Search found 1418 matches

by Polecat
12 Mar 2024, 04:12
Forum: Other external
Topic: Great/Interesting Finds
Replies: 26260
Views: 5949352

Re: Great/Interesting Finds

Nice, I'm a day late, but that's nothing new. Someone got a good deal. I don't really care for the case design on the 555 anyway. Did any of the FK-555s have double shot caps? This listing ends soon but thought I’d share since it’s pretty great. New old stock Focus FK-555: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1...
by Polecat
05 Mar 2024, 04:05
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Northgate Focus FK-555
Replies: 6
Views: 6353

Re: Northgate Focus FK-555

Thanks, A good lesson--we should *never* assume there were no changes over time for a given keyboard model. I logged this one previously from an ebay listing. At the time the glue from the paper label was still there, so at least we know there was one originally. This is an earlier 555 than the last...
by Polecat
03 Mar 2024, 18:37
Forum: Deskthority wiki talk
Topic: Pruning of unlicensed pictures
Replies: 7
Views: 550

Re: Pruning of unlicensed pictures

Just one of the reasons I've never posted anything in the wiki.
by Polecat
02 Mar 2024, 02:17
Forum: Other external
Topic: Great/Interesting Finds
Replies: 26260
Views: 5949352

Re: Great/Interesting Finds

Interesting to see a 555 with Northgate badging and Omron switches. Northgate claimed in one of their ads that they used ALPS switches in their "C/T" keyboards (FK-727/747 and FK-555) as well as in the Omnikeys: https://deskthority.net/wiki/images/3/32/Omnikeygen1ad.jpg Apparently that wasn't always...
by Polecat
27 Feb 2024, 18:05
Forum: Deskthority wiki talk
Topic: Opinions
Replies: 17
Views: 266590

Re: Opinions

...or..."If two experts have differing opinions at least one of them must be wrong."
Muirium wrote:
27 Feb 2024, 13:08
"Popular opinion on MY is highly polarised between those who are right and those who are wrong."
by Polecat
26 Feb 2024, 00:00
Forum: Other external
Topic: Great/Interesting Finds
Replies: 26260
Views: 5949352

Re: Great/Interesting Finds

Maybe if every seller did that ebay would go back to showing us what we were actually searching for. Both buyers and sellers are complaining that business is down, and cramming more crap in our faces for some reason isn't helping. Maybe more sellers should try this strategy to get more views. https:...
by Polecat
03 Feb 2024, 05:38
Forum: Deskthority talk
Topic: Future of DT
Replies: 440
Views: 6984999

Re: Future of DT

140 words or less is more than you need if you're inclined to small thoughts, which apparently is a growing percentage of what gets posted online, and probably humanity in general. Does anyone know why DT went down for several days, and if it's going to disappear for good? I'd hate to lose touch wit...
by Polecat
21 Jan 2024, 17:55
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Alps Appreciation
Replies: 4210
Views: 1138644

Re: Alps Appreciation

Thanks, it's easier to see in that photo. I haven't seen a guide for the smaller pin that snaps into an Alps switch opening, but there may be one out there. The Cherry style stabilizers keep the spacebar from rotating, so a guide post isn't needed. On Focus and Northgate keyboards the spacebar guide...
by Polecat
21 Jan 2024, 02:06
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Alps Appreciation
Replies: 4210
Views: 1138644

Re: Alps Appreciation

Looking at your photos I'm wondering if a guide post socket would be too tall to work with your BAE key? Those stick up fairly high from the plate, and there might not be clearance on the keycap for it to work. I just measured some guide posts. These were done with cheap digitital calipers, so not i...
by Polecat
20 Jan 2024, 05:13
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Alps Appreciation
Replies: 4210
Views: 1138644

Re: Alps Appreciation

There were U.S. keyboards sold with an ISO Enter key. The Focus FK-2002 in the link below I bought new back in the '90s. It had a Macro key next to the small left shift, instead of the 102nd ISO key. https://deskthority.net/download/file.php?id=54704 Some Mac clone Alps keyboards also had an ISO Ent...
by Polecat
20 Jan 2024, 03:21
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Alps Appreciation
Replies: 4210
Views: 1138644

Re: Alps Appreciation

Thank you Polecat! As far as I know the spacebar has the more common Cherry type stabilizer. The BAE key stabilzer appears to be a Costar type. It has the Costar cross-type hook to attach under the keycaps. Tai-Hao however used the smaller Alps type bottom hook to snap in to the switch plate instea...
by Polecat
19 Jan 2024, 05:02
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Alps Appreciation
Replies: 4210
Views: 1138644

