Chyron Maxine keyboard with Clears $32 shipped (2 available)

[nubbinator]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chyron-Max-Character-Generator-Keyboard-/221400471251?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item338c7f16d3

It's a great price if you want to harvest some MX Clears. I prefer used Clears to new, so, if you're like me, this could be worth it.

[SpAmRaY]

That's an interesting board to disassemble, tempted to get another one.

[CPTBadAss]

Thank you nubbinator

[jdcarpe]

Hmmm, that is interesting. I had to pick one up just out of curiosity.

[jdcarpe]

Thank you nubbinator

Jinx!

[dorkvader]

if -uh- someone hasn't entered their shipping info yet, I'd happily desodler it for you ..? Id also happily cross-ship an equivalent quantity of switches.

If not, please take pictures for me!

[CPTBadAss]

I'll take disassembly pictures Dorkvader.

[jdcarpe]

Ugh, I have the worst eBay luck. That's a waste of $40. Seller sent me a Chyron Infinity keyboard, which definitely does not have MX switches, much less clears.

[SpAmRaY]

Ugh, I have the worst eBay luck. That's a waste of $40. Seller sent me a Chyron Infinity keyboard, which definitely does not have MX switches, much less clears.

been there done that....

[nubbinator]

Ugh, I have the worst eBay luck. That's a waste of $40. Seller sent me a Chyron Infinity keyboard, which definitely does not have MX switches, much less clears.

Dispute it?  They didn't send what was pictured after all.

[jdcarpe]

Ugh, I have the worst eBay luck. That's a waste of $40. Seller sent me a Chyron Infinity keyboard, which definitely does not have MX switches, much less clears.

Dispute it?  They didn't send what was pictured after all.

Yeah, I'm debating what to do. I could get my $40 back, but I'm going to have to spend $20+ in return shipping to get it.

[ComradeSniper]

Ugh, I have the worst eBay luck. That's a waste of $40. Seller sent me a Chyron Infinity keyboard, which definitely does not have MX switches, much less clears.

Dispute it?  They didn't send what was pictured after all.

Yeah, I'm debating what to do. I could get my $40 back, but I'm going to have to spend $20+ in return shipping to get it.

I don't think you have to pay return shipping if the item wasn't as pictured.

[jdcarpe]

Ugh, I have the worst eBay luck. That's a waste of $40. Seller sent me a Chyron Infinity keyboard, which definitely does not have MX switches, much less clears.

Dispute it?  They didn't send what was pictured after all.

Yeah, I'm debating what to do. I could get my $40 back, but I'm going to have to spend $20+ in return shipping to get it.

I don't think you have to pay return shipping if the item wasn't as pictured.

Yeah, you do. Not my first rodeo with eBay seller not sending me the correct item, unfortunately. (Last time was that 122-key Model F from Canada that arrived as a Model M).

[ComradeSniper]

Ugh, I have the worst eBay luck. That's a waste of $40. Seller sent me a Chyron Infinity keyboard, which definitely does not have MX switches, much less clears.

Dispute it?  They didn't send what was pictured after all.

Yeah, I'm debating what to do. I could get my $40 back, but I'm going to have to spend $20+ in return shipping to get it.

I don't think you have to pay return shipping if the item wasn't as pictured.

Yeah, you do. Not my first rodeo with eBay seller not sending me the correct item, unfortunately. (Last time was that 122-key Model F from Canada that arrived as a Model M).

Ouch, that's rough.

[xavierblak]

Whoa I thought all Chyron keyboards of that design were MX switches. What type of switch are they, membrane?

[nubbinator]

Whoa I thought all Chyron keyboards of that design were MX switches. What type of switch are they, membrane?

He was sent a different model than advertised.

[jdcarpe]

This is some kind of linear switch with a light coil spring around a white plastic slider.

[SpAmRaY]

Whoa I thought all Chyron keyboards of that design were MX switches. What type of switch are they, membrane?

The Chyron I purchased a while back that wasn't clears was this, someone said it was maybe foam and foil.


On a side note, JD you think these springs could be used on topre switches, like the spacebar spring?

[jdcarpe]

Whoa I thought all Chyron keyboards of that design were MX switches. What type of switch are they, membrane?

(Attachment Link)

The Chyron I purchased a while back that wasn't clears was this, someone said it was maybe foam and foil.


