VT10 terminal keyboard...?

[niubio]

Hi guys

I've a question about Manufacturer/Model no. of this board:





..."VT10" quote yielded rather poor results in google search... Tried more "bizzare" caps like "erase messg", which led me to just one useful link - funny document from '70-ies:

http://history.dcs.ed.ac.uk/archive/staging-area/EDINBURGH_REUNION/Noddy/noddy.pdf

...so my guess this board has sth to do with PDP series, but I can't be sure Any guesses?

[Daniel Beardsmore]

What switches does it have?

[niubio]

Hi Daniel

No idea... Just bought it, so the board is on it's way to me. ...I'm just dying out of curiosity what the hell I've purchased!

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Probably Hi-Tek.

[niubio]

Mhmmm... you mean linear HT? I've got one with these, and keycaps are a little different... Well anyway, this "VT10" label () is so strange! Letters are in little rectangular boxes, just like in Digital logo - so maybe it's from a DEC terminal? Guess I'll have to wait patiently for it

[shut up]

Very bizarre looking keyboard, maybe take it apart and see if the internals can yield anything?

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Mhmmm... you mean linear HT?

Yes, though I don't honestly know and haven't given it any serious consideration. Could be anything.

[niubio]

Very bizarre looking keyboard, maybe take it apart and see if the internals can yield anything?

That's the plan

[dorkvader]

Probably Hi-Tek.

looks like it also could be keytronic, but it's hard to know until it arrives. DEC has used hitek in he past I think.

That is, even assuming it is DEC. Could be a VT10 clone!

Please let us know when it arrives!

[niubio]

I'll post about it ASAP, probably at the beginning of the next week! Can't wait to get my hands on it 

[niubio]

Got it!

It's in rather poor shape (dust & rust), so I'll post some photos after giving it proper cleaning.

It's honeywell HAL effect board It lacks lower part of the case, so I don't know the original model no... On the PCB I've found:

Micro Switch Freeport, Ill. USA
CPS
SW-11417
SDR

WOW, I've just found some additional info stamped on the edge

Micro Switch
Dornigheim - W. Germany
Cat. List 84 SW 17-1-E
Ser no. 000417
Date 75/07

417-th board produced... Guess they didn't make many of them
That's definitely the oldest board I own right now... The upper case is made of painted WOOD!

As I've said earlier, I'll post photos & video later

[Puddsy]

HALL EFFECT

NICE

Also, fun fact: Linear Hall Effect switches are rated for 30 BILLION keystrokes. Yes, that's right, 30 billion.

Dorkvader loves his hall effect boards.

Take photos when you get it!

[niubio]

Ok, I've run into some problems as the upper case part felled from the table and cracked in half  Had to glue it with special "contact" adhesive. Turns out it's not made out of wood but some kind of dense material (ebonite maybe?). Anyway, all letters that form the "VT10" model number are in fact... little rectangular magnets! You can shift them all the way you want... on this little metal lath, that is Gives 16 combinations!

The board is missing it's lower part, along with another PCB for sure (connectors from the "DIN" cable and LED module do not match outputs that are present on the main board). I've contacted the guy that sold me this unit, he'll examine the warehouse it was stored and give me a call later He told me there are more of them! That would be nice I guess Anyway, I have to say the unit is in a really bad shape. To remove all accumulated rust I'll have to use a sandblaster and proper epoxy primer + nice matte black finish. I do not have means nor time right now, but maybe, in the future... Who knows

Here's a video on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCcHeNwvntQ

And here are some photos:

[0100010]

Those old school free flowing traces are always nice.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I still move for the switches to be renamed Micro Switch Hall effect on the wiki — after all, that's the name you see on the switches!

The keyboard itself has got a great sound — if the DT awards had one for best sound, that would be right up in the top bracket. It's a lot like HaaTa's slappy magnet keyboard but with a more mature sound (more bass, more solid-sounding).

[niubio]

Yep, you're 100% right Daniel! I even named the video clip "Micro Switch" at the beginning, but later changed it - after inspecting DT wiki.

The sound is very similar to Zbrojovka boards that I was messing with about a year ago (which used Micro Switch clones). Although the original one is waaaay smoother! It's really nice to type on, while some of Zbrojovka's sliders were a little stiff.

I'm still trying to guess what sort of equipment was this unit used with... I've received a DEC TK50 tape drive along with it, so maybe there's something to this Digital Corporation lead...?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syMTZo5m9Qc