geekhack

geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: jacobolus on Sun, 03 August 2014, 16:21:14

Title: possibly broken Omnikey 101, bidding starts $25 shipped
Post by: jacobolus on Sun, 03 August 2014, 16:21:14

http://www.ebay.com/itm/390901872812

The seller says they can’t test it. My guess is that it still works, but take your chances; it could always be fixed up with a Teensy. For Alps fans, this is a very solid keyboard to swap different switches and keycaps into. Someone had one at Keycon and it was quite nice to type on.

Title: Re: possibly broken Omnikey 101, bidding starts $25 shipped
Post by: fohat.digs on Sun, 03 August 2014, 16:43:41

This is the bomb. If you are serious about Alps switches, this is the chassis that you want to put your switches into.

These old Northgates are incredibly well-built, even featuring a heavy baked-enamel bottom pan.

Approximately 1-2 years ago, I bought 3 of these in the $60-100 range. Only 1 was significantly nicer than this one, the other 2 displaying varying degrees of yellowing and keycap shininess.

They do break, (and I have a broken one that I will probably sell in the $25-30 + shipping range when I find all the parts) but are sturdy old stock.

*It was my fault, I messed up a few of the pads removing the original switches (white Alps, nice when new but bad when dirty). My soldering iron was dying and I did not realize it, now I realize that it was probably too cold and when I was trying to pry up bent-over pins they were still stuck in the original solder!

Title: Re: possibly broken Omnikey 101, bidding starts $25 shipped
Post by: False_Dmitry_II on Mon, 04 August 2014, 00:29:59

I like how the 'A' is somehow more yellowed than the rest.

Title: Re: possibly broken Omnikey 101, bidding starts $25 shipped
Post by: fohat.digs on Mon, 04 August 2014, 07:28:44

Quote from: False_Dmitry_II on Mon, 04 August 2014, 00:29:59

I like how the 'A' is somehow more yellowed than the rest.

I have gotten these where some 2-20 keys were dramatically more yellowed than the rest, and it had nothing to do with wear.

Title: Re: possibly broken Omnikey 101, bidding starts $30 shipped
Post by: jacobolus on Sat, 09 August 2014, 04:17:40

It’s back:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/251612156009

Now bidding starts at $30 shipped. Seller says some keys work intermittently, which probably means some of the switches got very dirty inside and/or mistreated.

I’d recommend this as a fixer-upper board. Put new switches and keycaps in (and maybe paint or retrobright the case), and you have pretty much the best full-size ANSI Alps board to be found.

My guess is that the PCB and controller are fine. (But if they’re not, you could always put a Teensy in.)

Title: Re: possibly broken Omnikey 101, bidding starts $25 shipped
Post by: False_Dmitry_II on Mon, 08 September 2014, 02:23:55

That went low.