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Author Topic: Closest thing to invaders?  (Read 3687 times)

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Offline PortablePlatypus

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Closest thing to invaders?
« on: Mon, 01 September 2014, 01:52:36 »
I'm typing on and old terminal board with black invaders and I love it. What would be the modern equivalent if they're not still making them? Are there any vintage boards that are relatively inexpensive with them? How do the whites compare?
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #1 on: Mon, 01 September 2014, 10:17:09 »
Nothing quite compares. Cherries and Alps have "wobble" that cannot be avoided.

Except for that, white or blue Alps are probably closest to black Hi-Teks.

White Hi-Teks are linear and very smooth.
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"However, even though I was born in the Mesozoic, I do know what anyone who wants to reach out to young people should say: Billionaires took your money. They took your chance to buy a home. They took your chance at a good education. They stole your opportunities. Billionaires took the things you want in life. If you really want those things, you have to take them back.
That's the message. That's the whole message. Say that every day, not just to reach America's frustrated young white men, but people of every age, race, and gender.
Late-stage capitalism is a wealth-concentration engine, focused on vacuuming up every dollar and putting it in as few hands as possible. Republicans are helping that vacuum suck.
How does a tiny fraction of the population get away with this? They do it by dividing the other 99% of Americans against themselves."
- Marc Sumner 2025-05-30

Offline Daniel Beardsmore

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #2 on: Mon, 01 September 2014, 16:23:03 »
Quote from: fohat.digs on Mon, 01 September 2014, 10:17:09
Nothing quite compares. Cherries and Alps have "wobble" that cannot be avoided.

I wonder if that's because space invader switches have two springs each pressing against the slider, and whether that helps keep it straight?
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #3 on: Mon, 01 September 2014, 16:47:29 »
Quote from: Daniel Beardsmore on Mon, 01 September 2014, 16:23:03
Quote from: fohat.digs on Mon, 01 September 2014, 10:17:09
Nothing quite compares. Cherries and Alps have "wobble" that cannot be avoided.

I wonder if that's because space invader switches have two springs each pressing against the slider, and whether that helps keep it straight?

I think that it is because it is all squat and wide, and instead of a center stem, all 4 corners are stabilized.
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"However, even though I was born in the Mesozoic, I do know what anyone who wants to reach out to young people should say: Billionaires took your money. They took your chance to buy a home. They took your chance at a good education. They stole your opportunities. Billionaires took the things you want in life. If you really want those things, you have to take them back.
That's the message. That's the whole message. Say that every day, not just to reach America's frustrated young white men, but people of every age, race, and gender.
Late-stage capitalism is a wealth-concentration engine, focused on vacuuming up every dollar and putting it in as few hands as possible. Republicans are helping that vacuum suck.
How does a tiny fraction of the population get away with this? They do it by dividing the other 99% of Americans against themselves."
- Marc Sumner 2025-05-30

Offline False_Dmitry_II

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #4 on: Mon, 01 September 2014, 19:36:23 »
The Whites are linear, so it just depends on if you like that, because of the amazing stability, they are the nicest linear I've used so far. I also think the stability is because of how large the slider is.

Yes, there are relatively inexpensive vintage boards with them, just look for NMB keyboards on ebay. There are generally a few at any given time.
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Offline Daniel Beardsmore

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #5 on: Tue, 02 September 2014, 02:51:07 »
Quote from: False_Dmitry_II on Mon, 01 September 2014, 19:36:23
Yes, there are relatively inexpensive vintage boards with them, just look for NMB keyboards on ebay. There are generally a few at any given time.

Be careful though. Before the renumbering, RT101/102/etc was used for both the Space Invader keyboards and the rubber dome keyboards. Later on, the Space Invader ones were renumbered to RT8xxx.
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Offline False_Dmitry_II

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #6 on: Tue, 02 September 2014, 22:02:27 »
Quote from: Daniel Beardsmore on Tue, 02 September 2014, 02:51:07
Quote from: False_Dmitry_II on Mon, 01 September 2014, 19:36:23
Yes, there are relatively inexpensive vintage boards with them, just look for NMB keyboards on ebay. There are generally a few at any given time.

Be careful though. Before the renumbering, RT101/102/etc was used for both the Space Invader keyboards and the rubber dome keyboards. Later on, the Space Invader ones were renumbered to RT8xxx.

I think the RT8xxx is more RT8xxxC and it's supposedly the C you look for (and the + means bigass enter). Easiest though is just to ask for pictures of a keycap off, because that way nothing needs to be known about numbering/naming systems.

