ADDS 1010 terminal Keyboard (Hi-tek linear switches)

[Kliee]

A little while ago, the laboratory of Real time and embeded systems of my school trashed a lot of hardware. Among all the furnitures and old exotic computers and terminals I found 2 keyboards.

Of these two keyboards, one really caught my attention. A brand new, never used, ADDS 1010 terminal keyboard. I had to do a little research on the net to find out that the switches were white hi-tek mechanical switches (linear).
Although the switches clearly are linear, it feels really good typing on this keyboard!

Of course, this keyboard is made to be used with an ADDS terminal, still I wonder if there's a way to use it with a regular PC.

Here are some pics I took of it :

This is the full board


ADDS Brand logo


The switches


The back with the label and part number


The terminal connector


Here's some data I found on the net :

Keyboard of ADDS 1010 Terminal
83 Key
Separate numeric pad
6 shiftable to 12 programmable function keys
Programmable editing keys 120 characters of NVRAM

I'd love to hear any opinion on the board or advice on how to get it working with a regular PC 

[1pq]

What do these switches feel like? Doesn't seem like there's much we know about them (just from the Deskthority wiki page).

[False_Dmitry_II]

No, these are linear space invaders, not what you linked.

[Kliee]

Indeed, as False_Dmitry_II pointed out, those are in fact NMB Hi-Tek, the one eyed white version.

@1pq : To answer your question, I would say that it feels something like cherry Mx black switches, only with a shorter travel and a great bottoming-out feeling that almost feel like a light tactile response. The sound is also kinda new to me and yet again, comparing with what I already know, it's like a deeper version of a linear cherry (black or red) mounted key bottoming out...
I'll record it in the coming days so you can hear what it sounds like. I find it really pleasant  .

The case is made of a very good quality plastic and has this heavy duty feeling. Same thing goes for the keycap.

[dorkvader]

I bet the lock key is latching. The keycaps also look like decent NMB dyesub PBT. Check out the awesome thick spacebar.

Also, check under the stabilized keys, See if they are two eye. Spacebar might be green.

I bet if you open it up, you'll nee NMB branding on the PCB. This looks a little like their construction.


Having both, I would say the older hitek and newer "space invaders" are very similar in terms of construction and function.

[Kliee]

The lock key is not latching, but you were right for the green switch under the spacebar. Stabilized keys don't seem to be two eyed, but the way they're stabilized is awesome!

The return key is really well stabilized :


Also, here's the green spacebar switch :

[dorkvader]

Nifty! Is the spacebar really thick?

About the stabilizers: I agree they are really cool. I had wondered about the step down, but it actually makes contact with the underside of the keycap still. I really like how these hitek "space invader" switches are made: they seem really stable against off axis hits and even torsion! Very topre-like in that respect.

Try removing a stab wire and putting the keycap back on: I bet it's still good. Now I wonder how cherry linear switches can be so bad: I used to only have hall effect and tee-mount alps (which aren't very linear) to compare with.

The additional stabilizer wire for the enter key is consistant with the excellent construction across the board.

I just have to see if I can desolder the chip to replace with a teensy or get someone to convert the protocol. On mine it's got a 6-pin connector. Power and ground exist and there are four more used wires coming from it! One appears to be an additional ground though. Perhaps it is actually a shield ground connection, instead of signal ground. (shields should be tied to ground at the source not atthe peripheral, or so I have read)

[Kliee]

The spacebar is really large yes!

My Realforce 104UB spacebar is 11 centimeters large (4.33 inches) when this keyboard spacebar is 17 centimeters large (6.7 inches).

I was also thinking about protocol conversion. I guess to "preserve" the good old original electronics. Replacing the circuit (and the cable) may be a better (well, more simple) option, but I have a "let's keep it the way it was made" side that is screaming of fear at this idea...

Still, this keyboard comes from an equipement that seems to have been relatively well sold, so I'm surprised there's no more info on the web on this particular keyboard. Then again, a terminal keyboard is very specific and tends to stay in the lab/factory until the day it's trashed.

Unless it's saved...

I don't find Cherry linear switches especially bad, even though I really prefer tactile switches. But I do admit that the way a linear cherry board feel is directly linked to the build quality of the case, given that the only typing feeling you get is the bottoming out of the key. It can be cool or really boring. My Steelkeys 6g V1 is really ok, and I tried a Corsair K70 with reds that really felt good.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Interesting. The space bar switch appears to be grass green, instead of dayglo green. Is there a date of production on the PCB? It should be printed as 7-segment digits as year and week.

More data for Sandy: http://sandy55.fc2web.com/keyboard/nmb_hitek_sw.html

[Kliee]

Thank you for the link. How could I forgot that great website that is sandy55...

I'll check the date on the PCB when I'll have a little time to disassemble this pretty keyboard.

Here is a more detailed pic of the green spacebar switch.