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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: 1391406 on Sat, 27 April 2013, 15:27:39

Title: Has anyone used one of these?
Post by: 1391406 on Sat, 27 April 2013, 15:27:39: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Keyboard-NEW-/190788392128?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item2c6bdfd4c0

Ironically labeled a Space-Saver Keyboard on the box.
Title: Re: Has anyone used one of these?
Post by: fohat.digs on Sat, 27 April 2013, 15:33:50: The suspicious thing is that the "20 million" strokes rating. Aren't Model Ms rated at 50M or more?

I would ask the seller to pull a key and take a picture. That would tell all.
Title: Re: Has anyone used one of these?
Post by: Findecanor on Sat, 27 April 2013, 20:21:54: That looks like a Key Tronic rubber dome keyboard. Box art does not match the keyboard. The info on the box is most likely completely irrelevant.
Title: Re: Has anyone used one of these?
Post by: 1391406 on Sat, 27 April 2013, 21:51:01: Quote from: Findecanor on Sat, 27 April 2013, 20:21:54
Box art does not match the keyboard.

This is true.
Title: Re: Has anyone used one of these?
Post by: brtaylor92 on Sat, 27 April 2013, 23:41:13: Googled the model #, found this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Key-Tronic-EP3435XTAT-Keyboard-FCC-ID-CIG8AVEO3435-/370686782079?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item564ea76a7f
Looks like the same board to me
Title: Re: Has anyone used one of these?
Post by: Rule16 on Sun, 28 April 2013, 00:24:02: Quote from: fohat.digs on Sat, 27 April 2013, 15:33:50
The suspicious thing is that the "20 million" strokes rating. Aren't Model Ms rated at 50M or more?

I would ask the seller to pull a key and take a picture. That would tell all.
That probably makes it a cherry mx switch because they used to be rated for 20 mil.
also... to original, its not ironic its called spacesaver, have you not seen the casing on old alps keyboards?
Title: Re: Has anyone used one of these?
Post by: rootwyrm on Sun, 28 April 2013, 01:52:48: Quote from: fohat.digs on Sat, 27 April 2013, 15:33:50
The suspicious thing is that the "20 million" strokes rating. Aren't Model Ms rated at 50M or more?

I would ask the seller to pull a key and take a picture. That would tell all.

IBM never really emphasized the lifespan of the Model Ms or any buckling spring keyboards to my knowledge.

That's a bog-standard IBM-case-clone which was pretty common for many years. And no need for pictures.
That is a KeyTronic example with pretty good rubber domes. KeyTronic is the only manufacturer to ever use that "MADE IN USA" in the mold, and LR65976 is their old CSA number.
Title: Re: Has anyone used one of these?
Post by: 1391406 on Sun, 28 April 2013, 03:15:01: Well, the mystery has been solved. Thanks, guys.
Title: Re: Has anyone used one of these?
Post by: rootwyrm on Sun, 28 April 2013, 04:14:33: Quote from: 1391406 on Sun, 28 April 2013, 03:15:01
Well, the mystery has been solved. Thanks, guys.

Indeed. It's not bad for a rubber dome, to be quite honest, but it is most definitely not worth even half the seller's asking price there. That particular model is familiar to me as just about everyone on earth OEM'd it as their "cheap" keyboard as the clone era was taking off. (Hence the lack of any branding on it.) So you'll find it under a good two dozen names, with several dozen different box styles, but all the same keyboard.