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Author Topic: Siig Minitouch  (Read 7786 times)

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Offline AKIMbO

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Siig Minitouch
« on: Fri, 24 August 2012, 13:13:39 »
I just bought this minitouch.  I can't tell if it's monterey or XM.  Chances are it's monterey.  Eitherway, I decided to roll the dice (it was only $30 shipped).  Does anyone know how to tell if it's monterey or XM? 
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Offline jwaz

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 24 August 2012, 13:27:28 »
Are the sliders light blue and clicky? then chances are it is Montereys
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Offline AKIMbO

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 24 August 2012, 13:29:39 »
Quote from: JesuswasaZombie on Fri, 24 August 2012, 13:27:28
Are the sliders light blue and clicky? then chances are it is Montereys

I don't have it in hand yet...and the seller didn't post a picture of the sliders.  I've been looking for an siig minitouch for a while so I jumped on it when I saw the price. 
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Offline jwaz

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 24 August 2012, 13:32:45 »
Hmmm okay, well the other difference I know of is pad printed keys is Monterey and Lasered is the white
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Offline AKIMbO

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #4 on: Fri, 24 August 2012, 13:34:05 »
Quote from: JesuswasaZombie on Fri, 24 August 2012, 13:32:45
Hmmm okay, well the other difference I know of is pad printed keys is Monterey and Lasered is the white

I also saw over at DT that someone said montereys have blue numberpad text whereas XM have white, but another person said that doesn't always hold true.
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Offline jwaz

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #5 on: Fri, 24 August 2012, 13:39:13 »
I don't think my Monterey board has blue text, but for sure the one Hashbaz showed me does.
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Offline sth

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #6 on: Fri, 24 August 2012, 13:47:43 »
Quote from: JesuswasaZombie on Fri, 24 August 2012, 13:39:13
I don't think my Monterey board has blue text, but for sure the one Hashbaz showed me does.
it doesn't appear to
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Offline Magna224

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #7 on: Fri, 24 August 2012, 14:59:45 »
I think its a Monterey. Nice find though.
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Offline SmallFry

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #8 on: Fri, 24 August 2012, 20:59:37 »
NOM NOM NOM! ALPS. :)
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Offline AKIMbO

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #9 on: Fri, 24 August 2012, 21:00:50 »
^I know...I'm excited to really try out my first alps board.  It would be awesome if it was a monterey blue board, but I'll take a white XM too.
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Offline sth

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #10 on: Sat, 25 August 2012, 02:00:58 »
there's just something... wrong with white XM, IMO. can't quite put my finger on it.
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Offline hashbaz

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #11 on: Sat, 25 August 2012, 02:03:53 »
Yeah, whites are not a ton of fun.  Blues are amazing though.  Possibly better than MX blues.
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Offline sth

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #12 on: Sat, 25 August 2012, 02:05:31 »
i wouldn't go that far but im still on the fence about the alps that i HAVE tried. i think i like cream more than blue/monterey or white XM.
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Offline AKIMbO

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #13 on: Wed, 29 August 2012, 10:27:32 »
Turns out they are monterey blue switches!  Anyone have a guide as to how to lube these switches...they seem a little too stiff (like there is dirt, dust, etc inside the switch mechanism).

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Offline absyrd

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #14 on: Wed, 29 August 2012, 10:49:29 »
Great price. Very nice score. :D
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Quote from: specw4r on Sun, 06 March 2016, 05:30:12
My wife I a also push her button . But now she have her button push by a different men. So I buy a keyboard a mechanicale, she a reliable like a Fiat.

Offline AKIMbO

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #15 on: Wed, 29 August 2012, 10:54:27 »
Do you have any guidance on how to refurbish the switches?  Maybe lube them and blow them out with compressed air?  I'm a little lost.  A few of the switches feel gritty.
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Offline absyrd

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #16 on: Wed, 29 August 2012, 11:20:42 »
Only opened up a mess of old complicated ALPS which look much different than these. With them all I ever had to do was lightly pry the flaps back on the top and bottom while holding a finger on the switch so it didn't fly out across the room.

Sadly I've never been able to own a Minitouch yet. I'm sure someone else who is an ALPS lover will be able to tell you. Magna maybe?

From your pics and the one from DT's wiki, it seems like similar "flaps" on other ALPS at the top and bottom may be on the left and right side. This is just an educated guess, so be careful! :P


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Quote from: specw4r on Sun, 06 March 2016, 05:30:12
My wife I a also push her button . But now she have her button push by a different men. So I buy a keyboard a mechanicale, she a reliable like a Fiat.

Offline absyrd

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #17 on: Wed, 29 August 2012, 11:25:32 »
Ah... here we go... found this link just now to a japanese page:

http://www7.ocn.ne.jp/~hisao/image/monterey.htm

Yep. Looks just as easy as other ALPS to open.

