Print Page - VINTAGE Computer Clicky KEYBOARD RARE! WHAT AM I? BIN $142.92

geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: TexasFlood on Mon, 01 August 2011, 00:56:48

Title: VINTAGE Computer Clicky KEYBOARD RARE! WHAT AM I? BIN $142.92
Post by: TexasFlood on Mon, 01 August 2011, 00:56:48

VINTAGE Computer Clicky KEYBOARD RARE! (http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-Computer-Clicky-KEYBOARD-RARE-/110723334700) BIN $142.92

But what is it?

Seller info:

VINTAGE

COMPUTER Clicky KEYBOARD
RARE!!!
**USED**

This is a very rare, vintage keyboard! There are some signs of age and use, which include slight discoloration, scratches, scuffs, and there is a crack about a half an inch on the underside. Despite these imperfections, this keyboard is still in GOOD condition for its age! All of the keys are still intact and seem to work just as it should. This unit was not tested and is therefore, in unknown working condition. This is a great buy for any vintage lover!(http://i.ebayimg.com/t/VINTAGE-Computer-Clicky-KEYBOARD-RARE-/00/$(KGrHqJ,!h4E4p+6S)niBONiimmH8g~~0_3.JPG)

Title: VINTAGE Computer Clicky KEYBOARD RARE! WHAT AM I? BIN $142.92
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Mon, 01 August 2011, 01:10:51

Looks pretty Atari-ish. They did use 5.2mm trs jacks for connections. Besides the Apple Lisa, Atari was the only I can remember that used it.

Title: VINTAGE Computer Clicky KEYBOARD RARE! WHAT AM I? BIN $142.92
Post by: cactux on Mon, 01 August 2011, 01:26:57

I did not like that part "there is a crack about a half an inch on the underside."

Title: VINTAGE Computer Clicky KEYBOARD RARE! WHAT AM I? BIN $142.92
Post by: TexasFlood on Mon, 01 August 2011, 01:29:21

I was thinking older, maybe a terminal keyboard, the general look plus the "SET-UP" key you can see in one of the pictures in the upper left. Reminds me of the keyboard we were trying to identify a while back from the movie Brainstorm (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?12537-Round-2-of-quot-Guess-The-Keyboard-quot-Brainstorm).

Title: VINTAGE Computer Clicky KEYBOARD RARE! WHAT AM I? BIN $142.92
Post by: Sam on Mon, 01 August 2011, 02:07:11

Looks to me to be a terminal keyboard. It's a bit similar to some of the Televideo keyboards, but I'm not sure if it's an actual Televideo or some other brand. Almost certainly it's not clickey, and as for being very rare, that's quite subjective I guess, but if the seller cannot even identify it, I find it completely bogus to be making any sort of statement about how rare or common it is. Whatever the case, I doubt there's a very big market for most terminal keyboards, so unless it happens to be something very special, the price seems totally ridiculous to me. I might not mind spending $20 - $40 for some unknown keyboard that has some nice aesthetics, but $140 for something which doesn't even look all that appealing, and probably has crappy linear switches, I don't think so.

Title: VINTAGE Computer Clicky KEYBOARD RARE! WHAT AM I? BIN $142.92
Post by: Sam on Mon, 01 August 2011, 02:14:58

On second thought, looks to be a DEC VT100 terminal. http://www.columbia.edu/cu/computinghistory/vt100.html (http://www.columbia.edu/cu/computinghistory/vt100.html)

These are (or at least were) extremely common, and I don't remember them being clicky.

I wouldn't go out of my way to get that one, but Mr A500's is quite nice:
http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?13209-so-who-else-is-buying-keyboards-for-their-looks&p=257642&viewfull=1#post257642 (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?13209-so-who-else-is-buying-keyboards-for-their-looks&p=257642&viewfull=1#post257642)

Title: VINTAGE Computer Clicky KEYBOARD RARE! WHAT AM I? BIN $142.92
Post by: TexasFlood on Mon, 01 August 2011, 07:27:51

I thought DEC when I saw it but couldn't find a matching picture so figured I was wrong. Good job. It is funny that the seller doesn't seem to know what it is either but still claiming it's rare, :wink:

Title: VINTAGE Computer Clicky KEYBOARD RARE! WHAT AM I? BIN $142.92
Post by: Findecanor on Mon, 01 August 2011, 07:35:54

Found it, I think... If I am right, it is a CIT-101 (http://williambader.com/museum/cit101/cit101.html) keyboard. Not a real VT-100 but a clone of one.
The tells are: the extra key next to the Line Feed key and the red LEDs above the keyboard. Otherwise, it looks just like a VT-100's keyboard.

Title: VINTAGE Computer Clicky KEYBOARD RARE! WHAT AM I? BIN $142.92
Post by: mr_a500 on Mon, 01 August 2011, 07:39:33

No, I don't think that's a DEC VT-100. It looks more like the VT-100 clone by C. Itoh, the CIT-101 (http://williambader.com/museum/cit101/cit101.html).

I'm not sure if they use the same switches as the DEC, but if they do, it's not "clicky".

(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=13548&stc=1&d=1290039007)

Title: VINTAGE Computer Clicky KEYBOARD RARE! WHAT AM I? BIN $142.92
Post by: TexasFlood on Mon, 01 August 2011, 07:41:47

I'm not sure, they both look really close. But the picture of the DEC linked to above has a SET-UP key offset above the rest of the top row like the ebay listing.

Title: VINTAGE Computer Clicky KEYBOARD RARE! WHAT AM I? BIN $142.92
Post by: mr_a500 on Mon, 01 August 2011, 07:42:11

Quote from: Findecanor;390838

Found it, I think... If I am right, it is a CIT-101 (http://williambader.com/museum/cit101/cit101.html) keyboard. Not a real VT-100 but a clone of one.
The tells are: the extra key next to the Line Feed key and the red LEDs above the keyboard. Otherwise, it looks just like a VT-100's keyboard.

Nice one. You posted while I was still typing.

Title: VINTAGE Computer Clicky KEYBOARD RARE! WHAT AM I? BIN $142.92
Post by: TexasFlood on Mon, 01 August 2011, 07:45:08

Quote from: TexasFlood;390841

I'm not sure, they both look really close. But the picture of the DEC linked to above has a SET-UP key offset above the rest of the top row like the ebay listing.

Or not, now that I look closer, I think I'm wrong, my eyes need more coffee, :wink:

Title: VINTAGE Computer Clicky KEYBOARD RARE! WHAT AM I? BIN $142.92
Post by: TexasFlood on Mon, 01 August 2011, 07:50:42

Quote from: TexasFlood;390841

I'm not sure, they both look really close. But the picture of the DEC linked to above has a SET-UP key offset above the rest of the top row like the ebay listing.

Or not, now that I look closer, I think I'm wrong, my eyes need more coffee, :wink:

Wow, Findecanor & mr_a500, you guys really know your vintage terminal keyboards!

Title: VINTAGE Computer Clicky KEYBOARD RARE! WHAT AM I? BIN $142.92
Post by: False_Dmitry_II on Tue, 02 August 2011, 17:45:01

Interesting, the contacts on those switches look like the contacts on space invader switches. I take it those are linear?