Purchase history
User ID Buy It Now Price Qty Date of Purchase
p***o US $10.00 80 Nov-26-08 16:41:33 PST
does anyone have any picks of the inside of one of these 'boards?
How curious are you? I can tear one apart and take pics in the morning if you'd like.
Hey iMav, never mind about taking that keyboard apart — Filco is now making what I was going to create so I can just buy one (http://www.diatec.co.jp/shop/det.php?prod_c=579).The Filco mini? That's been around for a while now. (in fact I even owned one for a bit)
Ready to change up your daily driver again, eh? ;)
seller ended it and relisted it charging for shipping now: http://cgi.ebay.com/Dell-104-Key-PS2-6P-USA-Keyboard-NEW-227KN_W0QQitemZ370127527802QQihZ024QQcategoryZ51084QQcmdZViewItem
what switch in those? black alps?
d-ej915( 99Feedback score is 50 to 99) US $7.00 Seller accepted 3 Dec-06-08 08:31:31 PST Paid Paypal
p***n ( 16Feedback score is 10 to 49) -- Seller accepted 2 Dec-06-08 00:26:24 PST --
n***n ( 14Feedback score is 10 to 49) -- Seller accepted 1 Dec-05-08 20:03:54 PST --
r***e ( 13Feedback score is 10 to 49) -- Seller accepted 2 Dec-05-08 14:53:40 PST --
h***a ( 49Feedback score is 10 to 49) -- Seller accepted 2 Dec-05-08 14:36:58 PST --
e***e ( 151Feedback score is 100 to 499) -- Seller accepted 1 Dec-05-08 14:30:36 PST --
h***s ( 37Feedback score is 10 to 49) -- Seller accepted 1 Dec-05-08 14:17:59 PST --
h***o ( 53Feedback score is 50 to 99) -- Seller accepted 3 Dec-05-08 12:10:05 PST p***oFeedback score is 500 to 999 US $10.00 80 Nov-26-08 16:41:33 PST --
o***oFeedback score is 10 to 49 US $10.00 2 Dec-05-08 12:03:01 PST --
h***aFeedback score is 10 to 49 US $10.00 1 Dec-05-08 12:05:11 PST --
r***eFeedback score is 10 to 49 US $10.00 2 Dec-05-08 16:33:27 PST --
t***o US $10.00 1 Dec-08-08 07:24:23 PST --
$10 vs $100+ ? The finish and look-and-feel would be nowhere near the same, though.
Hey, I would rate the fit and finish of an AT101 as well above a G84-4100. Yeah, it's big and dorky, but it's not flimsy.
big and dorky, but it's not flimsy.
I have the Model M mini, so the Dell would feel right at home. I don't know, it's supposed to get here Friday, so over the week end I'll take it apart.
And if the switches suck, I'll just put the real Alps whites in my MK96 in the new Dell.
If you do that, can you post a how-to in the mods section? I don't think we have anything, currently, that discusses how to change Alps sliders.
I am thinking that I might try to mod my Evolution with the Dell switches to make them a little less loud for work.
Since I'm currently considering doing this exact same mod (alps black from a dell into an evolution), any chance you could document the procedure if you do go ahead with it?
Got mine today. Yes, it's legit and new. I'm surprised that they have 200+ units still in stock. How and where did they get so many???
So was it in a sealed box?
It is very weird that they would have so many new units. Maybe somewhere out there there's a closet full of nib 1391401s....
These have been showing up from more than one seller lately. I got two NIB earlier (and ordered 3 more from this latest auction). Auctions like this (and the mk96's available...even though shipping is more expensive now then previously) are GREAT opportunities to get decent keyboards that you can give away to others. While some people won't spend the money themselves for quality keyboards, if you put a decent one in front of them, they'll thank you for it. :)
Since I'm currently considering doing this exact same mod (alps black from a dell into an evolution), any chance you could document the procedure if you do go ahead with it?
yea, I wanna watch too...
And if the switches suck, I'll just put the real Alps whites in my MK96 in the new Dell.
I'm still baffled as to how 250+ units showed up on eBay, and nobody's buying them...
I have a feeling the lack of purchases is from the fact that there are no pictures and there was no mention of at101 or whatever in the auction
Well, also, there's the fact that some people just don't like black Alps...
And yes, it is an ugly keyboard.
He didn't like the model m though, he felt it took too much effort to press the keys.
I am curious as to what a new black alps switch feels like.
I think they're kinda purty, myself, especially the black ones. I do have a visceral reaction to that Dell logo, however. It's like using a keyboard with AOL stamped on it.
