General Instrument Series S950
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This article requires additional photographic illustration — internals shots |
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| Manufacturer | General Instrument |
|---|---|
| Switch type | Linear, alternate action |
| Sense method | Metal contact |
| Rated lifetime |
10M (momentary) 30k (alternate action) |
| Bounce time | 5 ms |
| Actuation force | 60 gf |
| Total travel | 0.14″ (ca. 3.5 mm) |
| Keycap mount | Clare-Pendar mount |
| Switch mount | Plate mount |
General Instrument Series S950 is a series of switches that are virtually identical to Alps SKCC series and appear to be licensed copies.
Description
Series S950 is largely identical to Alps SKCC Series. The most significant difference is that the keystem is smaller, designed to accept standard Clare-Pendar keycaps instead of Alps keycaps. A keycap intended for Clare-Pendar Series S840 fits the switch snugly, while it does not fit SKCC at all as the slot in the keycap is too small.
The series includes straight and angled stems, alternate action, and the sprung LED carrier, suggesting that the tooling patterns came from Alps. The mould markings on the switchplate match those of an earlier SKCC switch, suggesting that they may have actually been supplied from Alps.
Variants
The part numbers follow Clare-Pendar US practice. The momentary, upright stem version is part S95010, and the equivalent alternate action part is S95210. Part number suffix J7 denotes illumination, and suffix E9 denotes an 11° angled slider. The modification suffixes are the same as those used with Clare-Pendar Series S820 and Series S880 reed switches, which appear to have been included in the same catalogue.
The meaning of slider colour is uncertain. STRONIC in France were certain that they had only one piece of S95210 E9 in stock, and they shipped a switch with an amber slider, yet their website depicted a switch with an ivory slider (shown below); this would seem to indicate that amber does not denote an angled keystem.
| Part number | Description | Alps equivalent | |
|---|---|---|---|
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S95010 | Momentary, upright keystem | Alps SKCC Green |
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S95010 E9 | Momentary, 11° angled keystem | |
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S95210 | Latching, upright keystem | Alps SKCC Lock |
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S95210 E9 | Latching, 11° angled keystem | |
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S95010 J7 | Illuminated using sprung LED carrier | Alps SKCC Cream LED |
The possibility of S95010 E9 J7 (both illuminated and angled) is not known.
Keyboards
- Tatung Einstein TC01 (yellow, angled slider; black switchplate)[1][2]
- Texas Instruments TI-99/4A (yellow; not 100% confirmed)[3]
Gallery
Base of S95010, with "GI" logo, and chamfered sides
S95010 opened; the grey switchplate appears to be genuine Alps
S95010 E9 with Clare-Pendar keycap (sold with a non-illuminated Series S880 switch)
Ivory S95010 E9
Specifications
References
- ↑ Nightfall Blog — Tatung Einstein TC01 Dated 2012-12-27. Retrieved 2015-07-23.
- ↑ YouTube — Tatung Einstein Teardown, Repair & Restoration (Part 2/2, keyboard restoration) (GI logo visible at 22:10)
- ↑ Deskthority — Keyboard mystery: Alps 12KC018A for TRS-80 Model III
