Vintage Kaypro 2000 keyboard (Cherry MX Blacks)

snuci · 06 Nov 2015, 00:14

I've been slacking off lately

Here's a pretty cool keyboard from my Kaypro 2000 portable computer. More info here: http://www.oldcomputers.net/kaypro2000.html This computer is rare so the keyboard is probably even rarer. While this is from 1985, it looks like the ones you keyboard fans are liking now a days

The key spacing and height is that of a normal keyboard even though it is from portable. It is detachable as the photos from the link above shows. The feel is very nice and the keyboard mechanism is in a metal backed enclosure to provide the rigidity. I'm not crazy about the key caps because they aren't double shots but it is a sweet compact vintage keyboard.

Here are some pics:

: Kaypro 2000 keyboard - external top; keyboard - external top.jpg (232.5 KiB) Viewed 6153 times

: Kaypro 2000 keyboard - external bottom; keyboard - external bottom.jpg (158.08 KiB) Viewed 6153 times

: Kaypro 2000 keyboard - external profile; keyboard - external profile.jpg (181.87 KiB) Viewed 6153 times

: Kaypro 2000 keyboard - internal top; keyboard - internal top.jpg (223.57 KiB) Viewed 6153 times

: Kaypro 2000 keyboard - internal bottom (there are some designer names on the PCB?); keyboard - internal bottom.jpg (349.45 KiB) Viewed 6153 times

: Kaypro 2000 keyboard - internal P8746H chip; Keyboard - internal chip.jpg (225.25 KiB) Viewed 6153 times

: Kaypro 2000 keyboard - Cherry MX Black key switches; keyboard - key switches.jpg (206 KiB) Viewed 6153 times

: Kaypro 2000 keyboard - key caps; keyboard - key caps.jpg (143.15 KiB) Viewed 6153 times

seebart · 06 Nov 2015, 00:18

While this is from 1985, it looks like the ones you keyboard fans are liking now a days

That's the first thing I thought also! It's a vintage 60%.

Nice.

(there are some designer names on the PCB?)

The PCB has a strong resemblance to my Unitech K959 !

http://deskthority.net/wiki/Unitech_K959

http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/uni ... 10848.html

Looks like it's the younger brother.

snuci · 06 Nov 2015, 00:54

seebart wrote: ↑The PCB has a strong resemblance to my Unitech K959 !

Looks like it's the younger brother.

I think you are absolutely right! It would be nice to know what "luggable" computer your keyboard came from. I could tell that right away with my collection of luggables but I don't have anything like that one. Yours would be from the IBM AT era as it would be a look-alike of the IBM Model F AT keyboard with the 5 pin DIN connector.

PS. I did go back and revive a 4 year old GH thread to answer a post where someone bought a partial keyboard like mine and didn't know what it was from. Now he/she knows

seebart · 06 Nov 2015, 01:04

From looking at your pictures I think we can say that your keyboard is the Unitech / Unitek K954 built for the Kaypro 2000 laptop system. Interesting is that the name "Unitech" or "Unitek" does not appear on your PCB. I'm sorry I do not know what portable computer my Unitech K959 belongs to. But I'll try to find out.

Not sure if this is even still the same company?

http://us.ute.com/products_info.php?rbu ... 45&pid=379

terrycherry · 06 Nov 2015, 08:38

Like that ６０％layout!
And thanks your great link about vintage computer. That's what I'm looking for.

REVENGE · 08 Nov 2015, 00:47

I wanted this for the longest time, but that was in the days before the Poker came out.

ndp · 08 Nov 2015, 18:51

First time I saw pictures of this keyboard (from sixty IIRC), it was part of the Goupil Club laptop.
http://www.silicium.org/oldskool/ibm/go ... upclub.htm

Magna224 · 12 Nov 2015, 10:34

I'd daily that.

feedbaack · 31 Jan 2017, 15:35

Hello guys ! Thanks to french part of the forum I just received the french version of this same keyboard:

Little surprise: he have ALPS switches.

And now I need to find a way to use this with my computer ....

seebart · 31 Jan 2017, 15:53

Wow the same keyboard with what look like Alps SKFL series, thanks for sharing.

snuci · 31 Jan 2017, 18:15

Wow, very cool! I'm surprised there are different key switches. I don't think a great deal of the Kaypro 2000s sold.

matt3o · 31 Jan 2017, 18:17

what a lovely keyboard with a very weird layout

seebart · 31 Jan 2017, 18:34

Added the Alps version to our wiki page just now:

wiki/Kaypro_2000

feedbaack · 31 Jan 2017, 19:14

I discovered these pictures before receiving the keyboard so I made a little 'whaaaaat' when I pulled off a keycap haha

I never had ALPS switches ....

Now I need to find a way to connect this keyboard to my computer .... Did you succeed snuci ?

Thx seebart and tell me if you need special pictures, btw I just noticed that the F10 key wasn't fixed when I took the pictures

snuci · 31 Jan 2017, 19:20

feedbaack wrote: ↑ I never had ALPS switches .... Now I need to find a way to connect this keyboard to my computer .... Did you succeed snuci ?

I have a matching Kaypro 2000 so it works with that.

ohaimark · 31 Jan 2017, 20:10

I'll keep an eye out for the SKFR variant...

feedbaack · 01 Feb 2017, 13:52

snuci wrote: ↑
feedbaack wrote: ↑ I never had ALPS switches .... Now I need to find a way to connect this keyboard to my computer .... Did you succeed snuci ?
I have a matching Kaypro 2000 so it works with that.

Of course I have this computer too, but I was talkin about modern computers, you know the ones with usb ports

snuci · 01 Feb 2017, 14:53

feedbaack wrote: ↑Of course I have this computer too, but I was talkin about modern computers, you know the ones with usb ports

I don't really collect to modernize things and use them in present day so I haven't even tried. Sorry.