Incredible project and fantastic video! Repurposing old Apple Alps boards for modern use is always fascinating, since these were some of the best keyboards ever made. Question: on 1:51 you say these keycaps are made of ABS. But are you sure they are not PBT instead? I know for a fact that PBT caps resist yellowing much better than ABS, but Apple used to make the spacebars of their old keyboards out of ABS to avoid warping (which can be a problem with PBT spacebars), which is why the ABS spacebar is more susceptible to yellowing than the rest of the PBT keys.
Thank you. You are absolutely right, the yellowing plastics are in fact ABS. Whereas the other keycaps are another plastic (I'm happy to verify which if anyone can suggest a way to non-destructively test if they're PBT).
@@mttcx Deskthotity article on this keyboard states these are probably PBT indeed: "The yellowing characteristics suggest ABS for the case and space bar, and a different material (e.g. PBT) for the remaining keys." Considering that all other Apple Alps boards that came after this one (I have them all :) had PBT, there is a good chance these are PBT as well.
probably the best modding video I've ever seen, it's almost art restoration grade, with every change you made being easily reversible if anybody ever wants to put it back how it was
Exactly! I think I cut that part from the script, but it was important to me to keep it 100% reversible. Long term, its 1980ms IIGS heritage will be more useful that some 2020’s mods some guy made 😄
Throughout the video, I kept saying "He's doing too much, it's not gonna work out." And then when you did the final assembly, I was like, "He did it." Well done. Good planning, good pivoting, and perseverance. Awesome final result.
Just FYI I worked at Apple in the product development teams in 2015 and 2016, I did experiments with whitening original Mac 128K cases and UV has no effect. The yellowed parts I put in a black toolbox submerged with hydrogen peroxide whitened just as fast as the ones I put on the roof of our office building. The whole UV thing is just a lie people keep spreading. Also the plastic cases people put them in most likely block all the UV anyway. The only effect you could see from sunlight is it being warmer, but you can get the same effect by doing it during the summer vs winter.
Thanks for your comment and email! That's interesting, there's certainly a lot of contradicting results online. I wanted to document my journey with this keyboard, allowing those interested to follow other's (more experienced) guidance. I can share my experience, but I'm not qualified in the matter, so I will avoid the subject or at least highlight this.
What concentration peroxide were you using? I'm curious to see a thorough experiment and writeup about retr0briting. As far as I know the mechanism of action isn't even fully understood yet.
@@DAAI741 Just fill a large container with water and put a few bottles of 3% peroxide from the store in. You don't need much of a ratio tbh, but the peroxide does get expended after a while and you might need to add more. I believe I used 10 bottles of that 3% stuff and it whitened it over a week. By the way it's just called bleaching or whitening, retr0brite is just a brand name, they didn't invent it. People have been using peroxide to bleach yellowed plastic since the 70s. It works by removing some of the fire retardant chemicals if I recall right.
@@RinoaL I've done it before in the sun, but I haven't tried it in the dark. What I'm more curious about is how to optimize its effectiveness when using off the shelf peroxide. I think I heard something about yellowing being caused by the degradation of bromine-based fire retardants. But I haven't seen an actual description of the chemical reaction. Retr0bright is actually not a brand name. It's just the name of the method. In fact it probably can't be trademarked for that reason because it's kind of widely used.
@@DAAI741 Thats good to keep in mind maybe the term came before, but there was a company called retr0brite that sponsored people on youtube over a decade and a half ago, so that made the name stick more. I think it's kinda a silly re-naming of it though.
I really appreciate you keeping in all aspects of the design process especially the things that didn’t work out. This was very enjoyable to watch and I learned a lot!
