IDENTIFY THE KEYBOARD thread

rymut

18 Mar 2018, 10:58

Just for curiosity sake: What is this, I know I have seen this keyboard before somewere:
43d118d24630a5d471320702abf2.jpg
43d118d24630a5d471320702abf2.jpg (377.2 KiB) Viewed 6107 times
It is actually for sale here: http://allegro.pl/stara-klawiatura-komp ... 08583.html (with more photos).

User avatar
mike52787
Alps Aficionado

18 Mar 2018, 13:59

rymut wrote: Just for curiosity sake: What is this, I know I have seen this keyboard before somewere:
43d118d24630a5d471320702abf2.jpg
It is actually for sale here: http://allegro.pl/stara-klawiatura-komp ... 08583.html (with more photos).
if I had to guess I would say its probably smk vintage linear, but I honestly cant say for sure. Someone else asked me about that same board in the past, and after looking at the pcb I have to guess smk.

rymut

18 Mar 2018, 15:10

mike52787 wrote: if I had to guess I would say its probably smk vintage linear, but I honestly cant say for sure. Someone else asked me about that same board in the past, and after looking at the pcb I have to guess smk.
That would explain where I seen the keyboard before (on this thread of course)!

User avatar
Daniel Beardsmore

18 Mar 2018, 16:36

Oh, silly me, I didn't spot the PCB photos.

Definitely not SMK J-M0404 series "vintage linear". Observe that the solder terminals are solid cylindrical, colourless, and that the mounting plate holes are large and circular. The only known series this matches are Futaba MD and MR; Futaba ML and Omron ball contact would have smaller plate holes, I think, while MEI T-5 has square holes, and at least one terminal always seems to be gold colour.

Those are wiki grade photos; whoever took those needs to finish the job with photos showing the switches and add them to the wiki.

(The switches are cream base, that's all I can make out. That could be MR-6C or any of various MD types.)

User avatar
mike52787
Alps Aficionado

18 Mar 2018, 17:46

rymut wrote:
mike52787 wrote: if I had to guess I would say its probably smk vintage linear, but I honestly cant say for sure. Someone else asked me about that same board in the past, and after looking at the pcb I have to guess smk.
That would explain where I seen the keyboard before (on this thread of course)!
I dont believe it was posted in this thread, it was asked of me on a chat app via PM

User avatar
mike52787
Alps Aficionado

18 Mar 2018, 17:48

Daniel Beardsmore wrote: Oh, silly me, I didn't spot the PCB photos.

Definitely not SMK J-M0404 series "vintage linear". Observe that the solder terminals are solid cylindrical, colourless, and that the mounting plate holes are large and circular. The only known series this matches are Futaba MD and MR; Futaba ML and Omron ball contact would have smaller plate holes, I think, while MEI T-5 has square holes, and at least one terminal always seems to be gold colour.

Those are wiki grade photos; whoever took those needs to finish the job with photos showing the switches and add them to the wiki.

(The switches are cream base, that's all I can make out. That could be MR-6C or any of various MD types.)
oh my, I didnt even see the circular mounting holes. Yeah probably futaba then.

mannoso

18 Mar 2018, 21:18

Anyone know what model this keyboard is? It's part of a Hazeltine Exetuive 10 terminal , but I can't find any information related to this product.
Spoiler:
IMG-20180318-WA0010.jpg
IMG-20180318-WA0010.jpg (183.63 KiB) Viewed 6024 times
Thanks.

tyson522

19 Mar 2018, 17:47

Hey Guys,

I just stumbled on this typewriter today at work.Would anyone know what type of switch it uses? It feels very linear. I know it is a Nakajima AE830 typewriter. It's interesting that there are springs under each keycap.

User avatar
Noobmaen

19 Mar 2018, 17:52

mannoso wrote: Anyone know what model this keyboard is? It's part of a Hazeltine Exetuive 10 terminal , but I can't find any information related to this product.
Spoiler:
IMG-20180318-WA0010.jpg
Thanks.
This appears to be the same keyboard as in this thread, so Futaba MD.

User avatar
Daniel Beardsmore

19 Mar 2018, 22:47

tyson522 wrote: Hey Guys,

I just stumbled on this typewriter today at work.Would anyone know what type of switch it uses? It feels very linear. I know it is a Nakajima AE830 typewriter. It's interesting that there are springs under each keycap.
[wiki]Mitsumi KKR Type[/wiki] or [wiki]Mitsumi KPR Type[/wiki], depending on whether the matrix uses a PCB or a single membrane sheet.

