Apple IIc review (Alps SKCM Amber)
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- Опубликовано: 16 ноя 2024
- Skip to 8:51 for a typing demonstration.
My other keyboard reviews: • Thomas' Keyboard Reviews
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More Alps goodness this time, quite a nice toy I've got here! ^^ For those who love vintage Apple computers or clicky mechanical keyboards, this piece of vintage computer hardware might be just for you!
The practice sentence was: "Hello my name is Thomas and I'm typing on an apple IIc right now. Jesus clicking Christ this thing is nice to type on, almost as good as blue Alps, and for some people I'm sure it's even better than that!"
I remember typing on these back in the day. Thanks for reminding me how great they were.
Looks downright easy to convert, to be honest. Just need a wide enough controller as that's a straightforward matrix. Diode modding to get N-key rollover would be harder. Of course that leads to yet another project to do: write a keyboard firmware mod that automaps matrices. Just hook up any matrix on digital IOs, have one reset button to trigger mapping, open a text editor for assistance and hit the requested keys.
with the spacebar as the bongos, you have yourself a cuban dance party there, at the end, if you listen closely.
that spacebar is pretty bongo-y
Your voice is so smooth and relaxing and easy on my ears!
Thanks mate :) .
Would love to see you do some DIY custom keyboard vids with all the amazing switches you must have lying around.
I've got some funky stuff, yes, but custom things are expensive unfortunately :/ .
Great video as always & awesome find, hope to someday see them used in a kickarse custom. Reminds me of the loose SKCM Blues and Aruz I have lying around that I need to do something with.
I'm working on building a IIc based bluetooth keyboard. I have the same assembly you have, but WAY more used... I'm a bit jelly! That fresh NOS board you got is beautiful! Alps Amber is honestly my favorite switch! NOTHING compares to that hearty click!
What are those super-clicky Alps clone switches? I'm very intrigued by them!
We had some Apple IIcs in school when I was a kid, that had these keyboards, and I thought they were fantastic - better than my Tandy 101 (Fujitsu Peerless clicky) or the keyboard on the Quadra in my classroom (AEK?). I was going to use Matias Clickys in the custom keyboard I'm planning, but something that feels like those Alps Amber switches would be even better.
All the keyboard guys I showed mine to loved them, if that helps xD . The clones are a relatively new type, but they're not made anymore AFAIK.
ermagherd they sound amazing
The alternative position for the bumps make sense to me: the middle fingers are the longest and therefore the first to touch the keyboard when approaching it.
Hi Thomas! I'm repairing and old Apple IIe keyboard with long stem ALPS switches. Following your instructions I was able to repair and disassemble every switch with 100% success. I was pretty confident in the task until I met my match the Caps Lock Switch. One I opened it it was completely different and now... I can´t assemble it back on!! I've been trying different ways but there are some pieces (a little copper wire) that got me totally confused. Any idea of where can I find an image or video on how to assemble THAT specific key? Thanks a million in advance for your time and patience. Greetings, from Argentina!
Oh those Alps sound fucking amazing.
After seeing this I am officially shifting my hunt for SKCM Blues to SKCM Ambers. I definitely prefer a heavier & more tactile switch so these would be right up my alley if I can find some at a half acceptable price, LOL! I managed to get a damn near NOS Magnavox Videowriter for a really good price so finger crossed I can pull of the same with a IIC!
After I found an AEK with orange switches, I know now that it is impossible to mix up orange and salmon based on color. The color of orange alps is very deep, almost a brownish orange, while salmon looks like sun bleached orange. Amber is a yellowish orange. I guess you may have problems if color blind, but maybe this will help someone trying to identify their switch on some wierd board.
I love the look of that Blue ALPS Acer keyboard.
Check out the review on that keyboard, it's still my favourite :D .
I did, multiple times :)
this is it, my new dream keyboard. Now i know what im aiming for
Shit, I need to find some Alps boards. It's time to look around.
It looks to me like what they went for was putting the homing bumps where your middle finger goes in each key group: "D" & "K" in the alpha block, and left for the cursor keys.
