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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: jensma on Thu, 24 June 2010, 03:18:48

Title: Identify me!
Post by: jensma on Thu, 24 June 2010, 03:18:48
Hi!

My first clicky keyboard arrived just minutes ago - hooray!
As said in my last thread, I've no idea which technology it uses a.s.o.
I made a short video of me typing the keyboard and shot a few pics:

(http://www.npshare.de/files/bfb8b61f/DSC00015_s.jpg) (http://www.npshare.de/files/62ed711f/DSC00015.JPG)(http://www.npshare.de/files/b4c515ca/DSC00016_s.jpg) (http://www.npshare.de/files/54cfa676/DSC00016.JPG)

(http://www.npshare.de/files/d5e2505d/DSC00017_s.jpg) (http://www.npshare.de/files/2de25c0e/DSC00017.JPG)(http://www.npshare.de/files/5aa53113/DSC00018_s.jpg) (http://www.npshare.de/files/fa90d372/DSC00018.JPG)

(http://www.npshare.de/files/faaa09cc/DSC00019_s.jpg) (http://www.npshare.de/files/a2d81ce8/DSC00019.JPG)

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhYVEDQhcAQ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhYVEDQhcAQ)


Innards:
(http://www.npshare.de/files/69d2e02b/DSC00021_s.jpg) (http://www.npshare.de/files/a8fe1276/DSC00021.jpg)
The tin foil in the right corner covers some ICs. I'ts wrapped around the hole circuit board. Unfortunatly, there aren't any hints of the manufacturer ;(

(http://www.npshare.de/files/55b18b85/DSC00022_s.jpg) (http://www.npshare.de/files/abc9deb7/DSC00022.JPG)
Eww, crumbles! I blew 'em off with canned air right after taking this picture.

(http://www.npshare.de/files/15ae2b82/DSC00023_s.jpg) (http://www.npshare.de/files/82267c0d/DSC00023.JPG)

Anyone who guessed white alps has a nose for identifying - although it's not readable in the picture it's printed on the black plastic =)
Title: Identify me!
Post by: ch_123 on Thu, 24 June 2010, 03:45:13
It looks like some sort of Alps keyboard disguised as a Model M.
Title: Identify me!
Post by: Brodie337 on Thu, 24 June 2010, 04:16:59
It looks alot like my Chicony...

Can I see some pics of the profile of the curve of the board?
Title: Identify me!
Post by: jensma on Thu, 24 June 2010, 04:27:34
Quote from: Brodie337;195909
It looks alot like my Chicony...

Can I see some pics of the profile of the curve of the board?

Sure:

(http://www.npshare.de/files/315d41af/DSC00024_s.jpg) (http://www.npshare.de/files/210389ec/DSC00024.JPG)

(http://www.npshare.de/files/7c5c75d7/DSC00025_s.jpg) (http://www.npshare.de/files/e0a51e2e/DSC00025.JPG)

(http://www.npshare.de/files/5cddcca5/DSC00026_s.jpg) (http://www.npshare.de/files/4c837cd3/DSC00026.JPG)

It's not an exact curve, it's angled between Escape and ^°.
Title: Identify me!
Post by: Brodie337 on Thu, 24 June 2010, 04:38:20
That looks A LOT like my Chicony, and I know they did a lot of OEM stuff for other companies.

Just a theory...
Title: Identify me!
Post by: lowpoly on Thu, 24 June 2010, 04:51:05
Quote
Unfortunatly, there aren't any hints of the manufacturer ;(

You can remove the whole switch/pcb assembly and see if you can find any hints on the other side of the pcb. It's not a buckling spring 'board, btw.
Title: Identify me!
Post by: jensma on Thu, 24 June 2010, 04:52:58
Quote from: lowpoly;195914
You can remove the whole switch/pcb assembly and see if you can find any hints on the other side of the pcb. It's not a buckling spring 'board, btw.

