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Author Topic: I ordered an AEKII  (Read 2557 times)

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Offline timw4mail

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I ordered an AEKII
« on: Tue, 08 September 2009, 13:15:48 »
I found a reasonably priced AEKII on eBay, and I think I managed to find an iMate from a Google shopping vendor.

What is the key feel like on the AEKII?

From what I understand, generally the AEKII has "damped" white ALPS.

I'm thinking the sound and feel might be similar to this keyboard:
http://www.datadesktech.com/desktop_lbb_start.html

Any insights, reviews, problems, et cetera?
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Clicky iOne Scorpius M10, OCN-branded Ducky DK-9008-C, Blackmore Nocturna, Redragon Kumara K552-1, Qtronix Scorpius Keypad, Chicony KB-5181(Monterey)
Tactile Apple AEKII (Cream damped ALPS), Filco FKBN91M/JB (Japanese Tenkeyless), Cherry G84-5200, Cherry G84-4100LPAUS, Datalux Spacesaver(Cherry ML), Redragon Devarajas K556 RGB, Newmen GM711, Poker II (Cherry MX Clear), Logitech G910 Orion Spark, Logitech K840
Linear Lenovo Y (Gateron Red), Aluminum kiosk keyboard (Cherry MX Black)

Offline wellington1869

  • Posts: 2885
I ordered an AEKII
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 08 September 2009, 13:50:07 »
Quote from: timw4mail;115800
I found a reasonably priced AEKII on eBay, and I think I managed to find an iMate from a Google shopping vendor.

What is the key feel like on the AEKII?

From what I understand, generally the AEKII has "damped" white ALPS.

no no its damped black alps. The aekii's dont hav a click leaf. click leaf makes a white alps; tactile leaf makes a black alps. Aekii is basically a black alps with dampers -- except that visually its sliders are white. but its actually a black alps in terms of its construction. With dampers on the sliders, is all.

Quote


I'm thinking the sound and feel might be similar to this keyboard:
http://www.datadesktech.com/desktop_lbb_start.html

Any insights, reviews, problems, et cetera?


dont know what that board is, though i'm intrigued.
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Offline timw4mail

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I ordered an AEKII
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 08 September 2009, 13:52:54 »
Quote from: wellington1869;115814
dont know what that board is, though i'm intrigued.

Well, its a mechanical keyboard that I used to have for my Macs... although I couldn't tell you if it's the only mechanical keyboard I had for my Macs or not.

Anyway, it had either clicky switches, or bottomed out with a nice sound. Either way, it's a noisy keyboard.

Now you say the AEKII is damped black ALPS? Does that mean it feels like the Dell AT101W without the loud bottoming out, or does it have a slightly different sense of tactility?
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Buckling Springs IBM Model F AT, New Model F 77, Unicomp New Model M
Clicky iOne Scorpius M10, OCN-branded Ducky DK-9008-C, Blackmore Nocturna, Redragon Kumara K552-1, Qtronix Scorpius Keypad, Chicony KB-5181(Monterey)
Tactile Apple AEKII (Cream damped ALPS), Filco FKBN91M/JB (Japanese Tenkeyless), Cherry G84-5200, Cherry G84-4100LPAUS, Datalux Spacesaver(Cherry ML), Redragon Devarajas K556 RGB, Newmen GM711, Poker II (Cherry MX Clear), Logitech G910 Orion Spark, Logitech K840
Linear Lenovo Y (Gateron Red), Aluminum kiosk keyboard (Cherry MX Black)

Offline D-EJ915

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I ordered an AEKII
« Reply #3 on: Tue, 08 September 2009, 13:54:54 »
I like my AEK2 a lot, I'd use it all the time if the G3/400 wasn't the fastest system I had which I could use it on.  The AEK2 does feel like the SGI AT101 although I haven't used my one of those in a while.
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Offline spremino

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  • Location: Italy
I ordered an AEKII
« Reply #4 on: Tue, 08 September 2009, 14:16:50 »
Quote from: D-EJ915;115821
I like my AEK2 a lot, I'd use it all the time if the G3/400 wasn't the fastest system I had which I could use it on.

Look for a Griffin iMate (ADB to USB converter). Not manufactured anymore, however.
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Offline wellington1869

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I ordered an AEKII
« Reply #5 on: Tue, 08 September 2009, 14:19:36 »
Quote from: timw4mail;115819
Does that mean it feels like the Dell AT101W without the loud bottoming out, ?


exactly right. Look at it this way:

if you put in regular non-damped sliders on an aekII, you basically have the at101w.

