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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: winteralfs on Sat, 15 August 2020, 01:53:11

Title: Apple keyboard M3501 with Mitsumi switches
Post by: winteralfs on Sat, 15 August 2020, 01:53:11

I purchased a sight-unseen M3501 Apple extended keyboard 2 and it turned out to have Mitsumi 2 tactile switches. What can I do with those switches? Can I desolder them and use them on a modern aftermarket Alps PCB for a custom board the same way other modern custom Alps boards are made?

Title: Re: Apple keyboard M3501 with Mitsumi switches
Post by: Findecanor on Sat, 15 August 2020, 05:02:22

No, the Mitsumi switches have a different pinout from Alps. I have never seen a custom PCB that would fit them.

The switches do fit in plates made for plate-mounted Cherry MX so you could use one and hand-wire the keyboard matrix.
I dunno about the stabilisers for the larger keys. I suspect that it uses Alps-style stabilisers like in AEKII with Alps switches, in which case a Cherry MX plate wouldn't work. You could check!

Title: Re: Apple keyboard M3501 with Mitsumi switches
Post by: mode on Sat, 15 August 2020, 05:50:36

Mitsumi switches are not very good. I don't often advocate for breaking up vintage boards, but, I wouldn't feel too bad about swiping the keycaps off it, and buying some genuine alps and using them on a modern build.

Title: Re: Apple keyboard M3501 with Mitsumi switches
Post by: Findecanor on Sat, 15 August 2020, 11:49:50

Quote from: mode on Sat, 15 August 2020, 05:50:36

Mitsumi switches are not very good.

Have you even tried these ones?

Title: Re: Apple keyboard M3501 with Mitsumi switches
Post by: Sup on Sat, 15 August 2020, 19:46:18

You just where unlucky. I would say buy aek keycaps and some alps switches