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Quote from: specw4r on Sun, 06 March 2016, 05:30:12
My wife I a also push her button . But now she have her button push by a different men. So I buy a keyboard a mechanicale, she a reliable like a Fiat.

Offline AKIMbO

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #18 on: Wed, 29 August 2012, 12:34:45 »
Hmmm I getting some weird inconsistencies in actuation force required across the keys.  Aside from the enter key which requires a crap ton of force (but I've heard that is normal), some keys are damn near rock hard unless I hit them squarely in the middle of the key...is that normal? 
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Offline absyrd

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #19 on: Wed, 29 August 2012, 12:46:23 »
From DT wiki on Montereys:

Quote
It has less friction than many other switches with Z mount, such as Alps CM, especially on off-centre key presses, but it is not as smooth as e.g. Cherry MX.

Again... I never used Montereys (yet).

Which keys are "tight"? Specific cluster?

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Quote from: specw4r on Sun, 06 March 2016, 05:30:12
My wife I a also push her button . But now she have her button push by a different men. So I buy a keyboard a mechanicale, she a reliable like a Fiat.

Offline AKIMbO

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #20 on: Wed, 29 August 2012, 12:58:19 »
Quote from: absyrd on Wed, 29 August 2012, 12:46:23
From DT wiki on Montereys:

Quote
It has less friction than many other switches with Z mount, such as Alps CM, especially on off-centre key presses, but it is not as smooth as e.g. Cherry MX.

Again... I never used Montereys (yet).

Which keys are "tight"? Specific cluster?



Nope...it;s just pretty random.  This is my first experience with alp so I really have no idea what to expect. 
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Offline absyrd

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #21 on: Wed, 29 August 2012, 13:09:56 »
Between the force and accuracy required + the super-thick plate mount, I shy away from my complicated white ALPS ergo as of the last few months; my hands just hurt from it as compared to the "give" of a cherry switch. Montereys are something I've been meaning to try for a while to compare.

Maybe try opening a softer switch and one of the tighter ones and see if the click leaf is mangled? Maybe it is just certain keys that your fingers are hitting at funny or flatter angles (like reaching up to number row or down toward "?")?

Sorry I can't be of more help.
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Quote from: specw4r on Sun, 06 March 2016, 05:30:12
My wife I a also push her button . But now she have her button push by a different men. So I buy a keyboard a mechanicale, she a reliable like a Fiat.

Offline poxeclipse

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #22 on: Wed, 29 August 2012, 17:59:25 »
I have both Siig Minitouch 1903 and 1948, NIB. The switches are not real Alps. Alps were made in Japan, the XM were produced in Taiwan, then moved to China.
 The Focus 2001 has real white Alps, and they are much lighter than the white XM on Siig. I also have a Monterey International with Monterey switches, and they are identical to the Monterey switches on the Siig 1948.
From the Alps family, I like  the green Alps on Ortek MCK-101FTN, and grey Alps on Wang 724, or COSKEYBOARD. 
The white Alps on SGI, AEKII and DELL, are stiffer than the white Alps on Focus 2001. It's probably the age of the board, which makes them lighter.
Somebody on the wiki said that Alps are very inconsistent, and it's true for me. Siig Minitouch with Monterey is a value, but the 1903 with white XM is not.
The construction of these boards is not strong, in the detriment of the switches.
Also, the layout of Siig is not the most enjoyable.
« Last Edit: Wed, 29 August 2012, 18:27:11 by poxeclipse »
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Offline poxeclipse

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #23 on: Wed, 29 August 2012, 18:32:14 »
Quote from: AKIMbO on Wed, 29 August 2012, 12:34:45
Hmmm I getting some weird inconsistencies in actuation force required across the keys.  Aside from the enter key which requires a crap ton of force (but I've heard that is normal), some keys are damn near rock hard unless I hit them squarely in the middle of the key...is that normal? 
They should be soft. There is the click, then comes the activation point and then the bottom. If you press softly, you can here the click, but still there is no activation. Some keys, if pressed on the corners of the caps, will not move. The construction is not the best.
Be careful when you pull the caps, they are very tight and the stem can break.
« Last Edit: Wed, 29 August 2012, 18:43:46 by poxeclipse »
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Offline dorkvader

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #24 on: Wed, 29 August 2012, 23:54:43 »
Seller just listed another one for $35. First I sumbitted a $30 offer, but I figured "what the heck" and just bought it out.

Interestingly enough, I didn't go there from here, I was searching for siig minitouches on ebay, and only just now realized the same seller.

Hopefully mine's in good shape. I'll post more info. when it arrives.

