Great/Interesting Finds

[Muirium]

Does it program the same way as the Alps ProXellent?

I haven't had a chance to play with Alps ProXellent, but the PreMa is really straightforward to program. You press the Macro Prg key, and the Macro on light starts flashing. Then you press the key to assign the macro to, then type the macro (up to 74 characters), and press the Macro Prg key again. That's it. Since it's not a battlecruiser, the macros just get assigned to regular keys, so you need to put the keyboard in the macro mode by pressing "Macro On" key before using macros.
Remapping is done similarly by using Remap key instead of Macro Prg.

The key is to have a Macro and Remap key.

See, I get where you guys are coming from who want similar features implemented in modern firmwares. A custom build, where you define everything, seems like the perfect place to do this. And even the vintage freaks like me already assign keys of our own choosing to functions they never had before: like my Kishsaver here and its all important Fn key in the bottom right which was no such thing when IBM made it.

I can't code firmwares for shit, mind. But I see exactly what you're after. It shouldn't be beyond us.

Can even picture blinking one of the lock LEDs to indicate which input mode you're in.

[Polecat]

Does it program the same way as the Alps ProXellent?

I haven't had a chance to play with Alps ProXellent, but the PreMa is really straightforward to program. You press the Macro Prg key, and the Macro on light starts flashing. Then you press the key to assign the macro to, then type the macro (up to 74 characters), and press the Macro Prg key again. That's it. Since it's not a battlecruiser, the macros just get assigned to regular keys, so you need to put the keyboard in the macro mode by pressing "Macro On" key before using macros.
Remapping is done similarly by using Remap key instead of Macro Prg.

Thank you, that's similar to the Alps version:

viewtopic.php?p=464311#p464311

It's important to me to have it documented here, because sometime down the road someone will find one of these keyboards without the instructions and will want to know how to use it.

[june bug]

industrial model m:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/334634374691?h ... SwpJBjcRLD

industrial ssk:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/334634366868?h ... Swe4djeUSV

[engr]

It's important to me to have it documented here, because sometime down the road someone will find one of these keyboards without the instructions and will want to know how to use it.

Sure. Eventually I would like to take some pictures of it and maybe do a write up for wiki, for this exact reason. Programmable keyboards in general are not super common, and I haven't been able to find any info on this particular model.

[JP!]

IBM 3277 - Beamspring or Micro Switch?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/155260580873

[inozenz]

IBM 3277 - Beamspring or Micro Switch?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/155260580873

Beamspring 100%

[Polecat]

It's important to me to have it documented here, because sometime down the road someone will find one of these keyboards without the instructions and will want to know how to use it.

Sure. Eventually I would like to take some pictures of it and maybe do a write up for wiki, for this exact reason. Programmable keyboards in general are not super common, and I haven't been able to find any info on this particular model.

I'm happy just to have things in the forum where they can be found by a search. I have quite a few keyboards that *should* be in the wiki, but every time I've tried to do that I remember why I gave up the last time.

[Polecat]

Thanks. Have you ever tried those instructions (Macro programmability) with other Focus boards? Did they work?

I just tried both of the ProXellent Macro routines on the FK-2002, and as expected neither one works. I really don't know if any of the higher end Focus keyboards work differently, but that's still a remote possibility.

[hellothere]

What Switches does it use ?

No clue. I'm pretty positive "mechanical," but I don't know beyond that.

1000 available?

2 available, 98 sold. Unless there's another ad somewhere.

Derping myself, as there is a Wiki page for the KBD-2, but the one on the Wiki page looks like it's black/dark grey, rather than the brown one in the ebay ad. wiki/Nabu_KBD-2. The one in the Wiki is Alps SKCC cream. That's not a guarantee that the one in the ebay ad has the same switches, though.

Shipping to me is about the same price of the computer+keyboard, so I'll pass.

[engr]

The key is to have a Macro and Remap key.

See, I get where you guys are coming from who want similar features implemented in modern firmwares. A custom build, where you define everything, seems like the perfect place to do this. And even the vintage freaks like me already assign keys of our own choosing to functions they never had before: like my Kishsaver here and its all important Fn key in the bottom right which was no such thing when IBM made it.

Yes. Last generation of Omnikey/Avant do it without dedicated macro keys, but it's... non-intuitive.

I asked a couple of people who are involved with development of custom PCBs if they had any interest in adding these features, and unfortunately I seem to be a part of very small minority. Everyone seems perfectly happy using QMK/VIA/etc.

[Muirium]

Yeah, it's a "who's asking?" kind of problem. The gulf between QMK/VIAL users—delighted newbs who can finally remap keys!—and their developers is what keeps this stuck.

If I had the coding chops to implement this stuff, I'd likely do it myself and add it to QMK or my own firmware like Soarer did. He got me very into macros indeed, something I still do a ton of, albeit on the host. Recording them directly on the keyboard definitely has a place.

