geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Bodibo on Mon, 27 October 2008, 09:45:18
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Every time I see someone talk about an ALPS switch keyboard, they inevitably mention the AT101 or AT102. By pure luck, I walked past some old keyboards the uni was throwing out and had a quick play. Most were spongy and rubbish, but one had a click; further inspection revealed ALPS switches. The keyboard is a Viglen keyboard from 1996. I have never heard anyone mention these as a source of ALPS switches before, so if you come across one, take it!
(http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/751/viglenalpsfrontwm0.th.jpg) (http://img82.imageshack.us/my.php?image=viglenalpsfrontwm0.jpg)(http://img82.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif) (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)
(http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/6900/viglenalpsbackbi0.th.jpg) (http://img185.imageshack.us/my.php?image=viglenalpsbackbi0.jpg)(http://img185.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif) (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)
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Unfortunately, those are not Alps switches. They just use the Alps keycap interface. What you have here is a rebranded Acer 6312 (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=626), a membrane board with a clicky mechanical actuation mechanism.
DMuk has a Viglen (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=619).
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Bugger. I was all excited through my ignorance. Anyway, I will give it a go once I have finished cleaning it.
So what's a real ALPS switch look like?
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Check out a few of the Northgate/Macally reviews in the reviews section. Northgate (and now, CVT) keyboards are great ALPS-based boards.
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<----------------- Alps switch
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That's the same keyboard I'm using Bodibo. Not bad for nothing. It's worth giving a bit of a clean, though you may find some of the switches are a bit iffy.
You can always swap the switches from less used parts of the 'board (such as the function keys) as I have done.
Edit: I see lowpoly is already ahead of me!