I called a electronics recycling place

[WhiteRice]

Guy said they had thousands of keyboards. I have no idea what I'm in for. What should I keep an eye out for?

Model Ms
Model Fs
Space Savers

What else?

EDIT:

Omnikeys
Anything with colored alps

[wellington1869]

just bonk him on the head with the first M board you get your hands on, then take your time filling up your truck.

[lmnop]

Northgate Omnikey, Omnikey Ultra.

[erricrice]

Nice man!  Be sure to take pics and let us know what you get!

I agree with all the ones above.  If you find any Dells, they'll probably be destroyed or worn out, but hey, worth the $5 to ship them maybe.

[keyboardlover]

Guy said they had thousands of keyboards. I have no idea what I'm in for. What should I keep an eye out for?

Model Ms
Model Fs
Space Savers

What else?

I guess Chicony? And if you can take keycaps off, anything with blue, pink or green alps?

[KillerBee]

neeeeeeeeeeeddddddd moooooooooorrrrrreeeeee M's

[teh_cactus]

They give away recycling materials? :O

Get me the phone!

[Hak Foo]

Focus 2000/2001/3000/5000/9000 series boards.

[Konrad]

I've just signed on as a volunteer at my local recycler (ERA in Vancouver) ... easy way to trade a few hours of tech and electronics work for dibs on the odd free piece of old hardware (they're willing to reward volunteers with a used computer, but I don't want that ****, just things like old keyboards and part upgrades as I see 'em).
 
A good option if you've got the time. And I suppose working for charities and good causes gives you a nice warm fuzzy feeling if you give a **** about that stuff. Most of the people there use it for resume experience, though personally I'm loathe to reveal my secret PC technical skills to potential employers because damned straight you can guess who becomes the de-facto IT ***** and technical department (without any pay increase) when they find out.

[washuai]

Hmmm, well most people where I work are some level of techie, so I don't have to worry about becoming anyones IT *****.  On the bad side, anyone who is ever actually really good at IT helpdesk gets promoted out of there.  Any time I have to deal with that part of IT, I'd usually rather do it myself, but instead have to feign patience, because I don't really have time to do it.  In other words, it is deemed more important that I do my job.

[Konrad]

lol, same for me.  I'll handle my own hardware problems but let IT deal with stupid software issues (mostly caused by their own gpedit.msc tinkering).  They constantly overwrite their own images again and again onto all the machines anyhow, just because it's something they know how to do I suspect, so it's not worth wasting time on fixing glitches unless they impede my work.  Same problem; the competent guys in IT inevitably promote themselves away from their bumbling overenthused and underskilled comrades as quick as they can.

[teh_cactus]

I've just signed on as a volunteer at my local recycler (ERA in Vancouver) ... easy way to trade a few hours of tech and electronics work for dibs on the odd free piece of old hardware (they're willing to reward volunteers with a used computer, but I don't want that ****, just things like old keyboards and part upgrades as I see 'em).

So what kind of work do they have you doing? Sorting? Disassembling?

[Konrad]

So what kind of work do they have you doing? Sorting? Disassembling?

General tech I suppose. I haven't actually done anything there yet.
 
From their literature it seems that most of their computers are obsolete to some degree (donated), essentially fully functional but often missing HDDs. I expect that I'd be mixing and matching parts to build complete working systems with basic Windows installs. The goal appears to be to get the most and best working machines possible using whatever parts happen to be available, maybe they have some budget for purchasing new parts when necessary, maybe they just salvage and horde until they've got enough. I don't know what sort of volume they do (though they are big) or how many other techs might be working, so I really can't say whether output will be measured as a few machines per day or a dozen machines per hour.
 
I happen to do professional (IPC grade) soldering rework and can do component level troubleshooting/repair, so perhaps I'll be tasked towards attempting to salvage dead parts. Maybe not just computers but all sorts of electronic appliances.
 
It's volunteer work anyhow - if they keep trying to put me on **** sorting detail or somesuch then I'll just quit.

[WhiteRice]

Sorry guys. the place had a ton of keyboards but they were all rubber dome.

They gave me the name of another place though. I'll give them a call.

[wellington1869]

Sorry guys. the place had a ton of keyboards but they were all rubber dome.

in that case you should have bonked him on the head with an M for being such a tease

[instantkamera]

I did that for a while with my kid for his community service hours  ...  he only enjoyed smashing hard drives with a metal mallet.

