IDENTIFY THE KEYBOARD thread

kbdfr · 04 Dec 2020, 07:43

kelvinhall05 wrote: ↑
03 Dec 2020, 21:32

Bleks wrote: ↑
03 Dec 2020, 21:19
I found this old Bosch keyboard at my school, looks like a mechanical but I don't really know much about it. Is it rare or just trash? No tactile clicks and quite hard to press
http://imgur.com/gallery/UyH6PmS
http://imgur.com/gallery/WvXqN8O
http://imgur.com/gallery/sJjFSXX
Cherry MY 1800. Shit switches and this one doesn't even have doubleshot caps. Pretty bad board.

Pretty trashy board indeed, but even if lasered, someone might be interested in the Danish keycaps.

Keybug · 07 Dec 2020, 21:15

I've been looking to own a G81 without Windows keys. If you don't want more than 10€ plus shipping, I'm game...

Dr.Medic · 08 Dec 2020, 00:18

Hello, I have come across this looker. But unfortunately, I have missed due to class I had

This keyboard was located on Aukro.cz, called "Metra Blansko, AX 10". I hope the buyer comes across this and can give us more information.

I can provide more pics from the auction if needed, Thanks!

kelvinhall05 · 08 Dec 2020, 01:51

I'd guess some rubber domes or something or futaba ma.

Jan Pospisil · 08 Dec 2020, 11:22

Dr.Medic wrote: ↑
08 Dec 2020, 00:18
Hello, I have come across this looker. But unfortunately, I have missed due to class I had

This keyboard was located on Aukro.cz, called "Metra Blansko, AX 10". I hope the buyer comes across this and can give us more information.

I can provide more pics from the auction if needed, Thanks!

Not this exact same one, but I think I just bought the same model. (definitely one by Metra)
I only looked briefly at it before packing it away for later, but it seems to have PBT caps (crap printing though, much less nice condition than your photo) and some kind of dome with slider switch. (possibly. It's definitely not only rubber dome.)

Soqelye · 08 Dec 2020, 12:04

Hi help me, maybe ortek?

Chyros · 08 Dec 2020, 16:24

Looks like an Ortek MCK-101.

headphone_jack · 08 Dec 2020, 18:31

Definitely an Ortek. Are those sublegends just stickers or pad print?

Dr.Medic · 08 Dec 2020, 19:39

Jan Pospisil wrote: ↑
08 Dec 2020, 11:22

Dr.Medic wrote: ↑
08 Dec 2020, 00:18
Hello, I have come across this looker. But unfortunately, I have missed due to class I had

This keyboard was located on Aukro.cz, called "Metra Blansko, AX 10". I hope the buyer comes across this and can give us more information.

I can provide more pics from the auction if needed, Thanks!
Not this exact same one, but I think I just bought the same model. (definitely one by Metra)
I only looked briefly at it before packing it away for later, but it seems to have PBT caps (crap printing though, much less nice condition than your photo) and some kind of dome with slider switch. (possibly. It's definitely not only rubber dome.)

From what I understand. You have the keyboard at hand, if yes, would you post some pics of the switch and the caps up close?

davkol · 08 Dec 2020, 22:42

I'm not sure if I have the exact same model, but mine are sort of low-profile spring over membrane, very quiet, with the PBT keycaps having an interesting texture and blurry dyesub legends.

Jan Pospisil · 09 Dec 2020, 00:18

davkol wrote: ↑
08 Dec 2020, 22:42
I'm not sure if I have the exact same model, but mine are sort of low-profile spring over membrane, very quiet, with the PBT keycaps having an interesting texture and blurry dyesub legends.

That sounds familiar indeed. Although my switches might be in bad shape, they're very scratchy and I think I can hear a spring creak/ping.

Dr.Medic wrote: ↑
08 Dec 2020, 19:39
From what I understand. You have the keyboard at hand, if yes, would you post some pics of the switch and the caps up close?

Yes. I'll take some when I open it up, probably this weekend.

Reshala · 12 Dec 2020, 04:35

Some weird switches I found browsing a second-hand website, any help is appreciated.

zrrion · 12 Dec 2020, 04:57

the first pic is chicony buckling spring IIRC. The MX mount switch I don't think is anything special but the caps are nice. other switches I think are junk.

kelvinhall05 · 12 Dec 2020, 05:04

First is a shit buckling spring clone, second is BTC foam and foil, third is NMB dome with slider, no idea on fourth but probably dome with slider.

hellothere · 12 Dec 2020, 21:00

#4 could be interesting if the caps are Alps mount.

