G80-1000 Circuitboard fits in G80-3000 case?

[Bollwerk]

Hi@all.

I've found some old Keyboards with MX-Switches, but they're not from Cherry.
While one of them uses an own circuitboard, the other seems to have a Cherry G80-1000 circuit board.

Unlike the newer Versions of the G80-3000, this thing seems to have n-key rollover, which is awesome for gaming. It has the black linear-switches.

My Question:
The old case looks... um... just horrible. Extreme yellowed.
So my Idea was buying a black G80-3000 or G81-3000 and just switch the circuitboards.

What do you think?
I'd be glad to get some help. This forum looks very capable to me. :smile:

[lowpoly]

Welcome to geekhack!

Who's the manufacturer? Are you sure it's not Cherry? Any more info? Pics of the case?

These will not fit a modern 3000 case. Even older and newer 3000s are not interchangeable. That's because of the three cylinders used to center the switch pcb.



The 3000 case is big so with some changes it might work.

The wiki contains links on de-yellowing.

That looks like the current leveling mechanism btw.

[huha]

Looks like the old-style case. You might find some decent-looking older G80s or G81s on ebay to swap internals.

-huha

[Bollwerk]

Thanks for the answers. Hm. As mentioned, it doesn't really look like it'll fit properly.

I've added some pictures of the identification plates and in one of the pictures you can see the huge differences between the yellowing.
The white areas on the AEG-one should be the original color. It had some stickers for Lotus-aplications.
The Keypad is pretty new. The other ones are very old, but the casing of the upper one ist in better condition. It features the "click" but i can't see the color and the caps won't loose.

The AEG-case isn't really well crafted though. The cable outlet and its overall stability is somewhat awkward.

I even thought of building a case myself out of steelplates or something like that, to make a real sturdy one for LAN-Parties or so.^^
If I only had the damn tools for this. T.T

Maybe I leave it as it is. My G80-8308 has been called "Amiga" on a LAN xD
Definetly more outstanding than all this rubberdome-crap being called "gamergrade" with thousand lights on it.^^

EDIT: I'm sorry for the bad photoquality. They've been made with a mobile phone.

[huha]

I can take some photos of an old-style G80-3000; I suspect the holes will fit and finding a decent old-style G80-3000 on ebay shouldn't be that much of a problem.
As far as I'm concerned, even G81s should work (at least the new cases are compatible, so it's logical to assume the old ones to also be compatible).

I can take some pictures and measurements later.
As for yellowing, there's always the option to apply paint to the case if all else fails.

-huha

[lowpoly]

The AEG looks like a Cherry OEM product. They had this Model M inspired case back then. Good find with the diodes, they stopped this later on.

Never seen the other one.

[huha]

Old-style G80-3000 case. Take some measurements on your board and see if it fits.

-huha

[keyb_gr]

From the pictures (some of mine included) it would seem like the '1000 circuit board extends somewhat further on the top, therefore I don't think it'll fit a 3000 case.

G80-1089HBD / 03... interesting. A revision 03 should still be at least 5-key rollover. HBD - the switches should be browns... are they? (Hard to tell on the cellphone camera shot. Could also be blacks. Browns would be light switches with tactile point, blacks are heavier linear ones.) AFAIK, A = black, F = blue and E = clear.
BTW, does it only look like that or are the keycaps also yellowed? They should be a light beige only, otherwise I'd suggest some thorough cleaning. (Any nicotine stench?)

The other board may actually not have Cherry switches. Alps keycaps are known to be tough to remove, and those would fit better with the Far East origins of the board.

[Bollwerk]

Thanks for the Answers.

I've opened the Keyboard again an tried to have a better look at the Switches. I still failed to remove a single cap. It seems to me, the switches themselves would rather loose than this damn caps.^^ Like you said, they really don't look like Cherry-switches and as far as I managed too peek under the caps, i couldn't find a cherry Logo. I tried to make photos, but you can't see anything on them.
I'd be glad if Steve Jobs would have chosen a better camera -.-

How is the Quality of Alps-switches? Never heard of them, but the typing-feel is very good. I kinda like this board.^^

To be honest, the AEG may have 5-key-rollover. I just pressed many buttons and the board reacted to far more actions than my new G80-1800. I didn't really count all the actions, but it seems enough to me.
Looking at the circuitboard again and measuring it. I think, I'll discard the plan mentioned in the first post. The dimensions are more than just a few millimeters off.