On a side note, JD you think these springs could be used on topre switches, like the spacebar spring?

That's exactly what these look like. I was thinking they must be foam and foil.

I don't see why you couldn't use them for a Topre spacebar. It seems very similar to the ones they use.

[dorkvader]

appears to be keytronic foam and foil.

The even older but still similar looking vintage keytronic F&F aren't *too* bad: very linear. Another good use for the springs is to convert dome RAFI switches to mechanical (linear). BTC foam & foil springs are a good choice too. As far as I know the major difference is the plate mounting style and the appearance of keytronic / spokane, WA on the front of the switch housing. (and the keycap design of course. Spherical VS what appears to be comptek / SP.)

[Findecanor]

That sure looks like Key Tronic foam-and-foil. I'm not sure if the spring is wide enough for Topre, though.

[xavierblak]

Good to know.

Checking through ebay I found this listing looks like it has both switch types for reference. It's not going to help when the seller doesn't post the correct pictures but it looks like the keycaps are different enough to tell them apart. Assuming chyron stayed consistent.

[jacobolus]

They’re pretty easy to tell apart. But if you’re having trouble, just look for the shape of the caps lock key. The Key Tronic ones have an LED in the lower part of the step. (Of course, that doesn’t help you if the seller puts pictures up of the wrong keyboard.)

[ComradeSniper]

On a side note, JD you think these springs could be used on topre switches, like the spacebar spring?

I have a foam & foil board, I'll try this and report back.

Update: The spring is not quite wide enough and makes the switch feel super gritty. Would not recommend.

[dorkvader]

On a side note, JD you think these springs could be used on topre switches, like the spacebar spring?

I have a foam & foil board, I'll try this and report back.

Update: The spring is not quite wide enough and makes the switch feel super gritty. Would not recommend.

I was just going to report the opposite. I have a foam and foil board. The springs are pretty light on it (10 nickels to bottom out = 50g at bottom out!). The spring itself is the same diameter as the base of the switch, so you have to widen it slightly to "screw" it into place (it will also quit moving about and stay put well.)

Then my 30g spacebar is all of a sudden 130g (the spring is compressed much more under the topre stem than the keytronic one at bottom out.) otherwise very smooth feeling and quite linear.

[ComradeSniper]

On a side note, JD you think these springs could be used on topre switches, like the spacebar spring?

I have a foam & foil board, I'll try this and report back.

Update: The spring is not quite wide enough and makes the switch feel super gritty. Would not recommend.

I was just going to report the opposite. I have a foam and foil board. The springs are pretty light on it (10 nickels to bottom out = 50g at bottom out!). The spring itself is the same diameter as the base of the switch, so you have to widen it slightly to "screw" it into place (it will also quit moving about and stay put well.)

Then my 30g spacebar is all of a sudden 130g (the spring is compressed much more under the topre stem than the keytronic one at bottom out.) otherwise very smooth feeling and quite linear.

I messed with it a little bit more and couldn't seem to get it to sit nicely on the switch like you described. Then I realized it might be because the switch base on the HHKB is just a tiny bit wider than the one on the Realforce. Sure enough, with a little bit of finesse it slid onto a switch in my 23u and sat there just fine. As you said, it pretty much feels linear now, with an incredibly snappy upstroke I might add. I can't even stack the nickels high enough to figure out how much it weighs. It's ridiculously heavy, way too much for even a spacebar switch in my opinion.

[dorkvader]

h it a little bit more and couldn't seem to get it to sit nicely on the switch like you described. Then I realized it might be because the switch base on the HHKB is just a tiny bit wider than the one on the Realforce. Sure enough, with a little bit of finesse it slid onto a switch in my 23u and sat there just fine. As you said, it pretty much feels linear now, with an incredibly snappy upstroke I might add. I can't even stack the nickels high enough to figure out how much it weighs. It's ridiculously heavy, way too much for even a spacebar switch in my opinion.

Agreed, very heavy! I startedtyping likethisby mistake after Iinstalledit. I had to get a whole pile of change stacked up on it and 130g was not enough but close. It's heavier even than an XT spacebar.

And I have some very heavy keytronic springs I could have put on there instead. This was with a 45g spring, Can you imagine what it'd be with a 150g spring? (the "reset" button is very heavy on that keyboard, as it likely resets the terminal and should only be pressed with care, 150g is a guess as I have not measured it yet.)