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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Viciousslayer on Tue, 05 July 2016, 21:57:28

Title: i'd appreciate some help, if possible.
Post by: Viciousslayer on Tue, 05 July 2016, 21:57:28

I recently found an old keyboard on my grandparent's gouse, which turned out to be a nice switch thing. but there are three main problems with it. the first one being that i have no idea if it is an actual buckling sping keyboard or not, the second being that it simply is the most unknown keyboard i've seen thus far, and that my nnumpad 1 and 4 do not work, so i'd like to know how the crap to fix 'em.

Thank you in advance
Vicious S.

Title: Re: i'd appreciate some help, if possible.
Post by: user 18 on Tue, 05 July 2016, 22:25:43

That isn't buckling spring, but it is alps, or at least something that looks similar.

Probably the first step in fixing the numpad keys is checking to see if the problem is related to the switch or the pcb/controller. It's probably the switch. If you take a look at the circuit board and identify the pins that connect to the switch, you can try using a jumper wire to complete the circuit without pressing the key. If that causes it to register, the easiest fix is to replace the switch or two that are defective. If that doesn't help, repairs will almost certainly be more complicated.

If you post a picture of the PCB, someone can probably give you more detailed instructions.

Title: Re: i'd appreciate some help, if possible.
Post by: emdude on Tue, 05 July 2016, 22:34:09

It appears to be a KPT-like (https://deskthority.net/wiki/KPT-like_switch) Alps clone (https://deskthority.net/wiki/Alps_clone), possibly TEC switches (https://deskthority.net/wiki/TEC_switch). 

Title: Re: i'd appreciate some help, if possible.
Post by: Viciousslayer on Wed, 06 July 2016, 08:28:43

Sorry for not replying earlier. the first reply i got was alreay midnight, and i seemingly had to wake up to be able to reply to anything.
Annyhow, it doesnt seem that the soldering joints are the problem in the numpad (visible in the picture). and seeing as i aint no keyboard expert, can alps be clicky AND tactile? because this keyboard definitely is.

Thank you for taking your time
Vicious S.

Title: Re: i'd appreciate some help, if possible.
Post by: chyros on Wed, 06 July 2016, 09:02:33

It's not an Alps switch, it's either a KPT switch or some other Omron clone.

All clicky switches are also tactile.

Try re-flowing the flux on the joints of the non-working keys, and test them for continuity (they're outer-paired when open, btw).

Btw don't focus too much on buckling springs, they're far from the only switches in existence ;) .

Title: Re: i'd appreciate some help, if possible.
Post by: Findecanor on Wed, 06 July 2016, 17:12:15

The label on the bottom of the case did not have any brand's or manufacturer's name, but it did have a FCC ID: HEU 292. FCC has a web page where you can search on FCC ID's, and it revealed the manufacturer as "Podworld" in Taiwan.
The keyboard is on the Deskthority Wiki as Podworld 292 (https://deskthority.net/wiki/Podworld_292), called so because of its manufacturer and model number. According to the FCC page, this was an OEM product, which means that it was resold under other brands (or not branded at all).
I would think that your keyboard could have been bundled with a PC from a small manufacturer, maybe a local store that sold their own PCs.

Previously known keyboards of this type did indeed have "KPT-like" switches (unknown unbranded switch similar to the KPT switch).
Some of these keyboards did have double-shot moulded (https://deskthority.net/wiki/Double-shot_molding) keycaps of high quality.