What's this keyboard in Blade Runner?

[Soarer]

Holden tests Leon...

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Holden tests KRO...

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edit: BTW, this is not a quiz, since I dunno what the keyboard is! Now that I've posted these pics the second one is giving me deja vu, but I did a pretty good search before posting and couldn't find this asked before (either here or on GH).

[HaaTa]

This is mostly a guess, since I've never seen this keyboard before (and with help from Parak).

I'm thinking, since Blade Runner came out in 1982, there's a good chance that the keyboard is an actual product but the case is custom built/adapted from something else. Especially due to the size/height of the case.

As for the keyboard itself, the closest Parak was able to find was http://www.old-computers.com/museum/com ... st=1&c=601. But I'm thinking it's closer to a Televideo.

[Soarer]

Yep, probably re-cased, so just the key layout to go on.

The RHS looks like this, I think, with 2x4 and 3x4 blocks:



But I can't think of anything that has that and a row of function keys up top.

[Soarer]

More pics - last lot were from the workprint, these are from the final cut.

Looks like it has a 1x4 column on the LHS too...

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[mr_a500]

I thought maybe it was an earlier version of the Prime computer keyboard:

Prime PST100.JPG

...but I haven't been able to find a version that looks more like the Blade Runner keyboard. I've seen a couple pre-'81 terminal/word processor keyboards with the 3 key blocks (1x4,2x4,3x4) but none of those have a row of keys at the top and the keys are the wrong colour. Damn. I wish I could find this. I think it's an actual keyboard, not a mockup. Maybe it's a Japanese keyboard.

[ideus]

Another reason to take a look again at my favorite movie.

[mr_a500]

Whenever I hear somebody say, "What did he say?" I like to reply (with accent), "He say you brade runner."

Usually nobody gets it.

[urbancamo]

My favourite film - why didn't I think to ask that question? I'm betting someone in the Blade Runner Frenetic Fan base can answer that question, surely?

[eth0s]

Hey the new Topre RealForce HiPro keyboard looks a bit like that Blade Runner keyboard (in terms of the high profile keycaps, at least):

[matt3o]

that hipro is so badass! look at those sphericals... and those colors... I'm in love! It's a pity that there's not TKL

[E TwentyNine]

It looks *kind* of like a QX-10 keyboard. It's probably something odd, like a Commodore or HP or Burroughs terminal.

I think that black top piece may be added, maybe this was part of an all-in-one terminal, but that label on the front left may be "stock" and the case isn't a complete fabrication.

[mr_a500]

Yes, I noticed the QX-10 while scanning through old keyboards. That's from 1983. Possibly there's an older Japanese word processor terminal with similar layout. I'm nearly positive it's a Japanese keyboard - and with such a large number of keys, it would probably be a word processor keyboard. I've been through all the pre-'82 BYTE magazines and can't find anything like it - but BYTE mostly had American machines.

[mr_a500]

Hmm... I just went through the entire Japanese word processor history and I can't find it.

I did find something interesting though, the NEC M-System (1983):

[Krogenar]

My favourite film - why didn't I think to ask that question? I'm betting someone in the Blade Runner Frenetic Fan base can answer that question, surely?

Seems like a Model M sort of coloring, no? Looks great!

[mr_a500]

This keyboard (HaaTa's?) has the right layout. It's just the number of function keys on top and colours that are wrong.
(and there's 3 keys where that giant 0 is)

[E TwentyNine]

Didn't Keytronic tend to copy other designs?

[Se7en]

My mother? Let me tell you about my mother...

[mr_a500]

I've got to warn anybody who finds this keyboard - don't put it anywhere near your Voight-Kampff machine when you're testing a potential replicant. That would just be asking for trouble.

[mr_a500]

(cross post from TV/Movies thread)

I'm pretty sure it's this GTE Information Systems 7800 terminal, introduced in 1973: