IDENTIFY THE KEYBOARD thread

[madrobby]

Haven't seen this Commodore PC keyboard before

Mitsumi of some sort, nothing exceptional.

Spoiler:

IronHrt_20231130_104011_lmc_8.4.jpg

That's what I thought it might be, thanks for confirming.

[HC514]

Personally, I quite like the Mitsumi switches that Commodore used. You kind of just tap the keys while typing. You'll never bottom out. The (very pronounced) progressive linear curve is arguably another kind of tactility.

[drdean]

Hi guys

I’m a newbie here. Does anyone recognise these key caps?

I’ve never seen ANYTHING similar to these before. The keys are dark with an inset white square at the top and with black lettering.

I think they may be telex or communication related as some of the key commands show up in related searches.

Obviously the key caps are not in the correct order here and have just been placed in this formation.

Any help, ideas or suggestions.

Many thanks.
drdean

IMG_0699.jpeg (177.87 KiB) Viewed 22769 times

[Muirium]

They are relegendable caps of some sort. Uniform row profile too. They certainly don't look like any of these, as they have a border around the paper insert instead of running edge to edge:



The T key in particular has the right lighting to expose how deep the inset is. They don't even look covered to me.

[rezenew]

Screenshot_20231211-102030~2.png (1.45 MiB) Viewed 22605 times

Does anyone recognize this or the switches it uses? Very bizarre layout.

[jsheradin]

Does anyone recognize this or the switches it uses? Very bizarre layout.

http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/eagleCompu ... ochure.pdf
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ ... 1955532020

FT sticker means Keytronic foam and foil. It's for a PC clone so it probably speaks XT.

Spoiler:

eagle.PNG (1.09 MiB) Viewed 22580 times

eagle3.PNG (453.74 KiB) Viewed 22573 times

You can also see one of the terminal things it was advertised with in the background of your photo:

Spoiler:

eagle2.PNG (1.1 MiB) Viewed 22573 times

[rezenew]

Does anyone recognize this or the switches it uses? Very bizarre layout.

http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/eagleCompu ... ochure.pdf
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ ... 1955532020

FT sticker means Keytronic foam and foil. It's for a PC clone so it probably speaks XT.

Spoiler:

eagle.PNG
eagle3.PNG

You can also see one of the terminal things it was advertised with in the background of your photo:

Spoiler:

eagle2.PNG

Awesome thanks!
What were they thinking with those f keys under the numpad?!

[webwit]

Hi guys

I’m a newbie here. Does anyone recognise these key caps?

I’ve never seen ANYTHING similar to these before. The keys are dark with an inset white square at the top and with black lettering.

I think they may be telex or communication related as some of the key commands show up in related searches.

Obviously the key caps are not in the correct order here and have just been placed in this formation.

Any help, ideas or suggestions.

Many thanks.
drdean


IMG_0699.jpeg

Seem similar:

s-l1600.png (2.55 MiB) Viewed 22536 times

Accu-Sort 4710

7389330828_2428b4fb01_b.jpg (214.38 KiB) Viewed 22536 times

_SMD31803.JPG (29.93 KiB) Viewed 22536 times

Casio FX-1

This page says "magnetically activated switches".

[drdean]

Hey webwit good spot!!

These are very similar. How on earth did you find these? I’ve tried reverse image search but couldn’t get anywhere.

I still think these keys are something to do with telex or teleprinter or telecommunications. The key commands tend to turn up on these types of machinery but I’m yet to find the kit that they came from.

Be interesting if anyone remembers what these keys were from or what the commands mean.

Cheers
drdean

[guidemetothelight]

Not really keyboards that are up for purchase, but I found these two keyboard (typewriter in one case) in a video on youtube and found them really interesting. taken out of a video about derelict aircraft from a bloke from the uk called mr hewes.
they look really interesting.

IMG_5141-compressed.png (160.05 KiB) Viewed 21944 times

IMG_5142-compressed.png (187.41 KiB) Viewed 21944 times

[Muirium]

Wash your hands, Mr. Hewes!

Those pale blue symbol keys are very, very cool. A mix of Runes and hidden print symbols? They're like something an AI would dream up, but I don't think we're quite there yet.

[guidemetothelight]

Wash your hands, Mr. Hewes!

fair point, but once you know he was there to fix the landing gear on handley page victor, it makes more sense.

Those pale blue symbol keys are very, very cool. A mix of Runes and hidden print symbols? They're like something an AI would dream up, but I don't think we're quite there yet.

They really do look very cool. I really like the grey typewriter. really reminds me of the gmk ascii set.
the video is worth a watch if someone is interested in old tech / aircraft.
https://youtu.be/MMYhX8lZjwg?si=9Df9KFPJdLgjhD1R

[DocFreud]

I stumbled upon three keyboards in my basement, all produced by Electronics Industry Niš (Ei Niš) in Yugoslavia. Despite my efforts to uncover information online, I've been unsuccessful. Does anyone happen to have any details about these keyboards?

