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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: db268 on Wed, 17 June 2015, 11:17:06

Title: Help identifying this keyboard
Post by: db268 on Wed, 17 June 2015, 11:17:06
Hello guys,

Can anyone help me identify this keyboard? It looks like a Victor Keyboard and there are some IBM's that look like it. Also, is it mechanical?

(http://i.imgur.com/AKm1El8.png)


Thanks
Title: Re: Help identifying this keyboard
Post by: Blaise170 on Wed, 17 June 2015, 11:41:05
Any other pictures?
Title: Re: Help identifying this keyboard
Post by: nubbinator on Wed, 17 June 2015, 11:41:22
I seem to remember those legends on Keytronic foam over foil, but I could very well be wrong.  Cap shape is wrong for BS, could be MX, but I highly doubt it.  My bet is foam over foil.
Title: Re: Help identifying this keyboard
Post by: db268 on Wed, 17 June 2015, 11:53:30
Any other pictures?

I don't have any other pictures at the moment but I've requested more.

I seem to remember those legends on Keytronic foam over foil, but I could very well be wrong.  Cap shape is wrong for BS, could be MX, but I highly doubt it.  My bet is foam over foil.

Thanks. Is foam over foil a mechanical switch?

Title: Re: Help identifying this keyboard
Post by: Blaise170 on Wed, 17 June 2015, 11:56:08
Foam and foil is... sort of. It is a capacitive switch where the slider connects to the foil pads on the PCB. http://deskthority.net/wiki/Key_Tronic_foam_and_foil

I have the linear version of these on my Harris-Lanier and I'm giving it away for the price of shipping, if that tells you anything about foam and foil.
Title: Re: Help identifying this keyboard
Post by: chyros on Wed, 17 June 2015, 11:59:35
Thanks. Is foam over foil a mechanical switch?
There's no true definition of "mechanical switch" that everyone adheres to. Some people consider everything that's not rubber dome mechanical, others don't even consider the Model M mechanical.

In the truest sense of the word, "capacitive" would probably be a more appropriate than "mechanical", but then again, I can't really think of a switch to which the term "mechanical" would apply best.

My own advice; I'd call them mechanical, but stay away from foam-and-foil boards. The foam will almost certainly have rotten away, leading to highly unpleasant switches.
Title: Re: Help identifying this keyboard
Post by: db268 on Wed, 17 June 2015, 17:48:39
Thanks for the replies guys.

I'll leave one more photo with the back of the keyboard but I'll move away from it anyway. It's probably not what I'm looking for.

(http://i.imgur.com/Xa0Tuza.jpg)
Title: Re: Help identifying this keyboard
Post by: Blaise170 on Wed, 17 June 2015, 18:22:41
After some difficulty I've discovered that you have the keyboard that was originally included in the 1987 Acer 910 PC. It is also known as the Acer KB-084, but unfortunately I do not know what switches it uses. Most likely, it will either have Acer switches or rubber dome.
Title: Re: Help identifying this keyboard
Post by: False_Dmitry_II on Wed, 17 June 2015, 20:30:17
Acer switches are nice, if that's what it is. But I don't know how old those go. Could be a gamble.
Title: Re: Help identifying this keyboard
Post by: Magna224 on Thu, 18 June 2015, 01:53:14
I've had good luck with keyboards from Taiwan and that looks to be from a good time period. If its not too expensive or much trouble I would go for it if you're into a nice keyboard collection. Even if its a rubber dome it'd probably be a decent one.
Title: Re: Help identifying this keyboard
Post by: db268 on Thu, 18 June 2015, 03:36:10
After some difficulty I've discovered that you have the keyboard that was originally included in the 1987 Acer 910 PC. It is also known as the Acer KB-084, but unfortunately I do not know what switches it uses. Most likely, it will either have Acer switches or rubber dome.

Thanks for that. This keyboard is included in a "bundle" with a Philips NMS TC100 but I don't think the computer still works.

I've had good luck with keyboards from Taiwan and that looks to be from a good time period. If its not too expensive or much trouble I would go for it if you're into a nice keyboard collection. Even if its a rubber dome it'd probably be a decent one.

I don't think I'll be moving forward with this since the guys only wants to sell this included with the PC I mentioned above, or wants me to pay the full price just for the keyboard because he thinks he can't sell the PC without it. Too much trouble and I don't think it's worth the 35 euros he's asking.


Title: Re: Help identifying this keyboard
Post by: Blaise170 on Thu, 18 June 2015, 08:16:51
I don't think I'll be moving forward with this since the guys only wants to sell this included with the PC I mentioned above, or wants me to pay the full price just for the keyboard because he thinks he can't sell the PC without it. Too much trouble and I don't think it's worth the 35 euros he's asking.

Maybe you could at least convince him to pop a cap for you. I'll bet it's a rubber dome.
Title: Re: Help identifying this keyboard
Post by: Nover on Thu, 18 June 2015, 08:27:10
Fairly certain you'd lose that bet against nubbinator.  ;)
F&F is the most probable, if it wasn't for the caps I could also have imagined space invaders as philips had a couple if xt clones with those.
Title: Re: Help identifying this keyboard
Post by: hwood34 on Thu, 18 June 2015, 20:17:23
I don't think I'll be moving forward with this since the guys only wants to sell this included with the PC I mentioned above, or wants me to pay the full price just for the keyboard because he thinks he can't sell the PC without it. Too much trouble and I don't think it's worth the 35 euros he's asking.

Maybe you could at least convince him to pop a cap for you. I'll bet it's a rubber dome.
Frankly none of the possibilities for this board would be worth 35 euro, though I guess it could be nice just for the sake of knowledge