IDENTIFY THE KEYBOARD thread

[ohaimark]

Datanetics DC-50 switches, maybe? Look at the Datanetics entry in the wiki.

[JP!]

So I am working with a seller who has a bunch of vintage gear including keyboards. I have not seen one like this before. It is a Texas Instruments keyboard. Sorry about the potato pictures. Does anyone else know more about this and what kind of switches it has?

TI1.jpg (86.09 KiB) Viewed 14294 times

TI2.jpg (163.36 KiB) Viewed 14294 times

[Myoth]

So I am working with a seller who has a bunch of vintage gear including keyboards. I have not seen one like this before. It is a Texas Instruments keyboard. Sorry about the potato pictures. Does anyone else know more about this and what kind of switches it has?

TI1.jpg

TI2.jpg

Brown Alps

[IKSLM]

These don't really look like alps

[JP!]

The profile doesn't seem to match up though. The seller says they look red, the photo it looks brown.

switches.jpg (44.13 KiB) Viewed 14277 times

[Myoth]

These don't really look like alps

I was obviously joking, I'm sure they are not Alps, I was poking at the fact that they are exactly like Alps but square rather than rectangular.

[seebart]

These don't really look like alps

I was obviously joking, I'm sure they are not Alps, I was poking at the fact that they are exactly like Alps but square rather than rectangular.

Yeah, just a "bit" different!

[JP!]

Should I shoot an offer out for this keyboard?

[Daniel Beardsmore]

You know when you have a dream, and the details of things get strangely distorted …

[seebart]

Should I shoot an offer out for this keyboard?

Your call but I`d keep that offer "low ball" unless the seller has more & better pictures.

You know when you have a dream, and the details of things get strangely distorted …

That is very true. One could argue that strange keyboard looks like something out of a "bad dream". Too bad we dont know and it may actually be quite interesting.

What is your take on that switch then Daniel?

[Engicoder]

Looks like it might be some sort of slider over dome type switch.

[seebart]

Looks like it might be some sort of slider over dome type switch.

Right. While we are at it have a look at the keyboard for the Texas Instruments Professional Computer, not the same but similair:

tipc-keyboard.jpg (47.38 KiB) Viewed 14243 times

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Ins ... l_Computer

[Daniel Beardsmore]

It's a very strange switch, especially the shapes in the plate/case to either side of it.

Obviously I'm in favour of any course of action (space and funds permitting!) that results in more knowledge.

[JP!]

Looks like it might be some sort of slider over dome type switch.

Right. While we are at it have a look at the keyboard for the Texas Instruments Professional Computer, not the same but similair:

tipc-keyboard.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Ins ... l_Computer

I think you might be on to something.

[seebart]

It's a very strange switch, especially the shapes in the plate/case to either side of it.

No doubt. To make things even more fun here`s this which suposedly is the TI Explorer II Lisp machine keyboard posted on flickr here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/two_pi_r/ ... 1/sizes/o/

Spoiler:

264672521_1a4d3eea27_o.jpg (835.97 KiB) Viewed 14227 times

I think you might be on to something.

Nah Im still sceptical. These old obscure keyboards can play tricks on us...

[Nuum]

Looks like it might be some sort of slider over dome type switch.

Right. While we are at it have a look at the keyboard for the Texas Instruments Professional Computer, not the same but similair:

tipc-keyboard.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Ins ... l_Computer

Those peculiar bars on the F an J keycaps remind me of something, I've seen them before. Which switches does this thing have?

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Those peculiar bars on the F an J keycaps remind me of something, I've seen them before.

Funnily enough, I saw them in earlier today, and it's tactile brown Alps:

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=76021.150

Bottom of the page, in another TI keyboard. The photos are all gone, except for the one posted to the forum.

[JP!]

There is even a question mark written on top of the keyboard

[seebart]

There is even a question mark written on top of the keyboard

Could be. Could also be the number two.

Those peculiar bars on the F an J keycaps remind me of something, I've seen them before.

Funnily enough, I saw them in earlier today, and it's tactile brown Alps:

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=76021.150

Bottom of the page, in another TI keyboard. The photos are all gone, except for the one posted to the forum.