Post the name of the second hand website! I've gathered a few of them

John Doe · 14 Dec 2020, 03:37

Label said it's made in malasyia, no date words. Layout should be nice for myself but switches seem like skcm, surely no metal plate inside and top/back cases, quite light in hand.

Should there be any info I could quote? Thanks.

Polecat · 14 Dec 2020, 04:30

John Doe wrote: ↑
14 Dec 2020, 03:37
Label said it's made in malasyia, no date words. Layout should be nice for myself but switches seem like skcm, surely no metal plate inside and top/back cases, quite light in hand.

Should there be any info I could quote? Thanks.

Nan Tan (NTC) KB-6451EA. "Poor man's Northgate". I have two of those here. Plastic plate. Mine both have white SKCM switches, but the mold markings on this one look like SKBM (simplified Alps). These had a poor survival rate, because the top row keys are very tall and easily broken. My two were the only undamaged ones from a big batch that came through our recycling business back in the '90s.

edit: old reply with info and photos (scroll down):

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10405&p=383303

hellothere · 16 Dec 2020, 03:15

Polecat wrote: ↑
14 Dec 2020, 04:30

John Doe wrote: ↑
14 Dec 2020, 03:37
Label said it's made in malasyia, no date words. Layout should be nice for myself but switches seem like skcm, surely no metal plate inside and top/back cases, quite light in hand.

Should there be any info I could quote? Thanks.
Nan Tan (NTC) KB-6451EA. "Poor man's Northgate". I have two of those here. Plastic plate. Mine both have white SKCM switches, but the mold markings on this one look like SKBM (simplified Alps). These had a poor survival rate, because the top row keys are very tall and easily broken. My two were the only undamaged ones from a big batch that came through our recycling business back in the '90s.

edit: old reply with info and photos (scroll down):

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10405&p=383303

I respectfully submit that these are complicated white Alps. I see the slits. Additionally, there's no Alps logo on top, which is consistent with early complicated white Alps. I must admit that I'm not terribly knowledgeable about simplified Alps, so please do correct me if I'm wrong. In any case, they are definitely Alps, not a 4-tab clone, like the white alps.tw Type OA2 which I've been seeing a lot of on ebay, recently.

I do agree that this board probably has the plastic mounting plate. The plastic plates were black and the metal plates were an unpainted greyish color. The ones with the plastic mounting plates are almost comically light in comparison to the ones with a metal plate.

The NTC boards are fun because you never know what switch it'll have, sometimes not even until you desolder it. You might not even know the exact model until you pop open the case and look at the PCB, regardless of what the label says.

I also have two NTC boards, one has white alps.tw Type OA2 clones (plastic plate) and the other had grey alps.tw Type T5, which I swapped with Matias quiet clicks (metal plate). I'm selling both

.

Polecat · 16 Dec 2020, 03:52

hellothere wrote: ↑
16 Dec 2020, 03:15

I respectfully submit that these are complicated white Alps. I see the slits. Additionally, there's no Alps logo on top, which is consistent with early complicated white Alps. I must admit that I'm not terribly knowledgeable about simplified Alps, so please do correct me if I'm wrong. In any case, they are definitely Alps, not a 4-tab clone, like the white alps.tw Type OA2 which I've been seeing a lot of on ebay, recently.

I do agree that this board probably has the plastic mounting plate. The plastic plates were black and the metal plates were an unpainted greyish color. The ones with the plastic mounting plates are almost comically light in comparison to the ones with a metal plate.

The NTC boards are fun because you never know what switch it'll have, sometimes not even until you desolder it. You might not even know the exact model until you pop open the case and look at the PCB, regardless of what the label says.

I also have two NTC boards, one has white alps.tw Type OA2 clones (plastic plate) and the other had grey alps.tw Type T5, which I swapped with Matias quiet clicks (metal plate). I'm selling both .

According to the wiki you're absolutely correct about the slits identifying them as complicated/SKCM. The bigger mold numbering probably means they're a later version then. Seems like I've seen that on one of my keyboards also. Hmmm...

