BTC 5100c Difference?

[Thorogrimm]

I recently bought a BTC 5100c and it's the PS/2 version. I vaguely recall someone saying that the DIN connector versions feel better but is that the case? I can kind of feel a difference between other keyboards with BTC dome with slider but not 100%.

Can anyone confirm this?

[Palatino]

I've seen this reported quite a few times, including a side by side video comparison, so I think it must be true. I have the DIN version that you're welcome to borrow or buy to try them out together.

[Thorogrimm]

I've seen this reported quite a few times, including a side by side video comparison, so I think it must be true. I have the DIN version that you're welcome to borrow or buy to try them out together.

Can I see some pictures of it please? I may be interested.
It's just a shame because I spent quite a bit of time cleaning the one I got recently and it didn't quite feel the same as the other BTC boards I have with DIN connectors.

[hellothere]

Here's mine.

Spoiler:

BTC5100c.JPG (2.21 MiB) Viewed 2205 times

There are two versions that are black. I have the "jazzier" version. If you can't tell, the number key legends and the num lock legends are blue. I think there are at least two versions that are white.

* I read and may be the one perpetuating that 5-pin DIN ones are better than PS/2.
* I can say that full-sized BTC dome w/slider keyboards feel better. However, my full-sized Packard Bell binds a lot. I may eventually clean it and see what happens.
* I've been told that there's a 6-pin full-sized DIN version. If there really is, I'd advise against buying.

I have a Topre Realforce. The BTC dome w/slider keyboards aren't as good as the Topre, by several orders of magnitude, but the 5100c is a really nice KB in its own right.

[Thorogrimm]

Here's mine.

Spoiler:

BTC5100c.JPG

There are two versions that are black. I have the "jazzier" version. If you can't tell, the number key legends and the num lock legends are blue. I think there are at least two versions that are white.

* I read and may be the one perpetuating that 5-pin DIN ones are better than PS/2.
* I can say that full-sized BTC dome w/slider keyboards feel better. However, my full-sized Packard Bell binds a lot. I may eventually clean it and see what happens.
* I've been told that there's a 6-pin full-sized DIN version. If there really is, I'd advise against buying.

I have a Topre Realforce. The BTC dome w/slider keyboards aren't as good as the Topre, by several orders of magnitude, but the 5100c is a really nice KB in its own right.

I do enjoy BTC domes a fair bit and I like the look of the 5100c. I was supposed to have gotten a 5100c from eBay a few times but was sent a 5100 instead. I've also tried the Realforce 87U and wasn't a fan of the variable weighting.

I've been semi-tempted to get a Niz Micro 84 because I heard those are pretty good Topre clones for a lot less. But at the moment I can't really afford to pay serious money for a keyboard. I paid £15 for the 5100c I got (and I know these only have 2-key rollover)

[hellothere]

At this moment in time, I'm going to say that the Topre is worth the price, because mine is that good. Mind you, I also paid under $200 for mine . It's still the third most expensive keyboard I've purchased. (Most expensive is a custom Northgate OmniKey with brown Alps.)

I'm getting an Abko 965P v2. I found one on ebay for $100. I was encouraged by folks here saying they feel different from the Topre, but in a very good way. That price was just way too good to ignore.

Again, absolutely nothing wrong with a 5100c. The one I've got also looks fantastic. I paid $40 for mine, including shipping. A nice, working, complete keyboard for that price or less is excellent.

[Palatino]

I have the beige 5100C and will take some photos of the insides if that would help at all. At some point I may swap in those black keycaps from the 5100 F&F I got from you! £15 is a great price (though if it's that one from ebay, 27th July, it does look in need of a serious wipe down). I actually have a spare as I bought two new old stock ones from that US seller who has loads, and can't really justify one of them sitting in a box just in case I need replacement parts, so will list it for sale soon. Personally, it's sound the 5100C makes that does it for me rather than the keyfeel, though I like that too. It's a sort of squish squash effect that comes from some keys making a higher pitched sound than others. Also, the key caps have a wonderfully grippy surface. Definitely one of my top 5 favourites, ahead of much fancier and dearer keyboards.

[HC514]

I have a PS/2 and AT 5100C. There is a difference between them, but I strongly suspect that models with different connectors produced at the same time would feel the same as each other. I got them both NOS, so I know the PS/2 one I have is newer (Its manual is dated 2005! These things were in production for a long time!). You can tell they are closely related (feel-wise), but the older one does indeed feel a lot better. It has a well-defined snap that means the mush isn't an issue. The newer one, in comparison, has a much-diminished action that makes the mush more apparent. It produces a sensation like the keys get really stiff at the bottom, which you don't get with the older one.

On a related note, I don't think there's much value in comparing everything to Topre. I don't think the feel of these boards has much of a notable resemblance to it. There's more than one way a good rubber dome can feel.

[Thorogrimm]

I have the beige 5100C and will take some photos of the insides if that would help at all. At some point I may swap in those black keycaps from the 5100 F&F I got from you! £15 is a great price (though if it's that one from ebay, 27th July, it does look in need of a serious wipe down). I actually have a spare as I bought two new old stock ones from that US seller who has loads, and can't really justify one of them sitting in a box just in case I need replacement parts, so will list it for sale soon. Personally, it's sound the 5100C makes that does it for me rather than the keyfeel, though I like that too. It's a sort of squish squash effect that comes from some keys making a higher pitched sound than others. Also, the key caps have a wonderfully grippy surface. Definitely one of my top 5 favourites, ahead of much fancier and dearer keyboards.

I believe it was that one. I gave it a good clean and this is what it's looking like now

[Palatino]

Here's my NOS 5100C with 5-pin-din. Different slider colour from your PS2 one, Thorogrimm: perhaps the rubber domes underneath are different too, making the 5-pin version snappier and less mushy.

PXL_20210804_224152919.jpg (3.4 MiB) Viewed 2004 times

PXL_20210804_224207533.jpg (2.55 MiB) Viewed 2004 times

PXL_20210804_224218889.jpg (3.32 MiB) Viewed 2004 times

PXL_20210804_224447388.jpg (3.09 MiB) Viewed 2004 times

[micmil]

I can't say anything about the PS2/DIN difference but I can absolutely confirm different BTC DWS boards have different domes. The 5130 domes are way snappier than the PS/2 5100c I have, to the point where I pulled the domes from a thrashed 5130 and swapped them out.

The 5100c is now MUCH better. Still not as good as the 5130 though. I kind of stopped the experimentation after I got into Topre and clones though.