IDENTIFY THE KEYBOARD thread

Daniel Beardsmore · 15 Jan 2018, 22:24

andrea-i wrote: ↑hi all! any idea what these switches might be? keyboard looks cute as hell, it's a police device and it showed up on reddit/MechanicalKeyboards, I fear they are rubber domes from the look of it.

It looks like the switches may be sealed with a rubber cover, through which the keystems protrude, but it's very hard to tell.

Keybug · 17 Jan 2018, 22:58

Keyboard 'profilers' needed! Haha, I like my little pun! Anything nice in this box I'm getting? The big wedge shaped one looks like a Model M, no? And number four from the bottom reminds me of Apple Extended keyboards. Curved bottom one a rubber dome?

Findecanor · 17 Jan 2018, 23:10

Keybug wrote: ↑And number four from the bottom reminds me of Apple Extended keyboards.

Closer to an AEKII. An AEK would not curve down again after the top but has a curve closer to the one below this one.
Both AEK and AEKII would have an ADB port on each side which this one doesn't. Also, they would have all keys the same colour. The ones above it look more interesting though.

fohat · 18 Jan 2018, 00:03

The top one that can be seen might be a desirable Wang.

Chyros · 18 Jan 2018, 00:09

The top one definitely looks like a Wang, and LOOKS more like the Alps version off the top of my head than the KT version. Is that orange thing below it one of those Mitsumi hybrid boards? Below it an oval-badge M of course, and some rubber domes.

Daniel Beardsmore · 18 Jan 2018, 01:03

snuci wrote: ↑Edit: Looks to use a RAFI RS 76 M (diode) switch. The key plunger is pink despite the bad lighting.

The space bar switch I'm guessing is a new discovery, too. Too bad those diode variants frequently didn't carry the last three digits of the part number.

Keybug · 18 Jan 2018, 09:17

Thanks for the quick detective work. Seller just wrote that 6 of the 12 (only 11 in the pic) come without Windows keys. With a Wang and a Model M, I guess it won't be such a bad haul. I'll update with details over the weekend.

seebart · 18 Jan 2018, 09:48

Chyros wrote: ↑The top one definitely looks like a Wang...

Yes those huge flip-feet are unique.

ts124 · 19 Jan 2018, 06:41

Hi,
I recently found this olympia keyboard that is in really bad shape and I was wondering if anybody could Identify its switch? Second picture is the slider out of one of the switches that were broken.

Sent from my SM-G935W8 using Tapatalk

Darkshado · 19 Jan 2018, 08:04

Findecanor wrote: ↑
Keybug wrote: ↑And number four from the bottom reminds me of Apple Extended keyboards.
Closer to an AEKII. An AEK would not curve down again after the top but has a curve closer to the one below this one.
Both AEK and AEKII would have an ADB port on each side which this one doesn't. Also, they would have all keys the same colour. The ones above it look more interesting though.

Not an AEK II for sure: they have ridged lower sides, not flat. Also, no hole above the port, there is one in the bottom left side edge, slightly forward of the ADB port.

//gainsborough · 19 Jan 2018, 08:18

I have an offer to buy this board for $100. I'm thinking it has SKCC switches, but I'm unsure.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Zenith ... 2872110737?

Slom · 19 Jan 2018, 09:01

seebart wrote: ↑
Chyros wrote: ↑The top one definitely looks like a Wang...
Yes those huge flip-feet are unique.

As, I just realised, is the side profile

When does one stop believing in coincidence?

ball00n · 19 Jan 2018, 09:35

ts124 wrote: ↑Hi,
I recently found this olympia keyboard that is in really bad shape and I was wondering if anybody could Identify its switch? Second picture is the slider out of one of the switches that were broken.
Spoiler:

I think this is a keyboard module from a typewriter. It uses wiki/Marquardt_Series_6180 switches, it seems.

rich1051414 · 19 Jan 2018, 14:32

What exactly is this?

: s-l1600.jpg (124.79 KiB) Viewed 5354 times

AdrianMan · 19 Jan 2018, 14:36

rich1051414 wrote: ↑What exactly is this?

Looks like the mighty pingmaster?

review-f45/ibm-6112884-pingmaster-revie ... 13664.html

rich1051414 · 19 Jan 2018, 14:43

AdrianMan wrote: ↑
rich1051414 wrote: ↑What exactly is this?
Looks like the mighty pingmaster?

review-f45/ibm-6112884-pingmaster-revie ... 13664.html

Indeed! Thanks. I didn't even know where to start looking xD

Edit, snagged it. Only $34(and that includes shipping) and the keyboard was new in box. I feel like a thief. Should be fun trying adapt the thing to some modern protocol

AdrianMan · 19 Jan 2018, 15:06

rich1051414 wrote: ↑
AdrianMan wrote: ↑
rich1051414 wrote: ↑What exactly is this?
Looks like the mighty pingmaster?

review-f45/ibm-6112884-pingmaster-revie ... 13664.html
Indeed! Thanks. I didn't even know where to start looking xD

Edit, snagged it. Only $34(and that includes shipping) and the keyboard was new in box. I feel like a thief. Should be fun trying adapt the thing to some modern protocol

Congrats !

