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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: ThirdLap on Sat, 31 July 2010, 21:46:05

Title: Found an unused Omnikey 101 for a dollar today
Post by: ThirdLap on Sat, 31 July 2010, 21:46:05

I'm the guy that picked up that Omnikey 102 a few weeks ago for seventy cents (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=10660).  Today at another local thrift store I saw what looked like another one sitting on the shelf one staring back at me.

Turned out to be an (apparently) unused 101.  The original plastic wrap is still on the coiled portion of the cord, and the delicate thin plastic overlay is still on the LED indicator panel.  It appears to have received very little use, if any.  The keys are as new, and the area underneath the keys appears spotless.  Any off-color is due to artifacts of the cell phone camera; the plastic on this one looks new. (Sorry, can't find either of my proper cameras.)

Here's the details:

OMNIKEY 101 I
FCC ID: GT6OMNIKEY01
PART NO.: 555,0010  VENDOR CODE: 333
DESCRIPTION: OMNIKEY 101 I
SERIAL NO.: 000035667-0G-00-1 (last digit is handwritten)
REV. NO.: 1.02
NORTHGATE COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INC.

(http://i.imgur.com/HKVS2.jpg)

So what do you think Geekhack? Should I have waited for the half-off sale in a few days? ;)

Title: Found an unused Omnikey 101 for a dollar today
Post by: D-EJ915 on Sat, 31 July 2010, 22:01:55

those are some killer scores, that thing does look practically new

Title: Found an unused Omnikey 101 for a dollar today
Post by: didjamatic on Sat, 31 July 2010, 23:02:57

Dang good score.  Thanks for posting details.

Title: Found an unused Omnikey 101 for a dollar today
Post by: ch_123 on Sun, 01 August 2010, 05:16:27

What sort of switches does it have?

Title: Found an unused Omnikey 101 for a dollar today
Post by: Findecanor on Sun, 01 August 2010, 08:29:27

White clicky ALPS.

I know that only because I also picked up a keyboard with white clicky ALPS today, and had just looked up some more info about it.

Title: Found an unused Omnikey 101 for a dollar today
Post by: ch_123 on Sun, 01 August 2010, 08:52:40

Not necessarily. Depending on when it was made, the keyboard could have blue Alps, white Alps or some sort of clone switches.

Title: Found an unused Omnikey 101 for a dollar today
Post by: Findecanor on Sun, 01 August 2010, 11:31:27

I stand corrected. You learn something new about keyboards every day. :-)

Title: Found an unused Omnikey 101 for a dollar today
Post by: spolia optima on Sun, 01 August 2010, 13:27:06

Lucky find!

Title: Found an unused Omnikey 101 for a dollar today
Post by: ThirdLap on Sun, 01 August 2010, 15:12:21

Quote from: ch_123;208119

What sort of switches does it have?

Findecanor was right in this case, it uses white clicky Alps.

Title: Found an unused Omnikey 101 for a dollar today
Post by: ThirdLap on Mon, 02 August 2010, 23:56:34

I picked up a AT to PS/2 adapter at Fry's today and got  the 101 up and running.  Great little board, but the verdict is still out as to whether I prefer it over my M.  The white Alps keyswitches feel far less worn than the ones on my 102, and the response/sound is much more consistent with what I would expect from a brand new Omnikey board.

If I had one major gripe, it would be that the Ctrl, Alt, and Caps Lock keys are of varying sizes, meaning that although I can remap them, I can't move the actual keys around.  Not critical (as I've pretty much got this touch typing thing down), but the perfectionist in me wants to see all the keys in the right places.

Once I find my digital camera I'll get some better pics of this thing. Still can't believe I found an almost-new 101 for a buck.

Title: Found an unused Omnikey 101 for a dollar today
Post by: audioave10 on Tue, 03 August 2010, 00:04:58

Great deal...you should buy a lottery ticket.

Title: Found an unused Omnikey 101 for a dollar today
Post by: Voixdelion on Tue, 03 August 2010, 06:56:55

Quote from: ThirdLap;208600

, but the perfectionist in me wants to see all the keys in the right places.

You know, I really hate the Caps-Lock key position myself; I'm always hitting it by accident....  Now that I'm looking at the model F that came today I think I know why I never used to have that problem in high school.