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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: crunch on Sun, 15 December 2013, 12:18:15

Title: AST ALPS keyboard
Post by: crunch on Sun, 15 December 2013, 12:18:15
Does anyone know what kind of ALPS switch this have.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Professional-tactile-keyboard-with-ALPS-style-keyswitch-/271342572348?pt=UK_Computing_ComputerComponents_KeyboardsMice&hash=item3f2d47133c

Also is it possible to change the keys from french layout to qwerty.

Thanks.
Title: Re: AST ALPS keyboard
Post by: Findecanor on Sun, 15 December 2013, 17:50:28
I call bull**** on the description. No way does that keyboard have NKRO.

I think it is likely a rubber dome keyboard. It could have a plastic slider above each rubber dome with Alps-compatible keycaps, though - that is not that uncommon.
Title: Re: AST ALPS keyboard
Post by: Daniel Beardsmore on Sun, 15 December 2013, 17:56:07
"There is a moulded subframe inside this AST model with rows of switches"

Interesting ... My suspicion is that it's an Acer keyboard — the keycaps look a pretty close match, too.

It's too late in time to be complicated Alps, but it could be simplified Alps with a plastic mounting plate, like StrongMan used to make. Acer is far more likely though.
Title: Re: AST ALPS keyboard
Post by: Daniel Beardsmore on Sun, 15 December 2013, 18:03:07
@Findecanor: true — depending on how you interpret it, it could be something like an APC Clicker keyboard, which more closely fits the "moulded" aspect of the description, but I don't think they have a sub-frame either ..... though that's also open to misunderstanding in the same way that it doesn't have NKRO.

Pretty sure whatever it is, it's not worth buying, let's put it that way : )

Also is it possible to change the keys from french layout to qwerty.

Only works with keyboards where all the keys are the same profile. Not the case here, so, no.
Title: Re: AST ALPS keyboard
Post by: terran5992 on Sun, 15 December 2013, 22:36:30
Webpage is unavailable -.-
Title: Re: AST ALPS keyboard
Post by: laffindude on Mon, 16 December 2013, 02:08:50
"The full 4 mm travel keyswitches over a sealed membrane represent the final evolution of this design type which may be expected to last for over 20 million keystrokes and with care up to 50 million."

In the description ;o