deskthority

Because you asked for it.
This pic is of the desoldered switch. This would be a good replacement for the pic in the wiki.

Pic of the underside of the switch with the word "Aruz" from which the name is derived.

Dissassembled Aruz switch. Note the similarities in design to the KPT switch.

Switch top removed to see crucial inside parts. This pic shows the switch "not depressed"

This is a pic of the switch depressed. Note the click leaf moves back into the housing in style similar to KPT.

I hope this gives a better insite into the world of the Aruz switch. If you need more pics, simply PM me.

Damn. They copied that design all the way down to the Alps logo.

Is it good?

maxrunner wrote:Is it good?

Hell yeah.

486 wrote:

maxrunner wrote:Is it good?

Hell yeah.

And that's all that counts.

486 wrote:

maxrunner wrote:Is it good?

Hell yeah.

What keyboards use this, and how does it fare against blue montereys?i've yet to test blue alps(real)...

maxrunner wrote:

486 wrote:

maxrunner wrote:Is it good?

Hell yeah.

What keyboards use this, and how does it fare against blue montereys?i've yet to test blue alps(real)...

The click is almost the same as a monterey but dampened in sound and it has the same key actuation force as a blue alps. I had a page on the DT wiki of the keyboard it was on.

Any idea on what "Aruz" is? It always bothers me how a company that was large enough to produce keyboard switches, even if they're no longer around, is not even noted in any documents anywhere. It also bothers me that even a company like Cherry doesn't have any information about their earlier M7 switches, or ALPS with their complex/simplified switches, or any information at all about keyboards that are no longer in production. You're always left asking "Where the hell did this come from?"

Maybe the clone maker used a short fantasy name starting with an A.

webwit wrote:Maybe the clone maker used a short fantasy name starting with an A.

That actually would make sense, I would guess the switch was made by the same company who made the board they were found on.

Just did a bit of research... It was made by these guys, according to the FCC ID.
http://www.tai-hao.com/

Plug in "GOG" and "3YLTH-5539" here:
http://transition.fcc.gov/oet/ea/fccid/

I didn't realize the FCCs documents were available to the public, I'm probably going to use that site again.

graboy wrote:

webwit wrote:Maybe the clone maker used a short fantasy name starting with an A.

That actually would make sense, I would guess the switch was made by the same company who made the board they were found on.

Just did a bit of research... It was made by these guys, according to the FCC ID.
http://www.tai-hao.com/

Plug in "GOG" and "3YLTH-5539" here:
http://transition.fcc.gov/oet/ea/fccid/

I didn't realize the FCCs documents were available to the public, I'm probably going to use that site again.

It wasn't public for me. I clicked on details and it is restricted access. I had a look at other "fame" keyboards mentioned on GH but those do not have the elusive Aruz switch.
Well, I don't believe but I had a look at the Taiwan Tai-hao website and they still sell keyboards!!!!!!!
http://www.tai-hao.com/english/products.php?main_id=1
We are right on the money, and they sell mechanical keyboards!!! yes
http://www.tai-hao.com/english/products ... now_rows=1
Now we now who made the keyboard, maybe we can see who made the switch?

486 wrote: It wasn't public for me. I clicked on details and it is restricted access. I had a look at other "fame" keyboards mentioned on GH but those do not have the elusive Aruz switch.

I got the name from the manufacturer just by searching the ID number and looking at the page, without clicking on "detail" or "summary". It also says the application was granted in 1987, so you right on when you estimated '87 or '88. I don't really know what to say about the switches, though. I think I'm gonna look around on the FCC website a bit more, it's a great resource, maybe I'll find something.

And we can go down the rabbit hole further...

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-mechanica ... B005IKLDYE (out of stock, but reviews that said it's an APC BSW switch)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 823839014/

And things are indicating that it's an Alps knockoff... hmm...

Well there's a lot on google on the APC BSW switch. Various variants. This looks official:
http://www.aziocorp.com/support/downloa ... ochure.pdf
I guess someone should rename/update the wiki entry.

Wait a minute. I found some info that says that tai hao manufactured the switch themself.