While its still ugly, I think it would look better in black.
What kind of paint do you use?
Check this out (http://www.yoshi.us/forums/showthread.php?t=6934)
quote: "RITT Dye(used to dye clothes and sold at drug stores, Walgreens, Osco, CVS) on the nylon parts."
thats brilliant! You can have all kinds of colored keys with that, and it wouldnt cover up the lettering.
That gives me a ton of ideas... :) I think I'll paint the dell black and put in denim-blue keys!
(or for that matter I could just remove and dye the whole frame with RITT - even easier than painting, and might get some cool "tinted" effects (since I think RITT would only "tint" the plastic).
Are you going to document your process?
Down side, dye doesnt penetrate the plastic very much so any scratches will show up a bright white.
This (http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-429633.html) puts me off trying Rit dye:
I tried some satin vinyl dye on an old keyboard...
If it wasn't for the price, and that they are black alps, I would have passed. And yes, it is an ugly keyboard.
Well, I'm not really happy with the finish, it still looks sprayed. It could be the brand I used (VHT). I think I'd rather keep it unpainted.
I used to have a beige AT102R. They look better in black, but they still look like big old keyboards to me. Since developing RSI my priorities have changed, the switches are more important to me than looks. I could be typing on a Luxeed...
I agree with you on the importance of the switches, but the form factor is a big influence for me also. Right now, I think the HHKB and Filco mini form factor and quality construction are at the top of my list. An honourable mention goes to the IBM model M spacesaver...
Hey Lexicon, are these identical to the Silicon Graphics AT-101 you have?
Well honestly, I don't think these things are as gendered as some make out. I get frustrated when I'm reminded of what a girl is "supposed" to like.
No. The form factor is identical, but the SGI is somewhat heavier and feels more solid. The switches also have some sort of damper on them so they don't click as much. The keys also don't wobble like the keys on the Dells and have a little friction the Dells don't have. The cable is longer and thicker. It just feels a bit more expensive.
Well this is weird. I just pried off a keycap on the SGI and they seem to be Alps switches with a white stem and a black surrounding mount. The Dells have a black stem. Are the SGI switches whilte Alps with some kind of damper?
I though tit was good idea
more about the Alps blacks. I still like them, but only after using them for a while. They feel kind of like really heavy Topres, so they might loosen up and be pretty nice, but for now I don't know.
Oops. I'm not gonna fix tit either.
more about the Alps blacks. I still like them, but only after using them for a while. They feel kind of like really heavy Topres, so they might loosen up and be pretty nice, but for now I don't know.
All you need are the rubber dampers, and then you have an SGI keyboard.
Is it possible to remove the dampers in an SGI board? It would be cool to convert it to straight white Alps. Alps switches seem pretty easy to get into from the top -- where is the bumper?
The It would have been nice if they would have used the same slider design across all the switches. Then, production costs could have been cheaper and they would just add the dampers as necessary. .
exactly, I'm surprised they didnt do that.
I guess thing to do is acquire a set of those sliders from an AEKII and keep them for life (xferring them into any new alps boards you get, as you go).
I took my Dell apart today, since I go the the new keys for the Topre, and it looks like I could hack off the number pad. I'm gonna see what I can do about getting the proper tools and I'll keep you cats posted as to whether I am going to attempt the mod.sounds cool.
Are the keys always this difficult to pop off? Granted I was using yo-yo string wrapped around either side of the switch under the key but dang.
I took my Dell apart today, since I go the the new keys for the Topre, and it looks like I could hack off the number pad. I'm gonna see what I can do about getting the proper tools and I'll keep you cats posted as to whether I am going to attempt the mod.Better saw the pcb somewhere outside, the dust is toxic. And if you use for ex. a Dremel there will be lots of dust.
Better saw the pcb somewhere outside, the dust is toxic. And if you use for ex. a Dremel there will be a lot of dust.
Thanks for the tip. My biggest concern with the project is the two metal plates the PCB is sandwiched between. The rest should be cake.
lowpoly, there are two in mine — one on the top and one of the bottom.Oh, haven't seen that before (and I took a few apart). Does that mean you can't access the circuit side of the pcb? Because it's possibile that you cut vital paths when cutting off the numpad.
My AT101W has a metal plate on top, and a metallized cardboard one on the bottom. Could it be that xsphat is mistaking the metallized cardboard sheet for an actual metal plate?
Got my Dell today, I take back the negative comments. Granted, its full size, but its new. Its even got that new keyboard smell : ) And the key feel is very nice.
wow, these have been a big hit huh? Mine is due in on the 22nd.