[Dingster]

I stumbled upon three keyboards in my basement, all produced by Electronics Industry Niš (Ei Niš) in Yugoslavia. Despite my efforts to uncover information online, I've been unsuccessful. Does anyone happen to have any details about these keyboards?

You should ask on the "Retro Računalniki" facebook group, the guys there have extensive knowledge of old YU PCs and their peripherals

[textadventurer]

1.jpeg (178.52 KiB) Viewed 14027 times

2.jpeg (168.47 KiB) Viewed 14027 times

3.jpeg (154.65 KiB) Viewed 14027 times

Anybody recognise this keyboard, or know what switches it has? I can't find anything about the brand or the keyboard online.

[Polecat]

Possibly a Focus FK-555 clone like this one:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=27506

Anybody recognise this keyboard, or know what switches it has? I can't find anything about the brand or the keyboard online.

[zrrion]

Anybody recognise this keyboard, or know what switches it has? I can't find anything about the brand or the keyboard online.

Looks like the same box as this Podworld keyboard: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=26733
my guess is it uses KPT switches

[textadventurer]

Thanks, those are good leads. I'm not convinced this is worth picking up. Seller wants 50 euros and won't ship it, and it's not worth the drive I think.

[tactica]

After having been bit by the vintage keyboard bug, another one came in the mail today! I picked this one up because it looked like an IBM Model F AT. I never heard of the brand, though.

Can you add the keyboard to the wiki or at least post more pictures here? Disassembly pictures would be a good start.

[jensma]

Hey there!
I'm new here and want to add a keyboard to the wiki. It is a Memorex brended keyboard, no FCC code visible. I'm mostly interested in the switches on this one, I can't identify them. I disassembled one, pictures are attached.

I can deliver a photo of the assembled keyboard once it is cleaned.

[jsheradin]

I'm mostly interested in the switches on this one, I can't identify them..

Low profile ITW magnetic valve

[jensma]

I'm mostly interested in the switches on this one, I can't identify them..

Low profile ITW magnetic valve

Thanks a lot! Here it is: wiki/Memorex_ASSY_NO_623393

[jensma]

Hey there!

I'm currently spamming the wiki and encountered something weird. I just added this keyboard:

wiki/PC_PORTABLE_III

What's weird about it - at first I thought the LED switches were Alps SKCL Yellows. But compared to my other Yellows they aren't just way greener but are clearly tactile. I would guess about a MX brown, but stiffer.

Any hints on what's going on here?

[HC514]

Those are clone switches. Hua-Jie, maybe.

[Polecat]

Those are clone switches. Hua-Jie, maybe.

White and yellow both clones. *Not* SKBM white.

[tactica]

I'm currently spamming the wiki

This kind of spam is most welcome. You just need to experiment with the "widths" value of the "gallery" tag so the box around the picture doesn't look out of proportion. We could use other gallery modes to avoid the box entirely (hint: try adding mode="packed" as a parameter, see here for details) but for the sake of consistency we are sticking to the default ("traditional") mode for now.

[tactica]

I'm new here and want to add a keyboard to the wiki. It is a Memorex brended keyboard, no FCC code visible. I'm mostly interested in the switches on this one, I can't identify them. I disassembled one, pictures are attached.

If you can, please re-shoot the disassembled switch, this time on a completely white surface for clarity, and add the pictures to the wiki to document the low profile variety of the switch in its dedicated article. Photos taken from several different angles are welcome, including one with the assembled switch from an angle so one can later add it to a variants table like the one for e.g. wiki/Cherry_MX. Be sure the lighting is adequate so it doesn't end up looking too dark and details of the casing are lost.

[jensma]

I'm currently spamming the wiki

This kind of spam is most welcome. You just need to experiment with the "widths" value of the "gallery" tag so the box around the picture doesn't look out of proportion. We could use other gallery modes to avoid the box entirely (hint: try adding mode="packed" as a parameter, see here for details) but for the sake of consistency we are sticking to the default ("traditional") mode for now.

Thanks for cleaning up after me, I'm a pretty noob when it comes to stuff after this I'm trying my best I've updated the wiki article to Hua-Jie AK series, since that seems to be the actual switches. Can't find a tactile yellowgreenish LED switch there, though

@tactica I'll disassemble one!

[jensma]

I'm new here and want to add a keyboard to the wiki. It is a Memorex brended keyboard, no FCC code visible. I'm mostly interested in the switches on this one, I can't identify them. I disassembled one, pictures are attached.

If you can, please re-shoot the disassembled switch, this time on a completely white surface for clarity, and add the pictures to the wiki to document the low profile variety of the switch in its dedicated article. Photos taken from several different angles are welcome, including one with the assembled switch from an angle so one can later add it to a variants table like the one for e.g. wiki/Cherry_MX. Be sure the lighting is adequate so it doesn't end up looking too dark and details of the casing are lost.

I took some with indoor lighting. I can reshoot them in daylight if necessary, but it's already dawn over here.

uploaded them here:
https://imgur.com/a/ILK4Im7

[tactica]

OK, I guess cropped versions of #1-4 and #7-8 plus the others as is will do. Not bad

You do the honours and get all the fame & glory for the feat