IDENTIFY THE KEYSWITCH thread

[ppCircle]

Howdy. First time, long time. I've really only browsed the Wiki before and drooled over some of the pics in the forum. I already feel welcome: the banner pic was of an IBM Model M 122 key, which I have, and the answer to the account creation question was "Alps," which is what I'm asking about.

So, the keyboard is an NTC clone of their KB-6251EA model labeled "Zeos." AT, 5-pin DIN connector. The key stems are a light grey color, not an off white (see IMG_0924.jpg). They also have raised letters and numbers on top of the switch "casing." They're random numbers and letters and are on either the "number keys" side of the casing or on the "space bar" (north and south?) side, but never on the left or right sides. EXTREMELY clicky and heavy. Nice steel plate mount.

BTW, about half of the keycap stems were broken off inside the switch. That's why the inside of one of the switches in pic IMG_0923.jpg looks odd.

I know these are probably not Alps-made keys, but I'd still like to know where they came from.

Thanks, everyone!

Looks like Alps type T5 but it can be something else/close to that wiki/Alps.tw_Type_T5

[hellothere]

Oooh. I think that's close enough! Thanks very much for taking a look.

[Chyros]

T5's are pretty cool switches, especially for Alps clones. I swapped them into my macropad where the extra tactility is very welcome .

[hellothere]

And the gentleman that made me want to find an Alps keyboard shows up. I love your vids, Chyros. Please keep that up!

I'm looking into the keycaps to see if I can pin down an approximate age for the keyboard. So far, possibly early 1990s, but that controller chip 1980 copyright makes me question that.

I'll try to remember to update the NTC wiki page with my keyboard when I've got a chance.

[Chyros]

And the gentleman that made me want to find an Alps keyboard shows up. I love your vids, Chyros. Please keep that up!

I'm looking into the keycaps to see if I can pin down an approximate age for the keyboard. So far, possibly early 1990s, but that controller chip 1980 copyright makes me question that.

I'll try to remember to update the NTC wiki page with my keyboard when I've got a chance.

Cheers mate .

[eXeP]

Any idea on this one?

354032173_6181cae2-a1c8-4b03-9cee-2df0bae3fea2.jpg (325.05 KiB) Viewed 13574 times

Full keyboard:

354032173_354256b7-1336-4a5b-8876-8982fcfbc576.jpg (583.52 KiB) Viewed 13574 times

[Myoth]

Any idea on this one?
354032173_6181cae2-a1c8-4b03-9cee-2df0bae3fea2.jpg
Full keyboard:
354032173_354256b7-1336-4a5b-8876-8982fcfbc576.jpg

wiki/Ericsson_RMD_973_series

[kbdfr]

Any idea on this one?
354032173_6181cae2-a1c8-4b03-9cee-2df0bae3fea2.jpg
Full keyboard:
354032173_354256b7-1336-4a5b-8876-8982fcfbc576.jpg

wiki/Ericsson_RMD_973_series

And: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10382

[forter4]

Any idea what this switch is? It looks familiar, but difficult to really tell
https://www.ebay.com/itm/264655023949

[Morron]

Any idea what this switch is? It looks familiar, but difficult to really tell
https://www.ebay.com/itm/264655023949

Futaba linear maybe?

wiki/Futaba_linear_switch

EDIT: they look similar, but the futaba sliders are rectangular whilst the sliders in the picture are circular.

[RiverDax]

No label on the back

https://imgur.com/dycmtQg

[skorpionrazor]

Hi,
I've just got this keyboard. It is a Unisys model PCK104-SKB, but I don't really know what kind of switches are these. Dome with slider maybe? Sorry about bothering anyone if the answer its too obvious.
Regards!
Here are some pics:

[hellothere]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/S5M-Keyboard-W ... 4185220004. Described as "S5M Keyboard Wiring Plane." It's missing one switch, so you can see the roughly square mount. I think I've seen that mount in one of Chyros' videos.

If it's something uber-interesting-rare, I call dibs. Thanks!

[hellothere]

@skorpionrazor, it's a rubber dome.

[hellothere]

Hi,
I've just got this keyboard. It is a Unisys model PCK104-SKB, but I don't really know what kind of switches are these. Dome with slider maybe? Sorry about bothering anyone if the answer its too obvious.

It is this one
wiki/Mitsumi_KPQ-E99YC

OK, rubber sleeve.

[ayehavgunne]

What are these linear switches?



http://imgur.com/gallery/KdAiYfT

Found in an Orteck MCK-201

[skorpionrazor]

Hi,
I've just got this keyboard. It is a Unisys model PCK104-SKB, but I don't really know what kind of switches are these. Dome with slider maybe? Sorry about bothering anyone if the answer its too obvious.

It is this one
wiki/Mitsumi_KPQ-E99YC

OK, rubber sleeve.

Thanks both of you guys!

[hellothere]

What are these linear switches?

Spoiler:

http://imgur.com/gallery/KdAiYfT

Found in an Orteck MCK-201

It's the same board (as in, "same serial number") as in viewtopic.php?p=466267#p466267. The majority opinion was "clone," but we couldn't pin down which one.

If it's back up for sale on ebay already, there might be some problems with it.

[zrrion]

Any ID on this switch?

[Jesseg]

Any ID on this switch?

What on earth!?

[Chyros]

Looks inductive somehow, never seen a switch like that before though Oo .

[AppleSud]

Linear switches in a keyboard that was found lying outside a textile factory. The keyboard appears to have been part of a computerised weaving machine, and I can't find anything about the switches that it uses. Has anyone seen them before? They've got a pretty short travel, are fairly smooth, and the keycap also serves as the top housing.

