STM Pied Piper

snuci · 29 Nov 2015, 20:17

This is another Canadian computer from STM called the Pied Piper that looks a little worse for wear but the paint wearing down actually exposes a metallic finish underneath. This is actually a very good feeling keyboard for a rare computer based on CP/M that died pretty quickly with not many of these sold. As such, it doesn't even have a Wikipedia page to point to for more details but I did put link to the "Old Computer" website. I think the lines of the design are unique and it does make it look pretty cool to me.

Here are some pics of the keyboard:

: STM Piped Piper - computer; STM Piped Piper - computer.JPG (70.25 KiB) Viewed 1614 times

: STM Piped Piper - keyboard close up; STM Piped Piper - keyboard close up.JPG (106.66 KiB) Viewed 1614 times

: STM Piped Piper - top of keyboard mechanism; STM Piped Piper - top of keyboard mechanism.JPG (91.69 KiB) Viewed 1614 times

: STM Piped Piper - bottom of circuit board; STM Piped Piper - bottom of circuit board.JPG (391.21 KiB) Viewed 1614 times

: STM Piped Piper - side of keyboard mechanism; STM Piped Piper - side of keyboard mechanism.JPG (70.3 KiB) Viewed 1614 times

: STM Pipe Piper - key switches and key caps; STM Pipe Piper - key switches and key caps.JPG (89.61 KiB) Viewed 1614 times

terrycherry · 30 Nov 2015, 12:41

Wow, I never seen this Futaba complicated linear[(White with YELLOW base)Cross mount]! We always see this variant with orange base only!
And the layout is smailiar with the Texas Instrument TI-99／4A) keyboard and early TeleVideo keyboard!
Is this pretty boy has the latching switch?

snuci · 30 Nov 2015, 12:59

terrycherry wrote: ↑Is this pretty boy has the latching switch?

By "latching switch" do you mean the Caps Lock key? If so, I'll have to check when I get home from work.

terrycherry · 30 Nov 2015, 14:01

Yes, the caps lock. Right back got you buddy=]

snuci · 02 Dec 2015, 13:45

Hi Terrycherry,

Just a quick update. I checked this morning and the caps lock DOES latch down when pressed.

terrycherry · 02 Dec 2015, 17:16

Good morning, snuci.
That Black one is the latching lock.

snuci · 20 Dec 2015, 16:06

Just posting a couple more pics. For reference, this computer is from 1983 as checked on several components around the keyboard. The keyboard assembly itself does not have any components to check dates.

: Piped Piper - key switch close ups; Pied Piper - key switches.jpg (210.11 KiB) Viewed 1504 times

: Piped Piper - Caps Lock close up; Pied Piper - black caps lock.jpg (248.36 KiB) Viewed 1504 times