geekhack

geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: nubbinator on Mon, 04 August 2014, 21:05:34

Title: NEC Powermate with Blue Alps $50 + shipping
Post by: nubbinator on Mon, 04 August 2014, 21:05:34
If you get the economy shipping ($20 for me), it's not a bad price.  Not awesome for what will likely be a donor for anyone on here, but not a bad price.  Cheaper than the Leading Edge keyboards of late.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-NEC-PowerMate-Portable-Computer-Keyboard-Blue-Alps-slider-Dbl-mold-keys-/261552934827?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item3ce5c50fab

I'm not jumping on it because I'm trying to keep my eBay purchases below $50 and I'm not sure I'll like Blue Alps.
Title: Re: NEC Powermate with Blue Alps $50 + shipping
Post by: CPTBadAss on Mon, 04 August 2014, 21:09:26
Hey! I was looking for this board :D. Tried it at Keycon and it was lovely. I like the layout and it's got that cute luggable case.
Title: Re: NEC Powermate with Blue Alps $50 + shipping
Post by: FrostyToast on Mon, 04 August 2014, 21:10:15
What is the interface for this thing? It says USB, but it doesn't look like from what I am seeing on the pic
Title: Re: NEC Powermate with Blue Alps $50 + shipping
Post by: exitfire401 on Mon, 04 August 2014, 21:14:18
Got it! Thanks! Been looking for a nice blue alps board! Done buying for a bit after this.
Title: Re: NEC Powermate with Blue Alps $50 + shipping
Post by: FrostyToast on Mon, 04 August 2014, 21:16:00
Got it! Thanks! Been looking for a nice blue alps board! Done buying for a bit after this.

Welp looks like I don't need to make any hard decisions now  :p
Title: Re: NEC Powermate with Blue Alps $50 + shipping
Post by: exitfire401 on Mon, 04 August 2014, 21:18:08
Got it! Thanks! Been looking for a nice blue alps board! Done buying for a bit after this.

Welp looks like I don't need to make any hard decisions now  :p

It was a hard decision for me...for about 10 seconds...the shipping charge was the worst part for me, but I'll deal with it for those sweet, sweet switches.
Title: Re: NEC Powermate with Blue Alps $50 + shipping
Post by: nubbinator on Mon, 04 August 2014, 21:21:11
I would have grabbed it, but $70 for switches, maybe $55 if I could sell the caps, just was too much for me.  I'm trying to keep my Alps purchases at $50 or lower and have generally been successful.
Title: Re: NEC Powermate with Blue Alps $50 + shipping
Post by: exitfire401 on Mon, 04 August 2014, 21:24:11
I would have grabbed it, but $70 for switches, maybe $55 if I could sell the caps, just was too much for me.  I'm trying to keep my Alps purchases at $50 or lower and have generally been successful.

Yeah, I'll be keeping it as is for a while, then planting the switches in a v60 MTS since I can't afford the Kingsavers.
Title: Re: NEC Powermate with Blue Alps $50 + shipping
Post by: jacobolus on Mon, 04 August 2014, 21:41:23
Note, this seller offers two types of shipping (e.g. to CA it was either $40 or $17), so it’s not as bad as it first looks.

I sorta like the keycaps on these keyboards. The alphas are middle-gray letters on off-white background, and the mods are dark-gray letters on middle-gray background. The relatively low contrast gives it a kind of antique feel.
Title: Re: NEC Powermate with Blue Alps $50 + shipping
Post by: exitfire401 on Mon, 04 August 2014, 21:42:20
Note, this seller offers two types of shipping (e.g. to CA it was either $40 or $17), so it’s not as bad as it first looks.

Actually, it was $15 or $13 when it was quoted to me. I spent the extra two bucks to have it by the weekend.
Title: Re: NEC Powermate with Blue Alps $50 + shipping
Post by: CPTBadAss on Mon, 04 August 2014, 21:42:49
Damn you exitfire....damn you :P
Title: Re: NEC Powermate with Blue Alps $50 + shipping
Post by: exitfire401 on Mon, 04 August 2014, 21:43:18
Damn you exitfire....damn you :P

<3
Title: Re: NEC Powermate with Blue Alps $50 + shipping
Post by: CPTBadAss on Mon, 04 August 2014, 21:48:15
Do me a favor and post some pictures when you get it? I will drool over them until I can get my own :D
Title: Re: NEC Powermate with Blue Alps $50 + shipping
Post by: exitfire401 on Mon, 04 August 2014, 21:50:47
Do me a favor and post some pictures when you get it? I will drool over them until I can get my own :D

Can do!
Title: Re: NEC Powermate with Blue Alps $50 + shipping
Post by: korrelate on Mon, 04 August 2014, 22:42:56
Damn you exitfire....damn you :P

^^^ this from the guy who just gave the whole "blue alps" thing a ,assive kick in the pants with that sweet kingsaver: one of the most perfect - sounding boards on this forum.

as an aside: I've got to say that blue alps weren't mearly as hard to get a hold of as I thought they would be. I was only watching ebay for a week or two before I pulled one of the dc2014s.
Title: Re: NEC Powermate with Blue Alps $50 + shipping
Post by: dorkvader on Mon, 04 August 2014, 23:22:14
Damn you exitfire....damn you :P

This is why you need to be on IRC more often. We pinged you when it was posted. :p
Title: Re: NEC Powermate with Blue Alps $50 + shipping
Post by: exitfire401 on Mon, 04 August 2014, 23:24:20
Damn you exitfire....damn you :P

This is why you need to be on IRC more often. We pinged you when it was posted. :p

Thanks for not being on IRC CPT  ;D
Title: Re: NEC Powermate with Blue Alps $50 + shipping
Post by: jacobolus on Mon, 04 August 2014, 23:44:12
CPTBadass: I pinged you on IRC a while before this topic went up. Was going to send you a PM, but I thought you’d see the IRC message. Oh well.

Exitfire: when you get it let us know how the condition of the switches is. I lucked out with one of these that has close to new condition switches, and they’re very very smooth. Are you going to keep the layout (probably need some kind of new controller/converter) or transplant the switches and/or keycaps into another keyboard?
Title: Re: NEC Powermate with Blue Alps $50 + shipping
Post by: exitfire401 on Mon, 04 August 2014, 23:50:54
CPTBadass: I pinged you on IRC a while before this topic went up. Was going to send you a PM, but I thought you’d see the IRC message. Oh well.

Exitfire: when you get it let us know how the condition of the switches is. I lucked out with one of these that has close to new condition switches, and they’re very very smooth. Are you going to keep the layout (probably need some kind of new controller/converter) or transplant the switches and/or keycaps into another keyboard?

I'm going to clean it up for sure and try to find/make a converter, but ultimately, the switches are probably going to end up in a v60 MTS. I'll definitely update when i get it.