[John Doe]

Guess it's from some kinda Siemens or related medical device taking the keycaps&switches into account, but no idea what it specifically is.

[gnhuy91]

Found a local seller put this board up:
https://imgur.com/a/SAkXLRV

looks like MX mount, anyone seen this before? Thanks in advance

[4_404]

Found a local seller put this board up:
https://imgur.com/a/SAkXLRV

looks like MX mount, anyone seen this before? Thanks in advance

Copam dome and slider, stiff and mushy, not great. I have some in a Copam K-455. The caps are MX compatible, but the sliders seem to be slightly larger than normal MX, so the caps fit a little loosly on MX switches (but they stay on fine when typing), and normal MX caps won't fit properly on the Copam. Boards are very well built and heavy for rubber domes though.

[gnhuy91]

Found a local seller put this board up:
https://imgur.com/a/SAkXLRV

looks like MX mount, anyone seen this before? Thanks in advance

Copam dome and slider, stiff and mushy, not great. I have some in a Copam K-455. The caps are MX compatible, but the sliders seem to be slightly larger than normal MX, so the caps fit a little loosly on MX switches (but they stay on fine when typing), and normal MX caps won't fit properly on the Copam. Boards are very well built and heavy for rubber domes though.

Thanks for the input! I will try to get it and see if I can you use on my board

[zrrion]

Looks inductive somehow, never seen a switch like that before though Oo .

In the switch's resting state the diameter of the spring is too small to touch the contacts on the PCB. When you press the switch it forces the spring to widen, making the diameter large enough to bridge the contacts, the force of the springs trying to return to its original size, in combination with the conical slider, provides return force and resets the slider.

That are very tactile and very loud, louder than a lot of clicky switches even though they aren't clicky themselves. I think I've found another adding machine with them in it so I might snag that and make a thread about the both of them.

[Chyros]

Looks inductive somehow, never seen a switch like that before though Oo .

In the switch's resting state the diameter of the spring is too small to touch the contacts on the PCB. When you press the switch it forces the spring to widen, making the diameter large enough to bridge the contacts, the force of the springs trying to return to its original size, in combination with the conical slider, provides return force and resets the slider.

That are very tactile and very loud, louder than a lot of clicky switches even though they aren't clicky themselves. I think I've found another adding machine with them in it so I might snag that and make a thread about the both of them.

Please do, they sound most intriguing!

[PlacaFromHell]

Linear switches in a keyboard that was found lying outside a textile factory. The keyboard appears to have been part of a computerised weaving machine, and I can't find anything about the switches that it uses. Has anyone seen them before? They've got a pretty short travel, are fairly smooth, and the keycap also serves as the top housing.

wiki/RAFI_full-travel_key_switch or wiki/RAFI_RS_76_C

[HerbalNekoTea]

Hi guys, i am not a really a big forum poster but i am fairly actif in the discord. So i recently received my sixth Yahoo Auction Japan. I need to send my seventh one soon. So, this order had a lot of fucking switch who are fucking wild one, 2 unknow not on the wiki but one's from a know series, idk if that the one which was missing but we had the model number. The other one's a wild unknow one with super quality vintage board.

Here's the pix... of the less wild board...




This is from a PC98 board, probably a missing Alps SKFR switch not in the wiki, but not the one missing on the wiki... Why, well, it's fucking the same than White... Well, why you ask, i also nailed that one.



Yeah, kinda identical, otherwise, maybe a 10g difference that i cannot notice... Welp.



Also super heavy variant for the Stop key.

2nd board which's a unknow switch from... keep reading...







So, this is a Mutoh KB101, a rebrand of the SORD KB101. The SORD KB101 was know to have another variant with the Hirose Switch on MouseKey website, obviously, it's not the same LED Light position and i was like "Wow, this seem interesting, let's wait for it to drop in price and take a chance." So eventually, after 2-3 weeks, it dropped to 4500 yen or less, when the other one was for 10k yen on Yahoo Auction Japan (Still in sale, look for Keyboard KB101 on Yahoo Auction japan, it got the same LED light position). So, before i say anything more, i got all the keycap btw. So, what would be that switch ? Well, it seem there's a pre barcode label used in your dollar store back in the 80'S with the word "Mitsumi" on it. The switch's tactile and feel very good. I don't want to sell it but if you can offer a good price because the other one would be gone due to this post on Yahoo Auction Japan, well, i might. The connector's a 8pin Din Connector used in Fujitsu Keyboard or NEC Keyboard in the West, not common in Japan. It's not NEC PC88 or PC98 connector nor a Fujitsu FM Town Connector. So i wonder what would be the PC using it and the dang protocole and how to convert it (I want to use it, it feel good, not a Shitsumi, a Goodtsumi, lol. 98% Blue Alps, amirith Headphone_Jack ? XD). I principally want to know what i should call it and get help dissasembling it for picture. I can also take Picture of the PCB later on, i did open it and the ribbon Cable look ultra easy to break (it's fine atm). The PCB lack a controller but daisy wire to a matrix pcb kinda like a HHKB Pro. Finally, the bottom's a super heavy metal, not just the plate. Which's kinda weird for the king of Shit know has Mitsumi. Very high quality build, surprisingly.

I also nailed a "Like SKFR but tall" but that switch don't feel like at all like those SKFR, the SKFR feel like rubbery while the "Like SKFR but tall" feel like a lighter Model M for the keypress (instant down) and got 2 step up. Forgot to upload pix, but it's the same design than the wiki.

Finally, i would like to contribute to the wiki but i want to avoid dissasembling if needed and i don't have a while picture box for taking demo pix.