BTC -5100

seebart · 19 Nov 2016, 16:00

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Notice how mine is the BTC -5100 version with DIN five pin connector unlike y11971alex's BTC-5100C. Unlike y11971alex's mine is used and has some yellowing on the keycaps and the top part of the case. The spring over slider switches for the function row feel horrible BTW.

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wiki/BTC_5100

There is a slight update in order here...

hkrak · 20 Nov 2016, 03:05

According to the wiki these were also sold with BTC foam and foil switches. Is there any way to distinguish the two versions from each other without opening the board up? I believe the FCC id on the early boards are identical no matter the switches.

y11971alex · 20 Nov 2016, 05:15

Isn't this the BTC-5100, which is foam and foil? The 5100C seems to be the rubber dome version.

seebart · 20 Nov 2016, 08:29

You are in fact right y11971alex, this is the BTC-5100 and it is BTC foam and foil (tactile). Now what threw me off is that I NEVER THOUGHT any foam and foil switch could feel sooo nice and sooo much like Topre. But it's the BTC dome that threw me off. Remember that this is only my second foam and foil keyboard and the other one from 1980 does not have any domes...

Spoiler:

Learnt something again...

Anyone dismissing all foam and foil switches across-the-board needs to try this tactile BTC foam and foil switch and rethink, in this case the dome makes all the difference to the spring for the function row. In fact this is sooo striking that I should start a BTC-5100 community world tour for this little keyboard!

y11971alex · 20 Nov 2016, 08:32

Yeah... I had suspected it

But after dropping $100 on this 5100C (of which only $15 was keyboard), I can't justify purchasing another mini keyboard for at least a month

It's probably the biggest shipping blunder ever found on DT and GH combined (other than the berserkfan fiasco of course).

seebart · 20 Nov 2016, 08:47

Yeah you got ripped on that shipping. I'm still blown away by the tactile BTC foam and foil switch at this point...just had a look to be sure:

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People really need to stop generally dissing foam and foil until they have tried this switch!

Chyros · 20 Nov 2016, 12:46

Yeah, BTC foam and foil is a lot better than Key Tronic's version of it. I haven't tried the tactile one yet, only the linear one, which I tactile -modded, works a treat.

hkrak · 20 Nov 2016, 13:43

Ah, I thought the earliest dome with slider version shared model number with the foam and foal board. Guess I have to check out the latter as well. ☺

seebart · 20 Nov 2016, 13:55

hkrak wrote: Ah, I thought the earliest dome with slider version shared model number with the foam and foal board. Guess I have to check out the latter as well. ☺

I really don't know, what I do know is that the foam is obviously the weak link and if it is damaged or degraded that's it unless your crafty enough...in this case its fine but that's just coincidence if you ask me.

drevyek · 20 Nov 2016, 21:08

Does anyone have a force curve for F&F switches? The only thing I've heard about F&F switches is that they feel spongey at the end (which makes perfect sense).

seebart · 20 Nov 2016, 21:18

drevyek wrote: Does anyone have a force curve for F&F switches? The only thing I've heard about F&F switches is that they feel spongey at the end (which makes perfect sense).

I can tell you you don't feel the foam on these just the dome. Key Tronic is said to be "mushy" although I only have a really old Key Tronic FF and that's actually not so bad for it's age so I cannot really judge that.

A force curve comparison between these and Key Tronic would be interesting, the striking difference can be felt on this keyboard as the small function row uses springs instead of domes.

y11971alex · 21 Nov 2016, 00:33

Is it possible to use normal cherry keycaps on these?

seebart · 21 Nov 2016, 10:13

y11971alex wrote: Is it possible to use normal cherry keycaps on these?

While the MX keycap does fit, the dome does not fit properly with the MX keycap and hence does not work the way it's supposed to. Has anyone ever tried cleaning these domes? These need cleaning...

y11971alex · 25 Nov 2016, 10:39

I bought one of these from Hypersphere!

seebart · 25 Nov 2016, 10:41

y11971alex wrote: I bought one of these from Hypersphere!

Cool, so do you like it?

y11971alex · 25 Nov 2016, 10:42

seebart wrote:
y11971alex wrote: I bought one of these from Hypersphere!
Cool, so do you like it?

It hasn't arrived yet

seebart · 25 Nov 2016, 10:44

y11971alex wrote:
seebart wrote:
y11971alex wrote: I bought one of these from Hypersphere!
Cool, so do you like it?
It hasn't arrived yet

Right, well let us know when you get it.

y11971alex · 25 Nov 2016, 23:15

I'm now letting you know that it's arrived!

It actually produces this vey interesting noise...

seebart · 25 Nov 2016, 23:43

y11971alex wrote: I'm now letting you know that it's arrived!

Great.

y11971alex wrote: It actually produces this vey interesting noise...

Noise?

y11971alex · 25 Nov 2016, 23:52

seebart wrote:
y11971alex wrote: It actually produces this vey interesting noise...
Noise?

It's virtually silent on the downstroke, but when it comes back up, I think the dome actually forces the slider to "top out".

seebart · 26 Nov 2016, 00:02

Well there is a Topre-esque "thump" of sorts that's right. Hell I don't know how to describe it, anyway hope you like the feel of it.

y11971alex · 26 Nov 2016, 00:06

seebart wrote: Well there is a Topre-esque "thump" of sorts that's right. Hell I don't know how to describe it, anyway hope you like the feel of it.

While I've never actually used Topre before, I'd suggest that you try out the dome over PCB version. I would say that it has a cleaner feel that this, particularly in new condition.

seebart · 26 Nov 2016, 08:50

Not something that I'll be consciously looking for, if I want a clean feel I'll use this...

Spoiler:

I suggest you try Topre.

y11971alex · 26 Nov 2016, 08:57

RF tour wanted!

seebart · 26 Nov 2016, 09:59

y11971alex wrote: RF tour wanted!

try-f29/the-realforce-euro-tour-round-4 ... rce%20tour

y11971alex · 26 Nov 2016, 10:06

Canadian

seebart · 26 Nov 2016, 10:13

y11971alex wrote: Canadian

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Ail · 27 Nov 2016, 05:53

seebart wrote:
y11971alex wrote: Is it possible to use normal cherry keycaps on these?
While the MX keycap does fit, the dome does not fit properly with the MX keycap and hence does not work the way it's supposed to. Has anyone ever tried cleaning these domes? These need cleaning...

Yes, I pulled all of the rubber domes, both the connected mats and individual ones off of my BTC5100C and soaked them in warm water and dawn. They cleaned up nice and went back on fine.

My experience was the same with the keycaps which is why I decided to part with mine. I thought it felt nice overall, but the fact that I couldn't add different keycaps was a deal-breaker for me. Cool little board, though.

seebart · 05 Dec 2016, 20:50

Finally got around to cleanig the whole keyboard, for most of the alphas there is one large dome sheet. The dome for the spacebar is red, slightly different in shape and heavier.

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Left shift and spacebar are the only keys stabilized. Aligning the single domes is a little fidgety but there is no way to mount the keycaps the wrong way as the dome won't work properly otherwise.

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The function row switches are slightly smoother after cleaning but still horrible compared to the domes.

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Retrobright candidate although not a bad one. I really like this little keyboard.

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