Quote from: PortablePlatypus on Mon, 01 September 2014, 01:52:36
I'm typing on and old terminal board with black invaders and I love it.

What terminal board is it?
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Offline PortablePlatypus

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #7 on: Wed, 03 September 2014, 02:10:16 »
Quote from: False_Dmitry_II on Tue, 02 September 2014, 22:02:27
Quote from: Daniel Beardsmore on Tue, 02 September 2014, 02:51:07
Quote from: False_Dmitry_II on Mon, 01 September 2014, 19:36:23
Yes, there are relatively inexpensive vintage boards with them, just look for NMB keyboards on ebay. There are generally a few at any given time.

Be careful though. Before the renumbering, RT101/102/etc was used for both the Space Invader keyboards and the rubber dome keyboards. Later on, the Space Invader ones were renumbered to RT8xxx.

I think the RT8xxx is more RT8xxxC and it's supposedly the C you look for (and the + means bigass enter). Easiest though is just to ask for pictures of a keycap off, because that way nothing needs to be known about numbering/naming systems.

Quote from: PortablePlatypus on Mon, 01 September 2014, 01:52:36
I'm typing on and old terminal board with black invaders and I love it.

What terminal board is it?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261579892602?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
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Offline Daniel Beardsmore

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #8 on: Wed, 03 September 2014, 02:27:52 »
Quote from: False_Dmitry_II on Tue, 02 September 2014, 22:02:27
I think the RT8xxx is more RT8xxxC and it's supposedly the C you look for (and the + means bigass enter).

Space Invaders are the 8000 series. C appears to be clicky, and T tactile. See http://deskthority.net/wiki/NMB_Keyboards
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Offline Altis

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #9 on: Wed, 03 September 2014, 13:19:43 »
I'm only just now discovering space invader switches. From videos on YouTube, they seem to sound exceptionally crisp and clean... no key rattle, just the switch click and rebound.

Yet, there seems to be very little information about them. Might have to pick one up and give it a try.
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Offline PortablePlatypus

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #10 on: Wed, 03 September 2014, 14:01:36 »
Quote from: Altis on Wed, 03 September 2014, 13:19:43
I'm only just now discovering space invader switches. From videos on YouTube, they seem to sound exceptionally crisp and clean... no key rattle, just the switch click and rebound.

Yet, there seems to be very little information about them. Might have to pick one up and give it a try.

I'm selling one at http://www.ebay.com/itm/261579892602
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Offline Altis

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 03 September 2014, 15:14:53 »
Quote from: PortablePlatypus on Wed, 03 September 2014, 14:01:36
I'm selling one at http://www.ebay.com/itm/261579892602

Thanks, but $150 is more than I can afford right now, plus I'm in Canada, so even if you do decide you'd ship to Canada, it'd be north of $200.

This hobby already has me on the ropes at times :rolleyes:
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Offline Daniel Beardsmore

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #12 on: Wed, 03 September 2014, 15:45:06 »
Quote from: PortablePlatypus on Wed, 03 September 2014, 14:01:36
I'm selling one at http://www.ebay.com/itm/261579892602

You should put that on the wiki before it sells!
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Offline ShawnMeg

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #13 on: Wed, 03 September 2014, 16:16:12 »
Quote from: Altis on Wed, 03 September 2014, 13:19:43
I'm only just now discovering space invader switches. From videos on YouTube, they seem to sound exceptionally crisp and clean... no key rattle, just the switch click and rebound.

Yet, there seems to be very little information about them. Might have to pick one up and give it a try.

Agree.  I would like to try out a board and tempted to buy one, but I don't want to get carried away having so many boards and bankrupting myself.
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Offline Hypersphere

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #14 on: Wed, 03 September 2014, 16:19:34 »
These switches are also stable with respect to off-center hits. For example, large enter keys with these switches don't bind the way some switches do when struck off-center.
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Offline Altis

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #15 on: Wed, 03 September 2014, 21:51:26 »
Quote from: ShawnMeg on Wed, 03 September 2014, 16:16:12
Agree.  I would like to try out a board and tempted to buy one, but I don't want to get carried away having so many boards and bankrupting myself.

Story of my life right now. So many things to buy, so little money...  :rolleyes:

I'm still amazed at how much this hobby can cost.

