IDENTIFY THE KEYBOARD thread

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Daniel Beardsmore

18 Jan 2017, 09:49

mike52787 wrote: http://www.ebay.com/itm/flam/122286087704

Any ideas? the caps are like nothing I've seen before.
The keycaps are the "tombstone" shape used by Fujitsu, but nothing there suggests Fujitsu. It's more like BTC, with the double underline in the logo and the "Professional Keyboard Series". Even the design and format of the label is the same as BTC. Nothing suggests that BTC were ever active in Hong Kong though, and BTC never knowingly used keycaps like that. If it's not BTC, then one company definitely copied the other.

You see this a lot — for example, old Focus keyboards and old allegedly Tai-Hao keyboards are virtually identical (even the strange design of feet is identical between several apparent brands). There are label designs and formats that seem to cross multiple brands — did they all share some keyboard label specialist? It gets hard to tell who's outsourcing, who's sharing suppliers, who's rebranding and who's simply copying, especially on products that have no actual branding at all. (A "TH" model number on the PCB doesn't prove that Tai-Hao were involved; it's only a strong suggestion.)

The BTC version is BTC-5060 — clearly different.

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Nuum

18 Jan 2017, 10:27

mike52787 wrote: http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-Pin-Din-Tech- ... 2192596638

Any ideas? the caps are like nothing I've seen before.
raatmarien posted a board with similar keycaps quite a while ago: photos-f62/microweb-touch-1-t8619.html
That one had Futaba clicky switches.

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Chyros

18 Jan 2017, 11:47

I suspect Futaba clickies.

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subcat

21 Jan 2017, 04:42

Any ideas? I bought it anyway, it was like $3. http://page10.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/a ... m162520848

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ohaimark
Kingpin

21 Jan 2017, 05:08

That looks fujitsu leaf spring 3rd gen or leaf spring over membrane.

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subcat

21 Jan 2017, 05:41

Thank you :)

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Daniel Beardsmore

21 Jan 2017, 14:24


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ohaimark
Kingpin

22 Jan 2017, 10:05


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Mr.Nobody

22 Jan 2017, 10:54

In fact vintage computers are rather interesting but harder and more costly to collect and store.

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subcat

22 Jan 2017, 14:27


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ohaimark
Kingpin

22 Jan 2017, 14:38

It's a membrane, so the best you hope for would Alps compatible keycaps. And even that's doubtful.

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subcat

22 Jan 2017, 15:00

ohaimark wrote: It's a membrane, so the best you hope for would Alps compatible keycaps. And even that's doubtful.
Thank you again, your knowledge is an invaluable resource. I really hate to keep posting here, this will be the last for a while. I just keep finding unidentifiable stuff - this Epson thing particularly interested me because of the underside of those caps... http://auctions.c.yimg.jp/images.auctio ... x28847.jpg

Thank you and sorry for the posts :oops:

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XMIT
[ XMIT ]

22 Jan 2017, 15:12

subcat wrote:
ohaimark wrote: It's a membrane, so the best you hope for would Alps compatible keycaps. And even that's doubtful.
Thank you again, your knowledge is an invaluable resource. I really hate to keep posting here, this will be the last for a while. I just keep finding unidentifiable stuff - this Epson thing particularly interested me because of the underside of those caps... http://auctions.c.yimg.jp/images.auctio ... x28847.jpg

Thank you and sorry for the posts :oops:
Don't be sorry, that's why we're here. :lol:

Looking at that Epson keypad, I can't tell from the key cap mounts. It looks like Cherry but I'm not sure the stems are tall enough. It *might* be Alps Tee Mount.

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Chyros

22 Jan 2017, 15:18

XMIT wrote:
subcat wrote:
ohaimark wrote: It's a membrane, so the best you hope for would Alps compatible keycaps. And even that's doubtful.
Thank you again, your knowledge is an invaluable resource. I really hate to keep posting here, this will be the last for a while. I just keep finding unidentifiable stuff - this Epson thing particularly interested me because of the underside of those caps... http://auctions.c.yimg.jp/images.auctio ... x28847.jpg

Thank you and sorry for the posts :oops:
Don't be sorry, that's why we're here. :lol:

Looking at that Epson keypad, I can't tell from the key cap mounts. It looks like Cherry but I'm not sure the stems are tall enough. It *might* be Alps Tee Mount.
I think the mount looks too small for SKCC, though. SKCC uses a wider cross mount than MX does.

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scottc

22 Jan 2017, 15:28

That Epsom numpad has the exact same caps that I got with a Jarltech matrix POS keyboard. It had exactly the same numeric and relegendable keycaps, with plate-mounted MX blues. Those mounts look distinctively Cherry MX to me.

norolim

22 Jan 2017, 20:01

Does anyone know what the difference is between a normal Chicony KB-5191 and one with strangely elevated Num Lock, Caps Lock, Scroll Lock and On-Line indicators, like THIS one?

