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I suppose I did a poor job of explaining myself here... The Displaywriter internal data stream is EBCDIC, but translation to ASCII is available as an interpretation table that can be set in software OR with jumpers located on the keyboard. There are actually over 70 of these on-board tables in...

All of Textpack, and CED, is written in EBCDIC (except for the ASC and BSC broadcasts, which are then translated back to EBCDIC). However, everything I've seen points toward the Displaywriter hardware supporting the ASCII code set. The way CP/M and DOS for Displaywriter works is that the...

It's actually the other way around. Displaywriter handles ASCII.

That cable you have looks to be either the cable used to allow a PC to connect to a Displaywriter 5218 printer or the cable for the PC attachment kit to attach directly to the 6580 system. What is its pinout? Also do you have the accompanying software disk?

I mean, I am happy to send you the controller card if you want to desolder the chip do a dump of the ROM. It attaches via edge connector, so I can just slide it back on the keyboard when you are finished. This has to do with how MSDOS bootstraps itself. It does its own check of the system RAM...

I have one with the same part number but what looks like an updated chip with updated IBM code. Plastic package instead of ceramic, stamped: i 8493174 PI M P L7200630 8719 c IBM 1984 ⓜ © INTEL '82 Significant, Al? Could this be the 8049? This info is probably of little use but I am...

Yeah that's the 8 channel capacitive matrix sensor.

You will have a hard time getting a non-displaywriter keyboard controller to work with the Textpack system because the keyboard contains the key map for the Textpack software, some diagnostics and also the system sound. Each keyboard has a number identifier associated with it for what language...

What is a displaywriter system/36 unit and how does it differ from a regular displaywriter?

I'm having the dangedest time trying to set this thing up and I want to make sure I'm doing this right before I go out and buy a new mouse. I've got a mouse that is not detected by my PC AT. I'm using just the standard IBM serial card. The mouse cord has good continuity. Whenever I try to...

Hi, I'm looking for the program software for the Displaywriter. Everything except DOS seems to be on the bitsavers database, but I don't have the ability to get the files onto 8 inch diskettes. I have blank 8 inch diskettes but I need someone who can help with getting the files on them. Thanks...

Since this wasn't ever answered, the reason that the two keyboards aren't interchangeable is because they have different matrixes. The 3101 has a 24x4 matrix and the 6580 has a 12x8 matrix. The keyboard controllers are sending incompatible data over to the computer.

Hi guys, Zoomer here who just purchased a vintage (IBM 5170) computer. First time posting here as well. Apologies as I'm sure this info is covered elsewhere but I can't seem to find it. Basically I'm wondering how to get this computer up and running. I haven't powered it on but I've opened it...