Recent find: Deyi KB-1000... tentatively

[norolim]

Hi everyone. I'd like to share a few finds, that might interest some of you, starting with the most recent one, tentatively named

Deyi KB-1000


Tentatively, because there is no branding on the keyboard and all the FCC ID search reveals is that it was registered to Deyi Technology Co Ltd, a Taipei, Taiwan based company. The only other identifying data can be found on the PCB, where it says it's a KB-1000 keyboard. The Internet is of little help, although there might be more info available in Chinese.



The keyboard is in very good condition. I'm pretty sure the previous owner didn't clean it, but when I opened it, all I found were a few hairs and some dust. The keycaps, which are thin double-shots, still have tactile texture on top.



After removing the caps, I found the most interesting components of the board. Obviously. It uses fairly rare and obscure TEC switches, which are Alps mount and clicky. There is very little information available about them: a few posts here and there and a stub article on the Deskthority wiki. So here are a few pictures and some feedback.

Spoiler:

Contrary to the information on the wiki the switches have a TEC branding both on top and on the bottom (see last picture above). Most of them have a white slider, except the space bar, which is yellow. The switch with the yellow slider is noticeably stiffer than the others. If I were to guess the actuation force of the white slider switches (based on experience with other keyboards), I'd say they are ~50 gf.

Spoiler:

They offer good tactility, the click is loud and they're surprisingly smooth. The single-unit keys don't bind but the larger ones, especially the ones that are not stabilised, tend to bind a little on off centre presses. The biggest offender is the left Shift — it has no stabilisation. Oh, and they ping like mad. Listen to this:

https://voca.ro/19ZexIjPuWVX

The case is made of thin low quality plastic. It's very flimsy and creaky. There are no markings on it except a nameplate on the bottom, which identifies the device as a... keyboard . There is a slot for a XT/AT switch, but there is no switch — it doesn't look like it was ever there. The slot was covered with a white sticker, when it arrived, but the adhesive was so old, it came off almost immediately.

Some more pics:

Spoiler:

One more interesting observation: when I first connected the keyboard, some switches typed double characters or did not register the first press. I continued using it and after a while the problems subsided. I had a look at the tracks and solder joints on the PCB but I'm not and expert and did not see any immediate problems. Has anyone had a similar experience with and old keyboard?

[Palatino]

Interesting. I have a keyboard with clicky switches and sliders similar to these which I couldn’t identify precisely from the wiki or elsewhere. I’ll go back and see if they match these. The issue you mention with switches not registering immediately is I think known as “hard starting”. I’ve had it too, but only with boards that have lain unused for a long time. Perhaps a small amount of built-up corrosion blocks the electrical contact, but is dislodged by a few presses of the key.

[norolim]

The issue you mention with switches not registering immediately is I think known as “hard starting”. I’ve had it too, but only with boards that have lain unused for a long time. Perhaps a small amount of built-up corrosion blocks the electrical contact, but is dislodged by a few presses of the key.

Yes, I assumed the problems with the switches not registering correctly had something to do with the keyboard not being used for a long time. It's very clean, there is practically no wear anywhere, both the switches and the caps feel brand new and the case is just a little yellowed in a few places. The date stamp on the Zilog microcontroller suggest a production date of February 1992, so I'm guessing someone used that keybord in the mid 90s, not very intensively, and then it was stored for a very long time.

[zrrion]

that is almost identical to KPT, Podworld, and JTC keyboards. The plastic plate and PCB booth look very similar as well and the switches appear to be TEC branded versions of the KPT switch (the TEC version and unbranded version are all similar enough that I am pretty sure they were manufactured by the same place but I don't have enough info to concretely change anything on the wiki yet)

The layout is different, KPT stuff usually uses a monterey layout with a 2u backspace where this one is clearly has something else going on. If you ever feel like parting with it let me know, would love to see how it compares with the rest of my KPT stuff

[norolim]

The only clear external difference is the little notch on the top edge of the housing, opposite the branding. All the KPT and KPT-like unbranded switches, I've seen on the net, have a longer rectangular notch. The branded TEC switches have a semicircle one.

If you ever feel like parting with it let me know, would love to see how it compares with the rest of my KPT stuff

Sure, I'll keep that in mind.