Apple 2 Extended keyboard $1 at WeirdstuffWarehouse

[DamienG]

Appears to be in pretty good condition, white alps it looks like - it's in their $1 bin at the back.  Obviously would need an ADB converter.

[)amien

[nubbinator]

I'd get it just for the Alps, but I'm nowhere near there.

[fohat.digs]

Appears to be in pretty good condition

You should buy it. It would sell for $15-20 + shipping on ebay, maybe more if not yellowed.

[remdell]

Never tried Alps before.  I would totally get it, but I can't drive all the way to Sunnyvale for it...

[Findecanor]

An ADB converter can be made from a Teensy, and hidden inside the keyboard if you are crafty perhaps even replacing the ADB-connector's daughter board.
There are people who love the keyboard and use it with modern Macs.

[fohat.digs]

Never tried Alps before.

There are 2 Alps keyboards that are readily available and cheap on the second-hand market: the Dell AT101 (black) and the AEK2 (dampened cream).

Alps snobs will say that these 2 are poor examples, but they have their champions.

Personally, I like blacks pretty well and I think that dampened creams are OK, but not preferable to blacks.

But, in general, the creams enjoy a much better reputation than the blacks. Like everything else, to each his own.

[terrpn]

absolutely..........

love my dell (old logo) black alps-- it never leaves my desk

gotta get a dampened cream though at some point

[DamienG]

I'm already doing a massive clear-out of retro computer gear so really don't want to add to it - I was just in there to grab a PSU for my Atari 1010 tape deck... (yeah, I know)

The caps lock that stays down when pressed was pretty cool though.

[)amien

[vivalarevolución]

Never tried Alps before.

There are 2 Alps keyboards that are readily available and cheap on the second-hand market: the Dell AT101 (black) and the AEK2 (dampened cream).

Alps snobs will say that these 2 are poor examples, but they have their champions.

Personally, I like blacks pretty well and I think that dampened creams are OK, but not preferable to blacks.

But, in general, the creams enjoy a much better reputation than the blacks. Like everything else, to each his own.

Alps snob here.  Blue Alps and Orange Alps all the way.

[DamienG]

Alps snob here.  Blue Alps and Orange Alps all the way.

And which keyboards would those be on - so I can keep an eye out?

[)amien

[Game Theory]

Though not extended Orange http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8/apple-desktop-bus-keyboards-or-apple-iigs-t6375.html

[vivalarevolución]

Alps snob here.  Blue Alps and Orange Alps all the way.

And which keyboards would those be on - so I can keep an eye out?

[)amien

Apple Extended Keyboard I has Orange Alps and Salmon Alps, which are non-clicky and light for Alps switches.  The AEK I also is a really solid.  Some other vintage Alps boards have Orange Alps too.

As for Blue Alps, not really sure but they are quite rare.  I think some Chicony had them.

Not to knock all the other Alps and fohat.digs.  It all comes down to personal preference.  Orange Alps are not for people that prefer heavier switches.

[vivalarevolución]

Though not extended Orange http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8/apple-desktop-bus-keyboards-or-apple-iigs-t6375.html

Thanks for linking my little research project!  It takes KeyRemap4Macbook to get full functionality from that board and even then I cannot get anything to imitate the function keys.

[fohat.digs]

To set the record straight, I much prefer the orange Alps of the AEK, and have been searching for the blue Alps myself. I won an ebay auction a few weeks ago but I am afraid that I am getting screwed because the seller has gone dark. White Alps are nice, but just too heavy for my taste.

[terrpn]

Though not extended Orange http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8/apple-desktop-bus-keyboards-or-apple-iigs-t6375.html

Thanks for linking my little research project!  It takes KeyRemap4Macbook to get full functionality from that board and even then I cannot get anything to imitate the function keys.

good write up and thanks.......!!

looked and could not find one with orange or pink alps.

not real familiar with these............do they connect OK to a PC?

[ebacho]

You'd need an active adb to usb adapter like the Griffin iMate, but otherwise, they work fine for the most part.

[Findecanor]

And which keyboards would those be on - so I can keep an eye out?

Orange and Salmon-pink Alps are the same except for the colour, as far as anyone knows. I tried them next to each other at the Deskthority keyboard party at the beginning of this month and I could only feel that the orange ones may have been slightly stiffer... but I could not tell for certain. The AEK with orange Alps was dirtier, so it could just have been that it had more dust in its switches.

They can be found in:
- some Apple Desktop Bus Keyboard (model number 658-4081, made in Taiwan)
- Apple Standard Keyboard (M0118, M0116)
- Apple Extended Keyboard
- some rarer variants of Apple Extended Keyboard II (Either model number. All were made in USA. You would have to see the slider to be certain)
.. and in some vintage keyboards for PC that are even less common.

[terrpn]

 

And which keyboards would those be on - so I can keep an eye out?

Orange and Salmon-pink Alps are the same except for the colour, as far as anyone knows. I tried them next to each other at the Deskthority keyboard party at the beginning of this month and I could only feel that the orange ones may have been slightly stiffer... but I could not tell for certain. The AEK with orange Alps was dirtier, so it could just have been that it had more dust in its switches.

They can be found in:
- some Apple Desktop Bus Keyboard (model number 658-4081, made in Taiwan)
- Apple Standard Keyboard (M0118, M0116)
- Apple Extended Keyboard
- some rarer variants of Apple Extended Keyboard II (Either model number. All were made in USA. You would have to see the slider to be certain)
.. and in some vintage keyboards for PC that are even less common.

thanks............and something like a griffin imate

[terrpn]

but other than seeing the info that "prdlm" put up on DT and identifying those part/model numbers (658-401 and a9m0330), made in japan or taiwan.........

its kind of crap shoot as to whether or not you get salmon/pink or cream alps on even the model numbers you identified (m0118, m0116, apple extended, etc)?

[fohat.digs]

but other than seeing the info that "prdlm" put up on DT and identifying those part/model numbers (658-401 and a9m0330), made in japan or taiwan.........

its kind of crap shoot as to whether or not you get salmon/pink or cream alps on even the model numbers you identified (m0118, m0116, apple extended, etc)?

I would take the description to mean the Apple Extended Keyboard II which is probably model number 3501 with dampened creams.

[terrpn]

hey guys...............thanks for all the good intel!

found a m0116 or mo116 (which ever) at a fair price- won't know if they are orange or salmon until i get it, but far cheaper than going for a dell with salmon alps

looks like a pretty solid (heavy?) board

[nubbinator]

hey guys...............thanks for all the good intel!

found a m0116 or mo116 (which ever) at a fair price- won't know if they are orange or salmon until i get it, but far cheaper than going for a dell with salmon alps

looks like a pretty solid (heavy?) board

Just an FYI, it won't work unless you have an adapter for it.

[terrpn]

a little yellow on the case which i can fix, but the caps look pretty good other than the num pad with stickers that will have to go

this thread probably should go under keyboards at this point, but what the heck

[terrpn]

hey guys...............thanks for all the good intel!

found a m0116 or mo116 (which ever) at a fair price- won't know if they are orange or salmon until i get it, but far cheaper than going for a dell with salmon alps

looks like a pretty solid (heavy?) board

Just an FYI, it won't work unless you have an adapter for it.

right...............understood- not a problem