I just got my TEC-made Harris 8620 keyboard. TEC Incorporated made terminals from 1963 to the early 80's. In the 70's, Harris Communications (now Harris Corporation, selling evil mass surveillance products) sold re-branded TEC terminals to go with Harris "medium scale" mini computers.
It's a nice, solid little thing. The bottom piece is heavy gauge metal, thicker than any other metal keyboard I own and about three times as thick as the top piece (also metal).
The switches are not labelled. They look (and feel) similar to vintage linear SMK, but the casing is flatter and the slider diameter is slightly larger. Maybe it's an early version. There are randomly placed black slider switches that have slightly different cases. (right side of slider surround is cut off)
Notice the Sonalert buzzer. There is a TEC logo on the PCB at the right. I don't see a date anywhere on the keyboard, but all the chips start with 73 or 74 and the Sonalert buzzer also has a four digit code starting with 74. (Sonalert still makes buzzers and the four digit numbers now start with 90's or 00's) So maybe this keyboard was made in 1974, around the same time as the TEC Data-Screen 400.
I'd disassemble this keyboard further, if it wasn't bolted in such an awkward way. Sockets won't fit in there and I don't have a wrench that size to get in there. (I'm also far too lazy to put too much effort into it.)
The keycaps are smooth - no texture.
Notice the strange spacebar setup. The two sliders in the middle are connected with a flexible plastic on the other side (couldn't take a picture without disassembling - I could only barely bend my eyeballs around to take a look). A third slider is pressed with the ridge on the underside of the space bar.
Edit: I thought it was flexible plastic because it was transparent and from the angle I could see it from looked like it was flexing. It's actually two pieces of (non-flexible) plastic with interlocking teeth. (see post below)
Harris 8620 keyboard (TEC)
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HaaTa
- Master Kiibohd Hunter
- Location: San Jose, California, USA
- Main keyboard: Depends the day
- Main mouse: CST L-TracX
- Favorite switch: Fujitsu Leaf Spring/Topre/BS/Super Alps
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Needs switch dismantle pics 
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pyrelink
- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: HHKB 2
- Main mouse: CST L-Trac
- Favorite switch: Capacitive Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: -
I am no expert on switches, but might I suggest that these switches you are looking at are in fact Clare-Pendar? Flickr
Specifically the tops of the switches, the arrow on the space bar, as well as the space bar design. They look like the same mount/slider, and I also see in your side view that the switches have the same design of small plastic box separators around each switch (something I did not document very well, I now see).
I know that Clare-Pendar had a very unique spacebar design (that I believe they patented somewhere) so if it is the same type of space bar as this then I would bet we have a match:
Specifically the tops of the switches, the arrow on the space bar, as well as the space bar design. They look like the same mount/slider, and I also see in your side view that the switches have the same design of small plastic box separators around each switch (something I did not document very well, I now see).
I know that Clare-Pendar had a very unique spacebar design (that I believe they patented somewhere) so if it is the same type of space bar as this then I would bet we have a match:
- 13921256921_8139b015f5_z.jpg (66.33 KiB) Viewed 5049 times
Spoiler:
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mr_a500
- DT Pro Member: -
You're right! Mine is transparent orange.pyrelink wrote: ↑I am no expert on switches, but might I suggest that these switches you are looking at are in fact Clare-Pendar? Flickr
I didn't realise the space bar assembly is easily removed and that the whole thing is just a stabilizer. The actual spacebar keypress is registered by the switch beside it.
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mr_a500
- DT Pro Member: -
Unfortunately, I don't have a scale - just an inaccurate bathroom scale. If I get on the scale with this thing, I'm about 5 or 6 pounds heavier. (depending on which way I leanMuirium wrote: ↑How heavy is this wee fella? Let's see if it beats a Kishsaver: 3 kg.
)It feels heavier than my IBM AT model F - even though it's about half the size. (and twice the height)
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pyrelink
- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: HHKB 2
- Main mouse: CST L-Trac
- Favorite switch: Capacitive Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: -
Very cool to see another one of these. Any chance you would ever desolder a switch? Don't risk your board to do so, but I would be interested to see how these switches look. Specifically if those black colored switches have any difference from the white ones.
