IDENTIFY THE KEYBOARD thread

[keycap]

Looks like blue alps! I have the same discoloration in the stems as you do:
IMG_0264.jpeg

They look rather like Monterey Alps Switches to me.

Monterey switches have a perfectly rectangular stem and it's quite thinner in comparison. Those are SKCM Blue.

[TNT]

https://ifdesign.com/en/winner-ranking/ ... 5504/11452

https://www.computerwoche.de/article/28 ... emens.html

Thanks! Probably this switch, according to DT: viewtopic.php?f=33&t=14663&p=330697&hil ... em#p330697

[Abb0]

Hello everyone,

I found this keyboard alone without a console/computer. Does anyone know what it is? Thank you

keyboard.jpg (583.38 KiB) Viewed 12432 times

[nac5605]

Does anyone know what this is, or at least what switches it uses? To me it looks to be some variant of F/Fs or domes.

The keyboard has no ID or serial number on the outside, and the seller has no idea what it is besides the obvious Harris manufacturer.

[The Keyboard Oracle]

The Harris Challenger Information Display System.

harris.jpg (289.39 KiB) Viewed 12147 times

Datapro_C25_Harris.pdf

(4.92 MiB) Downloaded 327 times

Page 25.

[OleVoip]

https://ifdesign.com/en/winner-ranking/ ... 5504/11452

https://www.computerwoche.de/article/28 ... emens.html

Thanks! Probably this switch, according to DT: viewtopic.php?f=33&t=14663&p=330697&hil ... em#p330697

No, I reckon it's another Siemens switch, which Siemens used especially for text systems before the introduction of the STB family, cf. This post, type nr. 2, viewtopic.php?p=330697#p330697

[Leshe]

Just spotted this fella on Facebook marketplace, does anyone recognize the computer or if there is any way to confirm the model? I've read that kb-101s and 6010s are pretty much identical

[Findecanor]

does anyone recognize the computer or if there is any way to confirm the model?

I think the label says "CLONE" in red letters with the N and E being a ligature.
The text below that is harder to see, but I read it as "TUENG PC".

The thing to look for is an IBM PC clone case that has the label in the exact same position and size. Apparently, that variety is not too common.

[Polecat]

"Turbo PC". Generic term, probably just meant the motherboard had a 6 MHz or 8MHz mode, instead of the base 4,77. Might not be branded at all. Many XT clones were built from generic parts, either by the dealer or owner.

Keyboard could be a KB-102A or KB-102AS, or 6012 (all Alps), or a 6312 or 6512 (Acer slider-over-something). Upper cases were interchangeable. Need to see the label.

edited to correct 101A/101AS to 102A/102AS

does anyone recognize the computer or if there is any way to confirm the model?

I think the label says "CLONE" in red letters with the N and E being a ligature.
The text below that is harder to see, but I read it as "TUENG PC".

The thing to look for is an IBM PC clone case that has the label in the exact same position and size. Apparently, that variety is not too common.

[keycap]

Label says Clone Turbo PC. At least they're pretty straight forward with admitting they're a clone! But yes, one of many PC XT clones of the time. Acer has nothing to do with it, just happened to find its way to being paired with this system. As always, if it can come with blue alps, don't be surprised if it actually has white alps.

[Dan]

Anyone knows what kind of switches the Triumph Adler Twen 180 plus typewriter uses? Found it at a thrift store, but i couldn't look underneath the caps to see for myself... They felt nice when pushed, linear mechanical, but i'm not sure what exactly.

[Findecanor]

Anyone knows what kind of switches the Triumph Adler Twen 180 plus typewriter uses? Found it at a thrift store, but i couldn't look underneath the caps to see for myself... They felt nice when pushed, linear mechanical, but i'm not sure what exactly.

There is a list in the Wiki, where it is listed as having "membrane switches", based on a conversation with a German distributor of TA typewriters.
I suppose that could be some kind of spring-over-membrane switch: different types were common on mechanical typewriters.

AFAIK, Triumph-Adler typewriters with Cherry switches and grey keys had Cherry-profile keycaps, which this doesn't.

[AndyJ]

Label says Clone Turbo PC. At least they're pretty straight forward with admitting they're a clone!

I *think* I remember a company with that name advertising in Computer Shopper (the US one) back in the 1980s. That was back when not all machines were completely IBM-compatible, usually due to BIOS or minor hardware issues. Their ads promoted "clone" in relation to their IBM compatibility. Back then IBM compatibility wasn't necessarily a given; DEC, Compaq, and HP, among others, had their little quirks that caused problems with off-the-shelf commercial software.

Programmers used some *weird* hacks back in those days. I remember trying to install a word processor on my turbo AT, and the installer announced that since I was using an 84-key keyboard my machine didn't have enough cojones to run their program; installation aborted.

