This time I'll be showcasing another odd ebay find, in NOS condition. This keyboard has been on ebay for quite a long time, until I spontaneously decided to make a very low offer for it, which amazingly was accepted. It uses RAFI RS 76 C Hall effect switches which are covered by a dust- and what seems to be an EMR shield.
I expected them to be quite scratchy like RAFI RS 76 M, which I have also tried in NIB condition in a RAFI R8. However, unlike the mechanical contact counterpart, these are extremely smooth, possibly the smoothest switches I have ever tried besides beam spring. The caps lock is a locking switch.
Total weight of the keyboard is approximately 4.1kg.
The backplate is 1.5mm aluminium.
Doubleshot keycaps in the typical RAFI profile
Keycap removed. The switch stem seems to use a lengthener to support the shielding, the yellow part is the stem of the switch itself.
Inside view of the back cover, showing threading.
Back cover screw
Back cover removed. In addition to being screwed to the front case, the back cover is wedged into leaf springs running along the edge of the case, they are visible at the bottom edge here.
Main IC, showing AEG sticker
A buzzer or similar inside the case
Side of the buzzer
Mounting screw of the buzzer
At the top: Thread of the back cover screws
Below it to the left: Backside of screws which are for mounting the keyboard with its backside to something
The DE-9 connector of the keyboard is passed through this data filter.
Other side of the data filter
Screw thread of the 6 screws which mount the PCB supporting plate to the front case
The 6 aforementioned screw. They use cylindrical spacers, in which the front case threads fit, so that they can be longer and more robust
Top case without keyboard assembly, seems to be made by AEG
Some model number and what appears to be a date of 09/94
Front case thickness of 3.5mm at the top side
Keyboard assembly removed from the case. The switches are PCB mounted, the PCB is mounted to a thick nonmagnetic plate with a lot of gunked screws. The switches are fully sealed against dust.
PCB supporting plate thickness
PCB thickness
Keyboard assembly from the side
Screws for mounting the keyboard in a stand or similar at the backside
Lastly, a typing demonstration of this keyboard:
Deutsche Aerospace Bedienfeld BF 1246 (RAFI RS 76 C Hall Effect)
-
- Location: NC, USA
- DT Pro Member: 0117
What a magnificent beast! Everything about it is over built. They seemed to be very concerned about EMI as everything is metal and they even added that shielding mesh. The little teeth around the inside of opening in the top cover are probably to ensure conductive contact between the case and the key assemble. Same for the back cover to the case. How much does this thing weigh?
-
- Location: --
- Main keyboard: --
- Main mouse: --
- Favorite switch: --
- DT Pro Member: -
It's such a shame that you can't convert most hall-effect keyboards to USB