked a response from the keyboard itself.

From further research, I found an old thread on another forum suggesting I look into a Soarer’s adapter (which I’ve ordered, and will be here by end of week). What I’m not sure about, however, is whether or not the converter will work, or if I’m missing something obvious.

The board has 83 Cherry Black switches and one Cherry Gray (spacebar). I’d love to be able to use it in its original chassis with original PCB, but if I can’t find a way to connect it up to a more modern OS, my only remaining course of action would be to de-solder the switches and use them on another board.

Does anyone in here have experience with this particular model (pictures below), or suggestions? As well, not sure if the IBM model M conversion kits I’ve seen Wendell mention on the channel will work with a knock-off, as it’s not “truly” an IBM Model M keyboard.

Am I missing something obvious? Are there additional tests I should be trying? And if anyone knows, would the Soarer’s converter work with a non-IBM keyboard? Many thanks in advance.





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Update - the keyboard is working!!! I had run into bunches of issues with a pre-made Soarer’s cable off Amazon, and after guidance from a youtuber with a similar board, I tried flashing TMK’s firmware to my cable instead. They have a catch-all IBMPC_USB firmware that was able to read my board right out of the gate!!

I’ve accidentally locked myself out of flashing any new firmware to this cable (since I cannot force it into bootloader mode without a hardware button that doesn’t exist on my pre-made cable), but have a cable for translating IBM protocol boards with DIN connectors to USB!!

I have a new board (Focus 2001) coming tomorrow, as well as parts for building a Soarer’s converter to add onboard USB to my boards in place of the OG cables. Will likely post an update on those here if there’s enough interest.

I did notice that there aren’t too many comprehensive guides to building a converter, and so I’m working on contributing at least one to the greater internet as a whole.

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More updates - I finally have the keyboard modified with “onboard” USB!! I’ve also put a full guide to building a converter together, but that’s not for here. I DO have pictures of the keyboard’s nearly final form! Just waiting for my replaacement switches to address my dead question mark key.

So glad to have figured this out

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