geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Bluemercury on Fri, 27 June 2008, 20:59:19
-
I've decided to buy HHKP2 after the praise it gets here, and because i dont like laptops keyboarsd, i've decided to buy a small one or space saver, :P, for my new Clevo. Still i think might want to get an alps keyboard, but they seem hard to find, specially with an euro Layout.
Any ideas?
-
Pick yourself up a HHKB Pro 2 and enjoy!
-
Dell AT102/AT102W is a 102/105 key keyboard (Not sure if it's labled as anything other than UK layout) with black alps. Can be found in beige and occasionally black.
There's also the two Apple Extended keyboards, but you'd be looking at a extra cost for the ADB to USB converter on top of that price.
-
And the Apple Adjustable.
The Dell is also available from SGI, in that case make sure it's PC compatible.
-
The Dell is also available from SGI, in that case make sure it's PC compatible.
Is the SGI availible in Euro shape or only US shape?
-
If not you should be able to transplant Dell technology into the SGI. Keycap color looks the same on clickykeyboards.com.
-
I asked the SGI forum. The AT-102 is available from SGI with german layout at least. That seems to be the difference between 101 and 102. 101 has the horizontal enter key, 102 the vertical. That also explains why my Dell AT-102W has QWERTY layout and the vertical enter key.
-
I asked the SGI forum. The AT-102 is available from SGI with german layout at least. That seems to be the difference between 101 and 102. 101 has the horizontal enter key, 102 the vertical. That also explains why my Dell AT-102W has QWERTY layout and the vertical enter key.
Thanks for confirming there's an AT102.
AT-102 are the 102 key versions (7-shaped enter, backslash by the right shift), AT-101 are the 101 key versions (bar enter, oversized left shift). The W on the end is the three extra windows keys (presumably not availible on the SGI models?)
-
By the way, as a recent purchaser of both the Dell AT 101W and a vintage SGI AT-101, I was surprised at the difference in the quality of construction of these boards. While the Dell is nice, and certainly far more solid than current Dell boards, the SGI is far heavier and far more sturdily built. The key action is not as clicky as the Dell but far smoother and more solid.
It's pretty clear that Dell licensed the design from SGI (the boards are visually identical except for the color) and proceeded to cut corners right and left.
The "granite" case of the SGI is a bit strange (it's supposed to look like actual granite, with little specks in the plastic), but, on the other hand, it certainly won't show fingerprints and cookie crumbs. Pretty crafty.
-
It's pretty clear that Dell licensed the design from SGI (the boards are visually identical except for the color) and proceeded to cut corners right and left.
I have a Dell AT-102 that has a 4mm metal plate bolted to the lower case. No electrical connection, no anything, just an added weight. My other Dells don't have that. So that might explain why some ATs are heavier than others.
Also, the pcb of that Dell has Silitek printed on it. It's also a Silitek controller. Silitek - now a part of Lite-On - is a keyboard company that has been around for quite some time so it's highly likely that both Dell and SGI got a Silitek OEM model here.
-
By the way, as a recent purchaser of both the Dell AT 101W and a vintage SGI AT-101, I was surprised at the difference in the quality of construction of these boards. While the Dell is nice, and certainly far more solid than current Dell boards, the SGI is far heavier and far more sturdily built. The key action is not as clicky as the Dell but far smoother and more solid.
It's pretty clear that Dell licensed the design from SGI (the boards are visually identical except for the color) and proceeded to cut corners right and left.
The "granite" case of the SGI is a bit strange (it's supposed to look like actual granite, with little specks in the plastic), but, on the other hand, it certainly won't show fingerprints and cookie crumbs. Pretty crafty.
Where to get those?
-
Where to get those?
Check ebay. I have a Dell AT101W as well, very nice board.
-
The SGI is definitely a different board from the Dell. The plastic is much heavier, the key action is much smoother, the general feel of quality - fit and finish -- much higher. Visually, they are identical, but that's as far as it goes.
I got my SGI on eBay, $46 bucks.
-
Found this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/SGI-AT-101-KEYBOARD-P-N-9500900_W0QQitemZ300256482416QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item300256482416#ShippingPayment
-
Theres lots of Dells here too.
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=Dell+AT101W
-
This is the one I bought:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=290257667032 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=290257667032)
This seller had another up after mine with a lower serial number (grrr....), but apparently it's been sold. He sells some interesting stuff -- see his other auctions.
By the way, the description on the item you link to is copied from the clickykeyboard site, which also sold the SGI boards (they are out of stock). I bought my Dell AT-101W from them and they had done a super job of cleaning it up.
Anyway, you might drop a line to that ncbound 10 at eBay and ask if he has any more SGIs in his pipeline.
-
I've bought from that guy (ncbound10) as well, good seller.
-
That seller has another AT-101 SGI board for sale:
http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-SGI-PS-2-KEYBOARD-ALPS-SLIDERS_W0QQitemZ290261778338QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item290261778338&_trkparms=72%3A1222|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14 (http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-SGI-PS-2-KEYBOARD-ALPS-SLIDERS_W0QQitemZ290261778338QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item290261778338&_trkparms=72%3A1222|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14)
-
I thought my Keyboard buying days were over when I got my Unicomp, but yesterday I used a computer equipped with a Dell AT102W and fell in love with it on the spot. I've ordered one from Ebay, oddly enough, despite being a UK layout, it came from a US seller. He doesnt seem to have any more unfortunately. However, maybe he's just selling them one at a time, here's a link to the seller's shop below -
http://stores.ebay.ie/SALESPCPLUS_W0QQfcdZ2QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ3QQfromZR10QQfsnZSALESPCPLUSQQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsaselZ185220999QQsofpZ0QQtZkm (http://stores.ebay.ie/SALESPCPLUS_W0QQfcdZ2QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ3QQfromZR10QQfsnZSALESPCPLUSQQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsaselZ185220999QQsofpZ0QQtZkm)