Author Topic: Could it be the forgotten Cherry M4 switch?  (Read 3074 times)

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Offline Ettasian

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Could it be the forgotten Cherry M4 switch?
« on: Fri, 23 October 2015, 15:46:21 »
So I just got that old Cherry board, I think it was B80-3766 (can't check now due to lack of tools), and this is what I found under the keycap..

It looks nothing like any of Cherry switches I have read about (but I may be poorly informed), and the word is there should be
also M4 switch somewhere. So I ask If anyone here seen anything like it.
And here's the board:

Additional images are not a problem, just tell me what you want to see  ;)
Cherry G80-0777/1

Offline E TwentyNine

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Re: Could it be the forgotten Cherry M4 switch?
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 23 October 2015, 16:16:22 »
Check this thread:

http://deskthority.net/product-news-f44/new-cherry-keymodule-information-available-online-t6146.html

User robin13867 at DT is still active and may still have the datasheets mentioned in the thread.  Might find some information there.
Daily driver: SSK or Tenkeyless IBM AT
1984 Model M Industrial Prototype ⌨ 1992 Black Oval Industrial SSK ⌨ 1982 5251 Beam Spring ⌨ 89 Key "SSK" ⌨ M13 triplets

Offline Ettasian

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Re: Could it be the forgotten Cherry M4 switch?
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 23 October 2015, 16:35:38 »
Wow, thanks! I just wrote to him, let's hope for the best. I'll keep y'all updated.
We might be onto something guys  :cool:

And I actually found something in this catalogue. On page 25 there is a depiction of a M41-0103 switch with a lamp. It has a flat top, just like you could see in my photo up there.
Now, my board is at least from June 84' and this switch was already said to be discontinued (page 26) in this catalogue from May 82', so this might be not the same exact one, but the general design of M41 with flat top was most propably standarized, and if so, all M41 had a flat top, unlike all the other Cherry switches.

Long story short: Most propably M4.
But then again, it's just a guess.
« Last Edit: Fri, 23 October 2015, 17:42:43 by Ettasian »
Cherry G80-0777/1

Offline SamirD

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Re: Could it be the forgotten Cherry M4 switch?
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 23 October 2015, 20:54:44 »
Whoa!  The number pad has 123 on the top rows like a telephone.  It also has a few other controls which look like telephone operations too.  :-\

Offline Kad

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Re: Could it be the forgotten Cherry M4 switch?
« Reply #4 on: Fri, 23 October 2015, 23:14:40 »
Whoa!  The number pad has 123 on the top rows like a telephone.  It also has a few other controls which look like telephone operations too.  :-\


Hmm, this reminds me of those TTY keyboards for hearing impaired people the way that it has the phone-esque numberpad and rugged look. Very interesting find!

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Offline ander

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Re: Could it be the forgotten Cherry M4 switch?
« Reply #5 on: Sat, 24 October 2015, 02:56:35 »
Whoa!  The number pad has 123 on the top rows like a telephone...

Well, why not? I never understood why IBM started the tenkey numbers at the bottom. Anyone know if there's an actual advantage to that?
We are not chasing wildly after beauty with fear at our backs. – Natalie Goldberg

Offline Ettasian

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Re: Could it be the forgotten Cherry M4 switch?
« Reply #6 on: Sat, 24 October 2015, 04:11:22 »
Update: It's most propably just a covered version of M8 keyswitch (which is the rarer version :thumb: )
Here's the link to M8 specification with photos.
Cherry G80-0777/1

Offline E TwentyNine

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Re: Could it be the forgotten Cherry M4 switch?
« Reply #7 on: Sat, 24 October 2015, 06:54:28 »
Whoa!  The number pad has 123 on the top rows like a telephone...

Well, why not? I never understood why IBM started the tenkey numbers at the bottom. Anyone know if there's an actual advantage to that?

Because that was the standard layout for adding machines, calculators, etc. 

Don't know of any advantages either way.
Daily driver: SSK or Tenkeyless IBM AT
1984 Model M Industrial Prototype ⌨ 1992 Black Oval Industrial SSK ⌨ 1982 5251 Beam Spring ⌨ 89 Key "SSK" ⌨ M13 triplets

Offline SamirD

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Re: Could it be the forgotten Cherry M4 switch?
« Reply #8 on: Sat, 24 October 2015, 08:49:15 »
Well, why not? I never understood why IBM started the tenkey numbers at the bottom. Anyone know if there's an actual advantage to that?
Because that was the standard layout for adding machines, calculators, etc. 

Don't know of any advantages either way.
Discussion this exact topic here:  :thumb:
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=76300.0

Offline E TwentyNine

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Re: Could it be the forgotten Cherry M4 switch?
« Reply #9 on: Sat, 24 October 2015, 10:23:43 »
One interesting instance of a keyboard going against the grain was when Unicomp made a model Model M (rubber dome) with a phone hookup in it and a numpad arranged like telephone keys.
Daily driver: SSK or Tenkeyless IBM AT
1984 Model M Industrial Prototype ⌨ 1992 Black Oval Industrial SSK ⌨ 1982 5251 Beam Spring ⌨ 89 Key "SSK" ⌨ M13 triplets

Offline SamirD

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Re: Could it be the forgotten Cherry M4 switch?
« Reply #10 on: Sat, 24 October 2015, 23:42:07 »
One interesting instance of a keyboard going against the grain was when Unicomp made a model Model M (rubber dome) with a phone hookup in it and a numpad arranged like telephone keys.
OOooooo.  I think I would like to find one of these.  That would be awesome!  Wait...I don't have a land line, lol.


Offline ander

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Re: Could it be the forgotten Cherry M4 switch?
« Reply #11 on: Sat, 31 October 2015, 03:59:46 »
One interesting instance of a keyboard going against the grain was when Unicomp made a model Model M (rubber dome) with a phone hookup in it and a numpad arranged like telephone keys.

No kidding! What would that look like? Anyone have a photo?
We are not chasing wildly after beauty with fear at our backs. – Natalie Goldberg