User avatar
Daniel Beardsmore

20 Mar 2018, 00:14

sneaux wrote: Update for one of the typewriter keyboards yesterday.. The linear switch I couldn't ID seems like it could be wiki/Mitsumi_simplified. I removed a PCB that was obstructing the view of the back of the PCB that has all the switches soldered to it. Underneath that is a Mitsumi sticker and a number, possibly a date, that my google fu couldn't match to anything. The other numbers on the PCBs point to this possibly being from an Olympia Super Type 330 model typewriter, which may itself be a rebranded Nakajima AE 330. The switches have two aligned pins, like the Mitsumi simplified, but I'll need to desolder the switches to get a better look as they are plate mounted. The other switches on this board are plausibly Mitsumu standard mechanical double action.

Image
Interesting. Based on the album you posted, it appears to make Mitsumi simplified, KDM type. Also, it's another K_M linear type, alongside KLM miniature linear, and comes alphabetically after KC_ for type 2 standard, which is so far known to be KCT for tactile alongside KLT for miniature tactile.

Ivalop750

22 Mar 2018, 17:19

Someone know's about the mechanism of these keyboard:
Model: Epson model E1160E
https://gyazo.com/ee7adb669d57f16bc9392c1bf535a536

User avatar
Blaise170
ALPS キーボード

22 Mar 2018, 17:46

That image is far too small to identify anything but it looks like a foam and foil model.

User avatar
Noobmaen

22 Mar 2018, 17:48

I believe it is a Datacomp DFK102, compare to this:
Image

Ivalop750

23 Mar 2018, 19:43


User avatar
Myoth

23 Mar 2018, 19:47

yes, keytronic = 90% rubber dome, the 10% left are really old stuff

User avatar
Blaise170
ALPS キーボード

23 Mar 2018, 20:36

Keytronic is probably closer to 75% rubberdome, 20% Keytonic Butterfly (foam and foil), and 5% other.

User avatar
snuci
Vintage computer guy

23 Mar 2018, 23:33

Anyone know the key switch type? Looks like Alps but not marked. White key clicky switches. Keyboard has SMK quality control markings and Strongman keyboard controller. Similar to http://park10.wakwak.com/~jpspace/key/k ... 102mj.html
White clicky key switches
White clicky key switches
IMG_3445.JPG (232.25 KiB) Viewed 5842 times
Strongman keyboard designed by Sanwa Supply Inc.
Strongman keyboard designed by Sanwa Supply Inc.
IMG_3446.JPG (238.62 KiB) Viewed 5836 times
Rear label
Rear label
IMG_3443.JPG (294.99 KiB) Viewed 5835 times

User avatar
Pwner

23 Mar 2018, 23:49

Had a friend send me this board recently, no badges/labels that I've seen. I'm assuming a G80-04XX but I am not sure.

Image

Image

Image

Image

User avatar
mike52787
Alps Aficionado

24 Mar 2018, 00:16

Pwner wrote: Had a friend send me this board recently, no badges/labels that I've seen. I'm assuming a G80-04XX but I am not sure.
Spoiler:
Image

Image

Image

Image
LOL this used to be mine... the grime on the caps is literally the same
funny how this stuff changes hands
I would love to know what it is as well, I could never figure it out. it's certainly not a g80 as it has no markings on it anywhere.

User avatar
mike52787
Alps Aficionado

24 Mar 2018, 00:17

snuci wrote: Anyone know the key switch type? Looks like Alps but not marked. White key clicky switches. Keyboard has SMK quality control markings and Strongman keyboard controller. Similar to http://park10.wakwak.com/~jpspace/key/k ... 102mj.html
Spoiler:
IMG_3445.JPG
IMG_3446.JPG
IMG_3443.JPG
four tab alps clones, beardsmore would know more about exactly which brand.

hansichen

24 Mar 2018, 00:21

mike52787 wrote:
Pwner wrote: Had a friend send me this board recently, no badges/labels that I've seen. I'm assuming a G80-04XX but I am not sure.
Spoiler:
Image

Image

Image

Image
LOL this used to be mine... the grime on the caps is literally the same
funny how this stuff changes hands
I would love to know what it is as well, I could never figure it out. it's certainly not a g80 as it has no markings on it anywhere.
Ouch, that board got raped. Sad to see how mechmarket users are caring about keyboards these days :(

