The Oracle Answers

[Muirium]

I think it's safe to say that Liberty were not one of the big names in computer terminals. The only thing I could find was this dead topic:

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=35205.0

No answers, but it does show you the allocations of the wires in at least one terminal. There's some models here, but they're not widely documented:

http://www.usedprice.com/items/computer ... index.html

I think this one is going to be a gamble! Interestingly, there seems to be a switch on the bottom right — but my CSI isn't working and I can't see what it selects.

Thanks will look at that. Do you know if it would be possible to use something like RJ12 to DB9 and then DB9 to PS2.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ADAPTOR-DB9-J ... 5b019cccda

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PS-2-PS2-PS-2 ... 3ccbce2174

Probably not. Those physical plugs are just different ways of housing the same handful of wires. What really matters is which wire is which (ground, power, data, clock) and the protocol to be decoded. Unless you can find out the protocol, you're just spinning wheels.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I would say that it's a fairly desirable keyboard — white space invaders (which are highly regarded) in a modern ISO winkeyless layout. Depending how much it's going for, if you can't make it work, there will be someone at DT or GH who will be happy to take it off your hands and convert it for a fair price. At the most, all you'd have to do is decode the matrix and wire up a replacement controller.

The first thing you'd need to do is open it and check the wire legends on the PCB, as depicted in the geekhack topic that I linked earlier. If it suggests AT protocol, you'd need to wire up a converter cable correctly.

BTW, it's DE-9, not DB-9. The second letter indicates the size and shape of the connector; the typical 9-pin serial/Atari joystick connector is size 'E'.

[crunch]

Well I don't have any experience in decode the matrix or wire up a controller so fell free to bid in the auction.
http://deskthority.net/other-external-f ... ml#p201619

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I've all but vowed to never use eBay, so hopefully the keyboards will go to the right hands. I assume the seller has demonstrated to you that they're white space invaders? They're nice keyboards! I wouldn't do with my Windows key though.

[crunch]

I've all but vowed to never use eBay, so hopefully the keyboards will go to the right hands. I assume the seller has demonstrated to you that they're white space invaders? They're nice keyboards! I wouldn't do with my Windows key though.

Yes the pictures is in the great finds thread.

[crunch]

I like to try a Cherry G84 keyboard, is it hard to get one with dye sub.

[woody]

I like to try a Cherry G84 keyboard, is it hard to get one with dye sub.

Very, AFAIK.

[seebart]

this is available at dealer around the corner where I live but I'm pretty sure it's not dye sub:

http://www.schiwi.de/shop4/product_info ... lgrau.html

strange that Cherry does not list "Cherry G84-4100 PAAEU" in their own pdf:

http://www.cherry.de/PDF/DE_Compact-Key ... 4-4100.pdf

must be a typo.

[crunch]

Shouldn't dye sub start with a S like G84-4100 SPAEU

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Yep. I tried SPAUS:

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=28481.0
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=26633.0

It does exist.

However, they're not common. And Cherry's industrial grey isn't as nice as IBM's.

[Khers]

You can even find them on eBay, must say it look seriously tempting...

[Daniel Beardsmore]

As a note, though, those are PAAUS: pad printed. Very nice pad printing though.

[Khers]

Ohh, I'm never going to get the Cherry naming scheme.. Sorry

[Daniel Beardsmore]

It's well-documented though :)

[wiki]Cherry article numbers[/wiki]

[seebart]

It's well-documented though

[wiki]Cherry article numbers[/wiki]

It's a little confusing at times due to Cherry's large range.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

It's not consistent, and it's not fully understood, but of course anyone who discovers an exception is free to update the page with extra information. That's what makes it so great.

[pcaro]

I like to try a Cherry G84 keyboard, is it hard to get one with dye sub.

Very, AFAIK.

I own a G84-4100 and the switches are no good for me (worse than mx). However it is very good to know if you will like keyboards 60-75%

I can let you borrow for a few months but maybe the shipping charges are more expensive than the keyboard itself. I am in Spain.

Yes. Pad printed

[crunch]

Thanks pcaro but you are right, shipping will be too expensive. I could get a new pad printed or lasered one for 20-30 Euro.

[woody]

Get the lasered one, it holds up quite okay.

[Nuum]

See this: http://deskthority.net/wiki/Alps_mount_recognition
Looks like a black Tulip dome with slider (is this name provisional, or is the switch really from Tulip themselves?), should be this keyboard but with Windows keys.