I took an old clock/light that hung as an advertisement in a jewelry shop and wanted to make it ‘smart’. From afar it looks decades old but it hooks up to the internet and can be controlled via Siri. I would have liked to have left it untouched but the light and clock mechanism were always on and I wanted to be able to turn the light on/off without stopping time with a physical switch for just the light. So I did drill a hole but installed an old metal toggle switch that doesn’t at all hint that it was modernized. Future project is to add some LED strips inside and have it be able to do silly visual notifications while still looking like it’s an antique. 😊
Awesome video, I went on your channel to look for more of your videos to watch but was sadly disappointed that there wasn’t more, please don’t stop making videos, it was a treat to watch
youtube doesn't allow me to save this video in my "glorious videos that are so important" playlist and I'm so mad because this was not only excellent work, but also the way you showed the whole process and all your Ls make this such a humbling and inspiring experience. literally one of the best videos put out here and I command you for that. ALSO, nice desk.
0:45 Apple keyboards still have the dedicated power button. I had no idea caps lock actually used to lock (like on typewriters), I kinda like it. Cool project, you nailed the end result.
@@mttcx From the point of view of the IIgs, this button is Reset, not Power. The IIgs didn't have a sleep mode, and only a power switch on the power supply at the back. Did the IIgs keyboard Reset button send an ADB code or just connect GND and PSW? It's been a long time ... Anyway, awesome mod!
@mttcx but I had a question, why did you remove the locking mechanism instead of binding that caplock key to a shift, so it would would work as intended? Are you not able to donthatvusing zmk?
I ended up undoing the changes I made to the caps lock, so will lock again. I like having a separate shift, and I can't differentiate between left and right shifts as they're on the same trace. I'm going to create a new layer for caps, and have it use capitals.
@@mttcx This is a feature that can be turned on for any keyboard, but unfortunately it's in the BIOS menu of motherboards. So not every motherboard will have that feature, and most users will probably not look for it. Apple making their own computers and peripherals gives them the ability to make use of the power button.
WOW. You made this keyboard even better than before. My brother had Apple 2gs back in the late 80's and I really like that Control key exists where capslock keys usually is. This is keyboard mod perfection.
Besides the awesome and impressive project, very very clean editing and storytelling. I am looking forward to watching your next projects. Special mention to the compositing at the end to show typing.
The graphics were amazing in this video. My unasked for suggestion would be to make the audio backing track fade in and out when you speak less noticeable. The music choice and your voice over are both good its just that transition for me. Hope to see another video soon!
One of the best mod videos I've ever seen for sure. How you paid attention to every detail is remarkable, I really enjoyed to take a glass of water and seeing the entire process. Cheers!
This is an awesome project. In 2023, I also bought an old ADB keyboard (A9M0330), and recreated the main circuit board to have USB-C connection. Now I'm working on a brand-new keyboard design, taking inspiration from this keyboard and making the layout more functional. It's called C-81 :)
this is such an incredible project! You mentioned the diode-free wiring of the keys on this keyboard and speculated that it could cause issues down the line. Years ago I went down the Apple Extended Keyboard rabbit hole and although I loved the keyboard itself, at the rate I was typing I'd sometimes run into issues with ghosting and missed keystrokes. My solution: I took an old janky AEK that was no good anymore, desoldered absolutely everything off the PCB, sanded off the traces, and then put in new Matias switches that were hand wired to one another using diodes. It's incredibly janky but it does work! I spent some time playing with these smaller vintage Apple keyboards and I seem to recall having fewer typing issues on those so maybe the smaller matrix is better suited to the lack of diodes. The lack of diodes are the sole demerit on some of the best keyboards Apple ever made. But again, what a remarkable project!
I just ordered this board on eBay, along with all the PCBs and 3D printed parts from JLC (I also got the knob CNC'd). This is one of the best keyboard restorations I've ever seen. Excellent work!
I remember distinctly growing up my friend had one of these keyboards at his house, and he had a dust shield on it. It was like a thin translucent gel-foam type material designed to catch debris but still allow for a smooth typing experience. I will never forget the satisfaction I got using that keyboard, for one single day, like 30 years ago as a kid. Legendary video
this is that rare moment where RUclips bring me over some high quality video and I'm glad it's this one 😭, it's crazy your first video is this good, keep it up man I'll join the ride and look forward on what you got next!
