John Doe wrote: ↑06 Dec 2021, 09:29
Yep, its indeed with metal back plate, the entire board is pretty heavy. I like it except the long "L" shape enter key, but it's not that bad either.
Definitely worth a buy.
Well; to each their own.
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
The return key was what first tickled my interest for this board–along with the cross-nav.
I've now received the board (actually had it delivered by the seller)
![Smile :-)](./images/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif)
. Was hoping to say that the mystery had now been solved as I've taken it apart – but alas, not that easy it would seem.
Took some more pictures. Apart from the serial number, which starts with
KC71 (seemed to perhaps be a model indicator, but cannot find anything about that either). It has “PCB NO 2051526-01” printed on the back of the PCB.
Full board:
![IMG_4311.JPG](./download/file.php?id=71990&sid=eb831630ed8a78e15a0c66d828bcbbbe)
- IMG_4311.JPG (642.74 KiB) Viewed 7211 times
Navigation keys + lock LEDs
![IMG_4316.JPG](./download/file.php?id=71991&sid=eb831630ed8a78e15a0c66d828bcbbbe)
- IMG_4316.JPG (416.42 KiB) Viewed 7211 times
Closeup of the “70s Warner Bros.–like” logo
![IMG_4317.JPG](./download/file.php?id=71992&sid=eb831630ed8a78e15a0c66d828bcbbbe)
- IMG_4317.JPG (474.59 KiB) Viewed 7211 times
Closeup of serial number (nothing else on the metal backplate)
![IMG_4319.JPG](./download/file.php?id=71993&sid=eb831630ed8a78e15a0c66d828bcbbbe)
- IMG_4319.JPG (368.85 KiB) Viewed 7211 times
It has a DIP-switch bank with eight switches on the back (CTS 206-8 T826). It was initally set to switches one through seven as “on” with number eight as “off”. The only other text on the PCB is “UP2-1”, presumably for the chip on the other end.
![IMG_4323.JPG](./download/file.php?id=71988&sid=eb831630ed8a78e15a0c66d828bcbbbe)
- IMG_4323.JPG (515.96 KiB) Viewed 7211 times
Upon hooking up the keyboard, it only produced error-codes with my Soarer converters–as well as my TMK converter. The passive-AT to PS/2 adapter, together with a mouse+keyboard combo adapter to USB, did not work either. (same config works for other AT models)
I then moved all the switches to the “off” position (after finding documentation for a similar 8-DIP switch for the Northgate Omnikey, indicating that switch 8 was for sticky-keys (Ctrl/Alt/Shift), and the first switches were in order to set the protocol (amongst other things)
After doing this; my TMK converter was able to detect keypresses, and identified the board as “AT84”. The Soarer still produced error-codes though. Hmm.
I am still a bit baffled that the board was not able to be identified after looking underneath the hood, so to speak.
Lastly, I have to say that I expected the large return to be quite horrible wrt. to off-center keypresses, but was pleasantly surprised that it works
flawlessly, even when hit at the extreme sides(!). I haven't experienced that with any of my “big-ass” return keyboards, which aren't good at all (even with two stabilizers) on off-center keypresses. Same story for either the "cheaper" white Alps or my more solidly-built blue-Alps board.
With regard to the build-quality:
![IMG_4335.JPG](./download/file.php?id=71994&sid=eb831630ed8a78e15a0c66d828bcbbbe)
- IMG_4335.JPG (415.34 KiB) Viewed 7211 times
The whole thing weighs in at pretty much exactly 2.5 kg (“
or in imperial units...”: <insert @Chyros quote here>)
The metal backplate alone comes in at one kg (which is approx. 300 grams more than my white Alps board):
![IMG_4337.JPG](./download/file.php?id=71995&sid=eb831630ed8a78e15a0c66d828bcbbbe)
- IMG_4337.JPG (351.92 KiB) Viewed 7211 times
Hope some of these pictures and information are of help in identifying the board (or at the very least prove interesting to look at)
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)