Anyone seen this Alps switch in an 80's computer keyboard?

[Drumkey]

image.jpg (119.24 KiB) Viewed 3523 times

It comes from a Roland TR808 drum machine from 1980. Roland used this model in slightly different versions in several other products in the early eighties for numeric keypads e t c. It is quite similar to the Alps used in the Apple IIe keyboard, but with a shorter shaft.

Any ideas?

[486]

seen very similar switch in some BBC micro keyboards. It had a white shell instead of a black one.

[Drumkey]

Yes I just found out that BBC Micro B type 4 is the same type, but with the newer snap casing which makes it easier to refurbish. Where can I get hold of a handful of these? Ebay seems dry at the moment. Anyone here got a broken Micro to sell or desolder from?


BBC Micro B type 4

keybbcb4.jpg (126.91 KiB) Viewed 3482 times

[486]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BBC-Micro-Mod ... 564c4dc911
You may want to PM the guy to check that they if any are Type 4.
BBC Micro caps are also sweet to have with the doubleshot red F0-F8 caps.

[fossala]

Are them keycaps cherry compatible?

[nathanscribe]

EDIT: Roland still sell a switch (via their spares dept.) that looks identical to the last type above, but as it's meant for the Boss pedals, it only has two pins. The old 808 switch will have been discontinued for a long time, but if you contact your nearest synth tech you might have some luck - also, keep an eye on http://www.vintageplanet.nl as they have a good range of parts and stock's always changing.

[486]

Are them keycaps cherry compatible?

Yes. All Acorn BBC use Cherry mounts except Type 3 switches and some Achimedes boards. Master series use Cherry MY.

[nathanscribe]

Are them keycaps cherry compatible?

Yes. All Acorn BBC use Cherry mounts except Type 3 switches and some Achimedes boards. Master series use Cherry MY.

Not that simple - the BBC cap stem is too thick for a Cherry MX switch without modification.

[fossala]

Thought it would be, thanks for clearing up.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Which is a rubber dome, the blue one? You can get a discrete rubber dome switch? You're not thinking of a rubber dome board with sliders are you?

[Daniel Beardsmore]

The blue one looks fairly decent. The white one … seriously, WTF?

[486]

I saw a blue one too.

And it's not like a alps switch. It's a rubber dome.

That was from ripster's reddit, right?
I've seen many keyboards that use Cherry Style mount but arn't cherry. E.g. BTC boards,