[Polecat]

NOS blue Alps switches on ebay. Someone in South Korea has apparently found at least 1800 NOS blue Alps switches!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/155268029608

[Lalaland124]

NOS blue Alps switches on ebay. Someone in South Korea has apparently found at least 1800 NOS blue Alps switches!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/155268029608

Man everytime I think we're done with this sort of stuff, someone finds sth like this

[Muirium]

I wish 7bit was still around to buy all of those and sell them on individually. So long as you could wait six months… and bring yourself to resist his latest signature plastics grouped buy with all its eternal running deadlines…

[thefarside]

This is the same seller who's listing NOS white and black alps. I wonder what the story is behind these switches.

[Muirium]

There’s always a story.

Spoiler:

Man don’t just wind up with goods like that on accident. Not three times. Capeesh?

[John Doe]

$1260+shipping for 300 NOS SKCM Blue switches, fair or not?

[thefarside]

$1260+shipping for 300 NOS SKCM Blue switches, fair or not?

That’s a good question. The original price I saw on eBay was $960 which I thought was the current market value at $3.20/switch, but $1260 is the top end I’ve seen for blue alps switches at $4.20/switch which usually includes the keyboard. For example I bought a gold label Omni Key 102 with 9/10 blue alps switches for $330 and that’s $3.26/switch and includes an awesome keyboard. For the price I’d probably risk buying a blue alps keyboard for a lower price.

[Polecat]

$1260+shipping for 300 NOS SKCM Blue switches, fair or not?

That’s a good question. The original price I saw on eBay was $960 which I thought was the current market value at $3.20/switch, but $1260 is the top end I’ve seen for blue alps switches at $4.20/switch which usually includes the keyboard. For example I bought a gold label Omni Key 102 with 9/10 blue alps switches for $330 and that’s $3.26/switch and includes an awesome keyboard. For the price I’d probably risk buying a blue alps keyboard for a lower price.

A good deal can be defined as one where the buyer and seller both walk away smiling. (...or both walk away smiling, knowing they screwed the other guy...).The idea that there is some magic, firm, and objective price burned into the aether of the universe is pure delusion. These switches are supposedly NOS, and they can only be new once. That in itself separates these from *any* used examples of the same switch, attached to a keyboard or not, or lubed with snake snot or extract of unicorn. If pigs had wings and the moon was made of green cheese I'm pretty sure I'd be buying some.

[engr]

A Datadesk Switchboard with lots of yellowing. Would make an interesting project if you don't mind doing some retrobrighting.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/314157791205

[inozenz]

A Datadesk Switchboard with lots of yellowing. Would make an interesting project if you don't mind doing some retrobrighting.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/314157791205

its been there for a while now, its nice but not for that price sadly

[John Doe]

Goddamn, its so cooool

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Texas-Instrume ... 632-2357-0

FFD04888-A8D8-4AAA-917E-FFA01770DF2B.jpeg (987.69 KiB) Viewed 11055 times

[goomba_]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/325440710300/

any ideas?

[Muirium]

XT layout, obvs, so presumably post 1981 and pre Model M. Where’s the cable, though? The pics aren’t great but all you can see is a hole on the back which looks too small to be a vintage socket.

[goomba_]

XT layout, obvs, so presumably post 1981 and pre Model M. Where’s the cable, though? The pics aren’t great but all you can see is a hole on the back which looks too small to be a vintage socket.

I spent like 30 minutes yesterday looking for info on this thing and managed to find an old geekhack thread about a board that shares a common feature: spade keys https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=58951.0 this one appears to be a standard xt layout rather than the scuffed xt layout on the board from the listing

the little red light on the front leads me to believe that it might be some sort of wireless IR board similar to the IBM JX and PCJR keyboards but I cant say for sure but it would explain the lack of a cable

on that GH thread someone mentioned how that board could have shipped with a franklin ace apple II clone which would explain the spade keys but I was unable to find any pictures of keyboards for franklin ace systems that weren't in unit models

all that said the board looks to me like it is probably foam and foil and since the later franklin fkb-3 used multitech foam and foil switches my conclusion right now is that this board might have been some sort of external/wireless alternative board you could have bought for a franklin ace system at some point but again I have not found any actual evidence to support this with

I would love to see if anyone can find more info about it as its a pretty quirky looking board

[Polecat]

all that said the board looks to me like it is probably foam and foil and since the later franklin fkb-3 used multitech foam and foil switches my conclusion right now is that this board might have been some sort of external/wireless alternative board you could have bought for a franklin ace system at some point but again I have not found any actual evidence to support this with

Two Franklin Ace versions <attached>. (Not my photos.) There may have been others also. I believe one or both use the same Multitech foam and foil switches as the FKB-3. Sorry, I don't recognize the one in the listing.

[Polecat]

Alps Electric CP10A012AA with blue SKCM switches:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/285061089594

Is this a known thing? I don't recall ever seeing one before. Curved case and layout similar to Focus FK-727/747.

[zrrion]

not surprised to see an alps board w/ that sort of case as well, seems like everyone made a board that looked like that

[fohat]

Great ?
Interesting ?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/394361354926?m ... name=11021

[ArtyomTheMetroHopper]

Great ?
Interesting ?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/394361354926?m ... name=11021

Interesting, I may or may not have sent a message to the seller as we speak to see if they do international shipping