Did he get the community service hours for smashing things with a metal mallet?

[Konrad]

The less sophisticated PC Repair Toolkit: hammer, crowbar, hatchet, shovel.
 
[Edit]
 
Oh, and duct-tape.  And maybe some Jack Daniels (for medicinal purposes).

[WhiteRice]

It was kind of nuts. Had pallets upon pallets of ps/2 and usb dell keyboards.

Lot's of monitors, LCD and CRT. Networking stuff. If anyone was ever looking for cheap stuff for a home network or office would definitely check out one of these places first.

[chimera15]

Where do you live?

[microsoft windows]

The less sophisticated PC Repair Toolkit: hammer, crowbar, hatchet, shovel.
 
[Edit]
 
Oh, and duct-tape.  And maybe some Jack Daniels (for medicinal purposes).

I fixed my Gateway2000 with my trusty old chain saw.

[lmnop]

if you see any of these start loading your truck they are worth more than any keyboard.

[microsoft windows]

Is that there a widescreen CRT?

[lmnop]

yes.

Sony GDM-FW900 24" CRT (Trinitron Tube). designed for Graphic Artist and CAD. I think they stopped making them in 2004. original MSRP was $2000-3000 they sell for $300-1500 used depending on condition.

they have been re-branded under HP, SGI and Sun they all look similar except the SGI is black. pay attention to the control panel and USB Hub.

if you can't shell out $1000+ for a LCD this is the next best thing.

[ClackHead]

But are they really better than a same price good quality LCD?

I had this discussion once with an artist I used to work with and he said his new LCD is close enough and took so much less space so he didn't mind.

[microsoft windows]

The tube gets better image quality, but's got a bigger foot print than the LCD.

[lmnop]

   *  24" CRT FD Trinitron wide-screen professional monitor with 16:10 aspect ratio (displays two full-size A4 pages side by side)
    * Exceptionally fine AG pitch of 0.23 - 0.27 mm
    * BLC automatically corrects adverse influences of the Earthґs magnetic fields to provide excellent colour purity
    * Dual signal inputs and input selection switch for easy switching between multiple PCs
    * Stunning design and colour for professional users with roll-up control panel
    * Intuitive OSD control for easy picture set-up and adjustment
    * USB hub (1up/4 down) for easy connectivity to USB-compatible peripherals
    * Optimal ergonomic resolution of 1920 x 1200 at 98 Hz
    * TCOґ99 compliance
    * Max Resolution at 2304 x 1440

CRT TYPE
Super Fine Pitch™ FD Trinitron tube, 24" (61 cm); DQL (Dynamic Quadrupole Lens)
and MALS (Multi-Astigmatism Lens System) with EFEAL (Extended Field Elliptical
Aperture Lens) and L-SAGIC™ (Low Voltage Small Aperture G1 with Impregnated
Cathode) dynamic focus systems; BLC (Beam Landing Correction); Hi-Con and
AR screen coatings (high contrast, anti-reflection/antistatic)

VISUAL AREA (H x V)
482 x 308 mm (diagonal: 572 mm)

APERTURE GRILLE PITCH
0.23 - 0.27 mm

HORIZONTAL FREQUENCY
30 to 121 kHz

VERTICAL FREQUENCY
48 to 160 Hz

MAXIMUM REFRESH RATES
1280 x 1024/115 Hz, 1920 x 1080/108 Hz
1600 x 1200/97 Hz, 1920 x 1200/98 Hz

USER PRESET SIGNAL TIMING
10 additional settings

COLOUR CONTROLS (OSD)
Fixed (3x): 9300 K/6500 K/5000 K; User: RGB Gain and Bias Control,
variable 5000 K - 11000 K; sRGB

COMPUTER INTERFACE
DDC 1, 2 B, 2 Bi; USB Hub (1up/4 down)

POWER CONSUMPTION
Normal Operation: 170 Watts (max) (w/o USB); Active Off Mode: 3 Watts (max);
Power Off Mode: 0 Watts

USER CONTROLS (ON-SCREEN DISPLAY)
Brightness, contrast, video input selection, H & V size and centring, zoom, geometry,
rotation, pincushion, pin balance, keystone, key balance, H & V convergence, top and
bottom vertical convergence, corner landing adjustment, moirй cancellation, manual
degauss, image restoration, Auto Sizing and Centring, OSD positioning, control lock,
colour control, languages (9), reset

VIDEO INPUT
D-sub 15/5 BNC

DIMENSIONS (W x H x D)
571.5 x 500 x 522.5 mm

it has a problem with convergence and geometry but it has uncanny colour reproduction especially darks, no lag, scalability. a lot of gamers have one connected to they're video card or 360 because it can handle 1080p. I have even seen people with 3 GDM-FW900 in eyefinity.

