deskthority

Thank you very much.

Something like 150 of complete 7690 systems were every assembled, with parts for a few thousand more. They never saw commercial production and sale.

It uses SKCM brown for most keys and SKCL compact green for any of the smaller ones like the arrow keys, the f row and fn.

Due to their scarcity, I don't think this has been documented anywhere, so I figured I should post it for posterity (even if that's only as part of a backup eventually).

I finally cleaned up my IBM 7690 Clinical Workstation keyboard and put the effort into tracing the pinout of the cable. It does ...

There was nothing ominous about the LK20, it is just a totally unknown entity. Nobody knows that Tai-Hao caps are "higher quality" than the LK20's caps because nobody knows anything about the LK20's caps. No one cap set is exactly the same if they're not coming out of the same molds. That's not even ...

There are only a handful of Fs that can't easily have dedicated print screen keys if you want them. All of my Fs do. There's not much to consider there. How much do your Linux systems lock up? I don't use it as much as Windows, but it is usually exceedingly stable.

Are there actually companies that buy Matias keyboards to accompany their Apple hardware purchases? They're already paying a lot for the Apple hardware, why pay $50 for a basic wired mouse for each system as well? They should have dozens of old mice lying around from the last 20 years of OEM ...

I don't use Windows, and just having a single print screen key is more convinient anyways. I also think that Big-ass enter plus 1 unit backspace is almost useless, and I had to use that layout for a long time because a lot of cheap keyboards have it for some reason, so the AT layout is definitely ...

As much as I like Matias keyboards, this is looking a little gimmicky to me. Then again, I really do not care how my mouse feels or looks when it comes to finish over time. The ergonomics at least look good. What I really like is weighted scroll wheels that just glide smoothly, like on some Logitech ...

Yeah I've been on the lookout for something to replace it, but most of the options are sadly a bit too out of reach. Guess I'll just stick to water for now :)


What sort of seltzer brands have you got near you? If not Kroger, Polar has some great flavors (orange vanilla and black cherry are my ...

Model Ms are scratchy? What boards are you using? My viewpoints on things like F keys is slightly warped because I need F11 to get into my BIOS's boot menu, and I need a numpad because playing games like System Shock without it is super terrible for the many keypads in the game.


A square badge ...

Same. The Model M is the wrong IBM board entirely. Its reputation is an accident of history. It was just where buckling spring happened to be when the modern layout was ultimately defined. Every other buckling spring was better, but Model M was there at the right time to take the glory.


I ...

Nobody said the board itself would affect the caps' stems either, just the fact that nobody knows anything at all about that board or the caps that shipped on it. I found one post on Reddit that mentioned they were lasered and that's it.

One extremely vague sentence in the wiki with no dates ...

In 2018 there were tons of original switches still being sold by various vendors. I bought all of mine directly through NovelKeys for that reason, even much later than that. Everyone read all of those threads back then. They're no longer relevant.

You mentioned the Tai-Hao caps on two different ...

The reason nobody addressed your question is that nobody agrees with the premise that lead you to ask it. You linked posts from before the stems were even fixed and only brought up a second and third set of caps (the first of which being cheap lasered caps from an obscure board) once I mentioned ...

UCF PC3
ACP ALC
ALB ALP

UP MG POHE
GGT GLUC LDH

What are the two rows of keys good for?


If you're talking about the TG3 board, they're mostly sending two scancodes together, probably for whatever propriety medical software the boards were originally meant for. They can be remapped with layer ...

I always wonder how much credit is given to a keyboard with such a capital built-in design flaw.
Which by the way, as made obvious in this thread, is not as trivial as some may assert:


I have said for years that the Model M's reputation for ruggedness is undeserved. One bad drop and you can ...

Good root beer in America. I'll give you guys that. It's a drink largely unknown in these parts, though you can find the Aussie stuff if you know where to look…


If you like root beer, try some Sprecher the next time you're in the states. Best stuff I have ever had. No idea how common it is in ...

Nice. Welcome to the Matias club. I love their mini boards. Interesting that you find their dampened tactiles to be as loud as rubber domes. There are some really loud dome boards. I know just the clack on my 55g 87u is a lot louder.

I wish the PC-based boards still had as wide a range as the Mac ...

I also have one Focus Alps board and it feels great, and one AEK II that needs a full teardown and wax.

Matias switches aren't quite as nice as complicated Alps, but they're not far behind and are still being mass produced for cheap. They resolved their reliability problems years ago but few have ...

Alright, sure. I just magically got multiple bags of switches that have never damaged over a half dozen random sets of different caps and all of the bad bags went to you.

I'll just keep using them on every MX board I don't put Clickiez into and keep enjoying them. You do you.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I always just laughed seeing posts about that stuff. As far as I can tell, that was fixed before I even started buying box switches.


Das Pro 4 cap.jpg


Here's the cap from the F key on my Das, since I figure it is probably one of the most used. A few of the caps on that board are starting to ...

What is the LK20? Very few results on Google. Maybe a Filco clone with cheap caps based on pictures and posts on Reddit.

I just know I have jades and navies going back years in at least 5 boards, including an old Unitek K-151L (stock caps), Corsair K65 (have had various sets on it), two TG3 boards ...

That thing's hideous. What even gives it market appeal for gamers? The rainbow vomit? If it has MX sliders and/or is cheaper, it could be appealing.

Never tried really light Topre, but 35g NIZ is almost linear and would be good for gaming.

With every new release I'm just glad I got an 87u.

Here ...

I have box jades and navies in many boards and have for years now. I don't have any fancy GMK caps, but I haven't had any problems with them with an assortment of random vintage and modern caps.

Doesn't ship over here. I wouldn't start with a grotty one, anyway, certainly not as your first Alps experience. (Cue "I don't get you guys, whatever was all the fuss about?" if that was all the Alps you ever knew!)


Yup, if it isn't in decent shape and they never bother to wax boil, that's ...

Test: DIN 5 to PS/2 adapter. No beep. My computer isn't terribly old, but it does have a "real" PS/2 port.
Test: DIN 5 to PS/2 adapter to USB active adapter. No beep.

I've had a few keyboards that had beepers and they've worked fine on my computer.


Did yours come with the manual, or did you ...

Rec'd. Yes, it's new in original box. The plastic "wrap" that was around the keyboard was ripped. Possibly the seller trying to make sure the keyboard actually worked? It does, so no worries. Complicated white Alps, w/block letter logo on the top housing. I didn't desolder any switches. Shiny ...

There was a conversation about this recently on the Discord as well. Brown Alps and 55g Topre are so similar outside of the distinct characteristics of a rubber dome, there's basically no reason to get brown Alps if you already have a 55g Topre board.

Topre is in mass production right now, with a ...

Yup, looks like you're right. I wonder if they're all brand new like that. It is a shame it has those weird arrow keys.

That's not a shame at all. While the keys might not work on Windows 10, other than the left, right, up, and down, they're are lots of people who think that more keys = better ...

Datacomp still makes boards with Alps clone switches. I have never even heard of a DSK119 but their DFK119 is still made, and mine has complicated Alps (white). If the DSK119 uses Alps switches at all, and it was made for any length of time throughout the 90s, its age would determine what type ...

I’d be really curious to get my hands on a set of new Matiases. I doubt the keyfeel has changed much since there’s only so much you can do with the simplified design, but they could have certainly improved both sound and tolerances.


I don't know that the sound of loose switches has necessarily ...