Oh, my bad :)
Unfortunatly, there aren't any prints on the backside of the pcb :|

It weights exactly 1,5kg (3,31lbs).
Title: Identify me!
Post by: Mental Hobbit on Thu, 24 June 2010, 05:22:37
Do the switches feel nice? Then they're white complicated Alps. Do they feel meh and a bit scratchy? Then they're simplified white Alps.
And I stand by my initial guess in the other thread - it's a Chicony.
Title: Identify me!
Post by: jensma on Thu, 24 June 2010, 05:24:52
Quote from: Mental Hobbit;195919
Do the switches feel nice? Then they're white complicated Alps. Do they feel meh and a bit scratchy? Then they're simplified white Alps.
And I stand by my initial guess in the other thread - it's a Chicony.


They go down smoothly =) Neither meh nor scratchy.
Title: Identify me!
Post by: Mental Hobbit on Thu, 24 June 2010, 05:38:03
Congrats, should be a very nice board then. In my opinion white complicated Alps, blue Cherries and Montereys are by far the best switches for typing. Much nicer than buckling springs btw, many here will disagree on that though.
I think you won't have to demand your five bucks back, although it was falsely advertised as a Model M.
Title: Identify me!
Post by: jensma on Thu, 24 June 2010, 05:46:07
Quote from: Mental Hobbit;195922
Congrats, should be a very nice board then. In my opinion white complicated Alps, blue Cherries and Montereys are by far the best switches for typing. Much nicer than buckling springs btw, many here will disagree on that though.
I think you won't have to demand your five bucks back, although it was falsely advertised as a Model M.


I fear it would be outragous to dye the keyboard now o_O
Title: Identify me!
Post by: Brodie337 on Thu, 24 June 2010, 09:29:59
Amen.

How frickin hard is it to tell a click from a clack? :P
Title: Identify me!
Post by: didjamatic on Thu, 24 June 2010, 11:19:15
Nice low serial number on a great keyboard.  Good catch.
Title: Identify me!
Post by: jensma on Thu, 24 June 2010, 13:39:20
Well spent $6, as it seems =)

Next step is cleaning - any tips for removing the keys? I don't want to break the keyboard :(
Title: Identify me!
Post by: Mental Hobbit on Thu, 24 June 2010, 14:48:31
Removing an Alps keycap without killing yourself (http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:7018).
I actually managed to tear out a switch with a wire keycap puller once. Luckily it was only on a Dell 101W, which was bound for the scrap anyway.
Title: Identify me!
Post by: kishy on Thu, 24 June 2010, 15:12:01
I recognize that. Laser rebrand, case for sure, internals not so sure (I forget what mine looks like inside).
Title: Identify me!
Post by: jensma on Thu, 24 June 2010, 15:35:04
Quote from: Mental Hobbit;195979
Removing an Alps keycap without killing yourself (http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:7018).
I actually managed to tear out a switch with a wire keycap puller once. Luckily it was only on a Dell 101W, which was bound for the scrap anyway.


Thanks a million. I'm going to bend a coat-hanger or something similar. Me working with two screwdrivers will end in blood.
Title: Identify me!
Post by: didjamatic on Thu, 24 June 2010, 16:01:42
My yo-yo method:

Take the yo-yo out of your pocket, loop it's string under a key and pull the key off.  Using a business card can make it easier to get the loop under at first.
Title: Identify me!
Post by: Xuan on Thu, 24 June 2010, 17:19:54
They do rubber domes now

(http://www.anunico.com.ar/fotos/preservativos_por_mayor-4a55fcf9acd83674cf5b36e7b.jpg)
(http://www.sexshopmendoza.com/carrito/catalog/images/preservativo_tulipan_frutilla.jpg)
Title: Identify me!
Post by: ch_123 on Thu, 24 June 2010, 17:49:12
Quote from: kishy;195982
I recognize that. Laser rebrand, case for sure, internals not so sure (I forget what mine looks like inside).


I don't think Laser made the keyboards. Probably churned out by some generic Taiwanese company and branded to whoever wanted them. I call them Sandy Night Specials. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_Night_Specials)
Title: Identify me!
Post by: keyb_gr on Wed, 30 June 2010, 06:39:36
That board looks like an old Focus, maybe a Monterey.