Is Datacomp = SMK?

[REVENGE]

Or did they just source parts from Strongman? Or does Strongman != SMK?

Now I am confused.

[PRISONER 24601]

Bump for a good question.

[laffindude]

No.

[rootwyrm]

This requires a bit of explanation.

Something to remember is that sometimes ODMs like SMK will actually license the entire switch design to permit someone else to make the exact same switch in their own facilities with their own branding. I've not heard of it happening with keyswitches, but it's possible.

Datacomp is located in Taiwan, while SMK is located in Japan. So we can generally presume they do not have a common owner. Just trust me. Oil and water. This doesn't mean that Datacomp doesn't use or license SMK parts though.

But SMK doesn't make the Strongman switch. In fact, that's actually just an alternate branding of the current Alps White. (Some of which may be sub-manufactured by SMK; Alps and SMK are both based in Japan.)

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Or did they just source parts from Strongman? Or does Strongman != SMK?

Now I am confused.

Strong Man, a Taiwanese OEM, who went out of business years ago (2007 or 2008), made keyboards with model numbers of the form SMK-*.

This caused confusion — Strong Man are not SMK. Strong Man made Filco keyboards, and when they closed down, Diatec went over to Costar. SMK in Japan have never knowingly made an Alps-style switch, either in appearance, or internals.

There is no "current Alps White". No such thing. The last switches of genuine Alps heritage stopped being made by Fuhua (AKA Forward Electronics) at the start of the year. All switches made now are clones/copies. Also, Fuhua never knowingly made a four-tab clone (i.e. one that resembles an APC or XM).

People say Strong Man made switches, but I'm yet to be convinced. It's confusing. See, so-called "Strong Man" switches come in both two-tab (Alps-style) and four-tab (XM/APC-style) shells. But then, even APC switches from Taiwan Tai-Hao have changed in time, as they used to have wide click leaves like Alps switches, and now they have narrow copper ones like XM switches. It's a mystery, and Strong Man are no longer around to ask.