Author Topic: Moretek MCK-201 FX (Read 4603 times)

CX23882 · « **on:** Sat, 07 March 2009, 08:40:49 »

Moretec MCK-201 FX

Just picked up this thing:

AT connector. Very clicky, very different sound to Cherry blues. Haven't been able to remove the key-caps yet - possibly white alps.

All keys work great except for the space-bar, which gets stuck. It looks disgusting due to cigarette and sun yellowing along with coffee stains. I'll be giving it a good clean and see if I can get the space bar working properly.

Chloe · « **Reply #1 on:** Sat, 07 March 2009, 09:58:43 »

OEM is Ortek Technology. It probably has real-complicated white ALPS.

CX23882 · « **Reply #2 on:** Sat, 07 March 2009, 11:51:03 »

Yep, they're white Alps. I think I like the sound of them more than the Cherry MX blues (the Alps are kind of like castanets whereas Cherry are just a sharp click), but I like the lightness of the Cherrys over the white Alps, which are a bit stiff. I think the heavier nature of the Alps is something I could get used to.

So... I think I'm going to need two replacement switches. The switch under the space bar doesn't bounce back up even pressing the switch itself, and the Y key has lost its click. Does anyone have a couple of switches? They don't even have to be click because I could swap the Scroll Lock and Pause Break keys around so that the mostly used keys are clicky.

How easy is it to swap the switches - do they just need soldering?

Chloe · « **Reply #3 on:** Sat, 07 March 2009, 12:18:42 »

I prefer the sound of ALPS to Cherry blues too. I find the blues too high-pitched for me.

You can open the switches to swap parts around, you don't need to solder unless the switching mechanism has failed. Is there anything on the stem to stop it from returning? Maybe something spilled on it.

lal · « **Reply #4 on:** Sat, 07 March 2009, 12:20:39 »

Have you looked inside the switches? Maybe there's some dirt in the space bar switch and a bent click leaf in Y.

CX23882 · « **Reply #5 on:** Sat, 07 March 2009, 13:14:41 »

This keyboard is dated 1991 yet there is suprisingly little wear on the keys. The case has cleaned up nicely with just a wipe but I think perhaps the whitening toothpaste will be my next try. There is not a hint of shine on the space bar or any of the keys for that matter, although the cursor keys are very shiny (maybe they are meant to be shiny because every one is uniformly shiny). I like the colored text on Shift/Control/Alt. But I just love the sound of them. If you heard somebody typing on this thing in the next room you'd be forgiven to think some Spanish lady is about to come Flamenco dancing through your door. I don't like the sound of Cherry blues after hearing this. I want to get myself a nice example of white Alps now.

As for the key switches - I hooked it up to my ancient AT computer and the Y switch doesn't appear to work at all. Maybe this was Homer Simpson's keyboard at some point. All other switches seem okay.

Maybe I'll swap the Scroll Lock and Pause/Break keys for now and try and source some new switches at a later date.

One more thing about the switches, they don't say Alps on the top of them but they look exactly like white Alps, from the photos I've seen on here. They just have numbers written on the top.

Eclairz · « **Reply #6 on:** Sat, 07 March 2009, 17:35:26 »

I've just moved back to blue cherries again and i used to think alps were better sounding when i move from blue to white alps, i think it depends on mood and the user. Sometimes a high pitch is cool but the lower beat of the alps is jazzy. So hmmm

CX23882 · « **Reply #7 on:** Sun, 08 March 2009, 10:08:51 »

Quote from: Chloe;23816

OEM is Ortek Technology. It probably has real-complicated white ALPS.

Spot on Chloe. Just disassembled the case and it says:
ORTEK TECHNOLOGY. INC.
MCK-101SX 990-002

Does anyone know if this type of plastic is safe to put in the dishwasher, or will it warp?

I got the Y switch open, and it's not got anything in it other than the spring. The switching parts are completely missing. Is it possible to replace just the one switch though - they appear to clip around a plastic frame and then soldered onto the PCB.

lal · « **Reply #8 on:** Sun, 08 March 2009, 10:22:03 »

LOL at the Y key

Obviously it's a huge downside of mechanical keyboards that you have to be afraid of switch thiefs.

CX23882 · « **Reply #9 on:** Sun, 08 March 2009, 10:27:54 »

It makes you wonder what on earth posessed somebody to dismantle the thing.

CX23882 · « **Reply #10 on:** Mon, 09 March 2009, 05:28:00 »

It's interesting how much of the noise from the keyboard can be attributed to the case construction. With the keyboard removed from it's case, it sounds higher pitched similar to the Cherry MX Blue switches.

CX23882 · « **Reply #11 on:** Thu, 12 March 2009, 08:57:20 »

I picked up another white Alps board, this time it's a Dan-branded board. It feels exactly the same as the Ortek, but it is very "pingy", whereas the Ortek has a more plasticy clack. I think that I'm moving towards the Blue-stem Cherry MX again because I prefer the lightness and whilst they're loud, they're not "too damn loud".

Having said all that, I believe that the holy grail of keyboards is with buckling springs. There's just something about them.

lal · « **Reply #12 on:** Thu, 12 March 2009, 09:03:25 »

Quote from: CX23882;24257

[...]
Having said all that, I believe that the holy grail of keyboards is with buckling springs. There's just something about them.

Agreed! Alps 'n Cherry are nice, too. But they don't even come close to buckling springs IMHO.

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Author Topic: Moretek MCK-201 FX (Read 4603 times)