Nixdorf 'Softkeys' Keyboard
- photekq
- Cherry Picker
- Location: United Kingdom
- Main keyboard: Various Cherry Corp keyboards
- Main mouse: Razer Deathadder (1st gen)
- Favorite switch: Nixdorf 'Soft Touch' MX Black (55g springs)
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
Wanted to share some photos of this very rare and very interesting keyboard I got today.
Judging by the markings on the PCB this was made in 1988. It has vintage black switches and a linear white spacebar switch. It is the only board known to have the famous clear switch tops.
The keycaps are fairly thin and are a mix of doubleshot and engraved/infilled. You can see the caps lock switch is tripleshot (or doubleshot with another method used for the window). I don't know the material.
You can see that some of the keycaps have o-rings. All keys did have these originally, but they are just rubber.. Over time they started to disintegrate. There are no fully intact ones on this board.
Overall, very interesting keyboard. Probably the most interesting one I own. The switches are without a doubt the best linears I've used. They are perfectly smooth, lubing does not improve them.
A few pics below, the rest here : https://www.flickr.com/photos/115722906 ... 966202859/
Judging by the markings on the PCB this was made in 1988. It has vintage black switches and a linear white spacebar switch. It is the only board known to have the famous clear switch tops.
The keycaps are fairly thin and are a mix of doubleshot and engraved/infilled. You can see the caps lock switch is tripleshot (or doubleshot with another method used for the window). I don't know the material.
You can see that some of the keycaps have o-rings. All keys did have these originally, but they are just rubber.. Over time they started to disintegrate. There are no fully intact ones on this board.
Overall, very interesting keyboard. Probably the most interesting one I own. The switches are without a doubt the best linears I've used. They are perfectly smooth, lubing does not improve them.
A few pics below, the rest here : https://www.flickr.com/photos/115722906 ... 966202859/
- seebart
- Offtopicthority Instigator
- Location: Germany
- Main keyboard: Rotation
- Main mouse: Steelseries Sensei
- Favorite switch: IBM capacitive buckling spring
- DT Pro Member: 0061
- Contact:
clear switch tops.
super nice rare find photekq. Congratulations!
Those german caps, engraved! Is there one button on the top left hand side?
super nice rare find photekq. Congratulations!
Those german caps, engraved! Is there one button on the top left hand side?
- scottc
- ☃
- Location: Remote locations in Europe
- Main keyboard: GH60-HASRO 62g Nixies, HHKB Pro1 HS, Novatouch
- Main mouse: Steelseries Rival 300
- Favorite switch: Nixdorf 'Soft Touch' MX Black
- DT Pro Member: -
Nice. Very nice. I'm quite jealous...
What will you do with it? Keep it intact, or salvage the precious switches from it?
What will you do with it? Keep it intact, or salvage the precious switches from it?
- seebart
- Offtopicthority Instigator
- Location: Germany
- Main keyboard: Rotation
- Main mouse: Steelseries Sensei
- Favorite switch: IBM capacitive buckling spring
- DT Pro Member: 0061
- Contact:
imo something like this deserves not only to be kept but restored the best possible way. In this case there seems little restoration needed.
- photekq
- Cherry Picker
- Location: United Kingdom
- Main keyboard: Various Cherry Corp keyboards
- Main mouse: Razer Deathadder (1st gen)
- Favorite switch: Nixdorf 'Soft Touch' MX Black (55g springs)
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
Yeah seebart, there is one button on the top left. It's a very rough non-MX clicky switch with a non-removable keycap. You can see it better in the flickr album I posted.
I don't think I will restore it.. It's a strange layout, and I'd have to clue where to start with converting it. The case is also HUGE, so I don't think I would use it even if it were restored. I will clean it up, but I won't do any serious restoration work.
I will probably leave the switches in the board, unless I get a special board that deserves these switches. I have a brand new 'The Cheat' custom keyboard coming to me soon, but I think that would be nicer with vintage browns or blues..
I don't think I will restore it.. It's a strange layout, and I'd have to clue where to start with converting it. The case is also HUGE, so I don't think I would use it even if it were restored. I will clean it up, but I won't do any serious restoration work.
I will probably leave the switches in the board, unless I get a special board that deserves these switches. I have a brand new 'The Cheat' custom keyboard coming to me soon, but I think that would be nicer with vintage browns or blues..
- photekq
- Cherry Picker
- Location: United Kingdom
- Main keyboard: Various Cherry Corp keyboards
- Main mouse: Razer Deathadder (1st gen)
- Favorite switch: Nixdorf 'Soft Touch' MX Black (55g springs)
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
7bit, got any pics of yours? Is it the fully doubleshotted version? I'm curious if it was made in 1988 too, or if it's younger/older.
- 7bit
- Location: Berlin, DE
- Main keyboard: Tipro / IBM 3270 emulator
- Main mouse: Logitech granite for SGI
- Favorite switch: MX Lock
- DT Pro Member: 0001
Isn't there a sticker on the PCB (red on white)?
The date on the PCB is most presumably the revision date not the production date.
I've got to dig mine out and have a look ...
The date on the PCB is most presumably the revision date not the production date.
I've got to dig mine out and have a look ...
- photekq
- Cherry Picker
- Location: United Kingdom
- Main keyboard: Various Cherry Corp keyboards
- Main mouse: Razer Deathadder (1st gen)
- Favorite switch: Nixdorf 'Soft Touch' MX Black (55g springs)
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
There's no red on white sticker, but there is a sticker with 'Lebenslauf/Datum' dated 19.12.88
- sphinx
- Major Bummer
- Location: Lisbon, Portugal
- DT Pro Member: -
i found one similar to yours, with azerty layout.. did you manage to get it working?
http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/wha ... 10301.html
i was wondering if it would work with soarer's converter
http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/wha ... 10301.html
i was wondering if it would work with soarer's converter
- photekq
- Cherry Picker
- Location: United Kingdom
- Main keyboard: Various Cherry Corp keyboards
- Main mouse: Razer Deathadder (1st gen)
- Favorite switch: Nixdorf 'Soft Touch' MX Black (55g springs)
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
Sell it to me instead!sphinx wrote: ↑i found one similar to yours, with azerty layout.. did you manage to get it working?
http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/wha ... 10301.html
i was wondering if it would work with soarer's converter
And no, I have not attempted to get it working. I think it'd be quite a challenge.
- guk
- 1896 Vintage Reds
- Location: Hannover, Germany
- Main keyboard: SSK,Novatouch
- Main mouse: Steelseries Sensei
- Favorite switch: BS
- DT Pro Member: -
Find a Nixdorf 6537, exchange switches (or just the clear housing because the whites are quite nice), din -> ps/2 adapter, profit.
Theoretically.
Theoretically.
Spoiler: