geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: andb on Sat, 13 December 2008, 11:06:59
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I just got the best Christmas present, a couple weeks early. I posted in a local linux users asking if anyone had any mechanical keyboards sitting around that they might want to sell. One response seemed worth checking out. After visiting his garage, I ended up buying half of what he had for about 30USD. The other half were mostly for serial terminal boards (rj-45 connectors), but would have been good for parts. However, I decided enough was enough. See the photos below...
Amongst all the 'boards was an IBM M, which I gave him an extra 10USD for. Was I surprised when I got it home to find out its a 1986 1390120...
The Zeniths are amazing, there's a full rainbow of switch colors on these things. They are even heavier than the M.
It'll take me some time to clean everything up and figure out what I want to keep, but I hope soon I can offer some of the extra boards or parts to others here.
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nice, what switch does the zenith have? bs?
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nice, what switch does the zenith have? bs?
early ones have alps linears.
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that picture looks like contraband seized by the feds ;)
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Authorities said the keyboards seized had a street value of between ... OMG!
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early ones have alps linears.
Exactly. Looks like there are two types of Zeniths that I got, pictures as attachments. The zenith type 2 switches will be in the next post. The Zeniths have a really nice, solid chassis. I got two flimsy 'boards with blue alps and one with browns, I'll probably transplant these to modern layout zenith chassis later when I have time.
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A close up of the green switches on type 2
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Well, merry Christmas. :) Nice find.
I have a Zenith with green Alps. It beeps when you press a key.
On the overview pic the one in the 2nd row from top, 2nd from right with the rounded case. What is that?
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I have a Zenith with green Alps. It beeps when you press a key.
I hope to get a converter to ps/2 and try some of these out tomorrow, perhaps some of the zeniths will be beepy, though I'd probably get tired of this fast...
On the overview pic the one in the 2nd row from top, 2nd from right with the rounded case. What is that?
Its definitely an odd one, I'm not sure what it is. My girlfriend really likes it too, so it will be sure to be one of the first to be restored. Its written that its XT only, so either I'll swap out the whole controller with a normal AT and connect it to the existing switches, or maybe look into getting some XT -> AT converters made. Visually, it really is something else.
I'll be sure to take photos when I take it apart, Im not even sure what kind of switches it has yet.
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Thanks for the pics.
Don't you hate it when people write with permanent marker on your vintage keyboard. I had such a case lately and got it off with glass cleaner and a lot of rubbing. Almost.
Looking forward to the internals.
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Well, merry Christmas. :) Nice find.
I have a Zenith with green Alps. It beeps when you press a key.
You can turn off the speaker if you don't like the synthesized beep. I can attempt to rediscover the key sequence to do that if you're interested.
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Don't you hate it when people write with permanent marker on your vintage keyboard.
I hate this! I haven't found anything that can clean it off without leaving some kind of stain. Turpentine is good for oil based stuff. Isopropyl alcohol just seems to make it worse. Lighter fluid can mar the finish.
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You can turn off the speaker if you don't like the synthesized beep. I can attempt to rediscover the key sequence to do that if you're interested.
I don't think I will use this board at all so only do it if you don't have to spend much time or want to know yourself.
Thanks for offering this.
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I don't think I will use this board at all so only do it if you don't have to spend much time or want to know yourself.
Thanks for offering this.
As it happens, I correctly remembered which keys to press. Alt+Esc toggles the speaker on/off.
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That one looks like a terminal keyboard, very cool.
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As it happens, I correctly remembered which keys to press. Alt+Esc toggles the speaker on/off.
Great, thanks. :)
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that picture looks like contraband seized by the feds ;)
"Dope on the table."
For any The Wire fans out there.