8:26, keeb me up sells a custom 60 percent pcb and plate on his website. It is in hkkb I think, and would suit your needs pretty well. Not sure about shipping or what you think on price, but worth checking out.
apple IIc's are fantastic computers
My first ever computer was an Apple IIc in 1985. I don't know about the very early keyboards you mentioned, but mine sounded exactly like this and it felt just as you describe. I still have that machine and play with it periodically so I know I'm remembering correctly. The problem is that these really wear out over time. Mine has become almost impossible to type on; the force required has gotta be up around 150g at this point, and it doesn't feel smooth anymore. That was actually one justification I used to finally ditch my IIc as an everyday computer in about 1992; in those days, it wasn't easy or cheap to source a new keyboard and figure out how to install it. But yeah, when new, it was a really nice keyboard and it did feel a lot lighter in actual use than the 75g you measured. The keys themselves are quite small, so maybe it's partly psychological.
It probably has collected dust inside the switches, you should find a tutorial on how to clean them out...
I made that tutorial as well, you can find it on my channel :) .
I THOUGHT you did...
Damn man, unreal! I always like those apple keyboards. Used one when I was a kid in school, pretty sure the same computer. What a find. They are in the top 5 nicest sounding keyboards IMO. Great review man, I hope you can get some sory of housing / care for this to use it with. Maybe new old stock care, jerry rig it, so its just a working keyboard in that computer case. Request do you know what switches the apple 3 used? They sound very close to the apple 3's keyboard switch sound. Would love to see you do a review on both a apple 2 and apple 3 keyboard, but like this keyboard they are build into the computer :/ . Thanks again for another great review Chyrosran22
Thanks! :) The Apple 2 used something weird, not quite sure. The Apple 3 used Alps SKCC, already did a review on them in my M0110A video :) .
Hmmm did not know that, thanks man. All the old videos I see of the apple 3, sound so much clicky-er. Did you have oiled ones?
No Oo .
Holy ! I know you dont like the font and whatever... but i absoluetly adore the key caps.. any idea where i could get some?
oh man, that does sound lush
Wish there was a modern keyboard with those switches.
Speaking of which, have you done a review of the Apple A1243? I know it is not a mechanical keyboard, but it is popular.
I showed one briefly in my G84 video IIRC. They hurt my fingers mostly.
Chyrosran22 Yes... just saw that. As for me, I like my Apple A1243. To be honest, I tried my brother's gaming Razor mechanical gaming keyboard and I felt my typing slower on it and more prone to mistakes, even when looking at the keys. :P
***** I haven't tried a Razer keyboard yet, but I can't imagine I'd like anything about them. The switches are crap and the boards look really ugly.
Chyrosran22 You are not wrong there.. But there are those who like Cherry MX switches and I guess everyone has their preferences. I prefer the Apple and still think that it is a great keyboard; even if no one else agrees with me.
Oh yes, keyboards are a very subjective thing of course. There are even people who prefer a bog-standard rubber dome board. To each their own, of course.
Ooh, it deserves a case, too bad it didn't come with one! Awesome keyboard.
Yeah, a proper case and converting/adapting it for USB, that'd be pretty cool :D .
I had the apple IIc for a little while before throwing away, not that I would say it was bad just out of my time and had no software, keyboard was clicky!. My dad had a apple mac IIvi and LC630, Keyboard for the IIvi was the aekII which did poo's over the lc630's keyboard.
wonderful find!
When you say “typical Apple”, you really need to specify “typical vintage Apple” - modern Apple keyboards have none of those traits. (As for the homing bumps, I actually prefer the vintage Apple locations, but indeed once the industry settled on a standard location, it was a different one, and Apple switched to it.)
What traits specifically are you referring to?
Hey Thomas, I bought a Chicony board (monterey blue switches) and a datacomp board (complicated alps whites). I'm honestly adoring the monterey blues, they feel smoother than cherry blues and feel like they have a lower actuation point. Aka just great for my taste :D (they are also the first full mechanical keyboards that I own so yay).
One question though, is there an easy way to convert a DIN connector to ps/2? The datacomp one has one. The adapters in the Netherlands seem to be pretty expensive (when checking tweakers). And I don't know if doing it the frankenstein way by soldering on a ps/2 connector is a good way to make the datacomp board working on my pc.
Any input is appreciated.
If the board has an AT din 5 pin connector, you can use an adapter that transforms the 5 pin to 6 pin (ps/2), but there should be an AT/XT switch, unless it came out well after XT computers.
+Brandon Barker It doesn't seem to have a switch like that, I might have to look for it properly though.
I have a QKT video on how to convert various plugs and protocols, check it out! ;) What model of Datacomp is it, btw?
