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geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: terrpn on Tue, 21 January 2014, 14:09:00

Title: SGI Granite with White Alps?
Post by: terrpn on Tue, 21 January 2014, 14:09:00

was not aware they came in white...........only thought they came in cream- go figure

reputable seller

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-GRAY-GRANITE-SGI-PS-2-KEYBOARD-WHITE-ALPS-SLIDERS-/261380088134?hash=item3cdb77a146

Title: Re: SGI Granite with White Alps?
Post by: JimByr on Tue, 21 January 2014, 15:41:52

The switches are the same as the damped cream... just white sliders instead of cream. I have one.

Title: Re: SGI Granite with White Alps?
Post by: terrpn on Tue, 21 January 2014, 16:41:44

so they r dampened and feel like creams?

Title: Re: SGI Granite with White Alps?
Post by: JimByr on Tue, 21 January 2014, 16:59:30

Yes. They are the same dampened switch AFAIK. The only difference is the color of the slider. They are not clicky, tactile white Alps. The SIG Granite keyboard that I have has dampened Alps irrespective of the slider color. (Disclaimer... I haven't done a disassembly side-by-side comparison of the switches with cream and white sliders. And don't have a board with the cream variant.)

My SGI board is light years different from an Omnikey with complex white Alps and a Focus with simplified white Alps. Between the three, the Omnikey wins hands down.  ^-^

Title: Re: SGI Granite with White Alps?
Post by: terrpn on Tue, 21 January 2014, 17:00:18

Quote from: terrpn on Tue, 21 January 2014, 16:41:44

so they r dampened and feel like creams?

from DT Wiki

Alps SKCM Cream Damped, or cream Alps ("ivory" according to the Alps 1994 catalogue), is a tactile clicky switch in the Alps SKCL/SKCM series.
Damped cream Alps switches have small black rubber dampers on either side of the slider. The damper does not reach to the bottom of the slider, so the stops moulded into the base of the shell protrude a little higher to accommodate.
Damped switches with white sliders also exist, and it's not clear whether or not this is the same switch. Cream sliders have also been found used without rubber dampers, giving a normal undamped tactile switch.

so then you r sure they r acting dampened?

Title: Re: SGI Granite with White Alps?
Post by: JimByr on Tue, 21 January 2014, 17:17:14

Absolutely no question that they are dampened. (See above.) I've had Alps keyboards since the 80s and just was given a OEM Acer 6011 that came from Wang. It has complex white Alps but feels more like the Focus above.

Title: Re: SGI Granite with White Alps?
Post by: AKIMbO on Tue, 21 January 2014, 18:07:50

The dampened white alps and dampened cream alps in SGI keyboards feel exactly the same.  I've had both variants in SGI keyboards.  IIRC the dampened white alps version is rarer.

Title: Re: SGI Granite with White Alps?
Post by: terrpn on Tue, 21 January 2014, 18:37:16

learn something new everyday-- thanks guys