IDENTIFY THE KEYBOARD thread

[Lynx_Carpathica]

Thanks I will most certainly get the boards. I just CAN NOT WAIT TO SEE IT!!!!

[norolim]

Does anyone know what the difference is between a normal Chicony KB-5191 and one with strangely elevated Num Lock, Caps Lock, Scroll Lock and On-Line indicators, like THIS one?

So, I ended up buying the keyboard - it was a bargain. Since it's an old dirty keyboard, I didn't expect much. It arrived today and it turns out it's a 1988 KB-5191 (first year of production), meaning the MX Blue switches are vintage, if you believe in their existence. But boy, was I surprised when I tried them. I mean I was expecting them to be pretty worn out. The keyboard is almost 30 years old and it looks like it was used a lot, but still... the switches were absolute crap. They felt sticky, there was almost no click, and the tactile feedback was very vague. I quickly took out my MX Blue Razer BlackWidow to make sure I didn't just forget how they should feel. I didn't.

I decided to tale a closer look. I removed a few keycaps and opened a switch. Obviously, there was some dirt and dust, but nothing to justify the horrible feel. I blew the components clean and started inspecting them for wear. And that's when I noticed it... Apparently some "genius" tried to "improve" the switches by applying some sticky yellow lubricant on the sliders and leaf springs. It looked like industrial grade petroleum jelly. And it was in all 5 switches I opened. After I cleaned the lubricant off and reassembled the them, the switches felt much better. Still not as good as new, but that's due to wear.

If anyone is interested I can take some pictures tomorrow. I don't think Chicony KB-5191 with MX Blue and raised lock LEDs was documented well.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I was surprised to learn that NTC KB-6151 and KB-6251 were contemporary.

I certainly never expected KB-5191 to be that old: I thought it was the replacement to KB-5181. But indeed, the FCC IDs for both are 1988 (and I must have known that as I was the one who documented it in the first place! ;-)

Curious — they must have differentiated them in some way from each other.

[subcat]

https://img.tradingpost.com.au/SJ3TQ3LN ... 40x480.jpg

I don't have much hope, but you never know.

[emdude]

Mitsumi buckling rubber sleeve, [wiki]Mitsumi_hybrid_switch[/wiki].

[subcat]

Mitsumi buckling rubber sleeve, [wiki]Mitsumi_hybrid_switch[/wiki].

Much appreciated!

[subcat]

Sorry for another post, but this looks really interesting, it's an Epson HC-4041: https://auctions.c.yimg.jp/images.aucti ... m17432.jpg

[subcat]

Also this weird thing, anyone have any ideas? https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/OTAwWDE2MDA= ... Q/$_20.JPG

[mike52787]

Also this weird thing, anyone have any ideas? https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/OTAwWDE2MDA= ... Q/$_20.JPG

This is a compaq portable keyboard. It has keytronic foam and foil switches. Quite horrendous switches. dont bother.

[norolim]

Anyone has any idea what this is?







All I know is, that it's most probably a Polish mechanical keyboard (or made by someone for a Polish company). The badge on the left says "ICE Komputer Personalny AT", which means "ICE Personal AT Type Computer "

[Engicoder]

Picker up this keyboard recently. Has no identifying markings anywhere, even on the PCB.
It uses plate mount MX blacks with grey for space bar.

DSC01398 (Large).JPG (342.29 KiB) Viewed 5710 times

DSC01388 (Large).JPG (291.52 KiB) Viewed 5710 times

[Chyros]

Looks Datacomp.

[Engicoder]

Looks Datacomp.

Yes, that's what I was thinking, even the PCB looks like Datacomp, but odd that there are no id markings.

[Engicoder]

Looks just like the DFK777, but XT and with cherry instead of alps.
wiki/Datacomp_DFK-777NA

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Anyone has any idea what this is?

Wiki fodder …

[Harshmallow]

Anyone has any idea what this is?







