Manuel Reimer <mreimer@expires-28-02-2006.news-group.org> writes:
>I want to connect a Sun Keyboard (not USB!) to my PC. I've read that
>it's possible to connect this keyboard to rs232 using a max232 IC and
>some "inverter" IC.

You need more than that. The keyboard talks a whole different protocol
than anything on the PC. To tell you the truth, the US $60 a USB Sun
keyboard costs is going to be cheaper compared to many other options.

What are you trying to accomplish? Do you want to hook the keyboard up
to the PS2 keyboard port on your computer? Do you want to hook it up
to a serial port and have some software that maps keys coming in over
serial port into real keystrokes?

Most likely, you are looking to hook the Sun keyboard into the PS2
port, and you'll need more than just a serial RS-232 level convertor.

Most projects in the past doing this have done this with a
micro-controller, like the Moto 68HC11 or PIC line. You'll also need
to code up a program for them that talks Sun Type-5 protocol out one
side, and standard PC AT/PS2 Keyboard out the other, with a big
translation table of what keys get mapped to what keycodes.

I found several projects of what I think you are trying to do with
Google immediately. The 2nd link of my search was

http://www.buzzard.me.uk/jonathan/sunkbd.html

Note, you'll probably spend upwards of $70-$100 on parts and
programmer for the microcontroller. So, if USB is fine, $60 for the
Type-6 USB or Type-7 would be cheaper than rolling your own.