Funnily enough, I'm on that same keyboard typing this, more than 35 years later, on an out-of-date desktop with more horsepower than most supercomputers back then.

[Dan]

There is a list in the Wiki, where it is listed as having "membrane switches", based on a conversation with a German distributor of TA typewriters.
I suppose that could be some kind of spring-over-membrane switch: different types were common on mechanical typewriters.

AFAIK, Triumph-Adler typewriters with Cherry switches and grey keys had Cherry-profile keycaps, which this doesn't.

For some reason, the wiki isn't working for me on Chrome, only on FF. And on FF, the wiki search function doesn't work and i gave up. Thanks for the info.

[Findecanor]

There is a list in the Wiki, where it is listed as having "membrane switches", based on a conversation with a German distributor of TA typewriters.
I suppose that could be some kind of spring-over-membrane switch: different types were common on mechanical typewriters.

AFAIK, Triumph-Adler typewriters with Cherry switches and grey keys had Cherry-profile keycaps, which this doesn't.

For some reason, the wiki isn't working for me on Chrome, only on FF. And on FF, the wiki search function doesn't work and i gave up. Thanks for the info.

Yes. The site has some serious problems now... The wiki works for me in Chromium in private browsing though, except for login, edit and search ...

[wjrii]

Hey everybody. I recently won an ebay auction for 4 vintage keyboardss. One of them is a darn-near NOS Tai Hao TH-5539-3. Two are Focus models with cut cords and a few missing caps, though the calculator still works on the FK-9000. The last one is an oddity, though sadly it's probably too far gone to salvage, at least by me.

It's a Clare-Pender/General Instruments terminal board, likely for some VT100 clone based on the layout (though 14 function keys) and one of the ICs. DB9 coiled cable. Yellowed and thin ABS double-shot keycaps, with a good number of them missing and/or broken. The switches are probably some variant of Clare Foam & Foil, but here's where it gets weird. Instead of a standard coil return spring, each switch uses a pair of torsion springs. I've never seen anything like this, and I can't find anything on the wiki or Telcontar. Anybody ever seen this?

[AndyJ]

That is *deeply* weird, particularly the sculpting of the top and bottom row keycaps.

It definitely looks like some sort of terminal. I'm surprised they would use foam-and-foil switches, though. My experience with those has been very bad; it's odd they would be used in a bespoke and expensive-looking keyboard.

[wjrii]

That is *deeply* weird, particularly the sculpting of the top and bottom row keycaps.

It definitely looks like some sort of terminal. I'm surprised they would use foam-and-foil switches, though. My experience with those has been very bad; it's odd they would be used in a bespoke and expensive-looking keyboard.

One of the ICs on the PCB says "VT100" on it, and apart from the sheer number of function keys and the placement of the arrows, it's a very similar layout to other VT100 boards I saw online. The weird thing is, though, it feels pretty value engineered. The case is pretty light and only uses wide-thread plastic screws to hold it together, and the keycaps are super thin. The plate is permanently mounted to the PCB with those robust plastic rivets, and peeking between it looks like foam and foil is the only thing that will fit, especially combined with the capacitive look that the bottom of the PCB has. Those return springs have me baffled, though. It seems fiddly and complex, and none of the documentation I could find seems to match them. There are several switches with broken housings or sliders, so I might dissect one to see what I'm really dealing with. I fear this is well beyond my ability to do much with, as I top out at soldering projects with existing code, but it seemed like an interesting find.

Here is the pic from the auction:

[jensma]

Are there super dark grey switches by Cherry?
I cleaned a G80-0581 and noticed on closer inspection that the switches are not black, but dark gray. Is this a normal color deviation or a separate switch? It feels like a normal MX Black to me

pics:
https://imgur.com/a/ytP50tr

[textadventurer]

Slim chance, but anyone know what this is? I can't find anything on the brand, and the keyboard looks very generic. Seller doesn't know anything so can't help me. I'm expecting it to be rubber dome.

shot.png (624.63 KiB) Viewed 2427 times

EDIT: the seller sent me this, looks like some kind of white ALPS variant?

shot(1).png (202.92 KiB) Viewed 2417 times

[xxhellfirexx]

Slim chance, but anyone know what this is? I can't find anything on the brand, and the keyboard looks very generic. Seller doesn't know anything so can't help me. I'm expecting it to be rubber dome.

shot.png

EDIT: the seller sent me this, looks like some kind of white ALPS variant?

shot(1).png

It's a mecha-membrane keyboard. Stay away from this keyboard.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Be2UYQrCOM4

[Vinno94]

Any idea what this keyboard is please? I have a few of them exactly the same. Cannot find anything about it anywhere.

