Dell AT101

Dell AT101 series
Branding	Dell
Manufacturer	Alps Electric, Silitek
Product family	Alps Bigfoot (Alps-made versions)
Layouts	Standard ISO and ANSI
Keyswitches	Alps SKCM Salmon; Alps SKCM Black; rubber dome
Switch mount	Plate-mounted
Interface	PC/AT, PS/2
Dimensions	472 × 213 × 49 mm

This article requires additional photographic illustration

The Dell AT101, AT102, AT101W and AT102W keyboards, amongst others, are part of a series of originally Alps Bigfoot keyboards manufactured in the 1990s for Dell for their range of desktop computers. This series primarily used tactile Alps SKCL/SKCM series switches, but rubber dome models also existed.

Versions with Windows keys have model names suffixed with 'W', e.g. Dell AT101W. ISO layout versions are called AT102 instead, with or without Windows keys. JIS layout version are called AT103, even though they have 106 keys. Variants with rubber dome switches have the suffix R in the model name.

Nomenclature

Alps versions appear to all be labelled "MODEL 101", from "Family Number: AT101-102", even in Japanese layout. There does not appear to be an actual "AT101" keyboard, and the name "AT101" appears to have been adopted in error.

The Silitek-made versions with rubber domes or Windows keys do however have model numbers beginning "AT": "AT101R", "AT103R", "AT101W" and "AT102W". Some Silitek-made versions are labelled only with their Dell part numbers, and offer no model number or FCC ID.

History

The Dell AT101 series was introduced as an Alps Bigfoot keyboard, with Alps SKCM Salmon switches and thick dye-sublimated keycaps with dark blue legends.

Around 1992, production transferred to Silitek. With this came thin keycaps and a move to Alps SKCM Black switches. The keycap printing method is not confirmed. Evidence indicates that salmon Alps was still made and sold at this point in time, so the change of switch is not understood. Alps Bigfoot keyboards were also still being made; it remains a mystery how and why production of an extant Alps design was moved to Silitek, and whether this was done with or without Alps's participation and agreement.

Silitek also introduced a rubber dome version of the keyboard.

The Windows key versions introduced laser-etched legends. These were produced until at least 2001.

Construction

The keys use plate-mounted tactile Alps SKCL/SKCM series switches (either salmon or black). The keycaps are reported to be ABS; while yellowed examples are very rare, an Alps-made AT101 has been found with all keycaps except space bar the original colour, suggesting the use of PBT for all keycaps except space bar.^[1] Early keyboards had printed keycaps, while the 'W' variations have laser-etched keycaps.

The case is largely the same in all variations, with a cable channel on the bottom. Some collectors are of the opinion that cases made by Silitek are in a plastic of less quality than Alps's original case. Later examples use ABS keycaps, and often suffer from random distribution of keycaps that have faded more than others.

The connector can be either PC/AT or PS/2.

Variants

The following list is most likely incomplete. Please add to it.

Old logo

Keyboards have the old Dell logo, with upper-case letters in a serif font.

FCC ID GYI3PVAT101.: Made in USA by Alps. Alps SKCM Salmon switches. Keycaps are printed in a slightly blue ink. ^[2]

FCC ID GYIAT101-102: Made in USA or Ireland. Alps SKCM Salmon switches.

FCC ID GYUM97SK: Made by Silitek in Taiwan. Alps SKCM Black switches.

New Logo

Has the contemporary Dell logo with upper-case letters in a fat, wide sans-serif font and a rotated 'E'.

Dell AT101

FCC ID GYUM95SK

FCC ID GYUM97SK: Made by Silitek in Taiwan. Black Alps. Keycaps are thinner and printed legends are thinner, without any hint of blue. Has an additional steel plate in the bottom which adds weight.^[3]

Model AT101 was also used for the 106-key Japanese layout version.^[4]

Dell AT101R

FCC ID GYUR05SK.: Rubber dome switches but the same case as AT101 with new logo. 101-key US-ANSI layout. Keyboards have been made in Taiwan or Malaysia. Dell P/N 26756.

Dell AT102

102-key ISO layout version of the AT101.

FCC ID GYUM95SK: New logo.

Silitek-made JIS

106-key JIS layout version of the AT101, new logo.

A couple of variations have been encountered. These are made by Silitek; the Alps-made version is Model 101.^[4]

Part number 30383: Pine Black Alps. Made in Taiwan^[5]

Part number 47444: Black Alps. Made in Taiwan.^[5]

Dell QuietKey AT103R

FCC ID GYUR11SK: Rubber dome switches but the same case as AT101 with new logo and Dell QuietKey branding on the rear. 101-key US-ANSI layout. Keyboards have been made in Taiwan or Malaysia. Dell P/N 47421

Keyboards with Windows keys

The keyboards have 1.25 unit Windows keys on the bottom row.

The keyboard was available in beige and in black with white legends.

The keycaps are laser-etched and thin. Unlike its predecessor the keys on the bottom row have the same profile as the space bar.

The circuit board inside is smaller than the AT101 variations, but the case is largely the same, except that there is no plastic between Ctrl and Alt keys.

The key switches are Alps SKCM Black in all variations.

Variations have been made in Taiwan, Mexico, Malaysia and Ireland.

Dell AT101W

ANSI layout version with 104 keys.

FCC-ID GYUM90SK: Made in Mexico and Malaysia. Dell P/N 0006780D.; Can have Black Alps

FCC-ID GYUM92SK

Dell AT102W

ISO layout version with 105 keys.

Dell P/N 9880D, 093GDJ

FCC-ID GYUM90SK, made in Malaysia. UK/Irish layout. No difference between two different part numbers (they just transitioned to the current system of 6-character part numbers during production). Produced around 1998-2000. Alps black switches.

Dell P/N 9235C

FCC-ID GYUM90SK, made in Malaysia. UK/Irish layout. Alps black switches.

Dell AT102DW

ISO layout version with 105 keys, German legends.

FCC-ID GYUM90SK: Made in Malaysia, P/N 1980D REV A01

Related keyboards

Similar keyboards, with a similar case and Alps SKCL/SKCM series switches have also been made for e.g. Hewlett-Packard, Fujitsu, Mitsubishi, Silicon Graphics and Sanyo, but not always with the same switch variation. Among Japanese keyboard collectors, these keyboards are referred to as Alps Bigfoot.

Gallery

Dell Old Logo
Salmon Alps switches
Later AT102W label (2000 example, current Dell P/N and S/N system)
Random distribution of ABS keycap fading (later models)

AT101 ANSI With ABS Doubleshot

Alps-made, FCC ID GYI3PVAT101. ANSI layout with OG ABS Doubleshot. Can found on early batch.

Dell AT101 Old Logo with OG Doubleshot Keycaps
Dell AT101 Old Logo with OG Doubleshot Keycaps
Label
Doubleshot Keycaps from ALPS Electric
Salmon ALPS

AT101 Czech ANSI

Alps-made, FCC ID GYIAT101-102. ANSI layout with Czech legends.

Old Dell logo, Czech QWERTZ layout
Label
PCB, "C" ALPS 1990 P/N 820-4019 REV: B
Production date inside case
Alps SKCM Salmon, Dye sublimation keycap printing on PBT keycaps

AT101 US ANSI

Alps-made, FCC ID GYIAT101-102.

Top
Bottom
Bottom with cable
Salmon Alps switches
Keycaps
Internals
EM radiation shield
Various; the small IC is dated 9130, and the large IC is marked with the same codes exactly as SGI 9500829
Salmon Alps disassembly