Re: Alps Appreciation

Thank you for the information on the stabilizers. Early Focus (and Northgate) keyboards had a BAE key with a horizontal Alps-style (rectangular inserts) stabilizer wire, and a guide pin on the upper part of the key. Later Focus (but not Northgate) keyboards had two stabilizer wires on the BAE--one v...
by Polecat
18 Jan 2024, 17:10
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Alps Appreciation
Replies: 4210
Views: 1138644

Re: Alps Appreciation

Sure, it's here, about 1/4 of the way through.

https://archive.org/stream/apc_1987_har ... e_djvu.txt

edit: I've copied the exact quotes to the reply above.
by Polecat
18 Jan 2024, 04:54
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Alps Appreciation
Replies: 4210
Views: 1138644

Re: Alps Appreciation

That is a great find and a beautiful keyboard. The weird curved case threw me the first time I saw one in person. I had to look at it a long time to convince myself it was actually built that way on purpose. The stabilizer on the spacebar looks like an early Focus one, but the stabilizer and guide p...
by Polecat
08 Jan 2024, 17:53
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Northgate Focus FK-555
Replies: 6
Views: 6353

Re: Northgate Focus FK-555

Thank you. It is of interest and I had not seen that one. The blue labels identify it as an earlier version. I keep a database of Northgate, Focus, Monterey, and a few other selected keyboards. The "inspection numbers" were not necessarily in chronological order, and the format of those numbers chan...
by Polecat
07 Jan 2024, 23:13
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Northgate Focus FK-555
Replies: 6
Views: 6353

Re: Northgate Focus FK-555

Absolutely true. I have 8 Northgate-badged Focus keyboards in my database counting this one, and the other 7 have the badge on the upper left. Early ones had a square badge like this one; later ones were rectangular. I'm guessing that this one got moved for whatever reason the upper left part isn't ...
by Polecat
06 Jan 2024, 03:11
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Northgate Focus FK-555
Replies: 6
Views: 6353

Northgate Focus FK-555

A Northgate-badged Focus FK-555 was just posted (and sold) on ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/305340877559 And it has a Northgate paper label in additional to the usual Focus one. I had speculated a while back that the Northgate boards from Focus originally had such a label, but it has taken this lon...
by Polecat
22 Nov 2023, 05:14
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Omnikey Ultra Gen4 - programming software? Way to reset?
Replies: 18
Views: 22306

Re: Omnikey Ultra Gen4 - programming software? Way to reset?

That's cool... I wouldn't have thought to attempt to take apart one of those chips myself, but I guess it's possible... I feel like long-term though, since PS/2 ports are already effectively dinosaurs, the best solution for these keyboards is going to be to come up with a PS2-to-USB adapter that in...
by Polecat
19 Nov 2023, 14:22
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Omnikey Ultra Gen4 - programming software? Way to reset?
Replies: 18
Views: 22306

Re: Omnikey Ultra Gen4 - programming software? Way to reset?

There were at least two different versions of the Avant PC boards. Probably the easiest way to tell them apart is the LED window in the up-arrow keycap. One version has the window towards the upper part of the cap, the other towards the lower. I can take some photos of the board in my Avant for comp...
by Polecat
19 Nov 2023, 03:37
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Omnikey Ultra Gen4 - programming software? Way to reset?
Replies: 18
Views: 22306

Re: Omnikey Ultra Gen4 - programming software? Way to reset?

Just an aside--I searched again and came up with a Geekhack build log which shows a couple photos of a Northgate Gen4 PC board:

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=95097.0

It appears the controller is an 80C52. The PC board is markedly different than the one in my Avant Stellar.
by Polecat
16 Nov 2023, 04:05
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Modern switch closest to the Alps Salmon or Oranges switches in the AEK
Replies: 49
Views: 76570

Re: Modern switch closest to the Alps Salmon or Oranges switches in the AEK

Thread hijack I don't mind simplified alps or Matias. I want a clicky full size or AT layout alps board with clean switches (ideally new, but I'll take what I can get) for $150. What do we reckon I can get? My upper limit on price is based on the fact that I know I can get NOS Acers for like 50 buc...
by Polecat
16 Nov 2023, 04:00
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Modern switch closest to the Alps Salmon or Oranges switches in the AEK
Replies: 49
Views: 76570

