G80-0081 revealed!

ettasian · 28 Oct 2015, 21:23

I just laid my hands on a keyboard identical to the one featured in Linus' video from Cherry factory in Auerbach, Germany.
It was said it is the very first Cherry mechanical keyboard. Also that it had M8 switches.

Now I don't know anything about the production year yet, since I lack proper screwdrivers for some of the fancier bolts.. but I managed to get to the sticker :

Also I found M7 switches beneath a keycap. So either they varied, someone was misinformed or it was just Linus striving to make a pun(U WOT M8)

And the thing is generally humongous, monstrous.. but maybe that's just my standards.
Package weighted 12.62kg.
Here's a comparison in a box to a terminal Model M (the box might be original since it had fitting styrofoam and a german sticker):

And outside the box, with terminal M, Quickfire TK, and some tiny Cherry M8 board I haven't identified:

Here are some more pictures of the board and the connectors (there are also 2 50 pin D-Sub connectors on the sides) and the box. If you want to see something more just let me know.

Madhias · 28 Oct 2015, 21:26

Wow, that layout is quite interesting (Tetris?)! Where did you find it?

Muirium · 28 Oct 2015, 21:29

That's the strangest board I've seen in a bloody long time. Magnificent! Terrible! Amazing!

I can see some great pictures coming out of it sometime. So strange…

Stabilized · 28 Oct 2015, 21:31

Tetris was the first thing I thought of too when I saw those keycaps. Would love to see some more pictures down the line, but on a more practical note, how on earth are you going to store that thing?!

seebart · 28 Oct 2015, 21:34

It's got kbdfr written all over it. Can't wait for his reaction. The layout is well...interesting to say the least.

Makes a 122 look like a TKL.

ettasian · 28 Oct 2015, 21:35

Madhias wrote: Wow, that layout is quite interesting (Tetris?)! Where did you find it?

Some local variation of Craigslist. The seller didn't know a thing about it. Went for about.. $60-70 shipped. I'm in Poland But I want to make it understandable for everyone

ettasian · 28 Oct 2015, 21:40

Stabilized wrote: Tetris was the first thing I thought of too when I saw those keycaps. Would love to see some more pictures down the line, but on a more practical note, how on earth are you going to store that thing?!

Down the line is coming, just can't really tell when. I already contacted a friend from GH to help with photos and describing, but.. he suddenly disappeared. And I'm storing it on the window, quite convinient

seebart · 28 Oct 2015, 21:41

This is one for our wiki, but we will need a complete dissasembly and good photo's. That's a lot of work.

ettasian · 28 Oct 2015, 21:44

seebart wrote: This is one for our wiki, but we will need a complete dissasembly and good photo's. That's a lot of work.

Yep, I still hope for the best and a professional help of one friend

But if that won't work, I'll do the best I can

Muirium · 28 Oct 2015, 22:30

We've got plenty of photographers here on DT. Many of them in Germany. And hopefully one or two in Poland, too. Because that board deserves a good shoot.

By the way: windowsills are the devil! Ultraviolet light wrecks caps. But something over the board like a blanket if you haven't already. I can't quite tell from the photos!

ettasian · 28 Oct 2015, 22:38

Muirium wrote: We've got plenty of photographers here on DT. Many of them in Germany. And hopefully one or two in Poland, too. Because that board deserves a good shoot.

By the way: windowsills are the devil! Ultraviolet light wrecks caps. But something over the board like a blanket if you haven't already. I can't quite tell from the photos!

Yes, I know. And i know one hell of a photographer, and he lives like 25km from here. Plus I kind of know him and trade personally from time to time.

No, there is no blanket there, and I know these are not the best photos. Luckily it's night here and now.
Will blinds do? I've got black blinds.

