Mac Pro Plus by Keytronic

[Hofy]

This keyboard followed me home yesterday.  Anyone know about them?

Mac Pro Plus by Keytronic.  2  PS/2 type ports on back and an RJ11/12 jack.



Label



Set of dip switches under a door on the back.



Double shot keys, rubber switch cover, and  top of switch.



Side view of plate mounted switches and pcb.  Switches feel very linear.

[timw4mail]

They're souped up rubber domes.

[ch_123]

Could be Cherry NMBs, especially if they are linear.

[alpslover]

those appear to be keytronic capacitive switches.

[rdjack21]

I agree with alpslover those look like Keytronic capacitive switches. See here: http://sandy55.fc2web.com/keyboard/kt_e03418.html

[rdh]

I picked up a very old Key Tronic a while back that uses very similar buckling rubber sleeves to lift the key caps, and appears to have capacitive switches.  (I really should get around to posting the pictures...)

Some of the sleeves on my board are old enough that they collapse completely when pressed, and don't spring back.  (When I got it, it was tightly wrapped in plastic, which I think contributed to the problem.)

Does anyone know of a source of replacement sleeves?

[quadibloc]

those appear to be keytronic capacitive switches.

Keytronic switches are capacitative! Wow!

Could that mean that one could take an old Keytronic keyboard, perhaps, rather than tearing up an old model F... and arrange spring mechanisms from 3278 keyboards to get a keyboard with the ideal touch in the right layout?

Perhaps not, if the capacitative interaction is internal to a switch assembly, rather than to large pads on a circuit board as with the Model F and the 3278... but the thought of a rather exciting keyboard modification was too good not to share.

[timw4mail]

Keytronic switches are capacitative! Wow!

Could that mean that one could take an old Keytronic keyboard, perhaps, rather than tearing up an old model F... and arrange spring mechanisms from 3278 keyboards to get a keyboard with the ideal touch in the right layout?

Perhaps not, if the capacitative interaction is internal to a switch assembly, rather than to large pads on a circuit board as with the Model F and the 3278... but the thought of a rather exciting keyboard modification was too good not to share.

Only some really old Keytronic switches. I doubt the keytronic PCB would be compatible with the IBM capacitive mechanism.

[ch_123]

Keytronic switches are capacitative! Wow!

Could that mean that one could take an old Keytronic keyboard, perhaps, rather than tearing up an old model F... and arrange spring mechanisms from 3278 keyboards to get a keyboard with the ideal touch in the right layout?

That's about as feasible as putting buckling springs from a Model M into a cheapass Dell board on the basis that they're both membrane keyboards.

Exact implementations of underlying contact mechanisms vary greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer. Compare the innards of a Topre to the innards of a Model F for example.

[rdjack21]

I picked up a very old Key Tronic a while back that uses very similar buckling rubber sleeves to lift the key caps, and appears to have capacitive switches.  (I really should get around to posting the pictures...)

Some of the sleeves on my board are old enough that they collapse completely when pressed, and don't spring back.  (When I got it, it was tightly wrapped in plastic, which I think contributed to the problem.)

Does anyone know of a source of replacement sleeves?

This actually may be possible if you want to spend some money getting the rubber sleeves from Japan. The Fujitsu Libertouch uses a similar rubber sleeve here is a link to them at diatec. Also seeing that diatec has them you may be able to get elitekeyboards to get them for you.