What kind of switch is this keyboard using?

[Captain_Coke]

Salutations to you, geekhackers

I'm quite new to the mechanical keyboard world, and have only recently felt the need to get myself something good to type on. I know a lot of perfectly good keyboards are thrown away or sold for almost nothing, so I tried to look in that direction.

And then I found something, a Tulip keyboard, I had never heard of that brand, but well, for 3€, that seemed to be a good way to get my first mechanical keyboard. I cleaned the hell out of it and now I've been using it for two weeks, with no problem whatsoever.

I made a bit of search, but I haven't been able to find anything about the switches it used however. I know this keyboard is a copy of the venerable Model M, but I have the impression that the switches, from the pictures I've seen, are different.

Here are some pictures I've taken, I tried to give a good overview : http://www.flickr.com/photos/captain_coke/sets/72157629849016588/detail/

Also, the keys seem to be double-shot, which is a good thing, I guess?

Anyway, if you have any information, I'd be quite grateful. Do you think this is a good keyboard or should I try to find something better? (I like the typing on it, but I'm coming from a rubber dome IBM, so anything mechanical is better to me... it's also very loud, but I like it.)

Thanks in advance =)

(and excuse my english, I'm a frenchie)

[audioave10]

I say grab it if you can. It is surely very rare. I have no idea about the switch.

[Captain_Coke]

Well, in fact I'm already using it, but I'd like to know what I'm typing on =)

[IvanIvanovich]

Hard to say, I can't recall seeing that before. I would open it and look for further info, perhaps there is oem marking on pcb or similar that would help.

[audioave10]

Very soon now..."The No. 1 keyboard expert on the Planet" should chime in.

[Internetlad]

Cue the price is right losing horn.

So this is a rubber dome KB made to look like a mech? Tricky. I would have bought into it, but then again, I still pay money for music so there must be something wrong there.

[audioave10]

That's the most complicated rubber dome I've seen yet.

[Captain_Coke]

Are you sure? It seems very different from any rubber dome I've ever used. I guess I should open it to see inside, but last time I tried I couldn't see under the switch.

[Captain_Coke]

Oh well, seems you're right -_- .

Anyway, it's still way better than what I had, I'll have to find a real mechanical keyboard another time.

[Captain_Coke]

Sure, that's a yes, I hope to come here bother you once again when I will find another mystery board. Thanks !

[bazemk1979]

looks like even though is rubber dome keyboard the keycaps can be Alps switch compatible + they are DS!!!

[dorkvader]

That's the most complicated rubber dome I've seen yet.

Rubber dome.

Yeah, sort of looks like sliders over RD to me. Didn't ACER also do something like that?

looks like even though is rubber dome keyboard the keycaps can be Alps switch compatible + they are DS!!!

I was going to say that: seems this keyboard is worth it at least for the keycaps! It's in great shape, too.

Nothing wrong with high-quality RD: I enjoy my olivetti RD very much. Enjoy your keyboard!

[Captain_Coke]

Thanks !
I think I'm still going to look for other keyboards, at least to try different things (there's this store where I live where they sell a bunch of used keyboards, all for the same 3€ price, so I might be lucky one day).