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Marquette Centra Cardiological keyboard

Posted: 30 Jul 2018, 21:37
by green-squid
I found this keyboard at the flea market for $3. The seller said tha the found it at the metal scrap place, and I remember he used to have the original machine it came with, but he didn't have it there anymore. This is a slider over dome keyboard, and it is without a doubt the stiffest keyboard I've ever typed on. If the domes were lighter, it would actually make for a great typing experience.

The main reason I bought this keyboard was because it looked interesting (and the origins of it), and the fact that there is NO documentation on this, peroid. So if anyone can add these to the wiki, please do, just credit me. :)

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For some reason, the stabilized keys (besides the spacebar) have blue sliders.
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This keyboard has the most overengineered spacebars I've ever seen. Instead of a wire stabilizer, the spacebar is one big piece of plastic with a flap that stabilizes it, and the main spacebar has an oval piece of plastic sticking out to press down the dome. So instead of going straight down, it flaps in! It's the least 'spacebar-y' spacebar I've ever seen!
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The only keyboard that matched with 'Marquette cardiological keyboard' when I searched for this was this machine on a second-hand medical site, called the Marquette Modular CentralScope Monitor, but I this wasn't the machine it came with, it looked nothing like this, it was a way bigger piece of kit.
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https://www.dotmed.com/listing/monitor/ ... pe/1522382

Posted: 30 Jul 2018, 21:48
by Slom
You can log in and edit the wiki with your forum credentials.

There is some getting started help here:
wiki/Help:Contents

If you have any specific questions about how to edit, dont hesitate to ask :)

Posted: 30 Jul 2018, 22:02
by green-squid
I want someone else to do it, who can organise it neatly, unlike me. :)

Posted: 30 Jul 2018, 22:51
by Slom
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Posted: 30 Jul 2018, 23:47
by xxhellfirexx
So what does the over-engineered spacebar sound like?

Posted: 01 Aug 2018, 14:47
by green-squid
It sounds like the other keys.

Posted: 15 Aug 2018, 15:01
by snacksthecat
That’s awesome man! From the title I was expecting the Unicomp model M one that I found at the recycling place.
Spoiler:
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But yours is even cooler! Must be the predecessor or something. I wonder what came after both of these boards. My lady friend works in a hospital as an ER tech and she said all the keyboards are basic black dell types now.

Do you know if it’s a normal protocol (AT/XT)? I might be interested if it’s something weird that hasn’t been converted yet.

Posted: 15 Aug 2018, 19:12
by Blaise170
These were used with specialized machines long ago so it's unlikely that they speak a standard protocol. Not that it really matters, I had one of these long ago and it's perhaps in my top 5 worst keyboards of all time.

Posted: 15 Aug 2018, 19:23
by green-squid
snacksthecat wrote: That’s awesome man! From the title I was expecting the Unicomp model M one that I found at the recycling place.
Spoiler:
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But yours is even cooler! Must be the predecessor or something. I wonder what came after both of these boards. My lady friend works in a hospital as an ER tech and she said all the keyboards are basic black dell types now.

Do you know if it’s a normal protocol (AT/XT)? I might be interested if it’s something weird that hasn’t been converted yet.
I have no idea, but the ctr, alt, scroll lock keys make me think it's an AT protocol one.

Posted: 13 Dec 2018, 20:35
by green-squid
New discovery: This keyboard uses the same 'Advanced Input Devices' rubber domes as the IBM PCjr keyboard :o
No wonder why it felt crap!
IBM:
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Marquette:
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Posted: 14 Dec 2018, 14:46
by andrewjoy
LOL , someone on the design team had way too much time on there hands with that spacebar !