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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: R350LUT3 on Wed, 02 January 2013, 19:53:32
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Aloha everyone I'm new to geekhack and have a few question for you KB guru's here. I recently (just today a few hours ago) picked up a what I thought was an original package unopened Model M (1391401) for $12 bucks. To my dismay it wasn't a Model M, instead it's some KB manufactured by NTC and made Malaysia that's looks like Model M. I'd call it some cheap looking knock off but it's actually made from a sturdy build, about 3.5lbs to 4lbs I think? It's definitely heavier than the 2 Ducky's that I've got (9008-G2 MX Brown & 9008S-C Shinning MX Blue). It looks exactly like a Model M just without the IBM logo in the top right hand corner. The box it came in just says "Enhanced Keyboard". Also I don't know what type of switch it has but it's white and really stiff, a lot more so than the MX blues on my Ducky. If anyone could shed some light on this situation it'll curb my curiosity and I'd appreciate it very much. Again aloha from the new guy here on geekhack. ;D
EDIT: here are some hosted images since the attachments don't seem to be working for me.
(http://i49.tinypic.com/v58lk0.jpg) (http://i49.tinypic.com/ogjouf.jpg)
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Post some pictures especially if can take some with key off to help determine switch type, full model numbers... sure someone will be able to tell you something about it.
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Okay I've updated my OP.
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Well, for starters that is an ALPS switch.
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Not too bad, if you like it's feeling you paid an ok price I think. Looks like Alps-alike switch. I don't know much more about it, Cherry stuff is more my area.
and also, I forgot to say, welcome to geekhack.
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Alright thanks guys! At least I know in which direction to start my research endeavor.
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It's an NTC Enhanced 101. Yes, that is the name of manufacturer and model.
It doesn't look like a Model M other than the font. The full name is "Nan Tan Computer Corporation." You are familiar with NTC - they are the company that manufactured the "Laser 386" keyboard (before it switched to Chicony) among others. They made a lot of OEM keyboards. Very high quality keyboards. I would be genuinely surprised if it is not working 100% to this day.
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It's an NTC Enhanced 101. Yes, that is the name of manufacturer and model.
It doesn't look like a Model M other than the font. The full name is "Nan Tan Computer Corporation." You are familiar with NTC - they are the company that manufactured the "Laser 386" keyboard (before it switched to Chicony) among others. They made a lot of OEM keyboards. Very high quality keyboards. I would be genuinely surprised if it is not working 100% to this day.
Thanks, that's way more than I could dig up on it which was little to nothing actually. The keyboard was in it's original unopened box and works perfectly and from it's weight alone I had a good feeling of it's build.
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Necroposting for great justice — yes, it's not too bad a keyboard. The switches I have in mine are the so-called "Simplified Alps Type IV", which appear to be an early version of the Hua-Jie AK-CN2, or a previous plate mount switch in the AK series. In the case of yours, I can't tell without a close-up photo of the switch lit sufficiently to read the writing on it.
Shabby photos of mine and the switches: http://deskthority.net/wiki/NTC_KB-6151
I found the switches to be too stiff for my tastes. They're somewhere in the white Alps region — not anywhere near as bad in my case as the Filco Zero XM or the SIIG MiniTouch.