And I just noticed the link was wrong here's the real deal.

kbdfr · 29 Oct 2015, 08:01

seebart wrote: It's got kbdfr written all over it. Can't wait for his reaction. […]

Cute small thing. Is it programmable?

ettasian · 29 Oct 2015, 08:45

kbdfr wrote:
seebart wrote: It's got kbdfr written all over it. Can't wait for his reaction. […]
Cute small thing. Is it programmable?

I guess it could be if we asked Soarer nicely

. And below the green plate there are holes where you could actually solder in some more switches. You can see only the Tetris layout now, but you could use almost the whole area adding 39 more switches. I would really love to use it like this. Typing on it feels like I'm steering a Battlestar Galactica

derzemel · 29 Oct 2015, 09:18

uhuuuu, you got it!
Congratulations!!!!

Chyros · 29 Oct 2015, 09:33

Hahaha that's amazing! XD what a great board xD .

photekq · 29 Oct 2015, 10:08

One of the very few Cherries which I have no desire to own..

Still an amazing find. Congratulations!

andrewjoy · 29 Oct 2015, 10:40

Did they just throw the keycaps on the board and just go with it ?

Cool find however and some nice caps !

Chyros · 29 Oct 2015, 12:37

photekq wrote: One of the very few Cherries which I have no desire to own..

Still an amazing find. Congratulations!

It's probably the only Cherry I WOULD want to own xD .

Prelim · 29 Oct 2015, 12:39

wow, this is keyboard history!!!

gratz

ettasian · 29 Oct 2015, 15:37

Update!

I got a little further inside, and made some photos.
boop
Still no sign of production date, except for Siemens capacitors.

05.79
Which doesn't really look like it's the oldest Cherry board. Oldest G80 model maybe?

More photos soon. It's still not the official photoshoot, but everything is set up.

derzemel wrote: uhuuuu, you got it!
Congratulations!!!!

Prelim wrote: wow, this is keyboard history!!!

gratz

Chyros wrote: Hahaha that's amazing! XD what a great board xD .

andrewjoy wrote: Did they just throw the keycaps on the board and just go with it ?

Cool find however and some nice caps !

Prelim wrote: wow, this is keyboard history!!!

gratz

Whoa, thanks guys. You made me feel special.

andrewjoy · 29 Oct 2015, 15:39

Just a quick geeky things are the caps marked µF or MFD ? I think it was ether the 60s or 70s they switched to the µF marking in place of MFD

ettasian · 29 Oct 2015, 15:45

andrewjoy wrote: Just a quick geeky things are the caps marked µF or MFD ? I think it was ether the 60s or 70s they switched to the µF marking in place of MFD

Can't see either there actually. Not in any photos that is, and the case is closed already.. But I'm pretty sure the 05.79 is a production date of these capacitors.

msiegel · 29 Oct 2015, 21:05

"Battlestar Galactica" is a perfect name for that keyboard XD Congratulations (and such a great price)!!

klikkyklik · 29 Oct 2015, 21:07

Holy CRAP!

Mattr567 · 02 Nov 2015, 03:35

Teardown! Teardown!

We need the pics!

ettasian · 02 Nov 2015, 10:44

Mattr567 wrote: Teardown! Teardown!

We need the pics!

Pics are coming, but not right away. I'll get the board to the photographer somewhere this weekend. I had an accident last month and I wasn't able to visit him lately. But everything is ready. It's just a matter of time.

Samir · 03 Nov 2015, 03:28

So you have that awesome board! It's the world's biggest keyboard as far as I know.

mr_a500 · 03 Nov 2015, 03:59

I've seen bigger:

kbdfr · 03 Nov 2015, 10:19

: Tipro vs. G80-0081.jpg (330.45 KiB) Viewed 11156 times

But of course that G80-0081 has a really nice vintage flair.

ettasian · 03 Nov 2015, 11:04

kbdfr wrote: But of course that G80-0081 has a really nice vintage flair.

Well, one can add 39 more switches, making it 200. Not quite there, but how awesome would that be?