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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: berserkfan on Wed, 21 August 2013, 13:22:52

Title: Does anyone know about BTC 5151 keyboards?
Post by: berserkfan on Wed, 21 August 2013, 13:22:52

http://www.ebay.com/itm/vintage-keyboard-BTC-model-number-BTC-5151-ibm-computer-old-clicky-/161058537684?pt=US_Vintage_Computing_Parts_Accessories&hash=item257fd640d4

This looks very interesting. I wonder if anyone knows anything about it!

Title: Re: Does anyone know about BTC 5151 keyboards?
Post by: Findecanor on Wed, 21 August 2013, 14:16:31

Beware that "clicky" on eBay is not the same as "clicky" in the real world.

Title: Re: Does anyone know about BTC 5151 keyboards?
Post by: dorkvader on Wed, 21 August 2013, 15:59:48

I believe it's a rubber dome over PCB. BTC rubber domes are supposed to be rather nice for a dome keyboard, but many would say it doesn't compare favorably to a mechanical.

You can see some good pictures of the BTC 5100 kb in this GH post:
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=31365.0

Title: Re: Does anyone know about BTC 5151 keyboards?
Post by: Daniel Beardsmore on Wed, 21 August 2013, 17:16:07

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=33343.0

There's a Key Tronic version of the same keyboard. Does this mean that BTC and Key Tronic foam and foil keyboards use the same parts?

Title: Re: Does anyone know about BTC 5151 keyboards?
Post by: Daniel Beardsmore on Wed, 21 August 2013, 17:26:00

Assuming it's the same as the Key Tronic version, the manual for it is here (search for 5151):

http://www.brutman.com/PCjr/pcjr_docs.html

The Key Tronic version is a foam and foil capacitive keyboard (per the website above).

Edit: here's a photo of a disassembled Key Tronic one: http://blog.modernmechanix.com/mags/Byte/7-1984/keytronic_keyboards/keytronic_keyboards_0.jpg