+Chyrosran22 It's a DFK191 (the fccid lists DFK121) and I'll check out the video, thanks
I dunno. Amber Alps and their blue variant just sound too plastic to me. I prefer MX Red with the stem from Glorious Panda, and then a tad too much lube but not so much that it sounds wet. It's tactile and thocky.
I think ripping this keyboard apart would be criminal. Do you want help with designing a case and a controller for it?
I'm trying to design a project, Project A, around it ;) . But it won't be soon for sure. It deserves a good bit of love, it's a magnificent keyboard really.
Please consider doing wooden sides. When i saw that massive 10kg keyboard with brown painted steel sides that you showed, i thought immediately that there weren't enough keyboards looking like vintage synthesizers. It's probably easier too, should open up more construction techniques for the body, like it could be a bent sheet of material like metal or plastic. I was going to offer to 3D print, which i can do, but it would have to be a piecewise print that would need to be glued and blended together, since my printer isn't that big, and i don't have that much confidence to print without much of a warping either, so perhaps another construction technique would be preferable. Distance is likely an issue too, since i'm in the middle of Europe and these things work best when you can make little partial test prints and adjust the design as needed.
I have a couple of fun ideas for it ;) .
Have you created a case for it? This would be amazing.
@@Chyrosran22 Also interested. Did you bring it to life? :)
Gorgeous sound indeed
Honestly, you can't beat Alps for sound. I don't know what it is, but they just sound amazing. Especially the first-gen ones.
+Chyrosran22 Alps had the best sounding switches aside from IBM's buckling springs.
Personally, I prefer Alps, although buckling springs sound great too.
hasnt a NOS blue alps IIc shown up? I seem to remember seeing one spoken about awhile back.
Yes, it appears that those were made as after-production replacement modules, while this one must have been made during the actual production run. The blue Alps in those are unique as they have branded top housings.
Yeah, the only other board that seems to be found on is the Packard Bell T9102. All the examples I've seen have had branded tops.
Still have it? Will buy!
Thomas i haved Apples IIc Plus how difference ??
anothe questino can i convert it to used for my pc
ps. sorry for my bad english.
What is the height of the keycaps? Are any contemporary keycaps made in this shape?
the only apple keyboard that was ever good
That's not true; did you see him show off all of the later-generation Apple Alps keyboards? Or are you just bashing tactile Alps?
'Just as good as blue Alps' I can already hear the Ebay bubble inflating...
These are more common than you think on eBay.
Those switches are only on A2S4100 model. Hairpin switch model is A2S4000. Apple IIc Plus (A2S4500) uses salmon pink switches. Just be careful to buy the correct model, A2S4100.
Man, I want an alps keyboard one day... Should make one I should
Why bother, you can get a $40 white Alps board off eBay without too much trouble :) .
Chyrosran22 I like building things mostly
Though repairing an old board with some harder to find alps would be a fun project.
I'm torn, but all I know is I need alps switches, they just sound so nice to type on, ugh
i really want some alps keybords now, i have an apple 2gs with orange alps. i like the tactile bump but im used to M's and F's and i need that click. surprisingly enough cherry clear and brown are the only MX switches i care for. i feel there clicky switches feel cheep and rattley, they just rub me wrong.
I don't recommend it but you could click mod your alps switches. I'd recommend buying a board with white alps though. I bought one recently for $36 on Ebay and after some TLC, they feel amazing.
i bought a white alps, i actually hate it, its really scratchy and low travel seems more noticeable. i think it might just be over use considering the backspace key only presses down if your dead center, and its a single unit key.
i spilled half a cup of water on my ibm model m so today im using my old rubber dome compaq from the 90's and actually kinda miss it, for a rubber dome it feels realy good. just like thoes mushy dell keybords from 2005.
not even one with a slider, just heavy as helh, the caps have a curcale slider built on them with 2 rails to gide it, its really smother and other than bending the back plate back it has servied alot of punches(i have a temper)
Wow, I think that's it - the sound and and feel I've been looking for. To get that deeper sound, thicker keycaps probably help? As for the switches, what is a currently available equivalent?
Actually I've found that they sound best with thin doubleshot ABS rather than thick PBT. There is no current equivalent of these switches. Closest is Matias Click, but it's not quite the same.
Thank you! They offer the Tactile Pro ("The best keyboard Apple ever made rises again.") and the Tactile One with the same switches.
John Matthias Not really sure how the Tactile Pro and the AEK or any Apple boards are the same really, but oh well :p .