How do they feel to press by the way? Mine are not great. I find that the switch slider actually often catches on the top of the switch on the return and they are not particularly smooth. My board was also made in 1974, and not kept in the greatest of conditions though.
How do they feel to press by the way? Mine are not great. I find that the switch slider actually often catches on the top of the switch on the return and they are not particularly smooth. My board was also made in 1974, and not kept in the greatest of conditions though.
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mr_a500
- DT Pro Member: -
I don't really feel like desoldering switches right now. My soldering iron is unreliable and I have no solder to reattach it later.
As for the feel, it's not that smooth - a bit too much friction from the slider. Sometimes it snags a bit. It's not nearly as bad as stackpole (DEC VT100) and slightly better than vintage Futaba (which is what I thought I'd find in this keyboard), but not as smooth as vintage T ALPS or Keytronic foam & foil. So it's about mid way on my "vintage linear crapulence scale". (still far better than anything on the "modern rubber dome cheapizoid fucktastic" scale)
As for the feel, it's not that smooth - a bit too much friction from the slider. Sometimes it snags a bit. It's not nearly as bad as stackpole (DEC VT100) and slightly better than vintage Futaba (which is what I thought I'd find in this keyboard), but not as smooth as vintage T ALPS or Keytronic foam & foil. So it's about mid way on my "vintage linear crapulence scale". (still far better than anything on the "modern rubber dome cheapizoid fucktastic" scale)
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Muirium
- µ
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
- Main mouse: Apple Magic Mouse
- Favorite switch: Gotta Try 'Em All
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VIntage linear crapulence? But you've got some Honeywells, don't you? How, or I guess more precisely where do you rate those?
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mr_a500
- DT Pro Member: -
The "vintage linear crapulence scale" doesn't imply that I think vintage linears are crapulent. No, indeed not. It's to determine which ones are more crapulent than the ones I consider the best.
I'd put the Honeywells near the top. I actually prefer the Victor 9000 foam & foil - mostly because the springs are lighter. I like smooth & light the best. (another foam & foil has stiffer springs and isn't as nice)
I'd put the Honeywells near the top. I actually prefer the Victor 9000 foam & foil - mostly because the springs are lighter. I like smooth & light the best. (another foam & foil has stiffer springs and isn't as nice)
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pyrelink
- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: HHKB 2
- Main mouse: CST L-Trac
- Favorite switch: Capacitive Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: -
I have personally find that I like my Linear Futaba's even a little better then my Clare Pendars, but not by much. The space bar is by far my favorite part of those keyboards.
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mr_a500
- DT Pro Member: -
Well, now we know that other computer makers also sold rebranded TEC terminals. Here's one from Interdata, a minicomputer maker from the mid-60's to early 70's:
It's nearly identical to mine, but appears to be a brighter blue. I bet it has Clare Pendar switches.
I bid on this, but wasn't expecting it to go so high - and I already had one, so didn't go crazy over it. It appears that the bidder who won was one of those buy & sell assholes who only bought it to resell it later at a higher price. I hate those parasites. (yes, I know all about that kind of "capitalism" - but that doesn't mean I have to like it)
It's nearly identical to mine, but appears to be a brighter blue. I bet it has Clare Pendar switches.
I bid on this, but wasn't expecting it to go so high - and I already had one, so didn't go crazy over it. It appears that the bidder who won was one of those buy & sell assholes who only bought it to resell it later at a higher price. I hate those parasites. (yes, I know all about that kind of "capitalism" - but that doesn't mean I have to like it)
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seebart
- Offtopicthority Instigator
- Location: Germany
- Main keyboard: Rotation
- Main mouse: Steelseries Sensei
- Favorite switch: IBM capacitive buckling spring
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exactly my view. Beautiful keyboard!(yes, I know all about that kind of "capitalism" - but that doesn't mean I have to like it)