NMB RT-102, UK layout

Chyros · 17 Jan 2016, 18:05

Interesting haul at the recycling centre today, an NMB RT-102 from 1991. I haven't seen many Space Invader boards that aren't bigass enter based, but this one is ISO. It uses black two-eyed clicky Space Invaders, but for some reason some of them have small eyes and some of them have large eyes Oo . It's missing a keycap and it's rather dirty, but a nice find overall, I think. it has a "Taran" brand at the top right on the lock light sticker. Considering the amazing pictures other people post I'm almost ashamed to post these considering how shit my camera is (and it's about as grey as concrete in Britain right now so the lighting is shit xD) but regardless I thought some people might enjoy it

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The board:

Taran logo:

Rather dirty:

Model sticker: this is the 72511 RT-102:

Fortunately Space Invaders clean up excellently

:

Quite a bit of rust near the middle, but at least its smooth now:

PCB is very clean though, fortunately, and proudly displays the NMB and Hi-Tek names:

I'll post more when I've cleaned it up some more

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Muirium · 17 Jan 2016, 18:24

Persevere and it'll look like this!

http://deskthority.net/review-f45/nmb-r ... t8469.html

My NMB is one of my favourite boards that is neither IBM nor Topre. Spectacularly clicky in a way quite distinct from buckling spring. It's got a whole different character. While the caps are very Topre-like in shape, printing and material.

Space Invaders are a must have.

Chyros · 17 Jan 2016, 18:46

Ah, that's a very nice specimen

.

Space Invaders are definitely a very nice switch. I've been using my video editing 8255C+ with black clicky Space Invaders at work for a long time, and they're lovely. My only complaint is that they're a little on the heavy side, 80 gf at tactile as I recall.

Engicoder · 17 Jan 2016, 19:44

Nice find. Interesting that there is a mix of switches. Maybe they mixed stock during the transition from small eyes to large eyes.

Touch_It · 17 Jan 2016, 21:05

That has to be enticing to anyone that likes ISO. I wonder if any exist in ANSI without a BAE. Cool find.

PS I think your pics are just fine. (like myself) not everyone has a fancy camera, has the patience to take amazing photos.

Muirium · 17 Jan 2016, 21:10

Actually, light is the main thing. Which is to say patience! I try to only ever shoot in daylight with my ancient gear.

Once the board's cleaned up, get her in some cloudglow and go wild, Chyros! Pale boards like that shoot very nicely under a murky sky if you try. Indoors lighting is the death of good pics, unless you've skills like Madhias and Photekq. Which I don't!

seebart · 17 Jan 2016, 22:14

Your recycling centre from keyboard heaven never dries up does it Chyros? Only thing they don't seem to have over there are 1970's keyboards. Black clicky space invaders in a non bigass enter format, that's pretty rare and sweet. Like I've said before, I'll gladly take it off your hands anytime. ;)I like the "Taran" branding, what's that an axe for a logo?

I'd say this one is worth cleaning.

Chyros · 18 Jan 2016, 00:21

seebart wrote: Your recycling centre from keyboard heaven never dries up does it Chyros? Only thing they don't seem to have over there are 1970's keyboards. Black clicky space invaders in a non bigass enter format, that's pretty rare and sweet. Like I've said before, I'll gladly take it off your hands anytime. ;)I like the "Taran" branding, what's that an axe for a logo? I'd say this one is worth cleaning.

I might take you up on that offer actually

. I'm goign to clean it up a bit first and stuff but I could use some sponduli to finance the hobby

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seebart · 18 Jan 2016, 00:32

Chyros wrote: I might take you up on that offer actually . I'm goign to clean it up a bit first and stuff but I could use some sponduli to finance the hobby .

I like the sound of that! I'm serious, clicky NMB's are way up on my want list, no need to clean it for me either.

Drop me a PM when you're ready. NO rush though.

Chyros · 18 Jan 2016, 01:41

seebart wrote:
Chyros wrote: I might take you up on that offer actually . I'm goign to clean it up a bit first and stuff but I could use some sponduli to finance the hobby .
I like the sound of that! I'm serious, clicky NMB's are way up on my want list, no need to clean it for me either. Drop me a PM when you're ready. NO rush though.

