An old TDD with Futaba simplified linears

Engicoder

16 Feb 2017, 04:50

Here are some photos of a Telecommunications device for the deaf(TDD) made by American Communication Corporation around 1986. It uses an acoustic coupler and Futaba simplified linear switches. Its most appealing feature is the large character vacuum flourescent display (VFD). It is powered by 6 AA batteries, and yes it works!

The case was closed with plastic rivets. I cut the rivets to separate the two case halves. I replaced the rivots with panel nuts and screws. T

More photos in the wiki: wiki/ACC_TDD

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Daniel Beardsmore

16 Feb 2017, 09:37

By Jove. Real simplified linears. What keycap mount are they? It also seems that the sliders may be taller than "normal", but it's hard to tell. (What's normal with MR series remains a mystery, but MD series normally has regular height sliders.)

Engicoder

16 Feb 2017, 13:44

I will take some switch specific photos.

Engicoder

16 Feb 2017, 15:33

Added some switch images to the wiki. They are cruciform mount. They appear to be identical to those on the Futaba linear page the wiki.
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Daniel Beardsmore

16 Feb 2017, 18:51

That reminds me, I did notice the really weird stabiliser system — like Cherry's on steroids acid. Very different from what I've got. The trouble with mine is that it's hard to make out the design, and I'd need to desolder them to find out. One of the computers has since died, so maybe one day I'll sacrifice its keyboard (I have a spare anyway).

And there are two mounts for these, but the single picture depicting them is on a site I couldn't contact (dead e-mail addresses etc):

http://epartshub.com/company/companyFor ... XEA1252000

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