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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: mr626 on Thu, 25 August 2011, 01:27:54

Title: Help to identify old keyboard
Post by: mr626 on Thu, 25 August 2011, 01:27:54
Hello all,

Hopefully someone on here can help me identify this keyboard, and what switches it might use. A friend found this at his work, but I won't see him for ages to get the keyboard. He says its 'clicky' so that's hopeful. I only have the one photo taken from the top:

(http://i54.tinypic.com/15nq4uf.jpg)

A couple of points:

-What's with the 'on line' status light? I've never seen that before
-Bonus points if you can confirm what program the stickers on the modifier keys are from (I suspect something Lotus-related).

Thanks
Title: Help to identify old keyboard
Post by: Quarzac on Thu, 25 August 2011, 01:30:22
Post a pic of the back? It looks like a keytronic I have in my basement, though that was missing the online light.
Title: Help to identify old keyboard
Post by: Ascaii on Thu, 25 August 2011, 01:31:03
Looks like a Chicony to me...and those are a perfect forrest gump box of chocolates.
There are Chicony boards with fake blue cherries, real blue cherries, white alps, montereys, Mitsumi switches, and more. Have him grab it and give us some pics of the inside :)

Also, there are rubber dome variants out there.
Title: Help to identify old keyboard
Post by: mr626 on Thu, 25 August 2011, 01:38:47
Man you guys are quick. What time is it in your respective countries? It's 4.30pm in the afternoon here.

Yeah, I'll see if I can get him to take a pic of the back.
Title: Help to identify old keyboard
Post by: domin8r on Thu, 25 August 2011, 02:40:22
Quote from: mr626;404735
Man you guys are quick. What time is it in your respective countries? It's 4.30pm in the afternoon here.

Yeah, I'll see if I can get him to take a pic of the back.

Or have him pull a cap amd take a picture :)
Title: Help to identify old keyboard
Post by: Findecanor on Thu, 25 August 2011, 03:13:26
It looks like it could be a Chicony KB-1591. That model number should be printed on the label on the back.
Title: Help to identify old keyboard
Post by: martinmeijerink on Thu, 25 August 2011, 03:47:53
The stickers are from WordPerfect, for use with this template:
(http://gfx.zutphen.nu/wp51keys.jpg)
Title: Help to identify old keyboard
Post by: mr626 on Thu, 25 August 2011, 05:04:49
Quote from: martinmeijerink;404769
The stickers are from WordPerfect, for use with this template:
Show Image
(http://gfx.zutphen.nu/wp51keys.jpg)

Ha, fancy that. Bonus points for you.

Have requested a pic of the underside of the board, will post back with it later.
Title: Help to identify old keyboard
Post by: mr626 on Thu, 25 August 2011, 05:11:25
Quote from: Findecanor;404760
It looks like it could be a Chicony KB-1591. That model number should be printed on the label on the back.

Right you are- just got the model number sent to me. Made in Taiwan.
Title: Help to identify old keyboard
Post by: Ascaii on Thu, 25 August 2011, 14:15:41
Booya, I knew it. I had a 1591 with real cherry blues...this board should have mech switches of sime kind, go for it.
Title: Help to identify old keyboard
Post by: mbc on Thu, 25 August 2011, 14:22:15
Quote from: Ascaii;405050
Booya, I knew it. I had a 1591 with real cherry blues...this board should have mech switches of sime kind, go for it.

Isnt it 5191?

Sent from my Milestone using Tapatalk
Title: Help to identify old keyboard
Post by: mr626 on Thu, 25 August 2011, 17:32:55
LOL, right you are. We somehow all became dyslexic.

No wonder google searches revealed nothing about the model kb-1591. It is indeed a KB-5191.

So, assuming this has cherry blues- are they more or less the same as (for example) the blues in my KBC Poker?
Title: Help to identify old keyboard
Post by: Ascaii on Thu, 25 August 2011, 17:46:29
Not exactly, they would be older blues...but thats an entirely different story. It might also have mitsumi switches, but those come with cherry compatible stems. Ive had both.
Title: Help to identify old keyboard
Post by: mr626 on Sun, 25 September 2011, 08:32:10
To update this thread- I've received this keyboard today...and it has real cherry blues! What a score :-) Manufacturer date is 1988. Keycaps are fairly thick plastic- not doubleshot but they don't show any signs of wear.

I'm in the process of cleaning it up now. The only downside is the stabilisers it uses for the larger keys- very annoying to remove/replace.
Title: Help to identify old keyboard
Post by: mr626 on Sun, 25 September 2011, 16:37:08
ripster- thanks for the tip. Yes, online light just remains on while power is supplied to the PS/2 port. Will post some pictures later on of the board all cleaned up.

The cherry blues on this one seem slightly more stiff than on my PLU or Poker- whether this is due to age or just differences in how cherry mx switches have been made over time I'm not sure. Also, the 'click' seems less pronounced. I *think* the board pings quite a lot (I'm still not 100% sure what 'ping' is even after reading a bunch of...'interesting' threads on here). Still, doesn't worry me- overall the board is a great board and I'm taking it to work today.

Has been a good weekend for keyboards actually. I've finished fixing up 3 different boards (this one, my Model M and an IBM rubber dome board). Fun times :biggrin1:
Title: Help to identify old keyboard
Post by: mr626 on Sun, 25 September 2011, 21:34:25
Here's some pictures for those interested. Added a little bit of 'bling' (couldn't use the green shift keys from my rgb set though- the stabilisers don't match up)

(http://i55.tinypic.com/2n15jx4.jpg)
(http://i53.tinypic.com/sep2d2.jpg)

Needs some retr0brite for the casing- will give it a shot sometime.