IDENTIFY THE KEYBOARD thread

[Findecanor]

The Olivetti in the Wiki.
The keyboard under it could be a rebranded Monterey K208 rubber dome with at least Alps-compatible but printed keycaps.

[cml]

That one under the Olivetti made me think of Alps because of the layout.

What about the one on the left. Could it be a Model M late rubber-dome? I've never tried one of those, so if confirmed, might give it a try.


EDIT: NEVERMIND, seller just responded he's not shipping.

[Findecanor]

What about the one on the left. Could it be a Model M late rubber-dome? I've never tried one of those, so if confirmed, might give it a try.

That looks very generic and with Windows keys. Unlikely that it would be mechanical. Likely a Key Tronic KT800 rubber dome, which has nice feel but very cheap construction.

[Keybug]

I'd get that Olivetti board if it's no more than 5 - 10€. Should have interesting short travel switches.

The one behind that should be a Monterey K208 (rubber dome).

The rest is modern crap...

[BSKUA0]

Can anyone identify the keyboard (and/or computer) in attached image, please?
The photo is dated 1993 (could be +-1 year or so). Also interested in mouse. And the thing behind the monitor must be the system unit, it seems to have maybe something like translucent dark plastic part on the right of front panel, looks pretty distinct if so, maybe someone seen such computers (long ago)?

Edit: after doing some research I'm thinking the box is SIEMENS NIXDORF PCD something.

[Lbibass]

Can anyone identify the keyboard (and/or computer) in attached image, please?
The photo is dated 1993 (could be +-1 year or so). Also interested in mouse. And the thing behind the monitor must be the system unit, it seems to have maybe something like translucent dark plastic part on the right of front panel, looks pretty distinct if so, maybe someone seen such computers (long ago)?

The keeb is a cherry G8X-3XXX. Unsure about the mouse.

[Polecat]

The mouse I believe is Logitech. They made 2 and 3 button versions with that shape. 2 button version currently on ebay under model "M-MD14-2". 3 button version under "Pilot Mouse Model 0230".

[BSKUA0]

Lbibass
Polecat
Thanks! Looks like that's what they are.

[snacksthecat]

I had no idea that Logitech made mice prior to this

[Polecat]

I had no idea that Logitech made mice prior to this

I believe that a mouse was their original product back in the '80s. My very first mouse was a Logitech C7, which I still have here someplace.

[Findecanor]

The mouse in the picture (a M-MB14, but one with two or three buttons?) is much newer than the C7.
And even the C7 is four years after Logitech's first mouse in 1981. See http://oldmouse.com/mouse/logitech/

[Darkshado]

Logitech also made ADB mice for Apple in the mid-eighties

[TicTocTom]

Hello fellow DTs. Would like some help identifying this keyboard. It's one of many that I acquired in a recent "barn find" along with some WYSE 50s and Model Ms. It's branded HEXATEK, which seems to be a local IT company, and the PCB is marked Cherry 122. Thick AT cable. The switches appear to be vintage MX black, and the key feel is sublime. I've never felt anything like it. What do you all think? Only downside is that it's ISO. If it were ANSI it would be my battleship endgame.

[Keybug]

Wow, that seems a pretty unusual board - quite distinct in layout from the Cherry-assembled G80-2XXXs. Glad to hear you're enjoying it!

[kbdfr]

[…] Only downside is that it's ISO. If it were ANSI it would be my battleship endgame.

Modding it to ANSI would indeed be quite simple with practically no tampering with the keyboard itself (if, as I presume, it is not plate-mounted).
.

hexatek.png (785.33 KiB) Viewed 9268 times

.
All you would have to do is:
- remove the keycaps shown in the pic
- find keycaps with the correct ANS size that would optically fit the keyboard (that's probably the toughest part)
- mod the keycaps as necessary so that they have one stem sitting on each of the existing switches
- for the caps with double switches, open the 1u switch, remove the spring and close the switch again

The springless switch will now work as a perfect stabilizer, and pressing the key will require actuating just one switch, i.e. the usual force.

[Findecanor]

I would also have suggested a conversion, if I had thought that it was PCB-mounted. However, there are no fixing pins or in-switch diodes/jumpers visible on the PCB above. Also, I can see no green between the keys, which makes me believe that there is a black plate.

You would have had to mod the plate as well, and doing that would be difficult without first removing all the switches. I consider myself an extreme ninja master with the Dremel but I would still shy away from modding a plate that is still attached to switches.

