deskthority

DataVue 25 keyboard

https://www.ebay.com/itm/234024809821

Omron switches, I believe.

It's hard not to get the impression that as the design neared the end it was just a matter of, "well, I have this key left and this position unfilled."

I bought a Datavue 25 many years ago, traded it for a set of DOS discs.

I recall the keyboard being quite hateful because they went with an IR style sensor; although you could cable it with that odd 3-pin socket, it didn't provide operating voltage from the main unit, so if you forgot the keyboard ran down its battery and would be dead easily.

The machine itself was interesting; you could outfit it with a surprisingly large amount of RAM for an 8088 portable (like 1.25M) and it had a graphical boot screen showing the memory map-- but as a 5MHz 8088 with only one disc drive, its utility was pretty poor.

IBM 6580 Displawyriter

https://www.ebay.com/itm/194158827479?m ... fresh=true

That'll go fast

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Chicony-E8H51K ... 3399177031

Seller provided a picture and it's Futaba MA

shine wrote: 26 May 2021, 09:25 IBM 6580 Displawyriter

https://www.ebay.com/itm/194158827479?m ... fresh=true

John Doe wrote: 26 May 2021, 09:29 That'll go fast

And so it did. I like the seller's info:

This is One Of the very first Display Writers IBM Made
IBM Display Writer 6580 Beam Spring Keyboard PN 2682678 w/ original Cable
Introduced In 1980
Keyboard I.D. NO. 630X-91-X15212
Model- 00 1
Part NO. 2682678
Date Of MFG. 1980-1983
No. 7640016 DE 678 / MADE IN CANADA
Kyb-001
Serial Number 6580 26 0011825
Communication I.D. G 544-2001-0
Height: 3.75"
Width: 8.50"
Length: 20.75"
Weight: 12 LBS.

Untested
As-Is
The Cord Needs To Be Repaired Or Replaced

Release Date June 1980
Introductory Price US $7,895 (Equivalent To $24,798 In 2020
Leased For US $275 (Equivalent To $863.76 In 2020) A Month

I reckon the $7,895 price was for the whole system, not the keyboard. And IBM clearly wanted you to lease!

Fujitsu FKB4804 from Germany:

https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anz ... 1-225-8867

Unfortunately a rubber dome. Does anyone know whether those feel any good?

shine wrote: 26 May 2021, 09:25 IBM 6580 Displawyriter

https://www.ebay.com/itm/194158827479?m ... fresh=true

It's been listed like 5 times today. Do we think it's a cache of these that seller found or that buyers keep backing out and he's trying to re-list the same one each time?

The serial number is claimed to be identical to the description I pasted above some hours earlier. There is only one keyboard. Incompetent / shifty seller then.

TNT wrote: 26 May 2021, 21:45 Fujitsu FKB4804 from Germany:

https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anz ... 1-225-8867

Unfortunately a rubber dome. Does anyone know whether those feel any good?

I've got this one at home. The key travel is slightly shorter then you would expect, but the keyfeel is nice and I'm not sure why but when I type on this board I do less mistakes and my word per minute increases by 10. I guess it's because I do less mistakes. I personally really like that keyboard. But wouldn't buy for 59€ I paid 20€ shipped last year.

inozenz wrote: 26 May 2021, 23:33
I've got this one at home. The key travel is slightly shorter then you would expect, but the keyfeel is nice and I'm not sure why but when I type on this board I do less mistakes and my word per minute increases by 10. I guess it's because I do less mistakes. I personally really like that keyboard. But wouldn't buy for 59€ I paid 20€ shipped last year.

Yeah, would've grabbed it just for the looks if it wasn't for the price. Love the position of the locklights. Guess I'll have to wait for a bit or send him an offer. Thanks for the insight!

I just thought this keyboard was pretty.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124743986953?_ ... nl%3Dmkcid

1 Commodore PC-5 (Cherry G80-0530) and 2 Amiga 2000 keyboards, one cherry, the other Hi-Tek:

https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anz ... 1-168-9512

And here’s a German Cherry G80-2100, unused in its original box.
Price is 424 € (not negotiable), shipping 7 € (obviously meaning just Germany).
I wonder why it was listed on the eBay small ads site and not on regular eBay:
https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anz ... 56-84-2895
.

ddrfraser1 wrote: 27 May 2021, 17:02 I just thought this keyboard was pretty.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124743986953?_ ... nl%3Dmkcid

That is pretty. Are those alps switches and/or caps?

thefarside wrote: 27 May 2021, 20:24

ddrfraser1 wrote: 27 May 2021, 17:02 I just thought this keyboard was pretty.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124743986953?_ ... nl%3Dmkcid

That is pretty. Are those alps switches and/or caps?

