Chyron 4044 review (Key Tronic vintage foam and foil / "Butterfly" swi
- Chyros
- Location: The Netherlands
- Main keyboard: whatever I'm reviewing next :p
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- Favorite switch: Alps SKCM Blue
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Those old coloured keycaps are simply amazing. Screw most of these new custom keycap sets, but some of the old-inspired ones, like Dasher and Space Cadet, I'd love to get (which appears to be impossible now, though xD ). I think a Chyron-themed one with light and dark brown caps could work, too xD .MrDuul wrote: ↑Those keycaps are epic.
- seebart
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I'd say they look quite similair to the keycaps my old blue Key Tronic from 1980 but the colors are way nicer on these.wobbled wrote: ↑The keycaps are so damn shiny, they look like they have a layer of wax over them. Beautiful!
- Chyros
- Location: The Netherlands
- Main keyboard: whatever I'm reviewing next :p
- Main mouse: a cheap Logitech
- Favorite switch: Alps SKCM Blue
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- snuci
- Vintage computer guy
- Location: Ontario, Canada
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Nice review. I've had to rebuild a few computer keyboards based on Key Tronic foam and foil and coincidental, I was just talking about one of my Sol-20s (and keyboard) with Engicoder. Maybe I should post some pics of that one for the wiki. You really do need good foam to appreciate these keyboards (as I have said in the past).
Spoiler:
- E3E
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: Blue, Neon Green, Striped Amber, Cream Alps, Topre
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Someone more or less did, haha.Chyros wrote: ↑I think a Chyron-themed one with light and dark brown caps could work, too xD .
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=86143.0
- seebart
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Yes that's what I meant.Chyros wrote: ↑Of the ones I own? Possibly, it's hard to choose. They're definitely in the top three, I'd say.
I saw that before but these sets are never as nice as the originals.
- E3E
- Location: United States
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Yeah, they really aren't. I love old vintage sets like these.
SA honestly looks and feels a little fakeish compared to something like this.
- seebart
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Right, and while Key Tronic vintage sphericals are real nice Micro Switch doubleshots are in another league altoghter even nicer than Beamspring keycaps.E3E wrote: ↑
Yeah, they really aren't. I love old vintage sets like these.
SA honestly looks and feels a little fakeish compared to something like this.
- E3E
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: Blue, Neon Green, Striped Amber, Cream Alps, Topre
- Main mouse: Logitech, Topre
- Favorite switch: Alps, Topre
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Oooh. Sounds nice. I wasn't too impressed with beamspring key caps (but don't lynch me, I've only tried one ).seebart wrote: ↑Right, and while Key Tronic vintage sphericals are real nice Micro Switch doubleshots are in another league altoghter even nicer than Beamspring keycaps.E3E wrote: ↑
Yeah, they really aren't. I love old vintage sets like these.
SA honestly looks and feels a little fakeish compared to something like this.
- snuci
- Vintage computer guy
- Location: Ontario, Canada
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Sounds like someone needs to do a little "head-to-head" comparison of both.
- Chyros
- Location: The Netherlands
- Main keyboard: whatever I'm reviewing next :p
- Main mouse: a cheap Logitech
- Favorite switch: Alps SKCM Blue
- DT Pro Member: -
Many Micro Switch keyboards were pretty colourful; beam spring keyboards tend to be based mostly on black, grey and white. The thickness of the caps is also different. They're both amazing caps, though.E3E wrote: ↑Oooh. Sounds nice. I wasn't too impressed with beamspring key caps (but don't lynch me, I've only tried one ).seebart wrote: ↑Right, and while Key Tronic vintage sphericals are real nice Micro Switch doubleshots are in another league altoghter even nicer than Beamspring keycaps.E3E wrote: ↑
Yeah, they really aren't. I love old vintage sets like these.
SA honestly looks and feels a little fakeish compared to something like this.
- seebart
- Offtopicthority Instigator
- Location: Germany
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Agreed. I still say the Micro Switch SW series glossy thick sphericals are nicer.Chyros wrote: ↑Many Micro Switch keyboards were pretty colourful; beam spring keyboards tend to be based mostly on black, grey and white. The thickness of the caps is also different. They're both amazing caps, though.
- E3E
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: Blue, Neon Green, Striped Amber, Cream Alps, Topre
- Main mouse: Logitech, Topre
- Favorite switch: Alps, Topre
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The spherical era was a good one. I suppose I was just more accustomed to the caps I use on my Alps builds, the vintage sphericals for SKCL/SKCMs feel great to me. The beamspring caps reminded me of the caps on the Pingmaster (though much better with contour), in that the key tops were very "pin point" and small. The sphericals I'm used to with Alps SKCM/SKCL have wider keytops. Do note that I didn't like the pingmaster profile very much either.
It seems that the Key Tronic caps have wider tops, though I can't say when it comes to the Microswitch caps.
It seems that the Key Tronic caps have wider tops, though I can't say when it comes to the Microswitch caps.
- seebart
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I guess I could a comparison sometime, these are the ones I mean:E3E wrote: ↑The spherical era was a good one. I suppose I was just more accustomed to the caps I use on my Alps builds, the vintage sphericals for SKCL/SKCMs feel great to me. The beamspring caps reminded me of the caps on the Pingmaster (though much better with contour), in that the key tops were very "pin point" and small. The sphericals I'm used to with Alps SKCM/SKCL have wider keytops. Do note that I didn't like the pingmaster profile very much either.
It seems that the Key Tronic caps have wider tops, though I can't say when it comes to the Microswitch caps.
This is the same type of keycap on one of Slom's Micro Switch boards:
- E3E
- Location: United States
- Main keyboard: Blue, Neon Green, Striped Amber, Cream Alps, Topre
- Main mouse: Logitech, Topre
- Favorite switch: Alps, Topre
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Goodness, it's getting hot in here. Those key caps are undeniably beautiful. I don't mean to say that beamspring caps AREN'T nice, they are, but just less suited to my tastes. Just a preference.
These microswitch ones though, are they uniform profile? It seems that way. The tops seem like they might be narrow, but it's hard to tell. They look wonderful though.
These microswitch ones though, are they uniform profile? It seems that way. The tops seem like they might be narrow, but it's hard to tell. They look wonderful though.
- seebart
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Yes uniform. Exact same keycap in both. Even on the latter Micro Switch SD series the keycaps are still this nice.
- MrDuul
- Location: ARIZONA
- Main keyboard: IBM Model F Unsaver
- Main mouse: Logitech G9x
- Favorite switch: Buckling Spring
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How dare you Seebart with your keycaps.seebart wrote: ↑Yes uniform. Exact same keycap in both. Even on the latter Micro Switch SD series the keycaps are still this nice.
Always about the kneecaps. Unbelieveable.
Why oh why can't we convert these microswitch boards? no one has an answer?
(I just had a espresso shot)
- seebart
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1970's.E3E wrote: ↑The era where things weren't afraid to be colorful and the tops were round. Good times for keyboards.