[wiki] Beehive B100 terminal

User avatar
snuci
Vintage computer guy

14 Dec 2015, 00:08

I've posted a page for the Beehive B100 terminal on the DT Wiki at http://deskthority.net/wiki/Beehive_B100_terminal

This Beehive B100 terminal has Key Tronic foam and foil switches. I know, nobody likes them, but they are actually pretty nice and the foam give it a "pillowy" landing depending on the density of foam used :) These key switches are interesting in that they are from the mid to late 70s and have the Key Tronic graphical logo on them. This keyboard also have a lit Alpha Lock key switch that contains holes that line up with LEDs on the keyboard PCB. I think the Beehive/Key Tronic logo on the PCB board look pretty cool too.

Here are a small sample of pics. Please check out the Beehive B100 Wiki page for full pictures.

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User avatar
seebart
Offtopicthority Instigator

14 Dec 2015, 00:29

I love that Beehive logo on the PCB. Also none of my Key Tronic boards have the Key Tronic logo on the PCB.

User avatar
Chyros

14 Dec 2015, 01:17

Your Key Tronic foam and foil switches look quite different from mine. It's possible your experiences with them are better because they're not actually the same revision of the switches. Looks really vintage, nice! :)

andrewjoy

14 Dec 2015, 01:48

I have a keyboard with almost identical switches and it is quite nice .

terrycherry

14 Dec 2015, 12:33

Key Tronic Butterfly switch! That's what I always want to see something inside the keyboard.
Thanks snuci. cheers

mr_a500

30 Dec 2015, 21:46

I predicted this, judging by the shape of the keycap.

The very first Beehive, though, had a Micro Switch keyboard - according to the PDF manual. Many terminal makers seem to have switched from Micro Switch to Key Tronic (late 70's/early 80's) to save costs.

mr_a500

31 Dec 2015, 15:21

terrycherry wrote: Key Tronic Butterfly switch! That's what I always want to see something inside the keyboard.
Thanks snuci. cheers
It's not the "Butterfly" switch. The capacitive pads on the PCB are round. The "Butterfly" looks like this:

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Although it works the same way and uses the same sliders, so I don't know why Key Tronic made such a big deal when they basically just changed the PCB pad shape.

User avatar
Chyros

01 Jan 2016, 15:00

Those Key Tronic capacitive PCBs with the white soldermask are really nice. I had no idea that that was the butterfly switch one, I thought those were the older design with the tall slider wells, like snuci's.

Because in this case, butterfly my ass! pretty as the PCB is the feel on my Key Tronic F&F is super shit! XD

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