geekhack

geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: wes1099 on Mon, 20 July 2015, 16:37:10

Title: Can anyone tell me if this board is mechanical and/or what kind of switches?
Post by: wes1099 on Mon, 20 July 2015, 16:37:10

I found a new in box WYSE board and I was wondering if anyone could tell me what kind of switches it may have or if it is even mechanical. It is a 101 key board that appears to have a PS2 connector. The model number is 5169. Here are some pics

(http://i.imgur.com/wzTALna.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/HexCkUg.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/tM8Y3MG.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/F9w3AGn.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/Gt5CyVw.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/RXMFK6u.jpg)

Title: Re: Can anyone tell me if this board is mechanical and/or what kind of switches?
Post by: trees on Mon, 20 July 2015, 16:45:42

Can you pull a cap? Best way to tell

Title: Re: Can anyone tell me if this board is mechanical and/or what kind of switches?
Post by: BlueNalgene on Mon, 20 July 2015, 17:13:03

The part number of the keyboard is 770180.  That is what you should use to look it up.  The -01 signifies it is US layout.  I'm not sure what the 5169 number is.  That might correspond to the batch or unit it was sold with. 

I could not find anything of note on that board.  I can't really find anything other than the ebay post that had those pictures. 

The classic wisdom for WYSE boards is that old = good.  The yellow arrow keys are a good sign that it may be MX.  The lack of a stepped Caps lock and the relative newness of the PS/2 suggests rubber dome.  There are only two known models of WYSE boards that have the PS/2 connector and Cherry switches.  That model number is not among them.

But, for $40, it might be worth the gamble.

Title: Re: Can anyone tell me if this board is mechanical and/or what kind of switches?
Post by: hwood34 on Mon, 20 July 2015, 17:43:15

Rubberdome. I can see the plastic under the keys

Title: Re: Can anyone tell me if this board is mechanical and/or what kind of switches?
Post by: Tactile on Mon, 20 July 2015, 18:05:58

An FCC id of e5xkbm111  comes back to a BTC-built keyboard.  I think it's one of these - note the extra wide ESC key...

http://deskthority.net/wiki/BTC_51X9_series

Title: Re: Can anyone tell me if this board is mechanical and/or what kind of switches?
Post by: chyros on Mon, 20 July 2015, 18:13:31

Yeah, the back of it in particularly looks exactly like the Packard Bell-branded BTC I'm typing on right now. The BTC domes over PCB are really nice (and have MX mount), but they're obviously not really mechanical.

Title: Re: Can anyone tell me if this board is mechanical and/or what kind of switches?
Post by: Altis on Mon, 20 July 2015, 19:11:17

They're rubber dome but with Cherry MX plungers, so you could probably do custom keycaps on it. Kind of interesting, anyways.

Seller sent me the photos of under the keycaps:

(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/OTAwWDE2MDA=/z/cZcAAOSw~gRVrXfT/$_12.JPG?set_id=2)

Title: Re: Can anyone tell me if this board is mechanical and/or what kind of switches?
Post by: Touch_It on Mon, 20 July 2015, 19:56:08

Good to know.  Those keycaps are pretty good looking regardless.  A little tid bit of information to add.  In most cases (probably not all)  An escape key that is larger than 1u means rubber dome.

Title: Re: Can anyone tell me if this board is mechanical and/or what kind of switches?
Post by: wes1099 on Mon, 20 July 2015, 19:57:11

Quote from: Altis on Mon, 20 July 2015, 19:11:17

They're rubber dome but with Cherry MX plungers, so you could probably do custom keycaps on it. Kind of interesting, anyways.

Seller sent me the photos of under the keycaps:

Show Image

(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/OTAwWDE2MDA=/z/cZcAAOSw~gRVrXfT/$_12.JPG?set_id=2)

Thanks for the pic. Maybe we could get that up on the WYSE page on the deskthority wiki or something.

Quote from: Touch_It on Mon, 20 July 2015, 19:56:08

Good to know.  Those keycaps are pretty good looking regardless.  A little tid bit of information to add.  In most cases (probably not all)  An escape key that is larger than 1u means rubber dome.

Thanks for the info. I didn't even notice the larger than usual esc key.

Title: Re: Can anyone tell me if this board is mechanical and/or what kind of switches?
Post by: chyros on Mon, 20 July 2015, 20:04:04

Quote from: wes1099 on Mon, 20 July 2015, 19:57:11

Quote from: Touch_It on Mon, 20 July 2015, 19:56:08

Good to know.  Those keycaps are pretty good looking regardless.  A little tid bit of information to add.  In most cases (probably not all)  An escape key that is larger than 1u means rubber dome.

Thanks for the info. I didn't even notice the larger than usual esc key.

The 1.25 unit Esc key is vaguely indicative of BTC, who were very fond of them. Other manufacturers did it as well, notably Focus, who put it on all their keyboards newer than the FK-2001/2002 - those are examples of 1.25u Esc keyboards that are mechanical.