My two NTCs sound and feel surprisingly good for "cheap" keyboards. But they were nearly new when I rescued them. They are very light indeed, and from what I recall they were lower priced than most other brands. ("Poor man's Northgate" comes from an old magazine review that has stuck in my mind all these years)

edit - my DTK SPK-101 has white Alps switches with the bigger mold numbering. These have the appearance of slits, but they're just depressions in the upper housings, not actual slits. Number-letter upper right (example 4N) which I guess makes them later SKCM rather than simplified/SKBM.

hellothere · 16 Dec 2020, 15:55

I really liked the one that had the grey Alps clones because it was really easy to take apart and work on. It also didn't have a bunch of folded-over contacts for the switches, so they were fun to practice soldering on. The one with the white clones does have the folded-over contacts, just to make things a bit miserable

HenkHeukers · 17 Dec 2020, 21:05

What are we looking at here ? Might this even be useable ?

Rayndalf · 18 Dec 2020, 00:17

HenkHeukers wrote: ↑
17 Dec 2020, 21:05
What are we looking at here ? Might this even be useable ?

I'm guessing it's from an early electric typewriter or word processor. I'm not sure, but I'd totally go for it. Those keycaps are gorgeous (almost remind me of Nixdorf keycaps with the hemispherical dishing) and the switches could be really interesting.

PlacaFromHell · 18 Dec 2020, 01:31

HenkHeukers wrote: ↑
17 Dec 2020, 21:05
What are we looking at here ? Might this even be useable ?

They look a lot like Olympia keycaps, but with a brighter colour. The switches are the weird part, they look like Futaba sealed linear, but the slider looks rounded instead of squared and the pin arrangement is completely different:

Based on what I see here, I bet it has magnetic reed switches of some obscure kind, with the reed switch mounted diagonally to fit propperly.
Please, if you ever get it be sure to upload some pictures, that's a very interesting one.

Camacazzi · 18 Dec 2020, 08:55

Hi, new to the forum. Not a keyboard, but rather a switch I hope someone can recognise. I've asked around a bit to no avail and was recommended to ask here as I hadn't had any luck.
Mate found this switch at work. He describes it as "weird tactile switch and scratchy as hell". I'm not certain if he means it's a locking switch but I'm going off the premise that it isn't given the fact that it was in a parts box labelled "Switches: Keyboards".
Anyone have any idea? Much appreciated.

Dr.Medic · 18 Dec 2020, 12:44

Camacazzi wrote: ↑
18 Dec 2020, 08:55
Hi, new to the forum. Not a keyboard, but rather a switch I hope someone can recognise. I've asked around a bit to no avail and was recommended to ask here as I hadn't had any luck.
Mate found this switch at work. He describes it as "weird tactile switch and scratchy as hell". I'm not certain if he means it's a locking switch but I'm going off the premise that it isn't given the fact that it was in a parts box labelled "Switches: Keyboards".
Anyone have any idea? Much appreciated.

Most certainly it's M11.
https://telcontar.net/KBK/Cherry/M11

Soqelye · 23 Dec 2020, 02:41

Hi, help me

ball00n · 23 Dec 2020, 07:25

Soqelye wrote: ↑
23 Dec 2020, 02:41
Hi, help me

Looks like a dfk101, should be white alps.

Soqelye · 23 Dec 2020, 08:36

ball00n wrote: ↑
23 Dec 2020, 07:25

Soqelye wrote: ↑
23 Dec 2020, 02:41
Hi, help me
Looks like a dfk101, should be white alps.

thanks

Reshala · 23 Dec 2020, 18:53

It's me again, with two weird things I came across on a Chinese second hand website. The first one is an Atari with switches vaguely resembles Omron, second is an industrial board with a SMK PCB. Maybe some sort of dust resistant variant of the infamous 2nd gen? Idk.

Reshala · 23 Dec 2020, 18:54

Reshala wrote: ↑
23 Dec 2020, 18:53
It's me again, with two weird things I came across on a Chinese second hand website. The first one is an Atari with switches vaguely resembles Omron, second is an industrial board with a SMK PCB. Maybe some sort of dust resistant variant of the infamous 2nd gen? Idk.

It seems the order of pictures is somehow inversed. Sorry about that.