Need help with Black ALPS keyboard

[patrickdesk]

Hello everyone,

I got a no name left-handed black ALPS keyboard from an e-waste place. I only paid CDN $10.00 for it. It has black ALPS which seems clicky to me. I had a DELL AT101W in the past, but the keys were "quieter." Anyway, while I was very happy to have found this keyboard, my happiness was short lived. Some of the keys output more than one keystroke when pressed. Do you guys think it's a problem with the controller or with the switches themselves? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[jacobolus]

Can you take a picture of the top of a switch, and another picture of the whole keyboard?

[patrickdesk]

Can you take a picture of the top of a switch, and another picture of the whole keyboard?

I will after this weekend. A bit busy this week. I know it's kind of stupid from me to ask for help and then not in a hurry to fix the keyboard. But there is an important event in the life of my daughter this weekend. Also, I would like to clean the keyboard first. You just never know where keyboards from recycling places/thrift stores have been

[terrycherry]

Maybe the problem is on the PCB trace or the IC got dirty. Desdolder the issue switches and take out the controller to clean the pin.
Your daughter have a dancing event?

[patrickdesk]

Maybe the problem is on the PCB trace or the IC got dirty. Desdolder the issue switches and take out the controller to clean the pin.
Your daughter have a dancing event?

Well if it involves desoldering then I will have to enlist the help of my uncle. I just don't know how to desolder/solder.

No, she has her first communion. I don't want to get into a religion debate, but let's just say I am not really a believer anymore but her mother is. Happy wife...happy life.

[patrickdesk]

[fohat]

Now that is a rare duck for certain.

[patrickdesk]

I know. The left-handed keyboards I have seen have the numpad moved to the left without the keys rearranged. This one has the keys rearranged.

[Redmaus]

Why aren't all left hand numpads like this? I don't understand why others aren't

[jacobolus]

Are you sure it’s Alps switches? If they’re clicky, with black sliders, I suspect it’s some kind of clone.

If the switches are chattery, that’s some combination of dirt / corrosion on the contacts or some dodgy traces or wiring, and/or a bad debounce routine in the firmware. If there’s dirt on the contacts, you can take the switch apart and blast it with compressed air.

[patrickdesk]

I used paper clips to pull the scroll lock keycap, and the word ALPS was written on it. It's not as clicky as say a Cherry MX Blue. I think it's the tactile bump that is producing the "click" sound. It could be a knock off. The travel feels relatively shoter than cream/orange/black ALPS.

[Chyros]

They might be simplified Alps. There are clicky black simplified Alps. Those have the long tabs as well as the logo on it.

[patrickdesk]

They feel nice to type on, that's for sure. A bit loud though. Definitely not for office use.

[Chyros]

If you can post a close-up picture of the switch, showing the lettering clearly, we should be able to identify it for you .