Re: Modern switch closest to the Alps Salmon or Oranges switches in the AEK

Ok, here is what I am looking for: 1. ALPS Orange or Salmon or similar tactile switches 2. 100% full size with Windows/Super keys. 3. Programmable, so either USB with QMK/VIAL or PS/2 with a Soarer's Converter 4. Separate left and right modifier keys, so I can program them individually One possible...
by Polecat
16 Nov 2023, 03:36
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Omnikey Ultra Gen4 - programming software? Way to reset?
Replies: 18
Views: 22306

Re: Omnikey Ultra Gen4 - programming software? Way to reset?

The OP's Gen4 should be programmable; what I'm curious about is, is its programming protocol the same as on the Avants? In other words, would the CVT/Avant software work for programming it? If so, then my software ought to work on it too... Using the old Avant software is a pain on modern Windows v...
by Polecat
16 Nov 2023, 03:16
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Modern switch closest to the Alps Salmon or Oranges switches in the AEK
Replies: 49
Views: 76570

Re: Modern switch closest to the Alps Salmon or Oranges switches in the AEK

Some Omnikey boards had passthrough PS/2 ports though I am not sure how exactly they worked. Unfortunately, those versions did not have Windows keys. The Northgates with multiple ports were Gen2 Plus and Ultra (and OmniMac) models. But there were revisions during the Gen2 time period and some of th...
by Polecat
13 Nov 2023, 18:16
Forum: Keyboards
Topic: Omnikey Ultra Gen4 - programming software? Way to reset?
Replies: 18
Views: 22306

Re: Omnikey Ultra Gen4 - programming software? Way to reset?

I just saw this thread; I've been out of town for a couple weeks. This sounds like a classic case of the EEPROM chip going bad. Removing that chip (the 8 pin 24C16, which is an EEPROM, not a flash chip) is the "sure thing" fix, but that kills the ability of the keyboard to have its keys reassigned b...
by Polecat
06 Nov 2023, 17:21
Forum: Reviews
Topic: Vortex M0110 keyboard review (Gateron Pro Retro White)
Replies: 10
Views: 8412

Re: Vortex M0110 keyboard review (Gateron Pro Retro White)

An unreal HHKB, you say? ;) The only well known Mac nerd I’m aware of who started with the original Mac was John Siracusa who was fortunate enough to have one bought for him new as a child. I’ve listened to him on podcasts for years, and the only time he’s mentioned the M0110 was his glee to set it...
by Polecat
03 Nov 2023, 02:54
Forum: Reviews
Topic: Vortex M0110 keyboard review (Gateron Pro Retro White)
Replies: 10
Views: 8412

Re: Vortex M0110 keyboard review (Gateron Pro Retro White)

←⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ Some interesting legend choices there. Oddly, at least in the Apple circles I keep, the M0110 is quite unknown. Sure, the OG Macintosh is praised for what it kicked off—the desktop operating systems we all use today are still just incremental improvements on what the little Mac te...
by Polecat
21 Oct 2023, 18:07
Forum: Want to buy
Topic: [WTB] [US] SKCM NEON GREEN ALPS
Replies: 22
Views: 14720

Re: [WTB] [US] SKCM NEON GREEN ALPS

Let's quickly clarify something. keebmeup renamed himself on eBay to zrrion, so the boards you are thinking are being sold from a trusted community member are actually from keebmeup (the well known market manipulating scammer) Unbelievable, but you are correct, and that explains everything. https:/...
by Polecat
21 Oct 2023, 05:11
Forum: Want to buy
Topic: [WTB] [US] SKCM NEON GREEN ALPS
Replies: 22
Views: 14720

Re: [WTB] [US] SKCM NEON GREEN ALPS

Just curious what you meant by it having browns. Are all the keys brown and he put in a green alps to make people think it had all neons? I saw he posted one pic showing a presumably neon green alps: I think that seller used to be called keebmeup and thought it was strange they changed their userna...
by Polecat
07 Oct 2023, 18:28
Forum: Other external
Topic: Great/Interesting Finds
Replies: 26260
Views: 5949352

Re: Great/Interesting Finds

engr wrote:
03 Oct 2023, 23:01
Ortek keyboard (106TB) with a trackball and a.... calculator? I guess Focus wasn't the only one with this feature.
Probably just an LCD clock.

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