Based on the few vids I've seen of space invader NMB keyboards, these things sound like they are tight as a drum. I wonder how heavy they are.
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Offline jacobolus

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #16 on: Thu, 04 September 2014, 16:08:51 »
Clicky SMK switches (e.g. the clicky “monterey” blue Alps-mount type, or the clicky Cherry-MX–mount type) are somewhat similar in feel to clicky space invaders, IMO. A bit more travel distance though. SMK switches are also out of production, but much easier to find keycaps if you use the MX- or Alps-mount types
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #17 on: Thu, 04 September 2014, 16:57:40 »
Quote from: Altis on Wed, 03 September 2014, 21:51:26
I wonder how heavy they are.

Good question.

They feel great but are probably on the heavy side.
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"However, even though I was born in the Mesozoic, I do know what anyone who wants to reach out to young people should say: Billionaires took your money. They took your chance to buy a home. They took your chance at a good education. They stole your opportunities. Billionaires took the things you want in life. If you really want those things, you have to take them back.
That's the message. That's the whole message. Say that every day, not just to reach America's frustrated young white men, but people of every age, race, and gender.
Late-stage capitalism is a wealth-concentration engine, focused on vacuuming up every dollar and putting it in as few hands as possible. Republicans are helping that vacuum suck.
How does a tiny fraction of the population get away with this? They do it by dividing the other 99% of Americans against themselves."
- Marc Sumner 2025-05-30

Offline jacobolus

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #18 on: Thu, 04 September 2014, 17:12:54 »
Really? The clicky space invader board I tried had very light action, similar to blue MXs or “monterey” blue SMKs.
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Offline Hypersphere

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #19 on: Thu, 04 September 2014, 17:15:47 »
Time for quantitative keyboard science! Break out the ripometer! Stack those nickels on the keys and record how many it takes to actuate. :)
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Offline paicrai

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #20 on: Thu, 04 September 2014, 18:04:10 »
americans. OH YOU MEAN-
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Offline terrpn

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #21 on: Thu, 04 September 2014, 18:42:01 »
Quote from: jacobolus on Thu, 04 September 2014, 16:08:51
Clicky SMK switches (e.g. the clicky “monterey” blue Alps-mount type, or the clicky Cherry-MX–mount type) are somewhat similar in feel to clicky space invaders, IMO. A bit more travel distance though. SMK switches are also out of production, but much easier to find keycaps if you use the MX- or Alps-mount types

good comparison................

my clicky SMK's are probably just a bit heavier than my black space invaders, however your assessment with them being close to blue monterey's is all over it and pretty close on my end :cool:

i have a leading edge and a laser with clicky SMK's-- actually i am quite fond of the switch even though they wobble a bit :eek:

of course that is only my feeble opinion :-\
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Offline False_Dmitry_II

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #22 on: Fri, 12 September 2014, 01:59:56 »
I am glad to see how well liked they are from basically everyone who has used them before. It seems a somewhat small group.

Quote from: Daniel Beardsmore on Wed, 03 September 2014, 15:45:06
Quote from: PortablePlatypus on Wed, 03 September 2014, 14:01:36
I'm selling one at http://www.ebay.com/itm/261579892602

You should put that on the wiki before it sells!

Agreed, along the label pic or just the info from it. Possibly also shots of the insides as well. This is only the second space invader in that format I've seen, the first being the one fohat used to get his blacks for the ansi apple thing.
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Offline PortablePlatypus

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #23 on: Fri, 12 September 2014, 02:31:34 »
Where exactly would I put it on the Wiki? I'll throw up the general label info and a couple of pics but I'm not going to open it up.
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Offline Daniel Beardsmore

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #24 on: Fri, 12 September 2014, 02:40:10 »
Quote from: False_Dmitry_II on Fri, 12 September 2014, 01:59:56
Agreed, along the label pic or just the info from it.

Always a photograph — prevents typos, and ensures that people cannot doubt the veracity of what's written in the text.

Quote from: PortablePlatypus on Fri, 12 September 2014, 02:31:34
Where exactly would I put it on the Wiki? I'll throw up the general label info and a couple of pics but I'm not going to open it up.

Use this page as an example, and create something similar for yours:

http://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_G80-1000

(There are no pages yet on NMB Hi-Tek keyboards at all. Not one.)

This might help:

http://deskthority.net/wiki/Help:Creating_pages
http://deskthority.net/wiki/Help:Uploading_images

(Those pages probably need improvement, but at least we have something!)
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Offline ShawnMeg

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Re: Closest thing to invaders?
« Reply #25 on: Sat, 13 September 2014, 19:14:37 »
delete post.
« Last Edit: Sat, 13 June 2015, 18:28:04 by ShawnMeg »
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