Using an LK201 Keyboard via an adapter for a x86 virtual session

[raysangiorgio@yahoo.com]

Has anyone found a good USB adapter to use an original Dec LK201 keyboard on a PC running the VMI virtual VMS system? I’d like to do a bunch of editing using EDT and really need a true LK keypad to rock,on. Thanks.

[sms]

Code: Select all

> [...] using EDT and really need a true LK keypad [...]

   Define "true LK keypad".  What, exactly, do you need?

   For example, I use an Apple USB keyboard (with keypad), connected to
a Mac, and use XQuartz-xterm as a terminal emulator (with a bit of
xmodmap action).  Some keypad labels are wrong, but the keypad has 
three keys above the <enter> key, and everything in the top row is an
ordinary key (so <PF1>/<Gold> is not a problem).

   Around here, I generally use EDIT /TPU with "set keypad edt" in my
SYS$LOGIN:EVE_INIT.EVE, but I don't recall seeing any trouble with real
EDT (which I use only very seldom).

   I never felt the need to map <Help> or <Do>, or any <Fxx> keys, so
I'm satisfied.  I occasionally use such a keyboard with a Windows
system, without noticing any special problems, but I don't do anything
exotic there.

[roberbrooks]

> Has anyone found a good USB adapter to use an original Dec LK201 keyboard on a PC running the
> VMI virtual VMS system? I’d like to do a bunch of editing using EDT and really need a true LK keypad to rock,on. Thanks.

I have been using an LK46W-A2 for almost 25 years with the PowerTerm emulator. I helped debug EDT during its port to X86_64 using that keyboard and emulator. I've been using the same edtini.edt initialisation file for over 40 years; I'm an EDT fan.

I am using an adapter from perixx.com; I'm pretty sure it's this one

https://perixx.com/products/ps-2-usb-ad ... -and-mouse

[raysangiorgio@yahoo.com]

Thanks, I’ll look into it. Love to see your edtini.edt file as I’ve lost all mine

[dmjb]

I have seen some homemade projects to convert an LK201, most of them required self asssembly. The officially supported path is to get one of the LK4xx keyboards which comes with a PS/2 or USB cable.

[raysangiorgio@yahoo.com]

I could be wrong but doesn’t the LK4xx have a different keypad layout from the LK201? This makes using EDT a lot harder.

[dmjb]

Yes, some of the LK4xx keyboards did have different layouts, but most of them have a layout similar to the LK201. You may want to look up models such as the LK411, LK451, LK461. This is not an exhaustive list by any means.

[raysangiorgio@yahoo.com]

Yes thanks. I did notice that the LK411 keyboard has the correct keypad layout AND a PS2 connector too.

[roberbrooks]

> I could be wrong but doesn’t the LK4xx have a different keypad layout from the LK201? This makes using EDT a lot harder.

I have several LK201-AA keyboards that plug quite nicely into my VR201 monitor for my Rainbows.

Other than the existence of the ALT key on my LK46W-A2, I do not see any appreciable difference between the two.