I like that board! Cool front legends on the keycaps too. At least to me, it certainly looks like could be a vintage KeyTronic, but really have to remove a keycap to be sure. If it is (like this board),
(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)
then it's not really that hard to convert - you can trace out the matrix from the pads with a simple multimeter, then use the multimeter to find the IC connections and wire to a Xwhatsit Model F to USB board. (I've seen that the DMA common sense works well too but I don't have any personal experience with that one). The main issues I've found with the KeyTronic F&F boards are 1) capsense is sensitive so often have to desolder many, if not all, of the onboard controller components, and 2) the F&F is usually rotted and needs to be replaced. Both issues are tedious to deal with but not really difficult.
As far as the gunk on the board - I would be VERY carefully with most organic based solvents including Goof Off (or goo gone). Can really mess up plastics - and if the case is painted I've learned (from unfortunate personal experience) that even isopropyl alcohol can remove the paint. For plastic, or painted cases, I've found liquid laundry detergent, warm water and a brush seems to be the best approach.
Maybe you could post some pictures of the opened board?
EDIT:
For some reason I couldn't get your video to open when I first tried, but now it does - and those are vintage KeyTronic F&F. The red stained springs too - I don't know that's of any real significance but I like them ( BTW isopropanol will remove the red coloring).
So I would only need a multimeter to trace out the PCB, no oscilloscope required? Sweet! That shouldn't be too hard then.
I see that xwhatsit has a couple different controllers, one for beam springs, one for model Fs. So this is the part I'd need to buy, right?
https://oshpark.com/shared_projects/eTR858GJSo I basically have no PCB rework experience...at all. I don't know what capsense is. (My guess is that's the name of the firmware for the xwhatsit controller?)
So... I'd have to desolder the SMD's on the PCB? All of them? Some of them? Which of them would I have to desolder? Would I have to wire up the contacts that the SMDs mount to, or just leave those circuits open after removing the SMDs?
I can open the board back up and post some pics of the PCB if that would help any. I really don't know how to do this, so if there's a guide on tracing out a PCB for an xwhatsit microcontroller that exists, it'd be really great if I could get the link to it.
As far as the F&F rot, after watching Chyrosran's F&F board reviews, I'd like to keep the F&F switches...rotted. Apparently the keyfeel is mushy if the F&F is intact. Does the F&F rot make the switch not register anymore, leaving me no choice but to fix the F&F? Or will the key still actuate with the rotted F&F?
I will try the detergent, warm water and brush, and I'll post how it goes here.
Thanks for the help!
Cheers,
-Bludude4
That's a beauty, a real classic look. People pay hundreds of bucks for reproduction keys that look like that, and aren't even as well made. I hope you get it up and running.
Thanks, I really like how it looks too. It's a behemoth. The spherical key-top sculpting is really deep too, something I'll probably have to get used to, but I really like. I
seriously hope I get it up and running too.