Fantastic restomod! Good to see you were able to keep the case relatively stock on the outside and could repurpose parts of the keyboard that were no longer relevant to replace with more modern features. Looks fantastic too! Might also be worth looking into taking out the switches eventually to clean them, as Alps SKCM are somewhat notorious for dust exposure. Many have had a lot of success with usage of paraffin wax on the sliders which helps to both insulate them against dust and also act as a passive lubricant, increasing smoothness. All in all looks like a long-term project that you'll be able to tinker with. This is the type of keyborad content that I really enjoy, lots of user preference and hobbyist DIY stuff to make the keyboard fit your exact needs.
Great video man! Having attempted a somewhat similar project, it’s so nice to see the dead ends and redos you went through. So much of these sort of projects are 2 steps forward 1 step back. It’s great to see that part of the process realistically shown and worked through. Subbed.
Insane video, great editing and a clear way of following what youre doing. some of the camera angles were a bit off when showing the circuitry i personally prefer seeing the entire pcb but nitpicking aside defintely want to see more!
This is a fantastically slick mod. Thank you for both showing your full process -- mistakes and all -- and for not cutting corners! This is a really inspiring build!
My guy, incredible work, top notch production quality and content, also I would pay $$$$ for one of these as I do not have the skills to build my own. Keep with the great work, with this uniqueness and quality your channel will be huge in the future 🔥👊
Excellent video! Thanks for sharing. I'm a big fan of these vintage keyboards. Just a small suggestion: the audio seems to get a bit louder during the brief pauses between your sentences, which can be a little distracting.
this is actually insane, congrats thanks for open sourcing the entire project also, really tempted to give this a go at some point if I can track down one of these keyboards
You forgot the most important thing about this keyboard: it's got incredible switches! The salmon alps are legendary and very much sough after in the community.
What a great project. I love seeing the struggle for using USB-C. As an electrical engineer, my first USB-C project ran into many similar issues. Great work and cannot wait to see your next project!
This is such a well-made and compelling video! I have interest but only brief knowledge on the technicals of what went on, but I watched the whole thing with rapt attention anyway. What a neat project you've worked through!
This is one of the coolest projects I have seen restoring a piece of Apple and Alps history. Man I would love to get a vintage Apple board with orange alps, or a broken one so I can use the orange alps in another board I own.
I give this channel approximately 1 week before it absolutely blows up in popularity! Excellent production quality, and beautiful work on the keyboard!
Amazing video, can't help but smile at the way modern processes like 3D printing and custom boards can save this lovely old keyboard from being just a museum piece. Love it.
Nice job! Good luck with the channel. I'm also interested in your Flight Sim setup. This method of storing the Yoke and other stuff away looks very handy.
This is fantastic. I’ve found myself still attached to my Apple A1243 keyboard; tighter corner radii and a flat slab of aluminum compared with the newer versions. If you ever feel like taking on a similar challenge to find a path to wireless + USB-C with those?
Good video! Your keyboard looks great and I think it's awesome that you showcased yourself doing some things that you've not really done before, like designing a PCB. It sets a good example for people wanting to get into DIY electronics, and you do a wonderful job of iterating your design. My only note is about the video itself, the way the background music cuts in and out seems inconsistent and was distracting. Rather than having a lot of smaller voiceovers with the music having to swing up and down a lot - script and arrange the video so that the talking segments all go together and then have longer sections where assembly and b-roll are taking place and you can turn up the music. It'll be easier to more naturally smooth out those transitions, or to switch songs to match the mood and keep it fresh. I guess there's one more note, at 6:39 the voiceover audio is very strange, louder and more reverb-y. Maybe this was added late and recorded in a different environment perhaps? Something to watch out for. I look forward to seeing your next videos!
really great project and demonstration of skills. Awesome keyboard. sometimes its totally overboard but I do tend to model the area that I'm working in at the CAD stage and try to do assembly with components to face these problems off at the pass.
