Re: DEC Keyboard Question

From: Ken Fairfield (my.full.name_at_intel.com)
Date: 01/25/05 

Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2005 16:53:48 -0800

johnhreinhardt@yahoo.com wrote:
> I have a couple of questions about DEC/Compaq/HP keyboards. The first
> question may make the second one moot but here goes:
>
> I have found discussions about various KVM switches and the DEC 108-key
> keybords and most seem to indicate that they do not mix well except for
> a few brands/models. Does anyone know if the Avocent Outlook ES series
> works or doesn't?

I was the instigator of one of those discussions, from Sept.2003. :-)

I don't know specifically about the Outlook ES, but when I queried
Avocent's technical support that Fall, the answer I got back was,

     "While our switches do support mode 3 keyboard, it is
      currently only in the 101/102 keyboard layout. The
      additional keys would not pass through."

I got similar negative responses from Adder, Linksys and Belkin.
I didn't expect anything different from Belkin, but Adder had a
nice little switch I would've liked to buy...too bad...

The other piece of information I've gleaned from my research is
that essentially all of the switches put the physical keyboard
into mode 2, then translate to/from mode 3 for the VMS connection.

Apparently Raritan does the translation with a per-system-connection
adapter (Alan, correct me if I'm wrong; I don't have any personal
experience with Raritan).

Rose does the translation in the switch if you get a model that
supports this: "ServeView +" / "ServeView Pro" do, as well as
their more expensive UltraView series.

Christoph Gartmann has noted that even with the ServeView, you
may need to (temporarily?) connect a/the keyboard directly to
the Alpha system on reboot to get the full set of keys recognized.
Again, I don't have personal experience with the ServeView...
although I'm trying to find one I like on eBay...

> Also, dispite much Googling and Yahooing I have not been able to find
> the difference between the LK46W-XX and LK461-XX keyboards. I know
> they are both 108-key "OpenVMS" style, although I cannot find any
> keyboard layouts. I have also found in various SOC editions where both
> are listed as suitable for AlphaServer class machines. I just wonder
> what the difference was and if it is significant or will either work
> fine with my OpenVMS boxes.

As others have said, all the LK46y-xx keyboards (at least the US
versions) have the same key layout and are all compatible with a
standard PS/2 keyboard connection. IIRC, the LK46W-xx is white.
I have an LK461-A2 (beige) at work and an LK462-A2 (black) at home.
The new LK463-xx has a USB connector, plus a USB-PS/2 adapter, so
it can be used with both Alphas (and older PCs), and with new PCs
and (presumably) Integrity (IA64) servers. The only difference
I've noticed between the various models is that the newer ones feel
cheaper/have poorer action. :-(

     Regards, Ken 

-- 
I don't speak for Intel, Intel doesn't speak for me...
Ken Fairfield
D1C Automation VMS System Support
who:   kenneth dot h dot fairfield
where: intel dot com
Quantcast