So I wonder how long an alps board lasts before turning into the gritty rattly monsters we've all experienced. "8 to 10 million keystrokes" is supposed to be the switch lifespan -- but how much is that in years? (assuming its one's main board).
Pook, it's just like everything else in life — you get back what you put out. My 20+ year old Northgate was smooth, as have been all the new Alps and the vast majority of my used Alps keyboards. Just take care of it the way you were going to anyway and you'll be fine.
Thanks for the context. I feel better now. : )
And, sh*t, it's $10. If the 'board sucks after a year or two of use, I still think that's a better deal than any other $10 'board on the market. That's why I got 3. ;)
Exactly. The ones Wellington and I got initially were stored in a fairly dirty and dusty location. I spent about 10-15 min. taking them apart and bloeing them out with an air duster. There was all types of dust bunnies and dirt flying out of there. I think that was why the switches felt gritty.
When I do my mod on the Northgate...
Not sure if you've already talked about it in another thread, but what mod(s) are you planning on your Northgate? (I'm assuming you're talking about the Evolution). As an Evolution owner with modding plans myself, I'm just curious what others are up to.
Now for the alternative solution ;) You know how those Model M's have those speaker grills (http://ps-2.kev009.com:8081/ohlandl/keyboard/Keyboard.html#Speaker_Grill) with nothing behind them? I'm thinking about using it, in combination with the Sennheiser PX-300 (http://reviews.cnet.com/headphones/sennheiser-pxc-300/4505-7877_7-31296835.html) noise-canceling headphones which I have. I'd need a small amplifier, and ideally it would not catch sound (reaction time..NC is better with continuous sounds) but be triggered by the keys, with, I guess, some pre-recorded sound. But that would be very difficult..
he's going to silence it completely by addressing each of the sources of noise on it: click, bottoming clack, topping clack, resonance. :)
(using, respectively: black alps leaf, rubber dampers from AEKii, rubber dampers from AEKii, and sound absorbing anti-resonance pads.)
Is that about right itln?
he's going to silence it completely by addressing each of the sources of noise on it: click, bottoming clack, topping clack, resonance. :)
(using, respectively: black alps leaf, rubber dampers from AEKii, rubber dampers from AEKii, and sound absorbing anti-resonance pads.)
Now for the alternative solution ;) You know how those Model M's have those speaker grills (http://ps-2.kev009.com:8081/ohlandl/keyboard/Keyboard.html#Speaker_Grill) with nothing behind them? I'm thinking about using it, in combination with the Sennheiser PX-300 (http://reviews.cnet.com/headphones/sennheiser-pxc-300/4505-7877_7-31296835.html) noise-canceling headphones which I have. I'd need a small amplifier, and ideally it would not catch sound (reaction time..NC is better with continuous sounds) but be triggered by the keys, with, I guess, some pre-recorded sound. But that would be very difficult..
The click is unnecessary in the Alps switches and just adds sound without adding much feel. In a Model M, the click IS the actuation of the switch in that when the spring buckles and, thus, clicks, the hammer presses on the membrane. On the Alps, the click is just the leaf slamming against the casing of the switch; the switch is activated by another mechanism. I found a "parts only" AEKII on ebay for about $3.
Well then what accounts for the difference in feel between whites and blacks?
The minimal (IMO) difference in feel in balcks and whites has to do with the leaf snapping back on the casing of the switch. See here:
http://park16.wakwak.com/~ex4/kb/tech_alps_bigfoot3.htm
Alps.
In that case I'd bet my gray strongmans are lighter and softer than the blacks in the dell... I guess I'll find out for sure on the 22nd when my dell is to arrive...
You'll be getting a present for my birthday.
black strongman:
black strongman:Show Image(http://www.vitsdirect.co.uk/images/black_muscle.jpg)
:D lols
pretty sure he cant touch type
:D lols
pretty sure he cant touch type
I just noticed that the key caps on my SGI USB keyboards and these Dell alps ones use the same connector and are interchangeable aside from the fact that the dells are shaped and giant sized.
Are the SGI USB keyboards rubber dome, or, if not, what switches do they have?
Just been given a 102w. Black alps are linier right?
Are they particularly stiff?
Yes. Alps keys are known for that.
Ahh. These are very similar to what I found in the Apple 'board I bought for my mod. In the pic (which wasn't very close), they looked like Alps switches, but I was very disappointed. :(
And I thought it was just me. Do they unstiffen over time?