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geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: mp29k on Fri, 08 January 2010, 19:39:10

Title: Fujistsu FKB4726-651
Post by: mp29k on Fri, 08 January 2010, 19:39:10

NIB, pretty cheap if thee are what I think they are.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fujitsu-FKB4726-651-Full-Size-Mechanical-Click-Keyboard_W0QQitemZ350226588564QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCA_Mice_Trackballs?hash=item518b21a394#ht_781wt_1165

Title: Fujistsu FKB4726-651
Post by: watduzhkstand4 on Fri, 08 January 2010, 20:08:53

I wonder......

Title: Fujistsu FKB4726-651
Post by: spolia optima on Fri, 08 January 2010, 22:45:26

Typing on peerless boards feels like walking around in one of these (http://www.sandlotscience.com/MysterySpots/Mystery_Spots_1.htm)

Title: Fujistsu FKB4726-651
Post by: Mental Hobbit on Sat, 09 January 2010, 06:30:17

Is this one (http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270510854881&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT) a Fujitsu peerless?

You guys really made me curious, I have to feel the horror myself. ;)

Title: Fujistsu FKB4726-651
Post by: ch_123 on Sat, 09 January 2010, 07:23:14

If you want to experience horror, try a DEC LK-201.

Title: Fujistsu FKB4726-651
Post by: ch_123 on Sat, 09 January 2010, 10:52:50

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/53/Lk201.jpg)

I've described this elsewhere, but anyhoo...

It uses linear membrane switches with short travel. You get this mushy sensation, and because the travel is so short, it's hard to tell whether you've actually pressed them, or whether you haven't pressed them at all. End result, you have to pound on the keys to guarantee success.

Shame, as DEC's earlier keyboards were actually quite nice.

Title: Fujistsu FKB4726-651
Post by: ch_123 on Sat, 09 January 2010, 11:01:01

As far as I know, those predated the Model M, so the layout was ahead of it's time in many ways.

Title: Fujistsu FKB4726-651
Post by: keyb_gr on Sat, 09 January 2010, 11:14:40

Quote from: Mental Hobbit;149430

Is this one (http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270510854881&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT) a Fujitsu peerless?

Nope, that should be a regular cheap rubber dome - we found out about that a few months ago. (The design is similar to a Peerless board but not the same.) Those were also sold in black, which looks very nice, so it's kind of a pity the internals aren't any better. A good base for a mod job maybe.

ESCOM also sold Focus FK2001s with white ALPS though.

Title: Fujistsu FKB4726-651
Post by: keyb_gr on Sat, 09 January 2010, 11:27:38

Quote from: kishy;149473

I didn't think typical rubber domes could accommodate LEDs in the keys...you sure it's not a Fujitsu disaster? Same outside casing based on that not-so-good photo.

A black one like this (http://www.flickr.com/photos/elkmoose/1473884032/in/set-72157602237033656/) with a groove at the top was identified as a rubber dome (I think it was lal who'd bought and promptly disposed of one).

Title: Fujistsu FKB4726-651
Post by: Mental Hobbit on Sat, 09 January 2010, 11:37:15

That's definitely the same type. Like Kishy, I've never seen a rubber dome with LEDs in keys though. Puzzling...

Title: Fujistsu FKB4726-651
Post by: lal on Sat, 09 January 2010, 13:39:47

Quote from: keyb_gr;149476

A black one like this (http://www.flickr.com/photos/elkmoose/1473884032/in/set-72157602237033656/) with a groove at the top was identified as a rubber dome (I think it was lal who'd bought and promptly disposed of one).

Yep, correct.  Maybe they made them with other switches too, but mine was standard rubber dome.

Title: Fujistsu FKB4726-651
Post by: maxlugar on Sat, 09 January 2010, 17:25:03

Quote from: webwit;149359

Here (http://park16.wakwak.com/%7Eex4/kb/main_fujitsu_fkb4700.htm), here (http://sandy55.fc2web.com/keyboard/peerless.html). Keycap presses spring, which presses plunger.. onto a rubber dome. Essentially a rubber dome keyboard with a spring for a click. The click is nice.

The Fujitsu Peerless keyboards are really not that bad.  They are better than your average run-of-the-mill rubber dome keyboards and the click sound at least provides audible feedback for each key press.  I'm not sure why so many geekhackers hate them.

They are inferior to buckling spring switches ALPS switches, or modern Cherry MX key switches, but there are plenty of worse key switches out there.

I have a Fujitsu from the mid 1990's that still works like new.  It even has the Cap, Num Lock, and Scroll Lock LEDs built into the key caps - years before the Topre Realforce!

As a side note, I bought a Fujitsu LifeBook A1220 for my wife for Christmas.  For the money, it is an awesome consumer laptop.  Great performance and one of the last PCs engineered and manufactured in Japan.  Ironically, the only thing about the Fujitsu laptop that we don't like is the keyboard - it sucks!  The keyboard on my Dell D430 laptop blows it away.  If only the Fujitsu LifeBook had a keyboard like my PFU/Fujitsu HHKB Pro 2...

Title: Fujistsu FKB4726-651
Post by: spolia optima on Sat, 09 January 2010, 19:22:12

my video review of the Fujitsu KB4700 series: