Acer keyboard

[pikapika]

I found this in a second hand store. at first look, i thought it'd be a crappy keayboard, but in fact, it's quite a good one : clicky, good responsiveness, not as good as a model M but nice typing feeling
as I'm still an über n00b about switches, i post pics (not much clean)

[ch_123]

Does the switch say "ALPS" on it?

[pikapika]

it's written "acer 2n"

[keyb_gr]

There's a review involving either a 6311 or 6312 around here (written by lowpoly I think). These use the Acer clicky mechanics-over-membrane switches that look like Alps, see the wiki for the patent. The Alcatel board I reviewed (made by Acer) also uses them. huha once called them "Alps gone wrong". There is absolutely no way to avoid bottoming out, which really gets on your nerves (and wrists) if you try typing for any significant amount of time. The keycaps with their sandpaperish texture and seemingly soft material (ABS?) were a pain to clean up, too - I suggest you use sixty's cleaning method involving denture cleaning tabs.

[pikapika]

it's indeed extremely dirty and hard to clean, i'll have a look at sixty's method.

as for typing, I find it quite good for the moment, and had no problems of bottoming (if i fully understand what you mean)

[keyb_gr]

It's easy enough to stick two screwdrivers in there and pop the switch apart to see whether it's a mechanical or rubber dome.

Do not overestimate the mechanical proficiency of people. Having some difficulty there myself, I tend to be quite conservative in these things. Thinking first rarely hurts.

Besides, it doesn't even take Dr. Watson to tell that it's the membrane variety here. If the "switch" case says Acer, it can't be anything else - besides, all the mechanical Acer boards with Alps switches seem to be from 1990-91 max, and the 6311/6312 has been identified as using the Acer mechanics eons ago.

[pikapika]

ripster : i'm not yet used to keyboards internals, and prefer to do it gradually before screwing up everything. i already did some when discovering computing :-)

[microsoft windows]

I've become a pro at rebuilding and fixing complicated white ALPS switches (I fixed all the bad ones in my Focus and rebuilt many more of them). I've got some pictures of the keyswitches and parts and how to fix them and will write up a guide on how to do so someday.

[microsoft windows]

I don't use a magnet. I just set the spring down in the switch, put the slider on top of it, and then put the black frame on top.

[lowpoly]

If it says Acer it should be an Acer membrane switch. IIRC you can remove these from the top without taking the 'board apart.

That Acer switch to HHKB lite mod was great.

[pikapika]

ok, i'll try monday (as the keyboard is at work)
i'll do some pics then if i don't end up destroying everything

[pikapika]

not sure i fully understand what you mean by "squiches" :-)

[pikapika]

a good pic explains everything :-)
it didn't feel too much like this and was far from classic rubber dome keyboard

[keyb_gr]

Nobody claimed it would be a rubber dome. It's a mechanics-over-membrane type switch like BS or Cherry MY. These Acers have a bit of a funny construction in that the mechanics modules are placed on a plate and the membrane is below that. This results in bottoming out being a little softer than what you'd get if it were the other way round.

[Rajagra]

But you'd have to move into the YouTube era to top Welly's guides!  I use a magnet to hold the spring.  But Welly's hands are less hairy so I can't criticize.

Yeah, his hands are fine, but...



Re mechanics over membrane, that could mean two things - the membrane has two layers plus separator that form the electrical switch, or the membrane just provides the tracks that connect real switches to the controller. I would have no complaints about the latter.

Buckling springs may be guilty of having the first design, but are (shock, horror) properly designed so they still work reliably.

[lowpoly]

It's a clicky mechanical actuator and a standard membrane. Here's my thread with pics:


http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:4411