Chyros · 19 Jan 2018, 15:48

rich1051414 wrote: ↑
AdrianMan wrote: ↑
rich1051414 wrote: ↑What exactly is this?
Looks like the mighty pingmaster?

review-f45/ibm-6112884-pingmaster-revie ... 13664.html
Indeed! Thanks. I didn't even know where to start looking xD

Edit, snagged it. Only $34(and that includes shipping) and the keyboard was new in box. I feel like a thief. Should be fun trying adapt the thing to some modern protocol

You're far from a thief, although at that price that keyboard is a steal. It's part of an enormous cache that's been around for a LONG time though

.

Still, congrats, the Pingmaster is an excellent board!

seebart · 19 Jan 2018, 16:17

Damn that Zenith Data Systems ZTX-11-Z is nice !

: s-l1600.jpg (162.53 KiB) Viewed 5292 times

Chyros · 19 Jan 2018, 16:36

Very nice indeed! It's got the same badge as the Z-150, as well, it seems - just with (presumably) SKCC switches, judging by the caps.

Dingster · 19 Jan 2018, 16:39

https://imgur.com/a/3MaOQ Im not really sure about this one (might be rubber dome?),

also the one in this picture (looks like a model M clone).
https://imgur.com/a/lyUWa

Sorry for posting imgur links, pictures dont want to load for some reason

Chyros · 19 Jan 2018, 17:03

Dingster wrote: ↑https://imgur.com/a/3MaOQ Im not really sure about this one (might be rubber dome?),

also the one in this picture (looks like a model M clone).
https://imgur.com/a/lyUWa

Sorry for posting imgur links, pictures dont want to load for some reason

The first is a Mitsumi hybrid board, the second one LOOKS like a Key Tronic rubber dome (not a good one either).

mike52787 · 19 Jan 2018, 17:28

Dingster wrote: ↑https://imgur.com/a/3MaOQ Im not really sure about this one (might be rubber dome?),

also the one in this picture (looks like a model M clone).
https://imgur.com/a/lyUWa

Sorry for posting imgur links, pictures dont want to load for some reason

Both are rubberdomes, sorry

mike52787 · 19 Jan 2018, 17:34

seebart wrote: ↑Damn that Zenith Data Systems ZTX-11-Z is nice !

s-l1600.jpg

SKCC green, there are pics of the same board with heathkit branding and different colored caps. It really is a nice cute little board.

Dingster · 19 Jan 2018, 18:25

mike52787 wrote: ↑
Dingster wrote: ↑https://imgur.com/a/3MaOQ Im not really sure about this one (might be rubber dome?),

also the one in this picture (looks like a model M clone).
https://imgur.com/a/lyUWa

Sorry for posting imgur links, pictures dont want to load for some reason
Both are rubberdomes, sorry

Thanks

//gainsborough · 19 Jan 2018, 18:28

mike52787 wrote: ↑
seebart wrote: ↑Damn that Zenith Data Systems ZTX-11-Z is nice !

s-l1600.jpg
SKCC green, there are pics of the same board with heathkit branding and different colored caps. It really is a nice cute little board.

Ended up accepting the offer.... I figured if I was thinking about the board this much that I would regret it if I didn't buy it. It would be cool if I could get it working on modern day boards, but I think that would require hand-wiring, and I don't really want to do something of that scale to a pristine old board like this one, so it'll probably just stay as a neat collection piece =)

I told myself not long ago that I would stop buying boards I can't use, but this one, as you say, was too cute, hahaha.

seebart · 19 Jan 2018, 18:59

//gainsborough wrote: ↑I told myself not long ago that I would stop buying boards I can't use, but this one, as you say, was too cute, hahaha.

I know that situation all too well...I'd say this was worth the exception! Can't wait to see more of that Zenith.

//gainsborough · 19 Jan 2018, 19:31

seebart wrote: ↑
//gainsborough wrote: ↑I told myself not long ago that I would stop buying boards I can't use, but this one, as you say, was too cute, hahaha.
I know that situation all too well...I'd say this was worth the exception! Can't wait to see more of that Zenith.

I'll put pics in the "stuff you just bought" thread when it arrives!

seebart · 19 Jan 2018, 20:36

//gainsborough wrote: ↑
seebart wrote: ↑
//gainsborough wrote: ↑I told myself not long ago that I would stop buying boards I can't use, but this one, as you say, was too cute, hahaha.
I know that situation all too well...I'd say this was worth the exception! Can't wait to see more of that Zenith.
I'll put pics in the "stuff you just bought" thread when it arrives!

I'd say it deserves its own thread but that's your call.

//gainsborough · 19 Jan 2018, 20:42

seebart wrote: ↑
I'd say it deserves its own thread but that's your call.

Okay! I can do that as well!