Tai-Hao has stepped over to manufacture Keyboard with its own outstanding injection ability & the advantage of being a upline factory manufacturer of keyboard keycaps & keyswitches in 1987.

1987 is right in line with when my keyboard was made.
I don't think they are APC BSW switches. the thread below shows an APC BSW and the slider is not the same.
http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/wha ... t1676.html

further info: http://www.tai-hao.com/english/news.php
http://www.tai-hao.com/english/company.htm

Cool, I updated the wiki with more accurate information.
[wiki]Fame_GOG3YLTH-5539[/wiki]
[wiki]Aruz[/wiki]

Thanks graboy. I hope that more info about the Aruz switch will be uncovered as more people start looking for them.

486 wrote:the thread below shows an APC BSW and the slider is not the same.

I always wondered who makes XM switches and where the "XM" moniker comes from.

As I understand it, Alps Electric were responsible for the Simplified Type I before Forward Electronics took over manufacturing it, but did they ever make Simplified Type II, III and IV themselves? (There was more info on the GH wiki when it existed, but not a lot more.)

Since XM switches are still sold, someone must know who they come from, even if we don't know whether said company took over manufacturing an existing Alps Electric design :)

You gotta be very, very careful when getting deep into the world of Alps and clones. It's dangerous because it's a paradoxical whirlpool into never ending peculiarities. Restarting an old Alps meme...


Veteran Alps experts discussing Clones.

Haha - wouldn't be the first time you've scared people away from Alps

I dunno, those veteran Alps experts seem to be enjoying themselves. If Alps leads to friendship and happiness, I gotta dig further. It's not as though I have a life or anything anyway …

bhtooefr wrote:And we can go down the rabbit hole further...

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-mechanica ... B005IKLDYE (out of stock, but reviews that said it's an APC BSW switch)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 823839014/

And things are indicating that it's an Alps knockoff... hmm...

So is it a fake alps???i'm not following...

Does anyone even know what a "clone" Alps switch is? Findecanor has Aruz down as an Alps "clone", which raises the question: where all Alps clones authorised? Fukkas were authorised (someone said that Forward Electronics took over the factory, others say that they were made under licence) but does anyone know that XM switches, or Types III and IV, were ever designed by Alps or licensed by Alps?

The Aruz is not a clone in the way that I understand it (the case construction is completely different and the slider, unlike the known clones, is not the same cross section) although it's very similar inside.

Whether you'd say "clone" or "knock-off", and whether any simplified Alps switches were "fake", depends entirely on which types of clone switch were authorised by Alps. If some "clones" were not authorised, then you could argue that "clone" should mean "authorised clone" (think Macintosh clones from the late 90s) and "knock-off" would be reserved for switches that simply copied Alps Electric's designs.

I've asked Matias who makes XM switches, so that we at least know that much :) (Since Matias bought them for the TP3 LED keys)

Do you guys know where can i get one in Europe???

maxrunner wrote:Do you guys know where can i get one in Europe???

No idea. these could very well be the rarest switch ever made with only one keyboard verified to have them. Search around because there are also the same keyboard and FCC and they have blue alps instead of Aruz switches.
I disagree with it being a clone too. A clone is a copy of something. If it was a clone at all, it would be most related to the KPT switch but it still differs. I assure you, the feel is different to any switch I have tried.

maxrunner wrote:

bhtooefr wrote:And we can go down the rabbit hole further...

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-mechanica ... B005IKLDYE (out of stock, but reviews that said it's an APC BSW switch)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 823839014/

And things are indicating that it's an Alps knockoff... hmm...

So is it a fake alps???i'm not following...

Not fake, i led people in the wrong direction. It turns out that Tai Hao themselves made the switch back when they entered the market back in 1987.

But is that recent keyboard using these, sorry for the confusion, can you post pics of your keyboard using these?

I had a pic in an older post. Have a look on the DT wiki Aruz page references. there is a pic of the whole keyboard.

I just found one of these keyboards! Very nice clicky sound and nice feel. I am able to use it on my desktop in bios and in grub menus. However I am unable to use it in gdm or winXP. I think it's just a driver issue, can anybody recommend how I can get it working in winXP?