I spent a lot of time typing on the M0116/M0118 line which is basically the same keyboard but with more plastic. These are still really nice keyboards and many programmers will appreciate having the caps key and control key swapped in hardware by default.
Awesome job! It was super entertaining too. Electronics aren't really my thing, but computers and vintage Macs have been my dream machines since I was young.
Such beautiful attention to detail! Makes one wonder how the sideways Apple logo on the Mac sitting on the desk is acceptable!? 😂 Love the video production and editing to boot 👏 new subscriber here!
awesome video! keyboard looks amazing and the printed pcb with all the expanders and microcontroller is genius! can't wait for more from you! also, that finger snapping at the end i've never seen anyone do like that lol.
Incredibly video. I think this has got to be one of the best sounding keyboards I've ever heard. As someone relatively new to the world of custom keyboards, what kind of switches would produce that kind of sound and typing experience? Also I love the indented caps, is that something that's still around at all?
This keyboard uses Alps switches, although the company is still active, from what I've read the quality of their keyboard switches have degraded. There's a group of keyboard enthusiasts who collect these keyboards just to harvest the switches from them!
Really nice work, and well done doing it all in a reversible way, so no damage is done. If I had any criticism, and it's minor, it's that you should use 'turned' pin headers (circular cross section) instead of square pin headers to connect to the DIP socket - the pins you used are much fatter than chip legs, and will stretch the sprung contacts inside socket, so it may not make reliable contact if you reinstall the original IC. A minor criticism of an excellent build though, and always good to see retro kit being used rather than gathering dust.
Thank you! And you're right, I 'cheaped out' on the pin headers, and I might regret that down the line. If I build another, I will look at the circular machined pin, headers.
Great work on this project, the end result is stellar Now complete the set by getting a modern wireless mouse’s internals inside that classic apple mouse!
Fantastic video and effort! I have been planning on doing something similar with an AEK II and an Apple Adjustable Keyboard, and I suspect I’ll be stealing a few ideas from this project!
I'm not an Apple guy, but I love love LOVE retro technology. And what I love more is forcing retro tech to interface with new tech. You've done an amazing job.
I like that you tried to keep this as true to the original design as possible. It would be cool to see you try to extend the design language to the encoder knob as well - possibly modeling the dial like the key caps so that it has that unique bevel as well. Overall, well done!
Thanks! I had a few thoughts on the encoder knobs, at first I was going to copy the 'Digital Crown' from the Apple Watch, but obviously they are conflicting eras and it didn't suite. I settled on a design influenced by the brightness control on the Macintosh Plus, but it could have been interesting to do something more similar to the keycaps!
@@mttcx IIRC most of the knobs on “Snow White” era Apple products were smooth cylinders - many of them partially recessed, which obviously wouldn’t work here. The volume knob on the //c might be an interesting inspiration; the volume scale on that was painted on but you could maybe do a similar effect in 3D for texture
Incredible project and fantastic video! Repurposing old Apple Alps boards for modern use is always fascinating, since these were some of the best keyboards ever made.
Question: on 1:51 you say these keycaps are made of ABS. But are you sure they are not PBT instead? I know for a fact that PBT caps resist yellowing much better than ABS, but Apple used to make the spacebars of their old keyboards out of ABS to avoid warping (which can be a problem with PBT spacebars), which is why the ABS spacebar is more susceptible to yellowing than the rest of the PBT keys.
Thank you. You are absolutely right, the yellowing plastics are in fact ABS.
Whereas the other keycaps are another plastic (I'm happy to verify which if anyone can suggest a way to non-destructively test if they're PBT).
@@mttcx Deskthotity article on this keyboard states these are probably PBT indeed: "The yellowing characteristics suggest ABS for the case and space bar, and a different material (e.g. PBT) for the remaining keys."
Considering that all other Apple Alps boards that came after this one (I have them all :) had PBT, there is a good chance these are PBT as well.