I also know from personal experince how nasty it is to get the stem stuck in the keyswitch. I would recommend being careful when removing keycaps.
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Offline absyrd

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #25 on: Thu, 30 August 2012, 08:28:29 »
I want a $30 monterey siig. :(

I'm bad at hunting.
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Quote from: specw4r on Sun, 06 March 2016, 05:30:12
My wife I a also push her button . But now she have her button push by a different men. So I buy a keyboard a mechanicale, she a reliable like a Fiat.

Offline hashbaz

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #26 on: Thu, 30 August 2012, 21:14:40 »
Nice score!  Montereys are awesome.
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Offline AKIMbO

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #27 on: Fri, 31 August 2012, 17:47:16 »
I think there was something wrong with the switches in this one....they were really heavy and somewhat scratchy.  I tried to disassemble the switches to clean them and ended up destroying a few of the switches.

Tldr:  I destroyed this kb in less than 2 days. T_T
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Offline dorkvader

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #28 on: Tue, 04 September 2012, 17:43:11 »
It arrived, text on "numpad" is not blue. The keycap lasering looks really cheap. I hope my doubleshot NeXT keycaps will fit, but I'm not regretting using the number row on my ALPSulator.

Why does the blank key produce a shifted comma? (the lesser than sign "<")
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Offline AKIMbO

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Re: Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #29 on: Tue, 04 September 2012, 17:46:52 »
Quote from: dorkvader on Tue, 04 September 2012, 17:43:11
It arrived, text on "numpad" is not blue. The keycap lasering looks really cheap. I hope my doubleshot NeXT keycaps will fit, but I'm not regretting using the number row on my ALPSulator.

Why does the blank key produce a shifted comma? (the lesser than sign "<")

Is it white xm switches or montereys?
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Offline dorkvader

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #30 on: Tue, 04 September 2012, 17:58:46 »
Quote from: AKIMbO on Tue, 04 September 2012, 17:46:52
Quote from: dorkvader on Tue, 04 September 2012, 17:43:11
It arrived, text on "numpad" is not blue. The keycap lasering looks really cheap. I hope my doubleshot NeXT keycaps will fit, but I'm not regretting using the number row on my ALPSulator.

Why does the blank key produce a shifted comma? (the lesser than sign "<")

Is it white xm switches or montereys?
They look light blue to me.

I'm also happy it came with an AT to PS2 connector. It's a model 1903, so it has AT.

Really liking the feel of these.
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Offline jwaz

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #31 on: Tue, 04 September 2012, 18:19:28 »
If they're clicking then it is monetereys! congrats on the find, a great switch.

If it wasn't for the layout this would be one of my favorite keyboards but the enter key switch is placed abysmally and isn't horizontally stabilized.

I replaced my caps with some sweet lazery blue ones off of a rubberdome.
« Last Edit: Tue, 04 September 2012, 18:21:37 by JesuswasaZombie »
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Offline dorkvader

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #32 on: Tue, 04 September 2012, 18:56:46 »
My NeXT enter key looks like the same size, and the SIIG has a hole for the extra stabilizer.

SWEET

Looking again: Why does SIIG use costar stabilizer inserts? The NeXT ones need differently-bent wires to work. (also the backspace key on the NeXT is stabilized: Quality)

The biggest problem other than that is the NeXT enter key is rotated 90 degrees. Once I rotate the stem, it'll fit, though.

The ether-key-stabilizer hole needs to be larger, or the insert smaller to work as well.

But, it's the same size and shape.

Looks pretty sweet with doubleshots on it.

The command keys will fit for control, but I left them as they are.
The backspace key also fits.
---
I got my NeXT keycaps from Biniaris. I don't know if he still has some, though.
« Last Edit: Tue, 04 September 2012, 19:20:40 by dorkvader »
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Offline jwaz

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #33 on: Tue, 04 September 2012, 18:57:50 »
well it looks like I'll be investing in a NeXT!
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Offline jwaz

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Siig Minitouch
« Reply #34 on: Thu, 06 September 2012, 21:56:39 »
post pics DV!

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Offline dorkvader

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #35 on: Thu, 06 September 2012, 23:54:43 »
http://i.imm.io/DtcF.jpeg
http://i.imm.io/DtcJ.jpeg
I'll see about modding that ALPS NeXT enter key sometime soon. I'll take better pictures once I get that done and I'm awake during daylight. For some reason all my porch pictures without the flash turn out better.

Should I put that sweet NeXT "command" key instead of control?

Sweet keyset! Where did the mods come from? Did you just Dye the Siig ones?
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Offline sth

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Re: Siig Minitouch
« Reply #36 on: Thu, 06 September 2012, 23:55:59 »
of course you should use the command keys :)
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