Hewlett-Packard 9816

[seebart]

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Daniel posted the HP2382A terminal version of this keyboard here:

photos-f62/hp2382a-terminal-keyboard-t5471.html

it's similair to mine which is the retail keyboard for the HP 9000 Model 216, a 1982 desktop computer from HP you can see here:

wiki/HP_9816

http://www.classiccmp.org/hp/hp9000.htm

http://www.egliedv.ch/hpoldi.htm

This keyboard uses linear Hi-Tek modular switches, you can read about them here:

wiki/Hi-Tek_modular

These switches precede NMB series 725 that we call "space invaders", but the basic design of the switch mechanism is the same. The main difference being that these switches are assembled in rows and single swtiches however the layout requires it.

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The five switches on the very right of the keyboard have a "heavy" keyweight compared to the rest.
The keyboard is small and bulky by todays standards. A good comparision is the Apple M0110 which is roughly from the same time.

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A nice touch is the small metal HP badge, on the left side of the top case we have the large volume controller for the buzzer/beeper which is quite bulky under the PCB.

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What makes this keyboard are the tall stepped keycaps which remind me of the ledgendary typewriter Oviletti Praxis 48 for example but there are many other examples of this. All of the keycaps are stepped, some of them quite extremely.
Due to the nature of the tall long Hi-Tek modular mechanism there is no key binding on keypress anywhere.

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The PCB reads 27(week) 83(year) at the top left solder side. The PCB is Hi-Tek branded on the component side but a gold HP logo with a number appears on the top left solder side also. Component and solder sides are marked as such. The beeper has a HP marking and reads "JUN 1983". The connector is a simple RJ45 five pin jack on both sides with a rather short spiral cable.I do not know what protocol this keyboard "speaks". Motorola and Texas Insrtuments IC's are used.

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HP invent!

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Did you take a photo of the springs for the right-hand side?

Most of the keys are a single module, with extra modules around the outside. Something I couldn't quite tell from the photos previously added to the wiki was the exact types of extra modules.

[seebart]

Did you take a photo of the springs for the right-hand side?

Most of the keys are a single module, with extra modules around the outside. Something I couldn't quite tell from the photos previously added to the wiki was the exact types of extra modules.

Daniel please have a look at the following DSLR shots;

you can see the different switch modules seperated by the lines. Not all modules have a triangle, notice how the texture on the modules on the very right is different and the triangles point up while the triangles on the three switch modules on the top row point downward, the triangle on these being on the very right of each module. Also notice the spacing modules marked 3/16 and 3/8 that seperate the very right modules.The top row has three seperate three switch modules seperated by single units. The following rows have no triangles and I cannot tell how the modules are split up at this time.Two switches at the very bottom left are single units and have upward triangles. There is one single switch at the top left with a downward traingle.The two single switches next to the spacebar have the rougher grainier texture on the housing like the on the very right. Also notice the "HI-TEK" marking next to the spacebar with a number on the other side of the spacebar switch. The stabilization mechanism of the spacebar works superb.

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[Daniel Beardsmore]

Wow, that's crazily ad-hoc. The arrow is the Hi-Tek logo, and it appears once per module. The top row seems to be made of four-key modules, each with the arrow on the second key. There's on join in the top row that seems to support your three-key module view, but it seems unlikely considering that the other single-key modules all have logos.

I've love to see what crazy mould system they have for making the main grid, as it's clearly assembled from lots of single-key moulds.

In addition to those spacers, there are also self-spacing keys, surrounded by spacers!

Makes you wonder what was so bad about mounting plates!

[seebart]

Yes it's somewhat confusing to say the least. To find out for sure I'll have to desolder the lot. Hi-Tek probably had unit & spacer configurations for every possible option. The different texture of the housings on the right really threw me off but those are not limited to the higher keyweight. Right shift and enter are "normal" keyweight but still have the texture on the housing. But left shift and ctrl do not have that texture on the housing but all these are spaced and or use addidtional spacers.

[snuci]

Love the look of that keyboard, especially the HP logo. Very cool.

[pcaro]

Great keyboard!

[seebart]

Thanks guys, I'll add mine to our existing wiki page. I need to find out how loud that HP beeper is though.

[ideus]

I have seen that logo in old RPN HP calculators, only. It is nice to see it on a keyboard.