I wondered the same thing but when I sent the seller a message this was his reply.

“well, i ask to be called with questions.
Will consider doing those things after that has happened.
thanks
AJ”

So I basically told him not to be such a pissy little bitch and that he could forget it

ddrfraser1 wrote: 27 May 2021, 21:22

thefarside wrote: 27 May 2021, 20:24

ddrfraser1 wrote: 27 May 2021, 17:02 I just thought this keyboard was pretty.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124743986953?_ ... nl%3Dmkcid

That is pretty. Are those alps switches and/or caps?

I wondered the same thing but when I sent the seller a message this was his reply.

“well, i ask to be called with questions.
Will consider doing those things after that has happened.
thanks
AJ”

So I basically told him not to be such a pissy little bitch and that he could forget it

Hilarious! He must like talking on the phone. I find myself in a precarious position on items like this. I have no use for a typewriter and I’d feel bad harvesting the keys and switches but the caps look great and would make for a nice project if they were alps.

ddrfraser1 wrote: 27 May 2021, 21:22

thefarside wrote: 27 May 2021, 20:24

ddrfraser1 wrote: 27 May 2021, 17:02 I just thought this keyboard was pretty.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124743986953?_ ... nl%3Dmkcid

That is pretty. Are those alps switches and/or caps?

I wondered the same thing but when I sent the seller a message this was his reply.

“well, i ask to be called with questions.
Will consider doing those things after that has happened.
thanks
AJ”

So I basically told him not to be such a pissy little bitch and that he could forget it

That is similar to how some local people in Germany prefer receiving printed letters snail-mail to them for vaccination invitation, and that lots of offices would rather send and receive fax than doing that with e-mail...
I guess this person would ask money be paid in cash or via bank-transfer without any protection, I mean buyer-protection.

Also, I was asking for photos so I didn’t see how a phone call was going to help

Maybe they're just old or lonely.

I'm pretty sure those cannons are not alps

ddrfraser1 wrote: 27 May 2021, 17:02 I just thought this keyboard was pretty.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124743986953?_ ... nl%3Dmkcid

I can’t help but find the discussion about how the seller reacted to a message rather… artificial.

He had clearly and unequivocally indicated in his listing how he wished to be contacted:

QUESTIONS/REQUESTS/TESTING
please call w questions / requests, [phone number] 7am to 10am best, upto 9 pm ok to try.

I see no reason not to respect that, after all it wasn’t a matter of sending him photos, but of requesting some.
So I find that it was rather generous of him to answer at all instead of simply ignoring the message,
and that it is fully inappropriate to insult him or make fun of him here.

Menuhin wrote: 27 May 2021, 22:23[…] I guess this person would ask money be paid in cash or via bank-transfer without any protection, I mean buyer-protection.

Wrong, as the listing shows:
.

Of course, but it wasn't really a matter of not respecting his wish, I didn't actually read the details as you guys probably guessed, it was more that I made a simple request and he was an ass about it.

There is absolutely no reason to call someone to ask for pictures, a massage does the same. And this has nothing to do with respect.
Also if you look closely the keys are slightly yellowed. The grey keys are discoloured. Maybe it is unused but I can't believe that tbh. That's why the price is also a little over the roof.

Blue Alps?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324648296794
wiki/Accodata_Keycat

Epson keyboard with FLS gen 2.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/114828877819

Both sold.

Regarding possible blue Alps, if the wiki ever mentions that it's possible that there was a different key switch used in the KB you're looking at, that means the KB you're looking at (probably) has the least valuable switch

That was a really nice looking Epson and it sold for $70, without shipping, so that was a great price, too.

I think that's a Honeywell 122/Idea-terminal board (2, one NOS, one used):

https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anz ... 67-225-871

No points for ergonomics

Remember: this is how the whole future was once supposed to look…

Yay! Wait wut?