I'm just giving it a quick once-over to make it more presentable; I've got something short and sweet in mind

. After that I'll sell it

.

Also, yes the logo is an axe, and the "recycling centre" is actually about four or five different recycling centres I visit on a regular basis (which takes up quite a lot of time actually xD ).

Muirium · 18 Jan 2016, 02:08

How much of the clicky space invaders reputation is my doing, I wonder? They deserve acclaim, but then I would say that!

Anyway, watch out for the right Shift key. I think I singled it out for a spot of the old critique in my review. The board's most evident flaw. NMB/Hi-Tek apparently didn't understand stabilizers.

terrycherry · 18 Jan 2016, 05:28

I had one but not this unusual big ass enter. To see the strange of "Black two small eyes" with something "two big eyes" led us to ask wtf of NMB.

Laser · 18 Jan 2016, 12:13

Muirium wrote: Space Invaders are a must have.

Indeed!

: space_invaders.jpg (351.19 KiB) Viewed 4059 times

Black Space Invaders

No chance to test it yet, or clean it, or whatever, but so far the keys feel great, the keycaps are also very very nice (they have a shape similar to HHKB keycaps, their corners and letters are sharp). And somehow, even the BA Enter looks alright on this keyboard.

Spoiler:

Chyros · 18 Jan 2016, 12:38

Haha cool, yours even says NMB XD . NMB sold a huge number of rebranded keyboards of all kinds so I haven't seen their own brand on it very often xD .

Laser · 18 Jan 2016, 13:18

Maybe you could manufacture a proper NMB sticker and .. glue it over the Taran logo ?

seebart · 18 Jan 2016, 15:03

Laser wrote: Maybe you could manufacture a proper NMB sticker and .. glue it over the Taran logo ?

Nooo please don't !

Laser · 18 Jan 2016, 15:44

I only meant it for a keyboard review! Imagine the effect at the end of the presentation, when Chyros rips off the fake NMB sticker to reveal ... the true face of the Space Invaders!

Chyros · 18 Jan 2016, 15:53

Laser wrote: Maybe you could manufacture a proper NMB sticker and .. glue it over the Taran logo ?

No way, that Taran logo is sweet

.

I'm not going to do a whole review on this seeing as it's pretty similar to my other NMB. Just a quick video splooge maybe.

Chyros · 18 Jan 2016, 21:11

Gave it a quick clean:

I'm typing on it right now! Turns out there's more to say about this keyboard than I had first thought, a lot more actually. I think it might turn out to be a full review after all. Well, for once you know what's coming next!

seebart · 18 Jan 2016, 21:45

Chyros wrote: I'm typing on it right now! Turns out there's more to say about this keyboard than I had first thought, a lot more actually. I think it might turn out to be a full review after all. Well, for once you know what's coming next!

Eh?

A space invader surprise? OK you got me curious. Of course all this will be explained in the obligatory video review.

Laser · 18 Jan 2016, 21:48

Chyros wrote: I'm typing on it right now! Turns out there's more to say about this keyboard than I had first thought, a lot more actually. I think it might turn out to be a full review after all. Well, for once you know what's coming next!

Yesssss

Chyros · 19 Jan 2016, 01:11

seebart wrote:
Chyros wrote: I'm typing on it right now! Turns out there's more to say about this keyboard than I had first thought, a lot more actually. I think it might turn out to be a full review after all. Well, for once you know what's coming next!
Eh? A space invader surprise? OK you got me curious. Of course all this will be explained in the obligatory video review.

Well I was just going to put out something quick to mention some things that were different from my RT-8255C+ but while I was writing up a preliminary script it turned out to be way more than the 1 min video I had planned xD . So I guess it makes much more sense to do it properly - I'm starting to run out of keyboards to review right now anyway xD .

Muirium · 19 Jan 2016, 03:16

One does not simply walk into a black space invader review.

Spoiler:

stratokaster · 20 Jan 2016, 16:41

I'd love to try one of those, but as far as I understand "Space Invaders" were primarily made in the 80s, but post-Soviet countries started to import PCs and peripherals in large quantities only after 1992. Maybe that's the reason why they're extremely rare on the local market.