Compaq Enhanced Keyboard International

[Tarkoon]

Hey there,
I found a really nice Keyboard and wanted to show it to you.
It is a 22 year old NIB (just once disassembled for the fotos) Compaq Enhanced Keyboard International.
But let's talk later, here are the photos:

[mintberryminuscrunch]

nice, have been wondering what kind of switch it uses

[Grond]

What's the green and white stuff under that modifier?

[Elrick]

It's truly wonderful that in the world of keyboards there's always something strange that reveals itself.

Keep it up, I love seeing NEW (OLD) keyboards displayed in pieces. Pity they longer make such heavy engineered keyboards anymore. Love the thickness of that plate......untold.

I just wish I could try it out with a paragraph or two.

[Ascaii]

Switches are Keytronic Foam over Foil switches. The foam tends to degrade with use, so old used ones tend to be very very mushy.

What I find interesting is that this keyboard uses the SDL connector like a Model M...I wonder if the cable would work on an IBM, do you happen to have one to try out?

[Findecanor]

Love the thickness of that plate......untold.

If it is anything like my Key Tronic keyboard, it is just a little bit thinner than a plate for Cherry MX. The holes in it are a little bit too small, unfortunately.

[Daemon Raccoon]

Very nice find, double shot key caps and a detachable cable. Since it's NIB those foam-over-foil should last for at least a few years.

[Elrick]

Very nice find, double shot key caps and a detachable cable. Since it's NIB those foam-over-foil should last for at least a few years.

There's just something about OLD style keyboards that excites me so. My GF is always amused at seeing me when I spot an OLD keyboard.

I just can't help it.

[Tarkoon]

What's the green and white stuff under that modifier?

The keyboard has doubleshot keycaps and the Alt modifier is green on beige, so you see the green plastic in the beige cap.

What I find interesting is that this keyboard uses the SDL connector like a Model M...I wonder if the cable would work on an IBM, do you happen to have one to try out?

I don't have any Model M here, but if there is someone living near to me (Cologne/Bonn) with a Model M we could test it.


There is one question I have about this keyboard:
Is it programmable? I am thinking about that because of the two sheets in the box. They show all keys of the board with space to write/print something onto it. The F keys even show two rows.

[Icarium]

Another nice finde Tarkoon, didn't you dig out that BTX Loewe keyboard as well?

[Tarkoon]

Yes, I did! =) I allways try to find NIB boards, because these give the only really qualified information about a board.

I like the stabilizers of this board, because they are mounted on the backside of the thick steel plate. Most stabs I've seen before are mounted on the front side.

[002]

Looks great! I think Topre also mount their stabilisers underneath the board too.
I have to try one of these foam over foil boards some day, even though they aren't held in the highest regard it would seem.

[486]

Recently got this board with the original Compaq SDL cable. Mega happy with the build quality. It weighs as mouch as Model M. SDL cable works fine with any Model M. However, mine was the model II with Mini din cable. Thing to note: these are XT-only boards and even the same with the mini din connector, you might assume that it is an AT board but it is not. The Compaq enhanced II boards with mini din were designed for use with Compaq Prolinea's and Deskpro and also Tandy RL or RL-HD's as those used a XT protocol though Mini din.