What is the pre-PS2 connector called?

[britechguy]

Right now I'm the executor for an estate and clearing out house contents. I've run into a Midwest Micro keyboard with this style of connector, but cannot for the life of me remember what the PS2 on steroids was called. I have no recollections of either PS or PS1, so thought I'd ask.

 

[seashore]

Right now I'm the executor for an estate and clearing out house contents. I've run into a Midwest Micro keyboard with this style of connector, but cannot for the life of me remember what the PS2 on steroids was called. I have no recollections of either PS or PS1, so thought I'd ask.

Any picture?

 

[phaZed]

"5-pin DIN AT" as @Computer Bloke has it.

 

[NviGate Systems]

We used to call them PC AT Keyboards. Some of them have collectible status due to switch keys. You can convert them to PS2.

 

[britechguy]

I'll post photos later. The size my phone takes is too large for the forum and resizing on computer is far easier than screwing around on the phone with camera settings.

 

[britechguy]

View attachment 12743

5-pin DIN?

Yep. Dates from the Win95 era.

 

[phaZed]

Yep. Dates from the Win95 era.

Pretty sure it dates to further than that. IIRC it was popularized during the IBM XT and AT era as far as that connector goes.

EDIT: re-reading that, you're likely referring to the keyboard you have, lol.

 

[britechguy]

I'm going by the actual label on this one. I realize the actual connector style predates that.

 

[Markverhyden]

Pretty sure it dates to further than that. IIRC it was popularized during the IBM XT and AT era as far as that connector goes.

EDIT: re-reading that, you're likely referring to the keyboard you have, lol.

Beat me to it. That's why they were known as XT keyboards as they came with IBM PC XT's, the first popularly sold desktop computer's. Just like why clones were called PC's. Midwest Micro was a well known manufacturer of XT keyboards.

 

[Stever]

For that vintage it would be 5 pin din.
Annything of that vintage is worth a shout to LGR to see if it is of interest to him !

 

[britechguy]

As promised, photos:

 

[Stever]

As promised, photos:

View attachment 12745View attachment 12746


View attachment 12745

Yep thats a 5 pin din, LGR might be interested
Edit - What is of interest is that it is 5 pin din with a Windows key !

 

[britechguy]

What is of interest is that it is 5 pin din with a Windows key !

2 of 'em (along with a context menu/applications key, too).

 

[GTP]

I've never seen a KB with 2 "Windows Keys" before. (Not that I remember anyway)
Very interesting.
I have quite a few old parts in a back shed.
I should go digging for gold, lol.

 

[GTP]

Is this the name of a business?
If it is its very cool to see your business name right in front of the client.

 

[britechguy]

Is this the name of a business?
If it is its very cool to see your business name right in front of the client.

View attachment 12747

It was the name of a business: https://www.computerhope.com/comp/mwm.htm

 

[sapphirescales]

LOL. It's been SO freaking long since I've used a DIN keyboard. The name still came to me in an instant though. I kind of miss those huge connectors. When you look back at the DIN connection and compare it to a USB-C and all the capabilities it has it really puts things into perspective. All those crazy connection changes over the years really have made things better, and while each change individually seemed insignificant and almost like a shameless money-grab, when you look at a DIN connector side-by-side with a USB-C connector it really was worth all the BS. The ENTIRE isle in Microcenter dedicated to cables with different connectors doesn't seem so ridiculous anymore.

 

[Stever]

2 of 'em (along with a context menu/applications key, too).

LGR will probably be interested in them

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Dating myself by stating we used to have piles of those when I was at Computer Land. With the big old IBM PC...oh jeeeze...300 series back then?

 

[Philippe]

The connector is DIN 5 XT / AT, but the * protocol * is different between an "AT" keyboard and an "XT" keyboard.
Some keyboards have a switch underneath for selecting the correct protocol.
I assume a Win95 keyboard is using the AT protocol... (AT protocol is PS/2 compatible).