Presenting "Teh Blingings"

User avatar
HaaTa
Master Kiibohd Hunter

24 Jun 2012, 21:41

Found this a while ago. Needless to say it was insta-buy for the absurdity factor.

NKRO, and weighs about ~12 lbs. The case is chrome plated steel.

Haven't looked at the protocol, but I expect it to be custom (not that that stops me from using it :mrgreen: ).
Spherical double shots with vintage Maxi-Switch linears (identical to NEC and SMK vintage linears).

And without further ado, presenting "Teh Blingings" aka the Billings 6000 Keyboard.

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A small bit of info on the Billings Computer Company.
http://classictech.wordpress.com/2012/0 ... -missouri/

Teh Blingings when rightfully seated on it's mythical (fingerprinty) chrome pedestal. :lol:
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In truth, I could've gotten the seen monitor as well, but shipping a CRT is ridiculous...

User avatar
webwit
Wild Duck

24 Jun 2012, 21:44

Very nice. I could type and apply my mascara at the same time. How does this material go with fingerprints?

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RC-1140

24 Jun 2012, 21:44

WTF!? This thing looks ridiculous. But it still looks better than some other keyboards nowadays. But I wonder what was supposed to be in the "Winchester" box.

User avatar
Daemon Raccoon

24 Jun 2012, 21:47

RC-1140 wrote:WTF!? This thing looks ridiculous. But it still looks better than some other keyboards nowadays. But I wonder what was supposed in the "Winchester" box.
The hard disk drive!

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Half-Saint

24 Jun 2012, 21:48

A winchester hard drive.

Bah, beat me to it!

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RC-1140

24 Jun 2012, 21:49

after reading the article I know that as well. But the name is inviting you to make a pun about it. But I'm not too good with puns.

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HaaTa
Master Kiibohd Hunter

24 Jun 2012, 21:49

webwit wrote:Very nice. I could type and apply my mascara at the same time. How does this material go with fingerprints?
Terrible for fingerprints...worse than even a Das keyboard.

rodtang

24 Jun 2012, 22:09

That is one awesome keyboard the reeks of style that is hard to find these days.

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HaaTa
Master Kiibohd Hunter

24 Jun 2012, 22:33

Something I'm curious about.
Is this actually one of the earliest keyboards with an integrated wrist rest? (1983)

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wupi

24 Jun 2012, 22:40

Awsome board! Image

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didja

24 Jun 2012, 22:48

That is frickin awesome! if you tire of it let me know, I'd love to own Darth Vader's keyboard.

Reminds me of this Megatek I was outbid on a few years ago, but yours is way cooler.

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And it definitely wins the thick key cap award.
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User avatar
Soarer

24 Jun 2012, 23:20

In truth, I could've gotten the seen monitor as well, but shipping a CRT is ridiculous...
The monitor is pretty cool looking, but, yeah.

The whole rack would be awesome converted into keyboard storage drawers though!

With teh blingings in a glass case on top, of course. Preferably maglev'd.

User avatar
HaaTa
Master Kiibohd Hunter

24 Jun 2012, 23:21

didja wrote:That is frickin awesome! if you tire of it let me know, I'd love to own Darth Vader's keyboard.
Maybe in few years 8-)
Still have to squeeze in some time to build a controller for it before I'd even consider parting with it.

User avatar
002
Topre Enthusiast

24 Jun 2012, 23:50

Very nice, man.
I bet you had to do some interesting manouvres to avoid your picture being taken in the reflection :)

User avatar
Trent

25 Jun 2012, 04:36

SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY, HOW DO I ORDER 15?

On a side note, great find.

User avatar
HaaTa
Master Kiibohd Hunter

25 Jun 2012, 04:52

002 wrote:Very nice, man.
I bet you had to do some interesting manouvres to avoid your picture being taken in the reflection :)
Haha, yeah. You can even see Settlers of Catan in one of the reflection pics :P.

