deskthority

I have seen none other keyboards listed with these switches. Were these switches made for Apple? If so, I wonder why Apple requested a quieter switch.

kshopper2084 wrote: ↑

10 Nov 2023, 17:42

apastuszak wrote: ↑

10 Nov 2023, 02:19

I'm having one small problem with the keyboard. The E key is giving me an odd pinging noise when I press it. Has anyone heard of this? It's pretty distracting when I am trying to type.

You can take it apart and apply the "paper fix" to dull the sound. Try searching here for that.

Thanks

I'm having one small problem with the keyboard. The E key is giving me an odd pinging noise when I press it. Has anyone heard of this? It's pretty distracting when I am trying to type.

Boba U4Ts are replaced by Gazeew U4T switches. Due to switch yellowing issues Gazeew discontinued the Boba U4T.

There are still plenty of Boba U4Ts in the supply channel. Since I have keycaps over my switches, I really don't care if they yellow.

So, for the curious, this site sells parts for the AEK and AEK II. https://applerescueofdenver.com/products-page/macintosh-to-powerpc/keyboards-mice-joysticks-macintosh/apple-extended-keyboard-keyboard-ii-parts/ I have never ordered from them before. I just found then on a DuckDuckGo search. But if ...

Found both clips and managed to get them back in. Space bar works again! Thank God!

Crap. Looks like I may need new space bar stabilizer clips. The old ones may be broken. This is going to suck. I found one website that sells parts, but they're out of stock on that one.

Nice keyboard. I'm not sure how this is supposed to go in. When I pulled the space bar, the wire stabililzer and the two black pieces that connect to the plate came out. The AEK II spacebar was a LOT easier to get back in place. I'm at an hour and I still can't figure it out. And now one of those pl...

Well, the keys need a cleaning. I cannot, for the life of me, get the space bar back on. I've been at it for 30 minutes now. I really need to take a break. I need to take this thing apart and clean it too. I'm trying to find a guide on this, but I can't. Whole lot of stuff on the AEK II. Almost noth...

Is there any value to lubricating the stabilizers on the AEK? If so, what's the best way to do it? Is there any way to help with the rattle on the space bar.?

I got the right ADB port working. Took an s-video cable and sprayed some Deoxit in it and then pushed it in and out of the ADB port around 10 times. Port came back to life. Typing away right now with the right port connected. Deoxit really is "miracle in a can." Deoxit is worth every penny. I use i...

I'd like to remove some strain off the ADB to USB connector on my new (to me) Apple Extended Keyboard. So I'd like to build a right angle adapter for it so that the ABD (S-video) port faces to the back of the keyboard. I can obviously get s-video ports easily and can solder 4 wires together. But I'm...

He hasn't responded to any messages I sent him. I hope he isn't going to disappear like Soarer did.

I really wish Unicomp made a beige Mini-M.

I got the right ADB port working. Took an s-video cable and sprayed some Deoxit in it and then pushed it in and out of the ADB port around 10 times. Port came back to life. Typing away right now with the right port connected.

Deoxit really is "miracle in a can."

I like them better that the cream dampened ALPS in the AEK II. I wish the keyboard was in better shape. But I had to take what I could afford. You can get an AEK II for pretty cheap. But the AEK seems to demand a premium. I paid $80 for this. But I've seen them going for as much as $300 on eBay. I'm...

Salmon ALPS switches.

The ADB port on the left doesn't seem to work. But the right one is just fine. Could use some retrobriting. But other than that, it seems to work great.

I believe the AEK II only came in Salmon, Cream, White and Mitsumi White switches.

The AEK came in Salmon and Orange

wiki/Apple_Extended_Keyboard_II

wiki/Apple_Extended_Keyboard

Well, I could not find a reasonably priced Orange Alps AEK, so I went with Salmon. The quest for Orange Alps continues. I'm sure I'll stumble on one some day.

After a lot of YouTube searches, I want to get an original Apple Extended Keyboard with Orange ALPS switches. I like the sound of them better than the Salmon ALPS switches. A lot of sellers on eBay/Craigslist/Offerup don't pull a keycap to see what kind of switch is in the keyboard. Is there any way...

Well, these switches are staying in this keyboard. I don't think I am going to find a better modern tactile switch.

I ordered some Gazzew U4T switches for my Royal Kludge RK96 keyboard. It came with their own brand of yellow linear switches. I am not a fan of linear switches and wanted something tactile. Many people recommend the Boba U4T. Well, Gazzew replaced the Boba U4T with the Gazzew U4T, which has a newer ...

Look at the mini M. It has a USB A port. Which is totally wrong for a USB peripheral. Those ports should be on hosts and hubs—they should be inputs—not on the thing you're connecting to. It's like they saw USB C which is the same at both ends, thought "yes, let's do that!", but they ordered the wro...

The ports don’t even need to be built into the keyboard. Look at the mini M. It has a USB A port. If Unicom made something small that snapped into the port, and gave me say three USB-C ports, one to plug into my computer, and the other two to use, as I choose, that solves my problem also. I use a Ma...

I use trackballs. Since they don't move on the table, I use them wired. I'd rather plug them into the my keyboard than snake another cable across the table.

I also use a Yubikey. It's very convenient to have that plugged into my keyboard where I can get to it easily.

I would love to see another Model M that has a USB hub in it. so I can plug in things like my trackball and my Yubikey. A New Model M with detachable cable would be nice also. If those had detachable cables, you could make a custom snap-on USB hub of some kind that would sit flush with the case in t...

Considering how much a Model M cost originally, and how much it cost when Lexmark made them, it amazes me that Unicomp is able to get new molds made and create a keyboard with dye sublimated PBT keycaps and only charge $125 for it. I've seen Cherry MX style PBT keycaps selling for more than a New M...

Considering how much a Model M cost originally, and how much it cost when Lexmark made them, it amazes me that Unicomp is able to get new molds made and create a keyboard with dye sublimated PBT keycaps and only charge $125 for it. I've seen Cherry MX style PBT keycaps selling for more than a New Mo...

Well, I doubt IBM ever expect people to be using 40 year old Model M keyboards in 2023. If you have a Unicomp keyboard from the 2000s and 2010s, you probably won't have any snapped rivets. But when you go back to the IBM built boards, then you run into the problems.

I think the New Model M is a step from the Unicomp Clasic. The build quality is better, and it has new molds. One plus for me of a Unicomp board over old IBM/Lexmark Model M is that the Unicomp boards have Windows/Super/Command keys. They are also USB out of the box. And if you buy a New Model M now...