[microsoft windows]

yes.

Sony GDM-FW900 24" CRT (Trinitron Tube). designed for Graphic Artist and CAD. I think they stopped making them in 2004. original MSRP was $2000-3000 they sell for $300-1500 used depending on condition.

they have been re-branded under HP, SGI and Sun they all look similar except the SGI is black. pay attention to the control panel and USB Hub.

if you can't shell out $1000+ for a LCD this is the next best thing.

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

You know what refresh rates those can handle? I've got a very nice 21" CRT, an IBM one, that runs 1600x1200 at 100Hz.

[lmnop]

check my last post.

[aegrotatio]

They're blurry and distorted at the corners.
You will not want these.

[lmnop]

[Megaweapon]

I like the FW900 because it can display all kinds of resolutions and refresh rates properly.  Flat panel displays are highly limited in this area.

[Konrad]

So the ERA plant just got a ton of obsolete computer crap which was apparently used by Service Canada, lol they're so old they have pre-1995 "UI Canada" stickers on them. All junk, Pentium-III or older. There's even a 486DX2/66MHz with an SLC2 mobo, 32MB (4x8MB SIMMs), and twin Trident SVGA 16-bit VLB cards - lol, this is teh l33t pwnage boXorz!
 
What caught my eye was a bunch of (that is, maybe 10-12) ancient keyboards. Apparently made by Unicomp, 102-key (no Win/GUI keys), disgustingly yellowed grayish beige (maybe white once?), very much used (some keys are worn shiny), removable spring-coiled cables (with RJ-11? and PS/2 connectors), buckling springs (in the two I checked, anyhow), those little IBM trackpoint thingies between the GHB keys, and a couple mouse buttons under the spacebar. They're nasty dirty and may have been maintained/repaired by idiot government IT guys for many years. Most are missing their plastic standoffs.
 
Are these worth salvaging? (If I don't claim them they'll probably be trashed.)

[Konrad]

Yes! They look exactly like these. (Well, like the white one in the front, except the body and keys have this nasty yellow aged colour. And they're a lot dirtier and just look more used up and worn out. Some of the springs have a bit of a flat and mushy feel that doesn't bounce back very lively.  And the IBM logos have been removed.)

[Tap]

I'd be on those like white on rice!   Even if just for the keycaps.  I've picked up two model Ms from my local e-waste place for $5 each (they tried to hit me up for more the second time after I told them what they had) and I need a bunch of keys.

If you can get the boards/keycaps for under $5...PM me.  I'll make a list of what I still need to finish up my two boards.  I'd REALLY appreciate it.

[TexasFlood]

I'd be on those like white on rice!   Even if just for the keycaps.  I've picked up two model Ms from my local e-waste place for $5 each (they tried to hit me up for more the second time after I told them what they had) and I need a bunch of keys.

If you can get the boards/keycaps for under $5...PM me.  I'll make a list of what I still need to finish up my two boards.  I'd REALLY appreciate it.

I'd be looking for a replacement button set.  I recently got an M13 with a left button that doesn't work, :sad:.

[RickyJ]

Konrad, are you in the Vancouver area?  I'm on Vancouver Island, and the recycling place in Nanaimo told me they can't give away or sell any computer gear that's been dropped off for recycling. :mmph:

[Konrad]

Click on my linky above for the website. The plant where I volunteer actually offers a recycled computer to each volunteer, though I didn't go for it. lol, no worries, it's above board, I'm not planning on swiping parts ... at worst I'd have to purchase the keyboards or purchase working replacements.
 
Most of the anal policies are based on storage devices. Data erasing is big priority, most especially when computers come from big corporate/government agencies. Keyboards are fairly low priority, provided each computer shipped out the door has one that works.
 
And yeah, I know, pics or it didn't happen.  Just have to wait until my next volunteer shift.