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My Latest Buy (5160)

If you can get a 8-bit VGA Card you can use a standard VGA Monitor XT keyboards are not hard to find.
 
Great computer. I can't believe how clean and shiny the insides are.

XT-keyboards are easily found on eBay. Maybe one of our members is looking to get rid of one? You will have to determine what type of video card it has when you get it. Most likely it will require a 9-pin ttl monitor. Those come available often enough on eBay. Or, you may want to set it up so you can use a conventional 15-pin VGA monitor. Those adapters aren't too difficult to find. There was a recent thread discussing 16-bit VGA cards that will also work in an 8-bit ISA slot like the IBM 5160 uses. You just have to know which ones are compatible.
 
It may be cheapest to just get the XT-AT keyboard converter if you have a spare PS/2-style keyboard kicking around. Of course, all of the keys on the newer keyboard are in the "wrong" place... :)
 
But I want a clicky keyboard so bad!! Haha! I might see if I can find an XT-AT converter...I think my neighbor might just have one!

I can use the CGA card with a composite monitor, like my Commodore 1702, right?

Can I run DOS 6.22 on the XT?

Kyle
 
antiquekid3 said:
I might see if I can find an XT-AT converter...I think my neighbor might just have one!
Click to expand...
Your neighbour! If you're referring to something like the adapter in the center of the picture below, then it won't work. That adapter only allows for the different type of connectors. There is an electrical difference between keyboards for the PC and XT and keyboards for the AT and PS/2.

So you either need to:
1. locate a keyboard that is specifically for the PC or XT, or
2. use an AT or PS/2 keyboard with an adapter that accounts for the electrical difference.

The adapter that Chuck was referring to is one that accounts for the electrical difference.
Example: http://wiki.vintage-computer.com/index.php/AT2XT_keyboard_converter

keyboard_adaptor.jpg
 
That looks like the system I started this thread about. It looks to be a 5160 motherboard in a non-IBM chassis with an IBM PC top cover. It looks pretty clean, let us know more about it once you get it.
 
There are 2 ports on the back of the computer located above the keyboard socket. They are internally connected to a board via ribbon cable that has a Seagate BIOS chip on it. What the heck would that be?
 
Take a better look--the two ribbon cables sneak under the hard disk controller (with the Seagate BIOS on it) and connect to the multifunction/RAM board behind it.

My guess is two serial ports.
 
modem7 said:
2. use an AT or PS/2 keyboard with an adapter that accounts for the electrical difference.
Click to expand...

I have to say that there is no differences in the electrical sinals when it comes to AT versus XT keyboards. The thing that makes AT keyboards and XT keyboards incompatible with each other is actually only the transfer protocoll, and some of the scancodes.
 
per said:
I have to say that there is no differences in the electrical sinals when it comes to AT versus XT keyboards. The thing that makes AT keyboards and XT keyboards incompatible with each other is actually only the transfer protocoll, and some of the scancodes.
Click to expand...
In classing what is physical and what is electrical in an interface, isn't protocol in the electrical class?
 
modem7 said:
In classing what is physical and what is electrical in an interface, isn't protocol in the electrical class?
Click to expand...

I see your point. The thing is that when I hear "eletrical difference", I start to think that it uses a different voltage or something like that.
 
antiquekid3 said:
Can I use this in my computer?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Zenith-150-307-...o_TV_Cards&hash=item2307c408e5#ht_3896wt_1139
Would I need any drivers or such to use it, too?

And I assume, since this says "PS/2," that it will NOT work with my XT?
http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-IBM-CLI...Trackballs&hash=item53e1d03457#ht_3788wt_1139

Thanks guys!

Kyle
Click to expand...

EGA/VGA cards usually has their drivers stored as a BIOS extension in a ROM chip located on the card itself. Note that this is only a BIOS-level driver, so programs using their own low-level driver-system will need a custom driver to take full usage of that spesific card. Generic EGA/VGA drivers should however work in that case, but the card will only do the standard EGA/VGA functions then.

Regarding the keyboard, some Model M keyboards can autodetect if it's being used in an XT or AT, and then choose the correct protocoll. There was a list on the Model M article on Wikipedia some time ago stating what Model M keyboards did and didn't do this, but I don't know if it has been removed by now.
 
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That PS/2 KB will work. You may need PS/2 adapter from your favorite computer store or get it online. Just about all of the lastest mobo's support standard PS/2 mouse and keyboard connectors. Some, however, are going strictly USB to save a penny or two.
 
How can I be certain that this Model M (1391401) will work with an XT? The Wikipedia article seems to indicate it is just a PS/2 and AT keyboard. Just confirming...

Kyle
 
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