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geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: fohat.digs on Sat, 27 April 2013, 08:54:48

Title: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: fohat.digs on Sat, 27 April 2013, 08:54:48
I used to have a Mini-Touch, but I don't know enough about them to know whether this is the good one.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/SIIG-MiniTouch-Enhanced-Clicky-Keyboard-Vintage-RARE-Model-1903-New-/171030980481?ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/SIIG-MiniTouch-Enhanced-Clicky-Keyboard-Vintage-RARE-Model-1903-New-/171030980481?ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123)
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: foxtrott on Sat, 27 April 2013, 09:04:10
very beautiful... :)
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: pasph on Sat, 27 April 2013, 09:21:26
They aren't Monterey switches
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: dorkvader on Sat, 27 April 2013, 16:04:11
They aren't Monterey switches
How can you tell? My old siig minitouch was a model 1903 (with DIN connector) and had the black (not blue) printing on the integrated numberpad. I no longer have it, but it looked just like this one to me.
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: Halverson on Sat, 27 April 2013, 16:06:38
They aren't Monterey switches
How can you tell? My old siig minitouch was a model 1903 (with DIN connector) and had the black (not blue) printing on the integrated numberpad. I no longer have it, but it looked just like this one to me.

The one I have? Yea looks the same to me. Although I haven't really noticed a difference between the two until caps are off.
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: tsangan on Sat, 27 April 2013, 16:12:41
There's a difference with the keycaps forgot what the tell sign was though, I believe it's the sub text on the keys is a different colour

EDIT: I remembered correctly!
(http://deskthority.net/w/images/6/6b/Minitouch.jpg)
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: Halverson on Sat, 27 April 2013, 16:20:46
Blue numlock on the non- montery one?
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: pasph on Sat, 27 April 2013, 16:22:52
yes the second layer legends are in blue (not in black), they are made in in Taiwan (not in China).
I have both.
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: tsangan on Sat, 27 April 2013, 16:50:23
white alps = regular sub text
monterey blues = blue sub text
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: Halverson on Sat, 27 April 2013, 16:58:46
white alps = regular sub text
monterey blues = blue sub text

My monterey blue one that I got from DV has black sub text, not blue.
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: tsangan on Sat, 27 April 2013, 17:14:40
Don't know what to tell you all the monterey blue keyboards I've seen have the blue sub text
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: esoomenona on Sat, 27 April 2013, 17:17:31
Halverson, maybe someone spraypainted the stems then sold it to you! ;)
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: Halverson on Sat, 27 April 2013, 17:23:37
From DT wiki "All MiniTouch boards have a function key to the left of the control key and reduced size function keys. The mechanical models have a backwards 'L' enter key, and a single blank key on the end of row 2. Keycaps can be dye sublimated or lasered; some keyboards have a blue num lock legend, and some have blue legends for the embedded numeric keypad. No clear pattern is yet known."

Mine have monterey, no blue sub legends, and lasered caps. Maybe the difference is between laser or dyesub caps?
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: tsangan on Sat, 27 April 2013, 17:29:56
I have yet to see one with blue sub text and turned out to be white alps, yours would be the first one that I know of with no blue sub text and is monterey blue.

With that being said keycaps can be mixed and matched, but from my experience the one in the OP is regular white alps
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: Halverson on Sat, 27 April 2013, 17:32:29
I have yet to see one with blue sub text and turned out to be white alps, yours would be the first one that I know of with no blue sub text and is monterey blue.

With that being said keycaps can be mixed and matched, but from my experience the one in the OP is regular white alps

Have to see were DV got the board before he sold it to me.

Well best thing, someone buy this and find out!
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: tsangan on Sat, 27 April 2013, 17:37:17
if its white alps its not a good deal
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: Halverson on Sat, 27 April 2013, 17:39:25
Well, someone should message the seller and ask to pop a cap. For the mystery!
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: pasph on Sat, 27 April 2013, 17:45:37
From DT Wiki: "The Monterey switch variant was made in Taiwan, while the Alps clone variant was made in China"
And it is just what is reported on the labels of my kbs.
Halverson can you please see where was made your kb?
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: Halverson on Sat, 27 April 2013, 17:49:37
From DT Wiki: "The Monterey switch variant was made in Taiwan, while the Alps clone variant was made in China"
And it is just what is reported on the labels of my kbs.
Halverson can you please see where was made your kb?

Taiwan

Guess I missed that bit reading the wiki earlier.
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: fohat.digs on Sat, 27 April 2013, 18:34:31
I have yet to see one with blue sub text and turned out to be white alps, yours would be the first one that I know of with no blue sub text and is monterey blue.

With that being said keycaps can be mixed and matched, but from my experience the one in the OP is regular white alps

Alps and Monterey key caps can be interchanged?

That is interesting, although I have no reason to do it.
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: tsangan on Sat, 27 April 2013, 18:38:51
yeah keycaps are interchangeable, you just can't solder Monterey switches into a Alps pcb the pins don't match up
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: calavera on Sat, 27 April 2013, 18:40:00
So whats the verdict, what switch is it and what kind of key cap printing does that one have? My guess is the key caps are lasered.
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: tsangan on Sat, 27 April 2013, 18:41:24
I am going to go with white Alps, lasered keycaps.

Is it possible it could be Monterey blues? Yes but I would not take the chance
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: Halverson on Sat, 27 April 2013, 18:43:22
I am going to go with white Alps, lasered keycaps.

Is it possible it could be Monterey blues? Yes but I would not take the chance

I would agree. But someone with interest should ask the seller to take a picture of the bottom to see where it was made. Or if they will pull a cap off.
Title: Re: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: dorkvader on Sun, 28 April 2013, 00:18:23
I have yet to see one with blue sub text and turned out to be white alps, yours would be the first one that I know of with no blue sub text and is monterey blue.

With that being said keycaps can be mixed and matched, but from my experience the one in the OP is regular white alps

Have to see were DV got the board before he sold it to me.

Well best thing, someone buy this and find out!
I got it from eBay, the listing was posted here in the great finds forum (I think). I can find it exactly if you like.

I did a lot of looking into the differences between monterey and the other minitouch at the time, and I couldn't find anything exact.
Title: SIIG Mini-Touch on ebay $75
Post by: Gupgup on Sun, 28 April 2013, 00:27:33
I messaged him, will let everyone know soon.


Gupgup