Tulip SMK series

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Tulip SMK series
Tulip ATK 03.01.44.jpg
Model no. ATK 03.01.44
ATK 02.01.01
FCC ID None
Branding Tulip
Manufacturer SMK
Product family SMK second generation platform
Layouts ANSI, ISO
Keyswitches SMK inverse cross mount
Keycaps Double-shot
Interface XT/AT switchable

"Tulip SMK series" refers to a range of vintage Tulip keyboards with vintage SMK inverse cross mount mechanical switches and double-shot keycaps. The series is based on the SMK second generation platform.

Description

The keyboard is XT/AT switchable, by way of four DIP switches on the base. These select from the following six configurations:

  • Auto-E
  • E-AT
  • E-XT
  • Auto
  • AT
  • XT

"Auto" works correctly with a Blue Cube PS/2 to USB converter.

Date markings on the case suggest that production started in 1987, and continued at least as far as 1990; however, as the mouldings were shared with other SMK customers, the date range for this specific keyboard is not known. Photos of the Tulip PC Compact 2, introduced in 1987, show this keyboard.[1][2]

Unusually for a plate-mounted keyboard, the steel plate is not painted. This is common to this family of SMK keyboards.

Variants

The final two digits of the part number appear to be the layout in terms of international telephone dialling codes. ATK 03.01.44 and Tulip ATK 030244 are both United Kingdom layout boards and have "44" (as in +44) where the ANSI ATK 02.01.01 has "01". The remaining numbers are not yet identified.

ATK 03.01.44

Tactile switches with white sliders; standard United Kingdom ISO layout.

ATK 02.01.01

Clicky switches with dull brown sliders; United States ANSI layout with big-ass enter and single-unit backspace.[3]

Gallery

ATK 03.01.44

ATK 02.01.01

External links

  • YouTube — Tulip clicky keyboard (appears identical to ATK 02.01.01) Dated 2010-06-24. Retrieved 2015-07-07.

References

  1. Tulip Gebruikers Vereniging — Tulip PC Compact 2 (Dutch) Retrieved 2015-07-07.
  2. Flickr — It's alive! De Tulip PC Compact 2 (22 jaar oud) is gereanimeerd :-D Dated 2010-10-21. Retrieved 2015-07-07.
  3. Deskthority — New name for SMK "clicky" switches