User avatar
Myoth

24 Mar 2018, 00:27

it's not a Cherry board for sure though, for having a 0414 the pcb should be green on both sides :

photos-f62/g80-0414h-09-t17972.html

User avatar
mike52787
Alps Aficionado

24 Mar 2018, 00:28

hansichen wrote:
mike52787 wrote:
Pwner wrote: Had a friend send me this board recently, no badges/labels that I've seen. I'm assuming a G80-04XX but I am not sure.
Spoiler:
Image

Image

Image

Image
LOL this used to be mine... the grime on the caps is literally the same
funny how this stuff changes hands
I would love to know what it is as well, I could never figure it out. it's certainly not a g80 as it has no markings on it anywhere.
Ouch, that board got raped. Sad to see how mechmarket users are caring about keyboards these days :(
What it looked like when it left my house for context

Image

User avatar
Pwner

24 Mar 2018, 00:36

mike52787 wrote:
hansichen wrote:
mike52787 wrote: LOL this used to be mine... the grime on the caps is literally the same
funny how this stuff changes hands
I would love to know what it is as well, I could never figure it out. it's certainly not a g80 as it has no markings on it anywhere.
Ouch, that board got raped. Sad to see how mechmarket users are caring about keyboards these days :(
What it looked like when it left my house for context

Image
Owner who sent it to me kept some of the caps, not a big deal since he sent it to me for free. Not sure what happened to the broken caps but hopefully I can get it restored to it's former glory.

Mike, I'm also the one that bought the 0693 off you.

hansichen

24 Mar 2018, 00:39

Good luck trying to restore this board, he pretty much only took unique caps which are not easy to replace. You can probably just buy a new board instead of investing time into this one...

User avatar
mike52787
Alps Aficionado

24 Mar 2018, 00:39

Pwner wrote:
Owner who sent it to me kept some of the caps, not a big deal since he sent it to me for free. Not sure what happened to the broken caps but hopefully I can get it restored to it's former glory.

Mike, I'm also the one that bought the 0693 off you.
oh, hey!

anyway just a heads up I couldnt make that board work with a soarer's converter, and It didn't work fully on a real IBM PC either. Probably something wrong with the pcb. if I remember correctly though, the switches in that thing are damn nice, so it would be good for desoldering.

User avatar
Pwner

24 Mar 2018, 00:48

hansichen wrote: Good luck trying to restore this board, he pretty much only took unique caps which are not easy to replace. You can probably just buy a new board instead of investing time into this one...
I have plenty of other boards so it's not a big deal. It will probably just sit on my shelf and collect dust until I figure out what to do with it.

mike52787 wrote: oh, hey!

anyway just a heads up I couldnt make that board work with a soarer's converter, and It didn't work fully on a real IBM PC either. Probably something wrong with the pcb. if I remember correctly though, the switches in that thing are damn nice, so it would be good for desoldering.
Ah that's too bad. The switches are quite nice and I rather enjoy the board so I'll just have a new pcb made and rebuild it.

User avatar
Daniel Beardsmore

24 Mar 2018, 01:07

snuci wrote: Anyone know the key switch type? Looks like Alps but not marked.
They are [wiki]four-tab clone[/wiki] switches, and the mould cavity numbers are Himake-like. The cheaper types (alps.tw Type T5 and T8) have small notches in the slider aperture, which if present in yours would not be visible from that angle (they are to the rear of the slider).

There's a whole variety of those four-tab clones, of which none are conclusively identified with any Himake series. The most you can do is see if they match any of the known types by way of examining the internal parts.

Ortek (one of the companies most known for using four-tab clones) are still around, but we need a Chinese person to try to extract answers from them. Strong Man are long gone. The other company was Focus, whose website is still up but who seem to be dead.

User avatar
kbdfr
The Tiproman

24 Mar 2018, 08:28

Pwner wrote: Had a friend send me this board recently, no badges/labels that I've seen. I'm assuming a G80-04XX but I am not sure.

Image
A shame someone virtually destroyed that board just for a few caps.
Pwner wrote:
hansichen wrote: Good luck trying to restore this board, he pretty much only took unique caps which are not easy to replace. You can probably just buy a new board instead of investing time into this one...
I have plenty of other boards so it's not a big deal. It will probably just sit on my shelf and collect dust until I figure out what to do with it.
Well, I happen to have one of those unique keycaps: the PrtSc *.
Plus the F keys (correct profile) but missing F9, and the numrow 0 key but with non-striked 0 (and perhaps different hue).
Please PM me if you are interested AND if you intend to somehow restore the board :!:

Post Reply

Return to “Keyboards”