If you put the aekII damped sliders in an at101w, you basically have an aekII.
« Last Edit: Tue, 08 September 2009, 22:16:13 by wellington1869 »
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"Blah blah blah grade school blah blah blah IBM PS/2s blah blah blah I like Model Ms." -- Kishy

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Offline timw4mail

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I ordered an AEKII
« Reply #6 on: Tue, 08 September 2009, 14:22:40 »
Do you know if the Apple Keyboard II had mechanical switches?
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Buckling Springs IBM Model F AT, New Model F 77, Unicomp New Model M
Clicky iOne Scorpius M10, OCN-branded Ducky DK-9008-C, Blackmore Nocturna, Redragon Kumara K552-1, Qtronix Scorpius Keypad, Chicony KB-5181(Monterey)
Tactile Apple AEKII (Cream damped ALPS), Filco FKBN91M/JB (Japanese Tenkeyless), Cherry G84-5200, Cherry G84-4100LPAUS, Datalux Spacesaver(Cherry ML), Redragon Devarajas K556 RGB, Newmen GM711, Poker II (Cherry MX Clear), Logitech G910 Orion Spark, Logitech K840
Linear Lenovo Y (Gateron Red), Aluminum kiosk keyboard (Cherry MX Black)

Offline wellington1869

  • Posts: 2885
I ordered an AEKII
« Reply #7 on: Tue, 08 September 2009, 14:23:07 »
Quote from: ripster;115823
LOL.  Love these ALPS threads.


dude for all your poopooing :-D the huge variety of alps/clones out there is precisely what makes for an incredibly mod-able switch. Alps are the easiest to mod and the most versatile to mod :)  And so affordable too.

Its true many/most of those alps variations blow or arent special. But because they're so mod-able, its also very easy to basically construct a switch that you really like - and cheaply too. And a customized fit.
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"Blah blah blah grade school blah blah blah IBM PS/2s blah blah blah I like Model Ms." -- Kishy

using: ms 7000/Das 3

Offline itlnstln

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I ordered an AEKII
« Reply #8 on: Tue, 08 September 2009, 14:26:28 »
Quote from: timw4mail;115835
Do you know if the Apple Keyboard II had mechanical switches?

I don't think so.  I think I bought this model on accident when I was going to do an Alps mod.  It has rubber domes with an interface that looks remarkably like an Alps switch in a picture (up close, it's easier to tell).
 
It had both Welly and me fooled.
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Offline wellington1869

  • Posts: 2885
I ordered an AEKII
« Reply #9 on: Tue, 08 September 2009, 14:28:50 »
Quote from: timw4mail;115835
Do you know if the Apple Keyboard II had mechanical switches?


dont know. I know that if one doesnt follow the board naming very closely one can very easily wind up paying for a rubber dome, lol.
wikipedia might have some info.
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"Blah blah blah grade school blah blah blah IBM PS/2s blah blah blah I like Model Ms." -- Kishy

using: ms 7000/Das 3

Offline timw4mail

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I ordered an AEKII
« Reply #10 on: Tue, 08 September 2009, 14:34:46 »
Quote from: wellington1869;115840
dont know. I know that if one doesnt follow the board naming very closely one can very easily wind up paying for a rubber dome, lol.
wikipedia might have some info.

Oh, it doesn't use mechanical switches.
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Buckling Springs IBM Model F AT, New Model F 77, Unicomp New Model M
Clicky iOne Scorpius M10, OCN-branded Ducky DK-9008-C, Blackmore Nocturna, Redragon Kumara K552-1, Qtronix Scorpius Keypad, Chicony KB-5181(Monterey)
Tactile Apple AEKII (Cream damped ALPS), Filco FKBN91M/JB (Japanese Tenkeyless), Cherry G84-5200, Cherry G84-4100LPAUS, Datalux Spacesaver(Cherry ML), Redragon Devarajas K556 RGB, Newmen GM711, Poker II (Cherry MX Clear), Logitech G910 Orion Spark, Logitech K840
Linear Lenovo Y (Gateron Red), Aluminum kiosk keyboard (Cherry MX Black)

Offline clickclack

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I ordered an AEKII
« Reply #11 on: Tue, 08 September 2009, 17:41:13 »
There are a few (I think) dampened switches for the AEKII. We shall see which ones you have based on the S/N and/or just by opening them up. I have about 20 of them and there is a bit of variation. 3 or 4 different ones that I can tell. I am sure that they are supposed to be identical, but they look and feel just a tiny bit different, yet noticable.

For all their "dampenednessless" (heehee) they seem a tiny bit louder "click" wise than black alps (generally, and I am not talking about bottoming out). They both seem really, really inconsistent. I have a few black alps that sound clicky, and many AEKII alps that do as well. I could be just down to manufacturing tolerances or process. Maybe even upgraded materials (but history shows us it's usually downgraded)

I like them, but for some reason I make more typos and miss strikes on them more than any other board. Go figure :S
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