Author Topic: Clicky Apple Extended Keyboard II? (Read 3941 times)

1391406 · « **on:** Tue, 06 March 2012, 05:31:34 »

I'm in the market for an Apple Extended Keyboard II. Can anyone clarify which model is clicky(if there is one)? I recently bought an M3501, but only a few of the keys exhibit any sort of click. Any help would be appreciated.

Surly73 · « **Reply #1 on:** Tue, 06 March 2012, 07:04:07 »

I'm not an AEKII expert, but when I was looking into the one I have on hand it became apparent to me that M3501 can be misused. I think that M3501 appears as the model# of almost all AEKIIs, but you need to look at the beginning of the serial # to see if it's an M3501 or a M0312.

There's a wiki here

My M0312 is what I would consider clicky. I posted an IC for it here

1391406 · « **Reply #2 on:** Tue, 06 March 2012, 08:38:18 »

Thanks for the info. and links. I'm looking at the back of the one I currently own and the serial number ends in M0312. However, perhaps the lack of click is due to age and abuse. That or they could be the "cream" dampened switches.

kps · « **Reply #3 on:** Tue, 06 March 2012, 09:15:08 »

None of the Apple keyboards click. If you want click, you need to modify the tactile leaf.

TranscendingLogic · « **Reply #4 on:** Tue, 06 March 2012, 09:16:40 »

I've had several with cream Alps and currently have one with pink. None have been clicky. They feel more like tactile bump, but better than black Alps. It could be modded to clicky if you find a good donor board for the click leaves.

1391406 · « **Reply #5 on:** Tue, 06 March 2012, 09:24:32 »

Thanks for the replies. Are there any good tutorials you're aware of for such a mod?

kps · « **Reply #6 on:** Tue, 06 March 2012, 09:57:42 »

Quote from: 1391406;536816

Thanks for the replies. Are there any good tutorials you're aware of for such a mod?

http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:4999&page=4&do=comments#post74967

1391406 · « **Reply #7 on:** Wed, 07 March 2012, 10:41:13 »

Another quick question. I just received an AEKII(and I have a Belkin ADB to USB adapter), however the purchase didn't include the keyboard cable. Can anyone confirm that this cable will work? If not, can you point me in the right direction?

sth · « **Reply #8 on:** Wed, 07 March 2012, 10:46:20 »

Fun fact: ADB cables use the exact same pinout as S-Video, so if you wanna go cheap, check monoprice for those. The coiled cable looks way cooler though.

1391406 · « **Reply #9 on:** Wed, 07 March 2012, 11:00:44 »

Gracias for the reply. So you're saying I could just use an S-Video cable?

sth · « **Reply #10 on:** Wed, 07 March 2012, 11:03:51 »

That's what I'm saying. It's an old trick from the beige days.

1391406 · « **Reply #11 on:** Wed, 07 March 2012, 11:05:01 »

Much appreciation. Thanks again.

Surly73 · « **Reply #12 on:** Fri, 09 March 2012, 11:38:16 »

Quote from: 1391406;536794

Thanks for the info. and links. I'm looking at the back of the one I currently own and the serial number ends in M0312. However, perhaps the lack of click is due to age and abuse. That or they could be the "cream" dampened switches.

My M0312 is the dampened ALPS. I guess the use of "clicky" may need to be defined. They aren't like a model M or a blue, but I also don't think they're like a Realforce or a brown. I feel they have somewhat of a click to them, but that doesn't mean that they are outfitted with a "noisemaker" mechanism (like blues) which might be what you're after. Sorry if I was misleading. I might have to get it back out to evaluate clickiness.

