deskthority

Recently bought this guy along with the 6085 with Alps SKCM Green from 1992, both from the same seller.

The seller's brother worked for Xerox in Mountain View, Ca, and was able to take pretty much anything he wanted when their offices closed there. He was apparently familiar with PARC as well.







hi-res, but not as bad as my pictures.



Amazing to see this thing looking as if it was made just yesterday. Has that fresh and likely not too healthy electronics scent.



Early model 6085 keyboards seemed to have black dyesub lettering



While later models and the DocuTechs have this purplish red color



This one seems to have been made around when the 6085 was originally released. Good date.

Also, it's rare to see the original keyboard feet on any of these, as they're very delicate and usually turn orange and become reduced to goop with exposure and age.



Mouse and cable were both detachable in early models. This was seemingly removed by around 1988 if not sooner.

Early models were also made in Japan, then production moved to the USA, then finally to Mexico with the DocuTechs that were made in the mid-late '90s.

Curiously, the mice the seller had were all made in Mexico. Maybe some of the production was concurrent.





Very fresh Alps SKCM Brown switches







Cable with date identifier



Connector for removable cable

Overall, definitely something I'm happy to have. The box isn't in 100% mint condition, but it is in decent condition, and its state is understandable after all these years. Definitely something you don't see every day.

Not sure what I'm going to end up doing with all my Xerox keyboards.

That's pretty amazing. I hate you.

That's very amazing. I don't hate you.

E3E wrote: Not sure what I'm going to end up doing with all my Xerox keyboards.

Oh I could think of something...

Very nice! I'm surprised he grabbed a 6085 keyboard unless he grabbed a Xerox 6085 too? Otherwise, the keyboard would not have been much use to anyone. Still an awesome find though.

Will you dare harvest it, E3E?

Very awesome, E3E, how do these NIB SKCM Browns compare to used ones?

Are these boards PC-compatible somehow, by the way?

snuci wrote: Very nice! I'm surprised he grabbed a 6085 keyboard unless he grabbed a Xerox 6085 too? Otherwise, the keyboard would not have been much use to anyone. Still an awesome find though.

Yep, you're on the money, snuci! He had three 6085 systems from his brother. Some buyers who were interested in the systems and other equipment he had came in, but luckily the chatting I'd been doing with him about keyboards and some Xerox tidbits afforded me first dibs on the keyboards. I wasn't originally going to buy the boxed 6085, but after learning that a group was looking to buy pretty much everything, I just had to.

I guess his brother wanted a spare for his systems and that's why this exists, haha. Good thing it was never used though. It's super cool to have, even if I don't have the actual 6085 computer.

He had two 65D keyboards, one used (and kept with a system), this NIB one, and then he had a 65DB, which is the later model without a detachable cable, and that's the one from 1992 with Alps SKCM Green switches.

emdude wrote: Very awesome, E3E, how do these NIB SKCM Browns compare to used ones?

I'd say the ones I have in my 60% custom are smooth to the point of no binding keys, but they aren't quite as smooth as the NIB switches in the Xerox. Binding is probably the worst state for an Alps switch though.

It makes the keys feel so terrible if you press them off-center. My 6085 with SKCM Green has a ton of binding for some reason, despite the switches being clean when I checked them. My DocuTechs, despite having grit in the switches when I cleaned them, do not have ANY bind at all.

ramnes wrote: Will you dare harvest it, E3E?

Ohhhh never! I've already got SKCM Browns from some IBM 5140s and some work I've done for another member. So I'm good! They are really nice and smooth though.

Chyros wrote: That's pretty amazing. I hate you.

seebart wrote: That's very amazing. I don't hate you.

seebart wrote: Oh I could think of something...

Chyros wrote: Are these boards PC-compatible somehow, by the way?

Hasu commented on my DocuTech thread that the protocol was pretty much deciphered. Someone just needs to make a converter for it. I'd love if someone did! I definitely don't have the expertise to do so myself. D:

Thanks for the info and nice NIB photos. It has the 6 din like AT cable but not PC-compatible. Did you ever try it?

terrycherry wrote: Thanks for the info and nice NIB photos. It has the 6 din like AT cable but not PC-compatible. Did you ever try it?

You're welcome. It does have the standard DIN connector, but it isn't compatible, sadly. It would need a converter.

I will never get enough of (pictures) of these boards. Their top side looks so deliciously late 70s, early 80s sci-fi-ish.

I kind of Schrodinger-hate you

E3E wrote:

Chyros wrote: That's pretty amazing. I hate you.

Well, you know my weakness for NOS Alps, the board looks great and is rare to boot, and on top of that it's one of only three types of Alps CM I don't have a board of, and almost certainly the most highly-rated of those :p . So yeah, I'm jealous as fuck :p .

alh84001 wrote: I will never get enough of (pictures) of these boards. Their top side looks so deliciously late 70s, early 80s sci-fi-ish.

I kind of Schrodinger-hate you

Hahaha. I'll just have to catch you on a good day then.

Right? There's something enchanting about the look. That's pretty much why I couldn't take a desoldering iron to my DocuTechs. I just love the look of them. They are very sci-fi.

Chyros wrote:

E3E wrote:

Chyros wrote: That's pretty amazing. I hate you.

Well, you know my weakness for NOS Alps, the board looks great and is rare to boot, and on top of that it's one of only three types of Alps CM I don't have a board of, and almost certainly the most highly-rated of those :p . So yeah, I'm jealous as fuck :p .

Aww, well I'm flattered, Chyros. Yeah, it's an awesome board. It's nice to have an original US layout model too. There was another seller that had a few French Canadian layout 6085 keyboards (54D) that seemed NOS. Neat, but the original design is obviously the coolest.