Great/Interesting Finds

[chzel]

NIB IBM prototopre

But what does it mean?

I've searched the webs for this but no one cares to explain. In another thread, it was an IBM with Cherry M8 or M9 switches or something. But what does it have to do with Topre?

Have a look here, Haata's album, and look at the dome sheet. Reminds you of something?

[XMIT]

http://deskthority.net/photos-f62/ibm-r ... Prototopre

No! That is not the same board! That is an IBM 6298389. This one has a different rubber sheet and is capacitive.

Compare:
6298389 (What Muirium linked)


6247440 (What is for sale in the eBay auction)


Topre

[Muirium]

Did I ever mention I can't memorise numbers? Two kinds of Prototopre, eh…

[dzhoou]

This one isn't capacitive. It's dome on memberane instead. You can tell by the lack of ears!

(Edit: ninja'd)

[Muirium]

So which one's on sale?

Note that Topre also does conductive domes as well as their much better known capacitative domes. So I suppose Topre is suspected to be the manufacturer of both?

[dzhoou]

The memberane one sadly, as life mostly had been.

[Muirium]

An well. Now I'm less peeved I can't afford it!

[dzhoou]

Typo. I said "the dome one", while they are all domes to begin with!

- All domes are equal, some are more equal than others

[Muirium]

Ha. Yet I still knew exactly what you meant. Didn't even notice!

[Redmaus]

Eh, looks like it isn't that bad after all.

I still want the sexy black logo however...

[shreebles]

So many helpful voices, thanks!

So with a membrane, you basically have a Topre that you have to bottom out on?

[Muirium]

Yup. Essentially "Nopre".

[002]

Despite their similarities, I don't think Topre had any hand in those IBM boards.
Some fun theories that HaaTa and I came up with:

- Someone who helped with the design/creation of the Topre switch worked for Brother (or the other way around).
- Topre borrowed aspects of the Brother switch and the one used in the Seikosha 8620 / Epson Q603A (which I feel are much closer to Topre) when designing their own switch. Maybe they looked at what was popular in the banking and data entry sectors in Japan?

In 1983 when Topre made their first capacitive keyboard, similar dome boards were also being made in Japan too, like the one XMIT shared with us a little while ago.

[XMIT]

Speaking of which, there is a Coleco Adam keyboard on eBay now for cheap. http://www.ebay.com/itm/321772651989

I need to start posting more photos again...

[Redmaus]

Speaking of which, there is a Coleco Adam keyboard on eBay now for cheap. http://www.ebay.com/itm/321772651989

I need to start posting more photos again...

Yeah thats REALLY cheep
Someone grab it!

[ramnes]

No! That is not the same board! That is an IBM 6298389. This one has a different rubber sheet and is capacitive.

Compare:
6298389 (What Muirium linked)
6247440 (What is for sale in the eBay auction)

Ah, nicely seen! I was pretty sure it was the capacitive one.

Thanks for making me sure of not buying it!

[HzFaq]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Apple-Macinto ... 1668623472

Pretty expensive and pretty grotty looking, but one of my favourite Apple boards.

[mr_a500]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Apple-Macinto ... 1668623472

Pretty expensive and pretty grotty looking, but one of my favourite Apple boards.

I was about to say you can find these things much cheaper in better condition, but then I did a search and most of the ones that came up were $125-$150! What the hell is going on with prices these days? The last time I did a search for this keyboard, they were all $19-$35.

[Muirium]

I'm still yet to pay more than $25 for any Apple board besides the M0110. And I've got a fair few, mostly mint. Patience and contacts.

[Redmaus]

I am selling that exact keyboard for under 30$.

Use me instead of eBay!

[HzFaq]

Well, that is the greater find in that case, I'm going to have to go have a look at your thread again...

I paid $35 shipped for mine from a dude in the States which I thought was pretty reasonable.

[Muirium]

Including shipping? Hard to envisage even getting a free keyboard over here for $35.

[HzFaq]

Ok, I checked, that's a total lie; probably what I told the Mrs...Shipping alone was $30 for a $20 board...

[mr_a500]

That can't be. Shipping US to Canada is an average of $40 US for this keyboard. How can it be cheaper to ship to the UK?

[HzFaq]

IIRC it was the cheapest postage rate and the board was just wrapped in bubble wrap with no external box.

I'm not a massive buyer from the US (random import charges often make it not worthwhile) but that's similar to what I've been quoted for by others btw,

[mr_a500]

Well Canadians always get ripped off on shipping (and everything else) so I'll just assume that's why.

The last keyboard I bought was $65 shipping, by the way. (just the shipping - in US dollars, not counting exchange or customs)

[XMIT]

Yeah. For reference, a 24x12x6" box at 13 lbs (typical two keyboard Keypocalypse order) costs $60.68 to ship to Toronto, Ontario as of this morning. I don't get it.

[Muirium]

Toying with Canadians is fun! What are they going to do? Apologise?

[mr_a500]

If you don't stop, I'll have no choice but to... politely ask you again to stop.

[XMIT]

hey mr_a500 do you have enough Amiga keyboards? If not here are some more:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281711423719
http://www.ebay.com/itm/281711430130
http://www.ebay.com/itm/281711431530