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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: mogambo on Wed, 11 September 2013, 13:36:41
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Hi Folks,
I am a total NOOB at both Geekhack and the world of keyboards. Based out of India.
I recently read an article about mechanical keyboards and was interested. I am still of the opinion that I am more comfortable with the membrane keyboards but wanted to try out a mech keyboard.
My dad used to be a computer enthusiast in the 90's and I remember that had those mechanical keyboards. On a recent visit to him was able to dig out two keyboards.
One made in India for a company called Wipro.
And a second one that was totally devoid of any labels and markings, on opening it up, i was able to confirm that the switches are cherry blue. The PCB also says Cherry 601 1553 Rev: 02.
I believe that it is a keyboard from the early Nineties.
And was looking for help to figure out what this was.
The keyboard was very dusty and I am currently trying to clean it out.
Haven't connected it to a computer yet to test it out as I have yet to find out some DIN to PS2 converters locally.
Will appreciate any comments on identifying the keyboard and whether this would be a good idea to test it out.
Cheers.
Mogambo
Edit:
This has a PC/AT selector switch
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Pictures look like an older Cherry G80, maybe a 1000?
And is the keyswitch under the Numpad Enter a MX Green?
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Its a Cherry G80-3000*FU. There should be a label for the exact model number on the bottom, unless it has been removed.
Someone moved the green from the spacebar to numpad enter for some reason? It has vintage blues on there, I am sure you could sell it if you don't want it.
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yup, the num pad enter seems to be a Green one.
this seemed weird to me as well.
Whats your take on this keyboard, should I spend some more time cleaning and testing it?
(Pls take into account that I am a total NOOB and would read about G80s but inputs from your guys would be helpful)
Unfortunately no labels are present on the keyboard back.. :(
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Its a Cherry G80-3000*FU. There should be a label for the exact model number on the bottom, unless it has been removed.
Someone moved the green from the spacebar to numpad enter for some reason? It has vintage blues on there, I am sure you could sell it if you don't want it.
I thought most of the G80-3000 series were Winkey? I know the G80-1501 I have is Winkeyless.
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It's missing it's keycaps or you simply took them off? They are a good keyboard. I would spend the time to clean it up personally, but I am quite fond of G80 line. The casebody looks to be quite yellowed? If you are missing the keycaps the quickest route to getting it in useable order would be to find a similar G81-1000H*U or 3000H*U, or if you must a winkeyless 1000/3000L*U/L**US for cheap. If you are lucky it would have a nicer shape case body too and you can simply move the G80 PCB into it's case body and use it's keycaps. Also if you find one with PS/2 just take it's cable and replace the AT cable on G80 instead of mucking around with adapter.
3000 line was introduced in I think 1990, so there was plenty of 101/102 3000 made before winkeys became common in the mid 90's. There were also continued to make winkeyless for many years even some exist with 5 letter codes which is an oddity.
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I have taken off the key caps for cleaning.
Will definitely check out the option of just replacing the cable with a ps2 one.
Though would like to keep it in its current case just for the sake of nostalgia. As a kid used to play games like para-trooper using this.
Well off to bed but will post a thread hopefully on the weekend of the second keyboard that I found. A wipro branded one. Wipro is an Indian company.
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http://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_G80-3000
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How are the switches like? Vintage MX Blues are often smoother than modern switches, if they have not got too much dirt in them, that is.
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How are the switches like? Vintage MX Blues are often smoother than modern switches, if they have not got too much dirt in them, that is.
To be honest, I have no idea if they are smoother or not. They dont have a click to them (without the keycaps) but other than that i have no point of reference as this is the only keyboard I have thats not a membrane.