Maybe I'll try to make a modding-projekt out of this. I spoke to a friend and he is checking some connections for special painting or something. During the next week, I will know a bit more.

I can't recognize smoke stench. I already washed and cleaned the parts. The keyboard layed for years in a non-smoker house. I can't say if it was a smokerboard. Maybe it is just lower quality plastic or it had been used near a window at the sunside... whatever.^^

Really thanks for all the answers so far. They helped me a lot.

Edit: I tried the nkey rollover test. Regarding to it, it ist more than 5-key rollover. It recognized 9 an more.

[keyb_gr]

I'd be glad if Steve Jobs would have chosen a better camera -.-

Might be time to invest in a full-blown digital camera... (Not a trivial subject in itself admittedly, given that manufacturers have made great progress in terms of worsening image quality. Stuff like 12 MP on a 1/2.3" sendor is crazy.)

(EDIT: It be said that sometimes one can help things with an LED flashlight. Handy to make writing on ICs visible, for example.)

How is the Quality of Alps-switches? Never heard of them, but the typing-feel is very good. I kinda like this board.^^

For switch types, check out the infamous GeekHack Wiki. A search should also turn up quite a bit. This is a keyboard geek forum after all...

Edit: I tried the nkey rollover test. Regarding to it, it ist more than 5-key rollover. It recognized 9 an more.

For meaningful results, please use this test.

[huha]

Alps are really difficult to remove. It's best to use a lever and wiggle from all sides until they come loose. I usually use a fork for this purpose.
Did you already see if your PCB fits an old-style case?

-huha

[lowpoly]

It seems to me, the switches themselves would rather loose than this damn caps.^^

Typical for Alps boards. :smile:

[Bollwerk]

Thanks for all the links. Forumsearch and google helps a lot, I know, but there is nothing said about the overall quality of ALPS-Switches... maybe compared to blue MX-Switches or Buckling Spring.
The Switches look like ALPS.
Can it be, that the Chicony-Keyboard in my signature also has ALPS-Switches? I managed to remove a cap some time ago and now I would say it looks like ALPS. It had the rectangular bracket for the caps. (But I did it some time ago and I don't remember if there was a Cherry-Logo or something.)

I took the circuitboard and measured the outer dimensions. Compared to the picture these dimensions vary several millimeters. My circuitboards height (looking above it) is bigger. I don't remember the exact dimensions. I didn't have much time. Today, I can give you the exact dimensions and the key-rollover. Maybe they are helpful to others reading this.

EDIT: Ok. I had a lot of work today. I only tested the n-key-rollover by the link above. Um. I can press as many buttons as I wish.^^ It went to 24 key-rollover depending on the combinations.

[IBI]

EDIT: Ok. I had a lot of work today. I only tested the n-key-rollover by the link above. Um. I can press as many buttons as I wish.^^ It went to 24 key-rollover depending on the combinations.

Rollover is the minimum number of keys it'll not register one of them on, almost all keyboards will let you find certain combinations of 15-20 that work fine together that the maximum isn't useful information (except for those with ten fingers per hand).

Alps are the only other mechanical switches alongside Cherry MXs to be currently produced (although some of the modern varients are a bit crude). The originals are definitely up there when it comes to quality and are some people's favourite switch.

Alps keycaps come off fairly easily with a proper keycap puller but can be a pain if you don't have one. At least the letter keys are generally small enough that the caps survive if you lever them off.

[Bollwerk]

Hi. For anyone interested in the upper Keyboard in the Picture.

It is a Mtek K104 with white ALPS. Does anyone know, if they are fake or not?
They don't have a logo. I know, that isn't much information but maybe someone knows those keyboards.

[lowpoly]

The logo could be on the bottom of the switch.

The wiki should help with Alps identification (without desoldering them).

[Bollwerk]

Oh yes. :brick:
Thanks. According to their Pins, they seem to be real ones. That's nice.

[IBI]

Oh yes. :brick:
Thanks. According to their Pins, they seem to be real ones. That's nice.

I don't know if you can tell from the pins or whether the bent pin is just for one particular type of fakes.

Opening up a switch will give you a definitive answer, the real ones have the activation mechanism encased in white plastic, the various other types are bare metal.