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ohaimark
Kingpin

22 Jan 2017, 20:16

The raised lock version might be the only one that comes with Aristotle MX clones?

norolim

22 Jan 2017, 21:51

No, I've seen one with MX Blue.

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kbdfr
The Tiproman

23 Jan 2017, 08:50

subcat wrote: […]. I just keep finding unidentifiable stuff - this Epson thing particularly interested me because of the underside of those caps... http://auctions.c.yimg.jp/images.auctio ... x28847.jpg […]
scottc wrote: That Epsom numpad has the exact same caps that I got with a Jarltech matrix POS keyboard. It had exactly the same numeric and relegendable keycaps, with plate-mounted MX blues. Those mounts look distinctively Cherry MX to me.
I can confirm scottc's post.
These caps have been first documented by Ascaii:
photos-f62/my-new-daily-driver-i-m-in-l ... ove#p11544
and this is how they look like:
Jarltech numeric caps.jpg
Jarltech numeric caps.jpg (28.9 KiB) Viewed 8454 times

Jimi14

25 Jan 2017, 10:43

Does anyone know anything about this thing?

http://img.tradera.net/images/200/24168 ... 8d21e3.jpg

Looks kinda like a dolch, but not anyone i know of.

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Chyros

25 Jan 2017, 11:55

Got posted recently. White Alps, apparently.

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subcat

25 Jan 2017, 14:18

http://lingjr.com/images/auction_photos ... _us6_8.jpg Do we know what switches the Sharp X1 has?

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Chyros

25 Jan 2017, 14:30

subcat wrote: http://lingjr.com/images/auction_photos ... _us6_8.jpg Do we know what switches the Sharp X1 has?
Many Sharps had SKCL switches.

2ZQ

26 Jan 2017, 00:09

Well I know who has been sniping my auctions now...

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subcat

26 Jan 2017, 03:51

2ZQ wrote: Well I know who has been sniping my auctions now...
Is it you I'm battling right now for this board?

2ZQ

26 Jan 2017, 13:06

subcat wrote:
2ZQ wrote: Well I know who has been sniping my auctions now...
Is it you I'm battling right now for this board?
I stopped. There are a few guys here sniping and reselling next day locally though. Keep in touch if you are on jp local sites so I don't go crazy. I have passed over a few really good deals lately just to avoid the war and missed out. On the other hand, in retrospect, I didn't waste funds on other auctions.

Noticed a weird spike lately in the auctions ending late night JST. You have been missing some though, and would rather they go to you, rather than the guys relisting! PM me or I can PM you and just keep in touch with what we are hunting if you like.

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subcat

26 Jan 2017, 13:16

2ZQ wrote:
subcat wrote:
2ZQ wrote: Well I know who has been sniping my auctions now...
Is it you I'm battling right now for this board?
I stopped. There are a few guys here sniping and reselling next day locally though. Keep in touch if you are on jp local sites so I don't go crazy. I have passed over a few really good deals lately just to avoid the war and missed out. On the other hand, in retrospect, I didn't waste funds on other auctions.

Noticed a weird spike lately in the auctions ending late night JST. You have been missing some though, and would rather they go to you, rather than the guys relisting! PM me or I can PM you and just keep in touch with what we are hunting if you like.
I'm not on any JP local sites unfortunately, just Yahoo auctions. The board I was referring to was a NEC PC-8801 with Blue ALPS, the second one in 2 days, (I missed the first one which only went for 7.5k, so I was determined to get this one) which resulted in a bidding war up until 11k, and this one was in garbage condition compared to the cheaper one.
I've spent the last little while trawling through all ~5000 used keyboard auctions on the entire site, and bookmarking all the interesting ones. My god there are an absolute shitload of PC9800s. I'll PM you :)

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Lynx_Carpathica

26 Jan 2017, 14:28

Hi guys, here is an Alps board I'm planning on buying, along with the foam and foil one. Can someone tell me whether or not I'll get lucky and get a board with blue Alps? The seller sent me these pictures. Thanks in advance!

https://prohardver.hu/dl/upc/2016-09/55 ... _pro_1.jpg
https://prohardver.hu/dl/upc/2016-09/55 ... _pro_1.jpg

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ohaimark
Kingpin

26 Jan 2017, 15:29

It's tough to say. Probably White Alps, but you might get lucky.

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Harshmallow

26 Jan 2017, 15:41

Lynx_Carpathica wrote: Hi guys, here is an Alps board I'm planning on buying, along with the foam and foil one. Can someone tell me whether or not I'll get lucky and get a board with blue Alps? The seller sent me these pictures. Thanks in advance!

https://prohardver.hu/dl/upc/2016-09/55 ... _pro_1.jpg
https://prohardver.hu/dl/upc/2016-09/55 ... _pro_1.jpg
I think you could get lucky, but it could be white alps too. I have a NOS NTC KB-6251EA, and they could go either way. Mine was made in Malaysia though, which I think is a fairly good sign it has White Alps, though it did come with the oldest White Alps possible (no logo on top). Yours is made in Taiwan and a 6251EA...could be a nice surprise! Keep us posted.

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