On a side note, this is probably beats out virtually all my keyboards for shear zombie beating durability.
Though you'll have to be careful of fingerprints...zombies tend not to wash their hands much :lol: .

ripster

25 Jun 2012, 05:00

I believe it's vampires that dislike shiny keyboards.

Now I see why thick keys are no barrier when you have such tall key stems.

And MaxiMan on the PCB is awesome!

User avatar
dirge

25 Jun 2012, 10:27

HaaTa wrote: Haha, yeah. You can even see Settlers of Catan in one of the reflection pics :P.
love that game!

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off

25 Jun 2012, 11:18

Damn cool. Wasn't expecting this with such a title, postponed checking it out since I expected something horrible; but this is one nice find! Shame about the monitor (and rest of the cabinet indeed).

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Peter

25 Jun 2012, 21:35

The company saw some success abroad, claiming it made one of every four computers sold in Norway for 1981.
I think they sold some in Denmark as well ..

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phetto
Elite

26 Jun 2012, 07:06

Seems rather practical.

OT: AWESOOOME :shock:

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litster

27 Jun 2012, 02:22

Sir, please step up to the podium to type.

Nice find!

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Iknorite

27 Jun 2012, 18:51

Needs side-by-side comparison to a poker. :lol:

ripster

27 Jun 2012, 18:56

Any scoop on who this mysterious MaxiMan is?

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Is he a SuperHero From the Dawn of Computing?

Ouch sad ending......
http://articles.latimes.com/1990-08-01/ ... protection

User avatar
HaaTa
Master Kiibohd Hunter

27 Jun 2012, 22:55

ripster wrote:Any scoop on who this mysterious MaxiMan is?

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Is he a SuperHero From the Dawn of Computing?
I would be interested in this as well.
I do have another example of the logo.

(Both pics from the same keyboard)
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ripster

28 Jun 2012, 03:01

I keep thinking this guy..Tron Nerd. And Tron DID come out in 1982.


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Mmmmm...antipasto

net2522

05 Jul 2012, 04:12

It's so THICK :shock:

mr_a500

05 Apr 2013, 16:19

HaaTa wrote:Found this a while ago. Needless to say it was insta-buy for the absurdity factor.

NKRO, and weighs about ~12 lbs. The case is chrome plated steel.

Haven't looked at the protocol, but I expect it to be custom (not that that stops me from using it :mrgreen: ).
Spherical double shots with vintage Maxi-Switch linears (identical to NEC and SMK vintage linears).

And without further ado, presenting "Teh Blingings" aka the Billings 6000 Keyboard.

Image

That is friggin' awesome. It's like a Kaypro keyboard, but with extra keys to make it useful on modern computers. (assuming it could ever be connected)

Before I got my beam spring, I would have hunted you down and killed you for this keyboard. (...but now I'll just rough you up a little bit.. maybe break an arm :P)

User avatar
HaaTa
Master Kiibohd Hunter

07 Apr 2013, 01:02

I've tried to get this keyboard to work with modern computers...but it's TERRIBLY grounded by design. The entire thing works like a giant antenna, so it's hard to get it to get my scope to read anything useful.

Perhaps when I have a bit more time, I'll give it a bit more effort.

User avatar
Muirium
µ

07 Apr 2013, 01:43

ripster wrote:Any scoop on who this mysterious MaxiMan is?

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Is he a SuperHero From the Dawn of Computing?

Ouch sad ending......
http://articles.latimes.com/1990-08-01/ ... protection
From the linked article:
The company retains its keyboard and switch manufacturing business in Scotland, and a keypad manufacturing plant in Phoenix.
Wonder if that was in Greenock, by any chance? Strange to think that Scotland was once the keyboard capital of Europe. Bet it was all about subsidies and when those couldn't fill the gap with Chinese costs, that's when the music stopped.

Anyway, Lord Vader's keyboard could very well prove dangerous if it were to fall into rebel hands.

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