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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Azuremen on Fri, 19 November 2010, 14:55:46

Title: My best find thus far in used keyboards...
Post by: Azuremen on Fri, 19 November 2010, 14:55:46: (http://imgur.com/GCg3u.jpg)

Found it for $10 at my University's surplus. Uses Cherry MX Browns, with a PS/2 cable and a phone line (I assume for programming the keyboard)

Needs a bit of cleaning, but it is in fairly good shape from what I can tell. I'll get it plugged in later when I get home and test how it types out a bit more.

And here I thought my Model M I picked up for $2 was going to be a find hard to top...
Title: My best find thus far in used keyboards...
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 19 November 2010, 14:59:45: Well done. Looks pretty clean, too.
Title: My best find thus far in used keyboards...
Post by: Fwiffo on Fri, 19 November 2010, 15:07:19: $10? I have a RSI suffering co-worker who would kill you in your sleep.
Title: My best find thus far in used keyboards...
Post by: Rajagra on Fri, 19 November 2010, 15:07:57: Even if it doesn't work, that's a bargain. Nice find.
Title: My best find thus far in used keyboards...
Post by: cweimann on Fri, 19 November 2010, 15:42:45: The phone jack is for a foot switch.

You can program the keyboard right from the keyboard. Here is a link to a pdf of the manual. http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/support/contour-ps2-manual.pdf

Quote from: Azuremen;249335
Show Image
(http://imgur.com/GCg3u.jpg)

Found it for $10 at my University's surplus. Uses Cherry MX Browns, with a PS/2 cable and a phone line (I assume for programming the keyboard)
Title: My best find thus far in used keyboards...
Post by: Zalusithix on Fri, 19 November 2010, 15:43:45: The phone jack is for a foot pedal attachment.

And beaten to the punch... Reply by phone is slow.
Title: My best find thus far in used keyboards...
Post by: kill will on Fri, 19 November 2010, 15:50:33: Quote from: cweimann;249407

You can program the keyboard right from the keyboard.

yo dawg

i heard you like programming and keyboards....
Title: My best find thus far in used keyboards...
Post by: Azuremen on Fri, 19 November 2010, 15:57:28: Quote from: cweimann;249407
The phone jack is for a foot switch.

You can program the keyboard right from the keyboard. Here is a link to a pdf of the manual. http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/support/contour-ps2-manual.pdf

Thanks! I know virtually nothing about these keyboards aside from the switch mechanism, so I'll be giving this a read through for sure.

I'm just excited I found this thing for this price, since I was a bit curious about them ever since I saw a picture a bit back.
Title: My best find thus far in used keyboards...
Post by: CodeChef on Fri, 19 November 2010, 16:01:06: Dude, a Kinesis with Browns for 10 bucks? Lucky bastard!
Title: My best find thus far in used keyboards...
Post by: Zalusithix on Fri, 19 November 2010, 16:10:24: Quote from: CodeChef;249429
Dude, a Kinesis with Browns for 10 bucks? Lucky bastard!

As far as I know, all of the advantage line has always been browns.
Title: My best find thus far in used keyboards...
Post by: kps on Fri, 19 November 2010, 16:13:23: Quote from: cweimann;249407
The phone jack is for a foot switch.

You can program the keyboard right from the keyboard. Here is a link to a pdf of the manual. http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/support/contour-ps2-manual.pdf

The manual doesn't tell you the foot switch pinout, though. That differs between old keyboards, which have the phone connector at the computer plug end of the cable, and new ones, which have it at the keyboard end.

Code: [Select]
RJ11 Phone Old New ---- ----- --- --- 2 black switch 2 switch 2 3 red switch 1 switch 1 4 green - common 5 yellow common switch 3
Title: My best find thus far in used keyboards...
Post by: Keymonger on Fri, 19 November 2010, 16:16:20: Holy jeebus. These things are $300 new, dude.
Title: My best find thus far in used keyboards...
Post by: CodeChef on Fri, 19 November 2010, 16:44:20: Quote from: Zalusithix;249435
As far as I know, all of the advantage line has always been browns.

By Kinesis I was referring to the layout, not the specific model.
Title: My best find thus far in used keyboards...
Post by: shrap on Fri, 19 November 2010, 18:11:58: Killer deal. On eBay, $10 might be enough to ship one.
Title: My best find thus far in used keyboards...
Post by: Azuremen on Fri, 19 November 2010, 18:55:26: Typing on it now. Just a touch different, feels like I am piloting something. Though I have to say I do prefer the feel of Blues to the Browns.

Suggestions on cleaning? I usually just use Simple Green to soak the keys, anything wrong with that?
Title: My best find thus far in used keyboards...
Post by: ricercar on Fri, 19 November 2010, 20:18:15: You win. I had to pay $40 for mine.