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geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: Techno Trousers on Tue, 21 June 2016, 21:32:32

Title: UNIVAC punch card programming keyboard
Post by: Techno Trousers on Tue, 21 June 2016, 21:32:32

Looks cool and steampunk as hell. Something tells me that a soarer's adapter or xwhatsit controller isn't going to do the job on this one, though.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/142032364818

Title: Re: UNIVAC punch card programming keyboard
Post by: 1391406 on Tue, 21 June 2016, 22:28:31

It might sound something like this:

Title: Re: UNIVAC punch card programming keyboard
Post by: chyros on Wed, 22 June 2016, 03:14:51

Ah, that's the Micro Switch microswitches, right? Well, if you ever fancied something exotic.... xD

Title: Re: UNIVAC punch card programming keyboard
Post by: ander on Wed, 22 June 2016, 16:46:17

A kb with real micro-switches! I always wondered if those existed.

Speaking of wondering about stuff, I wonder why they made the buttons such an oddly un-ergonomic shape? It's authentic and all, of course, but I don't know how often I'd want to actually, you know, use it.

Title: Re: UNIVAC punch card programming keyboard
Post by: chyros on Wed, 22 June 2016, 16:53:14

I think they look titty****ing awesome! :D Quite beautitul in a way. But probably not the most practical, no xD .

Title: Re: UNIVAC punch card programming keyboard
Post by: snuci on Wed, 22 June 2016, 20:49:48

It's too bad the case isn't there also.  It's similar to mine but they do have different switches depending on the manufacture date.  Here's some pics of mine:  http://vintagecomputer.ca/univac-1701-keypunch-keyboard/

Title: Re: UNIVAC punch card programming keyboard
Post by: ander on Thu, 23 June 2016, 03:30:09

Quote from: snuci on Wed, 22 June 2016, 20:49:48

It's too bad the case isn't there also.  It's similar to mine but they do have different switches depending on the manufacture date.  Here's some pics of mine...

[attachimg=1]


[attachimg=2]


When I saw that shot of them from the top, I thought they were Hall Effect (https://deskthority.net/wiki/Micro_Switch_Hall_Effect) switches. But clearly, they're actual microswitches (also called miniature snap-action switches (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miniature_snap-action_switch)), like they use on automated assembly lines to detect passing objects:


(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Microswitch.jpg)


...but in a vertical configuration. Cool! I'm trying to imagine how that'd feel to type on... Very defined, for sure!