Linotype CRTronic 360 Keyboard

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TapX

16 Oct 2022, 16:31

Greetings all,

I recently acquired a keyboard from a Greek Linotype CRTronic 360 machine
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Shown here in this (probably promotional) picture with the machine itself. The Linotype CRTronic 360 was a typesetting machine.
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The switches are Linear Rafi RS 76 C Hall Effect
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The keycaps are shiny doubleshots
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Unfortunately, the massive case has a few scuffs and scrapes
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The cable and connector are equally massive, and each end of the cable has a separate ground wire. The machine-side connector has the pins labelled on the inside, and a spot of rust.
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No idea what type or protocol connector is, most likely proprietary. Here is the keyboard side.
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The back side of the keyboard
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And a close-up of the label
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Opening it we find the controller, which connects to the switch PCB with a ribbon cable
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The controller
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Frankly, I don't know a whole lot about this keyboard or the machine, and information seems sparse. I suppose most of them got trashed by newspaper organisations once digital printing came about, and a few are still in storage areas. If anyone has any information to add, feel free.

headphone_jack

16 Oct 2022, 22:13

God damn, what an absolutely gorgeous computer and keyboard. Gotta love European design!

inozenz

17 Oct 2022, 13:02

thats a huge boy, reminds me of siemens keyboards, they used the same keycaps https://i.redd.it/6gqyzdshdfp01.jpg

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ArtyomTheMetroHopper

28 Nov 2022, 10:12

Just got hold of one of these myself! :D

But strangely its got a totally different shell and black/white keycaps:
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Reg:
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Last edited by ArtyomTheMetroHopper on 28 Nov 2022, 10:16, edited 1 time in total.

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ArtyomTheMetroHopper

28 Nov 2022, 10:13

Did you ever get your's it soarer converted?

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ArtyomTheMetroHopper

28 Nov 2022, 10:37

inozenz wrote:
17 Oct 2022, 13:02
thats a huge boy, reminds me of siemens keyboards, they used the same keycaps https://i.redd.it/6gqyzdshdfp01.jpg
Not the same, the caps on these boards have a flat edge at the top while Siemens are completely circular:
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With that being said, I would not be against calling this the Siemens Battlecruiser :lol:

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browncow

29 Nov 2022, 15:42

This is one of the keyboards in which the total area of the bezel is larger than the combined keycap area. Absolutely beautiful. thanks for showing us this beauty :D

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