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IBM 5170  -  Keyboard support


What was supplied

The keyboard that IBM supplied with the early models of IBM 5170 is pictured at here.   In IBM's technical documentation, it is referred to as the '84-key keyboard'.

Later models (1986) were supplied with the '101-key enhanced keyboard' for the US market, and the '102-key enhanced keyboard' for non-US markets.


83-key (PC class) keyboards are not useable

When IBM introduced the IBM 5170 (IBM AT), they also introduced a new keyboard protocol, put into both the new 84-key keyboard and the 5170 motherboard.
The 83-key keyboard (only supports the PC protocol) used by the 5170's predecessors, the IBM 5150 (IBM PC) and IBM 5160 (IBM XT), is not useable with the IBM 5170.


Using a USB keyboard

•	Another option is to use a USB keyboard together with a USB-to-AT keyboard adapter.  A couple of examples are described at here.
•	Another option is the HIDman AXP.  I have one, and in 'AT keyboard' emulation mode, it works on my IBM 5170.  See here. NOTE:  PC and XT support appears to be still in development.