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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: aegrotatio on Sat, 01 May 2010, 23:30:34

Title: Key Tronic Propellor Keyboard
Post by: aegrotatio on Sat, 01 May 2010, 23:30:34

I'm obsessed with older Key Tronic keyboards.  There was this one model, the Propellor, which may or may not have been available with or without the L-shaped Enter key.  Can anyone enlighten me on the best Key Tronic keyboards that I can buy today?  I really liked them, even if they aren't clickly and are rubber-dome technology.  They were just really, really good keyboards for touch-typists who sometimes don't want tactile or tactile click.

Thanks!!

Title: Key Tronic Propellor Keyboard
Post by: wellington1869 on Sat, 01 May 2010, 23:35:11

search the forum for 'keytronic', there were some recent discussions (which may or may not be helpful). but it seems you're not the only keytronic fan on the site :)

Title: Key Tronic Propellor Keyboard
Post by: aegrotatio on Sat, 01 May 2010, 23:40:18

Thanks.  For a rubber dome keyboard, the Key Tronics are really good.  I probably type the fastest on them.  There was a time when OEM keyboards from major computer manufacturers always included a Key Tronic (usually OEM without the Key Tronic brand on them).  These keyboards were some of my favorites for touch-typing.  Now most of them are knock-off NMB or similar which I'm not such a fan of.

I'm not surprised that the original Das Keyboard's specifications sounded remarkably similar to several Key Tronic models, too.

Title: Key Tronic Propellor Keyboard
Post by: kishy on Sun, 02 May 2010, 00:31:28

KeyTronic, at least with older ones, didn't really assign "names" to products...you'd be looking at some obscene model number. Not sure about this one you've specified though.

Title: Key Tronic Propellor Keyboard
Post by: ricercar on Sun, 02 May 2010, 16:38:46

The Keytronic with the trackball is still being sold. I keep buying the floor models from my computer store for $5 when the trackball gets stolen or lost (and replace it with a marble).

Title: Key Tronic Propellor Keyboard
Post by: bhtooefr on Mon, 03 May 2010, 06:43:54

Quote from: aegrotatio;177996

I'm not surprised that the original Das Keyboard's specifications sounded remarkably similar to several Key Tronic models, too.

The original Das is a rebadged KeyTronic E03600QLPS2B-C.

And, that's why there was so much confusion between the Das and the Model M - thing looks like a Model M ripoff.

Title: Key Tronic Propellor Keyboard
Post by: kishy on Mon, 03 May 2010, 10:30:32

Link Related (http://geekhack.org/showpost.php?p=151161&postcount=2596)

Title: Key Tronic Propellor Keyboard
Post by: aegrotatio on Mon, 03 May 2010, 22:06:33

Quote from: kishy;178481

Link Related (http://geekhack.org/showpost.php?p=151161&postcount=2596)

Thanks for the link.

When Key Tronic went to L-shaped Enter keys I stopped caring about them.
I don't know about you, but I enjoy the snap-back sound of a Key Tronic keyboard.  You know, when you hold down Shift, Ctrl, Alt, or whatever, and let it snap back up?  It's a devastatingly satisfying sound.

Title: Key Tronic Propellor Keyboard
Post by: kishy on Mon, 03 May 2010, 22:29:49

Quote from: aegrotatio;178690

Thanks for the link.

When Key Tronic went to L-shaped Enter keys I stopped caring about them.
I don't know about you, but I enjoy the snap-back sound of a Key Tronic keyboard.  You know, when you hold down Shift, Ctrl, Alt, or whatever, and let it snap back up?  It's a devastatingly satisfying sound.

That's one of the only things I do like about KeyTronics...they maintain a very noticeable snap. Nothing beats a Model M, however.

Title: Key Tronic Propellor Keyboard
Post by: ch_123 on Tue, 04 May 2010, 02:30:24

Model F? Beam Spring? Selectric typewriter?

Title: Key Tronic Propellor Keyboard
Post by: kishy on Tue, 04 May 2010, 02:47:33

Quote from: ch_123;178713

Model F? Beam Spring? Selectric typewriter?

May I rephrase:

Nothing that I've used and/or which is applicable in a modern, x86-derived computer context without extensive modification beats Model Ms.

Title: Key Tronic Propellor Keyboard
Post by: wellington1869 on Tue, 04 May 2010, 10:59:17

Quote from: kishy;178717

May I rephrase:

Nothing that I've used and/or which is applicable in a modern, x86-derived computer context without extensive modification beats Model Ms.

lol, i also take a lot of context for granted when i post.