BTW. I would have proscribed drilling into the PCB over modding the keycaps. The ISO Enter key's switch is on the border between ANSI \ and Enter. It can also be difficult to get transplanted stems centred and at the right height.

[kbdfr]

[…] BTW. I would have proscribed drilling into the PCB over modding the keycaps. The ISO Enter key's switch is on the border between ANSI \ and Enter. […]

I must confess I hadn't thought of that

[Lanrefni]

[…] Only downside is that it's ISO. If it were ANSI it would be my battleship endgame.

Modding it to ANSI would indeed be quite simple with practically no tampering with the keyboard itself (if, as I presume, it is not plate-mounted).
.
hexatek.png
.
All you would have to do is:
- remove the keycaps shown in the pic
- find keycaps with the correct ANS size that would optically fit the keyboard (that's probably the toughest part)
- mod the keycaps as necessary so that they have one stem sitting on each of the existing switches
- for the caps with double switches, open the 1u switch, remove the spring and close the switch again

The springless switch will now work as a perfect stabilizer, and pressing the key will require actuating just one switch, i.e. the usual force.

I tried the no spring idea on my BFO-9000 and the 2U POS caps I use were binding on the down/up stroke,I ended up using an MX Black spring cut down by a third and it worked perfectly.

[Crown326]

Hello all!
I recently made a trip to a local recycling center and picked up a few boards and these strange boards for FREE. I cant seem to find too much information on them, wanted to see if anyone had any knowledge on them.. The Honeywell board seems to have some sort of rubber domes in it and the manufacture date seems to be April 1988, it also has some pretty nice double shots. The Digitran board uses some sort of capacitive leaf spring. Not sure the manufacture date because the ink is too smudged to read. Its unfortunate this one is so smashed up and is missing a couple keys but I got them both for free so I'm not complaining too much

[Chyros]

The Digitran will be their Golden Touch switch. It's presumably their Z-leaf spring design, which was the older version. They're a very interesting switch - if mine wasn't in such bad condition, and if I could actually use the board, I'm pretty sure I'd like it a lot .

[TicTocTom]

All you would have to do is:
- remove the keycaps shown in the pic
- find keycaps with the correct ANS size that would optically fit the keyboard (that's probably the toughest part)
- mod the keycaps as necessary so that they have one stem sitting on each of the existing switches
- for the caps with double switches, open the 1u switch, remove the spring and close the switch again

The springless switch will now work as a perfect stabilizer, and pressing the key will require actuating just one switch, i.e. the usual force.

Thanks! I’ll try this.

[kbdfr]

All you would have to do is:
- remove the keycaps shown in the pic
- find keycaps with the correct ANS size that would optically fit the keyboard (that's probably the toughest part)
- mod the keycaps as necessary so that they have one stem sitting on each of the existing switches
- for the caps with double switches, open the 1u switch, remove the spring and close the switch again

The springless switch will now work as a perfect stabilizer, and pressing the key will require actuating just one switch, i.e. the usual force.

Thanks! I’ll try this.

Don't, because I made a mistake:

[…] BTW. I would have proscribed drilling into the PCB over modding the keycaps. The ISO Enter key's switch is on the border between ANSI \ and Enter. […]

I must confess I hadn't thought of that

[Crown326]

The Digitran will be their Golden Touch switch. It's presumably their Z-leaf spring design, which was the older version. They're a very interesting switch - if mine wasn't in such bad condition, and if I could actually use the board, I'm pretty sure I'd like it a lot .

Yep those are the switches! I have my fingers crossed on finding a non destroyed example from this era some day.

[kps]

The Honeywell one is from a TI Explorer LISP machine.

Encased

[Crown326]

The Honeywell one is from a TI Explorer LISP machine.

Encased

Interesting, thanks for the info!

[karlmartin95]

What keyboard is this?

[User101]

What keyboard is this?

Data General terminal keyboard uses fujitsu 3rd gen leafspring.

[4_404]

Hi, does anyone know anything about this keyboard? Apparently it is 'clicky', but that might mean nothing. I can't seem to find much information on the Optima brand (the only one in the wiki is a rubber dome). Thanks

[HC514]

Well it's certainly nothing to do with the one on the wiki. That's about two decades newer than this.

[Muirium]

The caps look PBT dyesub to me. Sort of like old Acer boards. While a good sign of old age, it’s just a hint, not a guarantee about the switches. They could be domes, or not. The caps may be useable elsewhere, or not too!

Could be worth a chance if it’s cheap.