Data General Dasher D1 review (Key Tronic vintage foam and foil)

Chyros · 28 Sep 2018, 09:10

This was released last weekend, but I forgot to post it here xD . Hope you enjoy the video!

Elrick · 28 Sep 2018, 09:31

The SEXIEST looking keyboard that was ever made on Planet Earth

.

If any other manufacturer today could construct an exact copy utilizing those same key-caps on BOX Navy switches, I would be the happiest man anywhere when I lay down my money for it.

Would have to calm down considerably when it gets delivered to my address.....

Chyros · 28 Sep 2018, 10:31

I have to say, although it's definitely a huge looker, I like the styling on the later Dasher boards even better. Hopefully I'll be able to snag one of them at some point as well (one that doesn't cost puzzlingly and completely undeservedly much).

zslane · 28 Sep 2018, 18:15

Just a point of clarification: SA Dasher/Dancer wasn't designed by 7bit, but by me.

Now even though those switches may have been a bit scratchy and stiff, they nevertheless sounded great for such old linears. And those sphericals! Oh my! *love*

Chyros · 28 Sep 2018, 18:33

zslane wrote: Just a point of clarification: SA Dasher/Dancer wasn't designed by 7bit, but by me.

Now even though those switches may have been a bit scratchy and stiff, they nevertheless sounded great for such old linears. And those sphericals! Oh my! *love*

Wait, I thought you told me you DIDN'T design them? XD

zslane · 28 Sep 2018, 18:55

I didn't design any of the Round 5/6 stuff (Honeywell, Space Cadet). But I did design Dasher/Dancer (and G20 Semiotic, and Mercury Rocketeer).

Chyros · 29 Sep 2018, 00:11

Ah, I see. I probably misunderstood then apologies xD .

Anakey · 29 Sep 2018, 01:47

seems most of the keyboards made in the late 70s/early 80s was built the same, my Rafi board i posted in the photos section had the same thick metal top plate and thick plastic casing and as a bonus it has the Rafi switches so it is able to be used and converted very nicely once the matrix was plotted out.

Sangdrax · 29 Sep 2018, 02:24

This is actually the first I've seen that has the metal cover plate. My other boards from this area have an inset like that but it's just another plastic panel and not painted metal.

Elrick · 29 Sep 2018, 07:42

zslane wrote: But I did design Dasher/Dancer (and G20 Semiotic, and Mercury Rocketeer).

YES, the Mercury Rocketeer is coming in next year from MD (junior is beside himself).

Thank you for designing that, just hope they will harass you to design their up coming 101/104 sized keyboard soon.

Chyros · 29 Sep 2018, 09:42

Sangdrax wrote: This is actually the first I've seen that has the metal cover plate. My other boards from this area have an inset like that but it's just another plastic panel and not painted metal.

Interesting - which models do you have?

Sangdrax · 29 Sep 2018, 10:02

Not Dashers, but like my Pr1me, my Univacs, all the secondary color insets are just different colored plastic that clips in the main top case frame. Only one that was metal was the Genrad I used to own, and it was a painted metal inset plate in a full metal case. I never realized when looking at these before that the top plate was metal.

I'm mostly surprised by the combination. I figured it was always all plastic or all metal. Or if you had a combo, that the bottom pan would be what was metal. It's kind of a bizarro world feeling. Everything is upside down.

Damn pretty though. If I owned one, I'd have it cleaned, greased, refoamed and converted in double quick-time just to mess around with it. The only real concern is nothing next to the spacebar to use for Ctrl and Alt. That would drive me nuts. I don't think they fix that even by the D3.