[crunch]

Thanks Nuum I just saw myself that it was a dome with slider.

[Nuum]

Oh, you deleted you post, I thought I accidentally posted in the wrong thread. My post refers to http://www.ebay.com/itm/TULIP-Computers ... 2a474c05d7

[Daniel Beardsmore]

(is this name provisional, or is the switch really from Tulip themselves?)

The FCC grantee code of FPW indicates that Jing Mold Electronic Technology (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd. registered the keyboard with the FCC themselves. However, in this big matryoskha doll, Jing Mold might simply be an engineering office (as with Strong Man, Costar, etc) with no manufacturing capacity, who then farm out the manufacturing to various other companies.

Other Tulip keyboards have been off-the-shelf OEM products (Monterey K101/K102 and the SMK stock OEM keyboard) so this is probably another off-the-shelf OEM product, not like Apple and Dell who design their own keyboards visually and have two or three OEMs supply the manufacturing. (Currently for the Dell OptiPlex range it's Lite-On/Silitek and Primax.)

Since rubber dome keyboards aren't all that exciting, they're far less documented, and if there are other brands using this keyboard design, we may never see them.

[crunch]

I saw this on a local site, thats why I was wondering about it. New Tulip keyboard €35 or bid. FCC id: FPW9151B-68W

[Nuum]

35€ is probably a bit much, but swedish Alps compatible doubleshots aren't particularly common either. So if you are into Alps and use a nordic layout, they might be worth it.

[Bitsquid]

I'm currently typing on a couple of used G80 1800 because they were the cheapest gateway into mechanical keyboards. (paid ~5-10€ each)
Now I want to get serious and invest into a more customized keyboard. I'm thinking of buying a stock keyboard with MX Reds and then look for a matching set of custom keycaps but I feel a little overwhelmed with choices.

Dear oracle please answer this:

Is a Ducky Zero a good base for modding? Do I have to wait for a group buy at pimpmykeyboard that fits my taste and the keyboard or are there other, more timely, options?

[crunch]

Depends what keyboard layout you have, if you have US layout/ANSI then you have lots to choose from. But if you want some specific country layout it will be harder.

[grieverheart]

Mr. (or Mrs./Ms.) Oracle,

I have had a Razor Blackwidow Ultimate for some time now. It's starting to have issues as things do when they age, but overall, I have enjoyed having it. My roommate recently bought the Chroma version of the same keyboard. And like any easy susceptible person, I instantly fell in love with the myriad of colors. However, when looking up the specs of said keyboard, I found that Logitec has a similar keyboard: the G910 Orion Spark. I have never had a bad Logitech anything, so needless to say, I am interested.

I use my board primarily for MMO's, like Tera, Archeage, etc. If you had to choose between the two (and they are only $10 apart in price), which would you go with? The Razor Blackwidow Chroma or the Logitech G910 Orion Spark?

[chzel]

Welcome to DT!
The Oracle is gender-less ( )
If I had to choose, I would go for the Logitech since their switches are really something new, not Cherry MX clones marketed as "All new Razer mechanical switches" (unless they mean "New,never used"...)
Or get a Filco and a bunch of Xmas lights!!!

PS: Logitech's switches are totally new and haven't been tested out in the wild, an the other hand Razer's clones are based on a tried and tested design with somewhat known execution.

[grieverheart]

Welcome to DT!
The Oracle is gender-less ( )
If I had to choose, I would go for the Logitech since their switches are really something new, not Cherry MX clones marketed as "All new Razer mechanical switches" (unless they mean "New,never used"...)
Or get a Filco and a bunch of Xmas lights!!!

PS: Logitech's switches are totally new and haven't been tested out in the wild, an the other hand Razer's clones are based on a tried and tested design with somewhat known execution.

Thanks for the warm welcome! And good to know about the Oracle. I just wanted to have all my bases covered!

I am leaning toward the Logitech brand anyway. As I said, i have never had a bad Logitech anything be it a controller, headset, mouse, keyboard, etc. The big thing with the Logitech board is the placing of the F and G keys. They are more in line with the number keys, so that is a big plus.

But if I go with the Logitech keyboard, I am going to want a matching mouse. Any suggestions on good Logitech mice? I'd prefer something that has more than the standard buttons (as I do play mmo's...usually as support characters needing lots of buttons). However, I don't want something like the naga. I have larger hands, so several tiny buttons really wouldn't be for me.