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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: rangita on Thu, 04 August 2011, 18:39:35

Title: An unexpectedly mechanical keyboard: the Amtelco KB163
Post by: rangita on Thu, 04 August 2011, 18:39:35

Hey, I'm new to this forum, but lurking here and elsewhere led me to buying the Filco with browns that I'm typing this on, so thanks for all the info.  That's not why I'm posting though.  

Since I recently learned about mechanical keyboards, I went back through my junk heap and found something interesting.  It turns out that the Amtelco KB163 keyboard, a call center keyboard I got from a garbage bin at work, is actually built out of Cherry MX blacks!  I had dismissed it as rubbish because the linear key action felt mushy to me, having been used to rubber domes and a model M before that.  I guess I just hate Cherry blacks.

(http://dsss.be/w/_media/kb163cut.jpg)

Anyway, this thing has 60 function keys and comes in both PS/2 and USB.  It's sold with the Amtelco call center package, so you can't get it new, but used ones pop up on ebay, including one for $65 available now (http://cgi.ebay.com/Amtel-KB163-AT-PS2-PS2-Pigtail-Call-Center-Keyboard-/170674150997?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27bcf8de55).  I worked out how to map the function keys in AutoHotKey (http://dsss.be/w/using_autohotkey_to_map_keys_on_the_amtelco_kb163_unified_keyboard), so if you want a giant keyboard with 160+ Cherry MX black keys, this is something to look at.  Oh, one weird thing: some of them have weird numpads: inverted (phone pad style) numbers or an extra star key where the period should be.

(Incidentally, since I have this, the Filco, and a Razer I ordered for work, I think I accidentally just became a mechanical keyboard collector.)

Title: An unexpectedly mechanical keyboard: the Amtelco KB163
Post by: False_Dmitry_II on Thu, 04 August 2011, 18:47:26

Plate mounted or PCB mounted?

Title: An unexpectedly mechanical keyboard: the Amtelco KB163
Post by: Oqsy on Thu, 04 August 2011, 21:44:07

Cool!  Want!

Title: Re: An unexpectedly mechanical keyboard: the Amtelco KB163
Post by: antigua1103 on Sun, 29 September 2019, 17:55:17

Long shot do you have the code you used for this? I have this keyboard and I followed your guide but it didn't work.

Title: Re: An unexpectedly mechanical keyboard: the Amtelco KB163
Post by: Sintpinty on Mon, 30 September 2019, 07:16:47

Quote from: rangita on Thu, 04 August 2011, 18:39:35

Hey, I'm new to this forum, but lurking here and elsewhere led me to buying the Filco with browns that I'm typing this on, so thanks for all the info.  That's not why I'm posting though. 

Since I recently learned about mechanical keyboards, I went back through my junk heap and found something interesting.  It turns out that the Amtelco KB163 keyboard, a call center keyboard I got from a garbage bin at work, is actually built out of Cherry MX blacks!  I had dismissed it as rubbish because the linear key action felt mushy to me, having been used to rubber domes and a model M before that.  I guess I just hate Cherry blacks.

Show Image

(http://dsss.be/w/_media/kb163cut.jpg)

Anyway, this thing has 60 function keys and comes in both PS/2 and USB.  It's sold with the Amtelco call center package, so you can't get it new, but used ones pop up on ebay, including one for $65 available now (http://cgi.ebay.com/Amtel-KB163-AT-PS2-PS2-Pigtail-Call-Center-Keyboard-/170674150997?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27bcf8de55).  I worked out how to map the function keys in AutoHotKey (http://dsss.be/w/using_autohotkey_to_map_keys_on_the_amtelco_kb163_unified_keyboard), so if you want a giant keyboard with 160+ Cherry MX black keys, this is something to look at.  Oh, one weird thing: some of them have weird numpads: inverted (phone pad style) numbers or an extra star key where the period should be.

(Incidentally, since I have this, the Filco, and a Razer I ordered for work, I think I accidentally just became a mechanical keyboard collector.)

Look at all those macros  :eek:

Title: Re: An unexpectedly mechanical keyboard: the Amtelco KB163
Post by: mizzoperator on Wed, 02 October 2019, 09:17:15

That looks EXCEPTIONALLY cool, esp with all those macros.
Such a shame that it uses MX Black instead of anything good.

yes im dissing vintage blacks too, fight me