Jamesbeat · « **Reply #13 on:** Fri, 09 March 2012, 14:28:23 »

I have what used to be an AEKII (now heavily modified, I'll be posting a thread about it once it's finished) and it has the dampened ALPS.
You can remove the dampers and make the keys click, but it's not the same as a true clicky switch. What it does is allow the slider to bottom out and tap the bottom of the casing, and then tap the top of the casing when released.
It sounds ok, but I didn't bother to do it to mine because I didn't think that the gain in noise was worth the effort of dismantling and reassembling 86 switches.
I was originally going to strip all of the switches to clean them, and I was going to remove the dampers while I had them apart, but when I opened a sample batch of switches, they were all spotless inside so I decided they were ok as they were.

kps · « **Reply #14 on:** Fri, 09 March 2012, 14:35:14 »

Quote from: Jamesbeat;540312

You can remove the dampers and make the keys click, but it's not the same as a true clicky switch. What it does is allow the slider to bottom out and tap the bottom of the casing, and then tap the top of the casing when released.

The click from clicky ALPS comes from the motion of the tactile leaf, unrelated to the rubber bumpers. See this thread.

Ghostpixel · « **Reply #15 on:** Fri, 09 March 2012, 16:14:19 »

Grats

I did remove the dampers on my aeII btw, and i love how it sounds now. Its better than before for sure, but i heard more people who like it with dampers than without. I also cut the springs 10-20% or so to make them much lighter

Really annoying work though and it took ages, hehe.

Jamesbeat · « **Reply #16 on:** Fri, 09 March 2012, 22:46:08 »

Quote from: kps;540327

The click from clicky ALPS comes from the motion of the tactile leaf, unrelated to the rubber bumpers. See this thread.

I think you misunderstood my post.
What I was trying to explain was that if you take the bumpers out of the switch, it will make a clicking sound, but not for the same reason as a clicky switch clicks.

The key with bumpers removed clicks because the slider is hitting the casing of the key body as it bottoms out.
When it is released, it springs back up and makes another click.
If you press the key slowly, you don't hear a click.

On a clicky switch, the click is made by a little spring that's there purely for the purpose of making a click.
No matter how slowly you press a clicky switch, it will still make a clicking sound.

Removing the bumpers does make the switches noisier, (which the OP has decided he likes) but it does not make them into clicky switches.

TranscendingLogic · « **Reply #17 on:** Fri, 09 March 2012, 23:19:43 »

I think what ripster's point is that the sound intentionally created by the inner workings of the switch is generally referred to as the "click". And the incidental noise made by the bottoming/topping out and other key cap rattle type noise is referred to as "clack". A clicky keyboard is one that was intended to make a clicking sound and one which only has the incidental key noise is not referred to as a clicky keyboard - mechanical or not.

Sorry to be so pedantic.

Jamesbeat · « **Reply #18 on:** Sat, 10 March 2012, 08:25:15 »

Oh, I see what you mean lol.
Well, in that case, what I was trying to say was that removing the bumpers will make the switches 'clack' but not make them 'click'.

kps · « **Reply #19 on:** Sat, 10 March 2012, 09:36:20 »

Quote from: Jamesbeat;540744

I think you misunderstood my post.
What I was trying to explain was that if you take the bumpers out of the switch, it will make a clicking sound, but not for the same reason as a clicky switch clicks. [...] Removing the bumpers does make the switches noisier, (which the OP has decided he likes) but it does not make them into clicky switches.

No, I understood. What I am trying to point out is that you can make AEKII switches into clicky switches by flattening or removing two tabs on the tactile leaf. After that, they click like white ALPS.

Jamesbeat · « **Reply #20 on:** Sat, 10 March 2012, 21:37:08 »

I wish I had known that before I soldered in a new matrix. I would have liked to have made my keyboard clicky, but it would be too much work to redo it now

Edit: I just took another look at my keyboard, and it appears that the keyswitch comes apart from the front not the back, so it looks like I can make my keyboard clicky after all!

Is there any compelling reason to leave the bumpers in, or will the switches work just as well and last just as long without them?

News:

Author Topic: Clicky Apple Extended Keyboard II? (Read 3941 times)