deskthority

What kind of keyboard is this? It was used in the Electronic Data Command Center of AIRWOLF Season 4.

Initially I suspected it was a keyboard control for a Yamaha synthesizer. But better pictures show "TR*****ASE 221 downlink VID mod**"

The number 3120 appears at the upper left of the keyboard.

The number 727 appears to upper right of the keyboard.

Could this have been a news or movie production keyboard to edit VHS tapes around 1986?

I have searched to no avail. Hopefully you guys can help me solve this mystery.

Thanks!

Just a little notice, there is allready a own thread for such questions:
http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/ide ... 10405.html
Sadly I cant identify the keyboard.

Might just be a prop. Some odd things: It appears to have an orthogonal layout and the letters in alphabetic order. That combo is very odd.

Yes. The orthogonal layout and the alphabetic order of the keys struck me as odd too.

It was filmed in Canada by Atlantis in 1986-87 if that offers any clues.

mr_a500 might be able to tell. I sure can't.

I know this is an old thread, but I thought I might have something of value to add to the topic.

From what I've seen of movie and TV props, I'm guessing this is a one-off pseudo-keyboard assembled from various parts. The text on it looks like it was applied from rub-on type sheets, and the terms themselves are typical of the "cruft" (nonsense) added to sci-fi props to make them look impressive at a glance.

And the toggle switch, and two red status lights, on a keyboard? For what?

Finally, I've never seen an ortholinear (non-staggered) keeb with its keys arranged alphabetically, either. If such a thing did exist, it's very unlikely that anyone would go to the trouble of learning to touch-type on it, as this actor is ostensibly doing. Cheers!

Ander wrote: ↑I've never seen an ortholinear (non-staggered) keeb with its keys arranged alphabetically

now you have!
https://youtu.be/7qcDrYH7qzs?t=428

The simpler explanation is that it came pretty much as shown out of a prop junk warehouse. If it was junk in 1985, it predates home computers, and comes from a time when nobody but writers or typists (secretaries or data entry clerks) would have any familarity with QWERTY. As part of an instrument control panel used for occasional text entry (not enough to justify a typist), hunt-and-peck ABC would be easier to use than hunt-and-peck QWERTY.

kps wrote: ↑

31 Dec 2018, 23:54

As part of an instrument control panel used for occasional text entry (not enough to justify a typist), hunt-and-peck ABC would be easier to use than hunt-and-peck QWERTY.

YES, the ABC layout is far easier than that atrocious Qwerty rubbish.

Amazing how vested interests win out on developing a junk layout instead of contributing to elevating the human experience.