Costar CSK-1101P: Compact Layout, Omron Switches
Posted: 10 May 2013, 23:58
http://www.kbdmania.net/xe/review/107648, but the pictures do not load anymore. So I am not sure if their example was the US ANSI layout - probably so; however it turns out it also existed in US/Cyrillic, which is what I have got.
This is the seller's auction photo:
All photos except this one were taken by me after I received and overhauled the keyboard, so you may notice that the yellowing is gone, etc.
The dimensions are about the same as the Cherry 1800, and probably both were designed with a similar application in mind, 19 inch rackmount equipment. Both the Cherry 1800 and this Costar CSK-1101P have all the keys of a full 101-key board. But Costar had a different idea of how to fit them within the 19 inch footprint.
Note the two rows of downsized function keys at the top.
I think some old laptops used similar keycaps; for example:
Being a prominent feature of this keyboard, I think they deserve a closeup:
The downsized keys are in two clusters of two rows each. One cluster contains F1-F12 (and Esc sits there by its side), the other has the navigation keys (Insert, Home, ...) plus Pause and PrtSc. Curiously, the all-important Scroll Lock got a full size keycap next to NumLock (see the first picture.)
The full size keys are the usual vintage white-and-grey, but the small keys are all grey.
The 1 unit Backspace and BIGass Enter are typical for Taiwan-made keyboards of the era.
Key profile:
This is the standard ABCDE profile. Obviously, there is no F.
Back side of the keyboard:
Closeup of the label:
Costar Electronics, Inc.
Model: CSK-1101P
S/N: № 89006191
Date:
FCC ID: GS23TYCSK-1101P
Wow, even a serial number! Everything just like the big boys!
The sticker that has been placed over the label reads: "Sigma System Computer Ag. Serial No: 501011. Warranty void if removed." Actually there is no screw or anything under this sticker.
Sigma may have been an integrated solutions builder who ordered these keyboards from Costar. Google, however, does not readily find this Sigma.
To open up the keyboard, you unscrew the 3 screws, then carefully pop 5 latches.
Worth noting are the collapsible feet, AT/XT switch, and the cable which can be routed out of the case through the left or right hole, whichever is more convenient. The coiled cable ends with a DIN-5 connector.
Another feature that I think is interesting is how the upper half of the case is larger than the lower half, and overhangs it near the front edge, forming a kind of a built-in hand rest:
Actually I am taking these pictures when I am finished with my work on this keyboard and in the process of putting it back together, but please allow me to post the pictures here in reverse order and pretend I am disassembling it.
Continued in the next post due to the limit of 10 attachments per post...
The Costar CSK-1101P is a vintage compact layout keyboard, made in Taiwan. The Koreans seem to have already reviewed it in 2006 This is the seller's auction photo:
All photos except this one were taken by me after I received and overhauled the keyboard, so you may notice that the yellowing is gone, etc.
The dimensions are about the same as the Cherry 1800, and probably both were designed with a similar application in mind, 19 inch rackmount equipment. Both the Cherry 1800 and this Costar CSK-1101P have all the keys of a full 101-key board. But Costar had a different idea of how to fit them within the 19 inch footprint.
Note the two rows of downsized function keys at the top.
I think some old laptops used similar keycaps; for example:
Being a prominent feature of this keyboard, I think they deserve a closeup:
The downsized keys are in two clusters of two rows each. One cluster contains F1-F12 (and Esc sits there by its side), the other has the navigation keys (Insert, Home, ...) plus Pause and PrtSc. Curiously, the all-important Scroll Lock got a full size keycap next to NumLock (see the first picture.)
The full size keys are the usual vintage white-and-grey, but the small keys are all grey.
The 1 unit Backspace and BIGass Enter are typical for Taiwan-made keyboards of the era.
Key profile:
This is the standard ABCDE profile. Obviously, there is no F.
Back side of the keyboard:
Closeup of the label:
Costar Electronics, Inc.
Model: CSK-1101P
S/N: № 89006191
Date:
FCC ID: GS23TYCSK-1101P
Wow, even a serial number! Everything just like the big boys!
The sticker that has been placed over the label reads: "Sigma System Computer Ag. Serial No: 501011. Warranty void if removed." Actually there is no screw or anything under this sticker.
Sigma may have been an integrated solutions builder who ordered these keyboards from Costar. Google, however, does not readily find this Sigma.
To open up the keyboard, you unscrew the 3 screws, then carefully pop 5 latches.
Worth noting are the collapsible feet, AT/XT switch, and the cable which can be routed out of the case through the left or right hole, whichever is more convenient. The coiled cable ends with a DIN-5 connector.
Another feature that I think is interesting is how the upper half of the case is larger than the lower half, and overhangs it near the front edge, forming a kind of a built-in hand rest:
Actually I am taking these pictures when I am finished with my work on this keyboard and in the process of putting it back together, but please allow me to post the pictures here in reverse order and pretend I am disassembling it.
Continued in the next post due to the limit of 10 attachments per post...