Page 1 of 1
Sun Type 3 OAK Spring , Type 4 KeyTronic Electric capacity
Posted: 21 Oct 2013, 17:08
by rzwv
Sun Type 3 OAK Spring Linear
Picture
YouTube
Machine translation.
the coil spring is contained in the inside and very smooth -- it is linear.
He has a feeling that it is a peculiar step, and a key-top goes to placing and is low? .
Although it does not understand by appearance, F and J have become depressed a little and a position should become intelligible? It is.
Sun Type 4 KeyTronic Electric capacity (静電容量) Tactile
Picture
YouTube
Other pictures.
http://kbd.rzw.jp/membrane/sun_type3/
http://kbd.rzw.jp/keytronic/sun_type4/
Posted: 21 Oct 2013, 17:48
by mr_a500
Thanks for the photos! I always wondered what a Sun 3 keyboard was like.
Now I just need to see the switches in a Sun 1.
Edit: ...or maybe not. I see the Sun 1 Wikipedia article has been updated since I was last there, with: "The keyboard was a Micro Switch 103SD30-2, or a KeyTronic P2441"
Posted: 21 Oct 2013, 19:08
by Muirium
Doubleshot caps over capacitative switches: I like the look of Type 4.
Posted: 21 Oct 2013, 19:44
by webwit
Very nice, thanks for sharing.
Posted: 21 Oct 2013, 20:15
by Daniel
Nice videos! I think the Type 3 sounds like a MX Black.
Posted: 22 Oct 2013, 04:06
by Findecanor
Oh, the Type 4 has a curved back plane. Are the keycaps all the same profile?
Other Key Tronic foam-and-foil keyboards I have seen have had a flat PCB and sculpted keycaps.
Posted: 23 Oct 2013, 14:48
by dorkvader
mr_a500 wrote:Thanks for the photos! I always wondered what a Sun 3 keyboard was like.
Now I just need to see the switches in a Sun 1.
Edit: ...or maybe not. I see the Sun 1 Wikipedia article has been updated since I was last there, with: "The keyboard was a Micro Switch 103SD30-2, or a KeyTronic P2441"
I'd like a sun type 1 keyboard. Not just because I need another 103 hall effect switches either. Even the keytronic has a decent chance of being reed switch. Not as nice, but interesting nontheless.
Posted: 23 Oct 2013, 19:11
by mr_a500
That 1982 Sun 1 keyboard looks like a strange combination of IBM Model F ("stepped" long keys, cylindrical keycaps with non-centred text) and the DEC VT-100 (2-block layout with arrow keys along the top, dark doubleshot keys). At least they didn't stupidly push the numeric keypad into the main block, like on the original Model F.
I'd like it better if it was less... F-ing Model F-like.
Posted: 23 Oct 2013, 19:20
by Muirium
That's fighting talk! Come here where I can reach you with my XT. THWACK!!!
I've become quite fond of the, um, cosy numpad placement on my Model F. I have those keys mapped to arrows, home/end and page up/down, which feels quite roomy, and get occasional numpad use out it thanks as always to Soarer's sorcery. All without pushing the right edge of the keyboard quite so far away. It's almost sensible. Well, almost.
Posted: 23 Oct 2013, 19:26
by mr_a500
Oh you want to fight? You want to fight?! You talkin' to me? Well I don't see anybody else here.
No, I won't fight you. I'm quite fond of my 5155 keyboard. (except that lousy Enter and left shift!) It's just that I would rather not mix F's with VT's... if you know what I mean.
Posted: 26 Oct 2013, 05:18
by dorkvader
You mean this keyboard?

Looks more like keytronic than microswitch to me. (Maybe they started making other keybaord by 1982, but I don't recall a microswitch hall effect keyboard with cylindrical keycaps.
Looking around, I think wikipedia is wrong. In the sun type 1 manual, the keyboard is called a 103SD30 series or specifically a 103SD32-2. Someone should fix that sometime.
Posted: 26 Oct 2013, 16:02
by mr_a500
Wow, nice closeup. It's an exact VT-100 layout - they even have the LEDs! Fascinating.