Chyrosran22 I have NO IDEA about keyboards. I'm using an iMac for work, and the double-wing switches aren't too bad, (or at least better than my previous keyboard). The craze for mechanicals has reminded me of how much I liked writing with my ancient IBM clone, though *simple* backlighting would also be cool too, because, like...Star Trek. :-)
There's only so much a market can degrade before someone finds out about how good products used to be in the past. Modern keyboards are so crap that the quality gap between them and the old mechanicals of the 80s and 90s are divine by comparison, even not particularly good ones. A resurgence in demand for keyboards like that has caused the market in turn to be flooded with cheap copies of the most well-known switches, Cherries. Most of the public don't know the difference because they are so used to rubber domes or have never even tried mechanicals. However, if you dive in, you'll find that with mechanical keyboards, the hole always goes deeper than you think ;) .
Great video mate
Cheers mate :D .
fucking gorgeous.....
Is it me or does all Alps switches sound like clicky suction cups
Would you recommend a keyboard with blue or white Alps? What's the difference?
If you've never tried either, I'd recommend white Alps. Blue alps are slightly nicer in every way, but they cost 5-10 times as much. However, this only goes for two boards in equal condition. A clean white Alps board will feel miles better than a dirty blue Alps board. Whenever you buy Alps boards, only buy really really clean ones, even small amounts of dirt WILL impact keyfeel dramatically.
Well, I don't bother with MX blue switches. I wanted a Das Keyboard when I first heard of it, then I saw a typing demo video and thought "WTF?" when I heard that silly, dainty sound they make. It's a joke!
Or stage 3 mental illness.
Indeed, in fact I found another one just yesterday ^^ .
Nope, it's something you've never seen before :) . Or even heard of!
what is your all time favourite keyboard?
Still the Acer KB-101A.
Where did you learn to use your index fingers for the space bar? I don't think I've ever seen anyone else do that.
I didn't learn to type anywhere, I just type in the way that comes natural to me.
Chyrosran22 Same here. I never used home row, and my typing was always faster than everyone else in typing class.
Would you say these are as tactile as mx clears? Also what would be the alps equivalent of mx clears that is widely available?
No, MX clears are only weakly tactile, the tactile bump on these is way way stronger as well as much sharper and more defined. If you've never tried anything more tactile than MX clear you won't know what hit you if you try these xD . There really isn't an Alps or any other manufacturer equivalent to MX clears because of the strong anti-bottoming out force on those switches; to my knowledge no other switch was developed so specifically to prevent bottoming out. In terms of pure tactility, all Alps switches are more or much more tactile than MX clear.
+Chyrosran22 damn I really just love that MX clears don't drop off in force after the tactile bump guess I'll have to wait a while and see if a new switch comes along
I don't know. I can still bottom out on clears, but if I were to compare a feel in the Alps world that reminds me of the cushion of MX Clear, it'd be SKCL Brown. However, I've never actually tried Cherry MX Black stock, or at least not with enough switches for a real opinion.
Sooo, maybe they're more like MX blacks. Either way, I love them because of that cushion.
Hey man what modern tkl alps keyboard under 80 bucks do you recommend ?
There are no modern TKL Alps keyboards.
So, is it possible to wire this board into a USB cable or would you have to rewire it into a teensy?
This keyboard doesn't even have a controller so it's not quite as easy as just rewiring it xD .
For some reason I got unsubbed from you :/ well, at least I have a back log to catch up on!
Unsubbed? Unacceptable! :P
Chyrosran22 I'm sorry Keyboard Senpai ;-;
BiscuitFever UNACCEPTIBURU.
Chyrosran22 I BLAME RUclips
BiscuitFever YUTUBU WERY BAD
You can just desolder the switches take the keycaps and install on another apple keyboard and you will have a keyboard to type on XD
A keyboard only with lock keys, imagine
Hasu on GeekHack still has a bunch of Alps64 PCB's I just ordered one myself! PM him and he will ship on out to you. He is usually pretty fast to respond. Also, I got my hands on some Neon Green alps, I only have 59 of them... would you be willing to part with one of yours? I would obviously pay you for it but you are the only one I know who has NOS of them and I would love to fill a whole board with the Neon Greens! Love your videos by the way, keep up the good work. Definitely one of the most interesting keyboard channels on youtube. It is cool to hear about all the vintage boards and how they came about. Thanks for making these videos!
Do you really need to say the f-word everytime you record a video? :(