All I know is, that it's most probably a Polish mechanical keyboard (or made by someone for a Polish company). The badge on the left says "ICE Komputer Personalny AT", which means "ICE Personal AT Type Computer "

Vanilla Ice is surely missing his keyboard from the 90's by now...

[subcat]

20170131_121936.jpg (3.39 MiB) Viewed 5647 times

20170131_121945.jpg (3.71 MiB) Viewed 5647 times

20170131_122025.jpg (3.29 MiB) Viewed 5647 times

I found this at a recycling centre today, it's an old Data General 6348-A with Fujitsu Peerless. Weighs a ton and is built like a tank, and made in Japan. I doubt it, but is there any way I can get this working with a modern PC, or is there nothing I can do about the weird terminal protocol it uses? I guess this is more of an 'identify the connection' question .

[ohaimark]

Not Peerless. Fujitsu leaf spring g1 or 2.

[subcat]

Not Peerless. Fujitsu leaf spring g1 or 2.

My mistake! It's clicky, does this hold any significance?

[ohaimark]

There was a clicky variant of the switch, so it only holds as much significance as you want it to.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

The clicky version seems to be fairly rare. Also, I'd say 3rd Generation based on the plastic plate below the sliders.

[subcat]

The clicky version seems to be fairly rare. Also, I'd say 3rd Generation based on the plastic plate below the sliders.

Wow, that's great to hear! I had read somewhere that the linears were far more common, hence my comment above, but I wasn't sure if I made that up or not. Good find for $5 then!

[subcat]

https://auctions.c.yimg.jp/images.aucti ... n31182.jpg
https://auctions.c.yimg.jp/images.aucti ... b31182.jpg
https://auctions.c.yimg.jp/images.aucti ... y31182.jpg

I'm sorry to call on you all again, but I really can't figure this one out...

[Chyros]

https://auctions.c.yimg.jp/images.aucti ... n31182.jpg
https://auctions.c.yimg.jp/images.aucti ... b31182.jpg
https://auctions.c.yimg.jp/images.aucti ... y31182.jpg

I'm sorry to call on you all again, but I really can't figure this one out...

Pretty hard to see, but I guess something Alps-ish or Alps clones. The caps look like Tai-Hao doubleshots.

[ohaimark]

Th-5539-3?
Edit: nope.

[mike52787]

https://auctions.c.yimg.jp/images.aucti ... n31182.jpg
https://auctions.c.yimg.jp/images.aucti ... b31182.jpg
https://auctions.c.yimg.jp/images.aucti ... y31182.jpg

I'm sorry to call on you all again, but I really can't figure this one out...

White alps or clones. Has thin ABS TH made doubleshots.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Weird. I don't think Tai-Hao were the only company to write a patent number at the top right. I don't have a list of Tai-Hao patent numbers; I know that one starts "DE" (supposedly a German patent) but the only one shown on the wiki is patent no. 220497 (if this is a Taiwanese patent, it's not for that keyboard, although I do recall finding a Tai-Hao keyboard patent).

The logo is hard to make out, but it's clearly circled, and the APC logo at one stage did look like that:

photos-f62/clicker-a-semi-mechanical-al ... t4861.html

So, if it is APC (Tai-Hao), it's probably semi-mechanical.

[Harshmallow]

https://auctions.c.yimg.jp/images.aucti ... n31182.jpg
https://auctions.c.yimg.jp/images.aucti ... b31182.jpg
https://auctions.c.yimg.jp/images.aucti ... y31182.jpg

I'm sorry to call on you all again, but I really can't figure this one out...

Cindy/Elecplus has one of those on sale! It's been in her store for a while too...it has White Alps clones. A Vextrec keyboard.

https://www.elecshopper.com/vextrec-tec ... board.html

[Daniel Beardsmore]

OK so it's Tai-Hao TH-5539 then. There's at least one version we don't have a picture of — I'll pass it onto Felly and see if anyone there can identify its variant code.

[ohaimark]

Cool. I was pretty close then.