Strange.

Looks like it might be some sort of slider over dome type switch.

Right. While we are at it have a look at the keyboard for the Texas Instruments Professional Computer, not the same but similair:

tipc-keyboard.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Ins ... l_Computer

Those peculiar bars on the F an J keycaps remind me of something, I've seen them before. Which switches does this thing have?

I have those bars on an decision data computer keyboard of mine!

[Daniel Beardsmore]

The only Decision Data keyboard on the wiki is [wiki]Decision Data 8010[/wiki] and it doesn't have those "bars". The name Decision Data rings a bell, and not because of the keyboard on the wiki (that I don't recall seeing before).

[//gainsborough]

Gentleman.... it has been found...

Long ago, the object that should not have been forgotten was lost. History became legend. Legend became myth. And for two and a half thousand years, the coffee square alps passed out of all knowledge...

Until, when chance came, the square coffee alps ensared a new bearer. The ring-I-mean-coffee square alps came to the texas instruments board...

[JP!]

Alright, I think I will have to buy this keyboard now

[seebart]

The only Decision Data keyboard on the wiki is [wiki]Decision Data 8010[/wiki] and it doesn't have those "bars". The name Decision Data rings a bell, and not because of the keyboard on the wiki (that I don't recall seeing before).

You know better than most here Daniel that there are many keyboards we do not have present in our wiki:

IMGP6835.JPG (911.09 KiB) Viewed 14188 times

IMGP6836.JPG (923.59 KiB) Viewed 14188 times

[Daniel Beardsmore]

And what switches does that have?

[seebart]

And what switches does that have?

Its a rubber dome. A pretty strange one. I never looked at it in detail though.

[flowerlandfilms]

These don't really look like alps

I was obviously joking, I'm sure they are not Alps, I was poking at the fact that they are exactly like Alps but square rather than rectangular.

...LOL, Fat Alps...

[depletedvespene]

These don't really look like alps

Brown Guadalupes, then? (they're supposed to be Texan, or not?)

[thegoldenmandenis]

Does anyone know what kind of switch this might be? I initially thought Fujitsu Peerless, but I now doubt that because the design looks quite different. There doesn't appear to be a rubber dome, and instead there is a plastic lever that seems to depress into the bottom side of the key switch housing. The housing is also clipped into the board on the left and right, but when I unclip it there seems to be something at the bottom of the switch holding it in place, and I don't want to apply any more pressure to pull it out because I'm afraid of breaking it.

To add even further confusion, I've got another outwardly similar looking Victor branded keyboard that uses a third type of switch. That one has switch housings that clip in at the top and bottom of the switch and can be unclipped to reveal that it's a Fujitsu leaf spring design.

Photos of the keyboard:

IMG_20170918_194025.jpg (3.45 MiB) Viewed 14045 times

IMG_20170918_194044.jpg (3.51 MiB) Viewed 14045 times

IMG_20170918_200729.jpg (3.41 MiB) Viewed 14045 times

[seebart]

That keyboard in your last picture is a Victor branded Fujitsu FKB4700 for sure.

That one has switch housings that clip in at the top and bottom of the switch and can be unclipped to reveal that it's a Fujitsu leaf spring design.

How do you know that? Hmm...take it apart completely then please. Just saying its an unknown Fujitsu leaf spring design is no good!

[Daniel Beardsmore]

That keyboard in your last picture is a Victor branded Fujitsu FKB4700 for sure.

My 1993 FKB4700 (the one shown on the wiki — one day I'll upload the rest of the photos of it) contains an indication of three models that share that case: 1000, 4700 and 2931.

Top case, with options of 1000, 4700, 2931 and X:

IMGO4709.jpg (163.91 KiB) Viewed 14024 times

Bottom case, with options of 4700, 2931 and X:

IMGO4750.jpg (96.45 KiB) Viewed 14024 times

I assume this mystery keyboard is one of those other models. That spring-over-prong design is "always" used with membranes, but it seems that someone's found a way to make it work with a PCB.