[textadventurer]

Slim chance, but anyone know what this is? I can't find anything on the brand, and the keyboard looks very generic. Seller doesn't know anything so can't help me. I'm expecting it to be rubber dome.

shot.png

EDIT: the seller sent me this, looks like some kind of white ALPS variant?

shot(1).png

It's a mecha-membrane keyboard. Stay away from this keyboard.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Be2UYQrCOM4

Oops, too late, I already bought it! For an acceptable price, so no harm done. I found typing on it actually pretty nice, for the minute I tried it out. Still have to clean it a bit before actually hooking it up and using it. The review looks hilarious, and the switches indeed seem to be the exact same. The case is different though. "Sunshine" was probably some random local cheap PC brand, would match the quality.

I'll try it out proper and report back.

[krabizzwainch]

Any idea what this is? I get zero hits on Google for DEKU-0224-PHM or DEKU-0224. It came with a VT220 (and the plug is "right"), but I did not try because I don't want to accidentally fry it.

PXL_20220418_002732185.jpg

PXL_20220417_232252933.jpg

PXL_20220417_232231608.jpg

PXL_20220418_002732185.jpg

PXL_20220417_232252933.jpg

So, I know this is 3 years old, but I know what you have. Its the keyboard for a Morrow Designs MT70 terminal. Interesting little computer company that only existed from 1980-1987. The creator was a part of the Homebrew Computer club with all the big names in Silicon Valley at the time. I know its very unlikely that you'll see this, but I want to know if it worked with the VT220. I'm trying to get this keyboard working and I'm struggling. If I can just get a VT220 terminal keyboard that would probably be easier.

[Polecat]

This may not be the answer you're looking for, but I believe Morrow supplied Zenith terminals with their later systems. That one looks like a Z-22. Here's an example on ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/355283651937

I knew George personally. He was a great storyteller and an honest and honorable gentleman. His knowledge went far beyond computers. He taught classes in digital signal processing at a local university and his passion was restoring the sound on 78 RPM jazz records.

So, I know this is 3 years old, but I know what you have. Its the keyboard for a Morrow Designs MT70 terminal. Interesting little computer company that only existed from 1980-1987. The creator was a part of the Homebrew Computer club with all the big names in Silicon Valley at the time. I know its very unlikely that you'll see this, but I want to know if it worked with the VT220. I'm trying to get this keyboard working and I'm struggling. If I can just get a VT220 terminal keyboard that would probably be easier.

[krabizzwainch]

Any and all information is appreciated! And wow! That is 100% the Morrow MT70, only the morrow has an amber display instead of green. I've been in the process of getting an MT70 working with a Morrow MD-11 hard drive CP/M system. The keyboard mostly works, but getting back to the menu to park the hard drive has been the biggest difficulty.

An uncle in law had been using the system for basically 40 years for farm taxes.

And I get that impression of George from everything I've seen and read about him. I especially enjoyed his self deprecating humor about Morrow Designs failing when he was on Computer Chronicles.

[Polecat]

Morrow didn't build any terminals as far as I know. The earlier ones were from Lear Siegler. The Zeniths came later. I had an MD-3 with an MDT-60 terminal, which was also a rebranded Zenith. It had a lovely Alps keyboard, which also worked on the Morrow MD3P (portable). Apparently the portable had internal Zenith-compatible terminal hardware, Good thing, because the keyboard on the MD3P was terrible. Literally unusable. I wish I still had the Morrows. The only one I kept was a Pivot II.

Anyway, just about any RS-232 terminal will work on the Morrows once you match the baud rate and protocol settings.

Any and all information is appreciated! And wow! That is 100% the Morrow MT70, only the morrow has an amber display instead of green. I've been in the process of getting an MT70 working with a Morrow MD-11 hard drive CP/M system. The keyboard mostly works, but getting back to the menu to park the hard drive has been the biggest difficulty.

An uncle in law had been using the system for basically 40 years for farm taxes.

And I get that impression of George from everything I've seen and read about him. I especially enjoyed his self deprecating humor about Morrow Designs failing when he was on Computer Chronicles.

[krabizzwainch]

The keyboard for the MT70/Z-22 is anything but lovely. Each key has a small rubber dome under the stem from the pictures. The best that can be said about is that they are cherry stems so I could replace the keys if I want. The plastic holder seems to have metal inside of it as the whole part is soldered down. Part of me wonders if I can wing designing a replacement hot swap switch PCB.

But the information you have provided has given me more options to look for replacement keyboards now atleast if I never get this one working right! Sure they are all still super old and hard to find, but 3 old hard to find keyboard brands is better than 1!

[Polecat]

Sure they are all still super old and hard to find, but 3 old hard to find keyboard brands is better than 1!

It's unlikely that the MDT-60 or Lear Siegler keyboards would work on your terminal, but the Z-22 one almost certainly will.