SMK-8112JU Aplple style yeyboard with simplified Black Alps
- Daniel
- Location: Blackforest Germany
- Main keyboard: Various
- Main mouse: Kensington Slimblade + MX518
- Favorite switch: Cherry MX Blue and Black + BS
- DT Pro Member: 0028
Got this keyboard a few weeks ago. I think this is one of the keyboards which was distributed by KNP Technologies here in Europe.
It has two USB-ports the side comparable to the Matias Keyboards.
The keycaps are translucent.
This keyboard produces normal keycodes (e.g. you don't have to press Fn+F1 to get the F1 keycode)
The black USB cable isn't original. The old one was translucent and yellow from nicotine The keyboard was very dirty when I got it: Keycaps:
It has two USB-ports the side comparable to the Matias Keyboards.
The keycaps are translucent.
This keyboard produces normal keycodes (e.g. you don't have to press Fn+F1 to get the F1 keycode)
The black USB cable isn't original. The old one was translucent and yellow from nicotine The keyboard was very dirty when I got it: Keycaps:
Last edited by Daniel on 24 Jun 2013, 20:57, edited 1 time in total.
- Halvar
- Location: Baden, DE
- Main keyboard: IBM Model M SSK / Filco MT 2
- Favorite switch: Beam & buckling spring, Monterey, MX Brown
- DT Pro Member: 0051
Now that I puked over pics 6 and 7 I somehow feel much better.
Once cleaned that's really a very nice base for a Matias mod! Nice keycaps for Alps, too!
Once cleaned that's really a very nice base for a Matias mod! Nice keycaps for Alps, too!
- Daniel
- Location: Blackforest Germany
- Main keyboard: Various
- Main mouse: Kensington Slimblade + MX518
- Favorite switch: Cherry MX Blue and Black + BS
- DT Pro Member: 0028
- Daniel Beardsmore
- Location: Hertfordshire, England
- Main keyboard: Filco Majestouch 1 (home)/Poker II backlit (work)
- Main mouse: MS IMO 1.1
- Favorite switch: Probably not whatever I wrote here
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
FCC grantee code "KM9" is the defunct keyboard Taiwanese manufacturer Strong Man, and SMK in this context is Strong Man Keyboard. It's not the same as Showa Musen Kogyo, the Japanese SMK. If it's a Mac keyboard, chances are it's Strong Man: they made a lot of Macintosh keyboards with Alps switches, including the Tactile Pro 2 (which is why it was a disaster). I don't know that SMK ever badged a keyboard, but they were an OEM for Tulip and Sony.
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- Location: Stockholm, Sweden
- DT Pro Member: 0011
Is the bottom of polyethylene or something?
- Daniel Beardsmore
- Location: Hertfordshire, England
- Main keyboard: Filco Majestouch 1 (home)/Poker II backlit (work)
- Main mouse: MS IMO 1.1
- Favorite switch: Probably not whatever I wrote here
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
BTW, you might want to mention that it's a plastic plate. Normally, it's steel ("iron" on Japanese websites) but in rare cases it's plastic or even aluminium. (I need to post a photo showing the plastic plate in my lightweight Nan Tan white Alps board.)
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- DT Pro Member: -
Typing on one right now. Cheapest mechanical keyboard available new in the US. Don't buy it on eBay, it's probably cheaper brand new. The board can theoretically be remapped in hardware by programming the small SPI EEPROM that connects to the controller.
Despite the plastic plate, it types very well. The USB port is supposedly 1.1 compatible, but does not want to work with any of my flash drives. I have some mods planned for this thing, as well as a tear down with pictures.
EDIT: Also, not sure why you say the power button isn't a "mechanical switch". It's a linear microswitch, just not a typical keyboard type switch.
Despite the plastic plate, it types very well. The USB port is supposedly 1.1 compatible, but does not want to work with any of my flash drives. I have some mods planned for this thing, as well as a tear down with pictures.
EDIT: Also, not sure why you say the power button isn't a "mechanical switch". It's a linear microswitch, just not a typical keyboard type switch.
- Daniel Beardsmore
- Location: Hertfordshire, England
- Main keyboard: Filco Majestouch 1 (home)/Poker II backlit (work)
- Main mouse: MS IMO 1.1
- Favorite switch: Probably not whatever I wrote here
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
You won't find this new, only new old stock. SMK have been out of business for years: they were Diatec's OEM for Filco keyboards, and after SMK closed down (or maybe this was one reason why they went bust — Diatec pulling their orders?), Diatec switched over to Costar and introduced the Majestouch line.
I have a plastic plate Nan Tan board (complicated white Alps) and I don't have any issue with the plastic plate, although it makes a huge difference to the weight of the board. Without all that sheet metal, it feels very cheap and light. I had a scissor board that weighed more (although that was a very solid, sturdy keyboard — too bad the switches sucked rocks — mushomatic, sadly).
I have a plastic plate Nan Tan board (complicated white Alps) and I don't have any issue with the plastic plate, although it makes a huge difference to the weight of the board. Without all that sheet metal, it feels very cheap and light. I had a scissor board that weighed more (although that was a very solid, sturdy keyboard — too bad the switches sucked rocks — mushomatic, sadly).
- Daniel
- Location: Blackforest Germany
- Main keyboard: Various
- Main mouse: Kensington Slimblade + MX518
- Favorite switch: Cherry MX Blue and Black + BS
- DT Pro Member: 0028
Hey Daniel, thanks for correcting that here, as well as in the wiki!Daniel Beardsmore wrote:FCC grantee code "KM9" is the defunct keyboard Taiwanese manufacturer Strong Man, and SMK in this context is Strong Man Keyboard. It's not the same as Showa Musen Kogyo, the Japanese SMK. If it's a Mac keyboard, chances are it's Strong Man: they made a lot of Macintosh keyboards with Alps switches, including the Tactile Pro 2 (which is why it was a disaster). I don't know that SMK ever badged a keyboard, but they were an OEM for Tulip and Sony.
- Daniel Beardsmore
- Location: Hertfordshire, England
- Main keyboard: Filco Majestouch 1 (home)/Poker II backlit (work)
- Main mouse: MS IMO 1.1
- Favorite switch: Probably not whatever I wrote here
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
The other way to look at it, is that it would be quite funny if SMK were making keyboards with someone else's switches ;-)
I've just dropped Datadesk a line to see if they can confirm the OEM for the standard SMK platform used by Datadesk, Sony and Tulip.
I have a lot of questions for Strong Man, but that would require corporate séance …
I've just dropped Datadesk a line to see if they can confirm the OEM for the standard SMK platform used by Datadesk, Sony and Tulip.
I have a lot of questions for Strong Man, but that would require corporate séance …