so I found an Ortek keyboard that I just got for free from an elderly couple living in an apartment across the street from me, I was wondering what the worth could be on this on ebay, it's mechanical, so I might get an adapter and use it for myself, I know there are other threads like this but I would like help with getting more info from a forum of people that are more hardcore than just taking away someones windows 3.1 computer
-omega
update, took off the panel and cleaned off all the keycaps, albeit when taking them off I screwed up the s key, but besides that I am doing just fine
Keycaps aredouble-shotPBT, with different colours for the modifier keys - these colours correspond to the legends on the function key cards. They are probably manufactured byTai-Hao. One of the weaknesses of this keyboard is that the plastic housing comes without any UV protectant coat and yellows faster and easier than many other keyboards from that time while the PBT keycaps preserve/retain their colour very well over time.
There is a switch underneath for AT/XT compatibility marked "8088" (XT) and "80286, 80386" (AT).**
If you want a classic mechanical keyboard with white ALPS for your rig there you go. DIN5 to PS/2 adapter and you're set. (I'm only 90% positive it's a standard DIN5)
it looks like it, could I run another adapter to USB?
Also I was looking around and 150 seemed like a price they were selling at
Theoretically DIN5 to USB will work by chaining adapters, it's all serial. However I've rarely seen it work, and honestly I have to think they aren't pin compatible for older peripherals. PS/2 has all the physical pins as DIN5 so adapting to it almost always works.
Most modern PCs have at least one PS/2 port still.
all we have in my house are laptops
also could I do a serial to DIN5 adapter, could that work? Have a PC in the house with serial, maybe?
I've had din to ps2 to usb work with my space saver model m. But yea it can get funky.
okay, I would think that these kind of keyboards will work better on something like windows 7 compared to linux, am I wrong, also should I keep it, or throw it up on ebay?
It should be PnP so there shouldn't be any issues with either OS.
I love the wordpefect guide:)
Supposedly they shipped with a flipbook legend for WordPerfect, DBase, and Lotus 123.
so guys, I just took it apart and I was wondering what is a non destructive way to get a key cap off the key, also there were over lays for lotus notes 123 and and dbase IV, more pictures on the way
If it's alps, you can use anything really, a flathead screw driver will do it. It's going to give you some trouble because they seem to fit a little more snug than cherry but they will come off.
also I found that the pins that the DIN5 cable was hooked into can also have a mini DIN6 conector, PS/2 plugged in, do you know any way I could get a PS/2 cable on there?
this is the place I am looking for knoladge
That could give it collector value, more so then the keyboard
If I clean it, throughly, does that violate the "mint condition" quality?
oh gosh! I gave up computer collecting over a decade ago since it was affecting my marriage.
I don't think so, many computers from that era were designed to function in an office filled with billowing clouds of 1st, 2nd and third hand cigarette smoke.
The Obsolete computer Museum is the granddaddy site for this stuff and its where I got addicted in the late 90's. It is a great place to check out and has a ton of links. The history of how we got here is amazing.
hey i ran into a hitch, also thanks for the link @anon85933304, but I fucked up, on the S key, since ALPS switches with their pain in the ass removal system, i got out the top of the key cap, but the bottom is still in there, I see 2 answers, #1 get needlenose plyers and pull out the remaning part, or 2, I hot glue the top of the key cap and i pull out the bottom once a strong bond is formed, than once out, I order some metal wasd key caps, cause games, what do you think will be most effective, this is my first time doing something like this so please point me in the right direction
