Datanetics Rev B Replica keyboard for an Apple-1 replica computer

[Jon42]

Hi, Does anyone know where I could get hold of a completed and working Datanetics Rev B Replica keyboard for an Apple-1 replica computer.

The attached pictures show the Willegal replica of this keyboard, taken from the ‘Datanetics
Keyboard Reproduction’ manual available online, I think from Applefritter.

The PCB (only) for this keyboard is available on eBay but I can’t find a finished keyboard anywhere.

Thanks
Jon42

[zrrion]

unfortunately getting a hold of anything from Datanetics is difficult. Every account I've read from the early 80s talks about how DC50 was desirable but was basically already end of life, both Krown and Apple held this position and were already searching for replacements to DC50 even as they were actively making products that used them. Apple's switch to Alps was much better than Krown's switch to Futaba IMO but they were both forced to switch and both knew they'd have to switch eventually. Krown likely didn't buy enough DC50 to matter but Apple should have been ordering DC50 in volumes that would have been persuasive yet Datanetics didn't continue production. They're nice switches in my opinion.

But even though these 2 sources rate them favorably and the product was eol relatively early in the 80s we haven't really found much in the way of keyboards that have them. You would expect them to show up in boards during their life and not just during their end of life, but pre-80s computing and keyboards are not so easy to track down.

Very rarely you can find a mystery Datanetics board on ebay that's in dubious condition and you might be able to get a PCB and eventually source enough switches that way but tit would take quite a while to do so. Your best bet would be to search electronics parts suppliers and hope one of them has a stash of Datanetics switches. I've tried that and haven't found anything so far but I'm sure I haven't looked everywhere so there may still be some hiding out there.