Escom keyboard

[bobAfettz0]

does anyone here know if this is a mechanical keyboard?

the bottom sticker reads:

PN N860-4804-T103 MN FKB4804-103
SN HY125872 Made in Malaysia Rev 04B
LR 68325 5Vdc 250mA SEC M

Thank you for your help.

[Muirium]

Malaysia's not generally a good sign (outsourcing was the kind of cost cutting that manufacturers did alongside ditching switches for rubber dome over membrane). But see the yellowed space bar, and then look at the white alphas. The space bar is ABS, but the alphas look PBT to me. Could be interesting.

An example: Acer 6312 is from Malaysia, and is semi mechanical. (Better than a generic dome, though.) Its caps however are dyesub PBT and actually really nice.

http://deskthority.net/wiki/Acer_6312#A ... _UK_Layout

[Findecanor]

MN FKB4804-103

Part numbers starting with "FKB" are from Fujitsu.
I have heard something about some Escom keyboards perhaps being a Fujitsu Peerless keyboard or looking like Peerless and not being it - I can't remember the details. If not Peerless, it is most likely rubber dome.

I have yet to try a Peerless. The Peerless switch is a combination of coiled spring on top of a rubber dome and membrane, giving a force curve very much like buckling spring - in theory, but not in practice. It is said to be very stiff and the larger keys lack stabilisers so they bind. The tactile point is at a different height depending on how fast you type.

Edit: Added links into Wiki

[bobAfettz0]

Thank you Muirium and Findecanor for that info. The keyboard is up for sale and I will post it in [Other] Great/Interesting Finds RougeRambo thread if that´s ok. The seller has no clue and is unable /unwilling to pull a cap.

[davkol]

I have a keyboard of this kind (same branding) and it's Fujitsu KB4700 indeed, but without the "peerless" mechanism—only a rubber dome.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

4700 is the main Peerless series. You're saying that you have a non-Peerless 4700?

(The 4700 has a curved backplane like a Model M — a lot of details on the 4700 look to be copied from the model M.)

[davkol]

Mine is the same (except SN) as the one posted by OP. When I remove a key, it's just a rubber dome. I've had it disassembled as well. Keystrokes feel linear and dirty, but sort of okay, when touch typing fast.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

So basically snog / marry / avoid

[davkol]

It feels very solid (nice metal backplate) and has quality keycaps. If it's for free, why not?

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Depends if you call a TARDIS a home.

OTOH the Peerless switch is genuinely interesting. The binding on modifiers may be due to losing the factory lube when I stripped and cleaned mine — I don't recall it being anywhere near as bad before I did that. Even so, I never cared for the tube stabiliser approach. IBM use it, but they have a separate slider inside the tube and their approach works perfectly.

Peerless has a much more office-friendly sound than a lot of other clicky keyboards, rather like Acers.

[bobAfettz0]

I did not buy it anyway, but someone got it for € 1,50 !