The trace following effect on the pcb was amazing! this video is such high quality for only having 26 subscribers! now 27 :D
now 527 :D
Almost 1k!
I got whiplash reading this comment, I assumed the video was from an established channel because of the production values.
1.86k :)
Now almost 2000
probably the best modding video I've ever seen, it's almost art restoration grade, with every change you made being easily reversible if anybody ever wants to put it back how it was
Exactly! I think I cut that part from the script, but it was important to me to keep it 100% reversible. Long term, its 1980ms IIGS heritage will be more useful that some 2020’s mods some guy made 😄
yeah i was very surprised how non-destructive the mods were
Insane graphic at 2:29 for the pcb, so cool!
Literally what I thought...I was blown away lmao.
Throughout the video, I kept saying "He's doing too much, it's not gonna work out." And then when you did the final assembly, I was like, "He did it." Well done. Good planning, good pivoting, and perseverance. Awesome final result.
Just FYI I worked at Apple in the product development teams in 2015 and 2016, I did experiments with whitening original Mac 128K cases and UV has no effect. The yellowed parts I put in a black toolbox submerged with hydrogen peroxide whitened just as fast as the ones I put on the roof of our office building. The whole UV thing is just a lie people keep spreading. Also the plastic cases people put them in most likely block all the UV anyway.
The only effect you could see from sunlight is it being warmer, but you can get the same effect by doing it during the summer vs winter.
Thanks for your comment and email!
That's interesting, there's certainly a lot of contradicting results online.
I wanted to document my journey with this keyboard, allowing those interested to follow other's (more experienced) guidance.
I can share my experience, but I'm not qualified in the matter, so I will avoid the subject or at least highlight this.
What concentration peroxide were you using? I'm curious to see a thorough experiment and writeup about retr0briting. As far as I know the mechanism of action isn't even fully understood yet.
@@DAAI741 Just fill a large container with water and put a few bottles of 3% peroxide from the store in. You don't need much of a ratio tbh, but the peroxide does get expended after a while and you might need to add more. I believe I used 10 bottles of that 3% stuff and it whitened it over a week.
By the way it's just called bleaching or whitening, retr0brite is just a brand name, they didn't invent it. People have been using peroxide to bleach yellowed plastic since the 70s. It works by removing some of the fire retardant chemicals if I recall right.
@@RinoaL I've done it before in the sun, but I haven't tried it in the dark. What I'm more curious about is how to optimize its effectiveness when using off the shelf peroxide.
I think I heard something about yellowing being caused by the degradation of bromine-based fire retardants. But I haven't seen an actual description of the chemical reaction.
Retr0bright is actually not a brand name. It's just the name of the method. In fact it probably can't be trademarked for that reason because it's kind of widely used.
@@DAAI741 Thats good to keep in mind maybe the term came before, but there was a company called retr0brite that sponsored people on youtube over a decade and a half ago, so that made the name stick more. I think it's kinda a silly re-naming of it though.
holymoly this is your first video? investing early - looking forward to your future vids!
ABS yellows. Those caps, aside from the space bar, are PBT. That's why they don't yellow. The space bar does though.
You're correct - Correct in the description and pinned comment 👍
I have one of these keyboards that is BRIGHT yellow, I do not believe that ALL revisions would’ve been PBT
bro single-handedly become the division of product development
I really appreciate you keeping in all aspects of the design process especially the things that didn’t work out. This was very enjoyable to watch and I learned a lot!
I love how you didn’t damage the keyboard housing. Vintage items should be preserved!
I took an old clock/light that hung as an advertisement in a jewelry shop and wanted to make it ‘smart’. From afar it looks decades old but it hooks up to the internet and can be controlled via Siri. I would have liked to have left it untouched but the light and clock mechanism were always on and I wanted to be able to turn the light on/off without stopping time with a physical switch for just the light. So I did drill a hole but installed an old metal toggle switch that doesn’t at all hint that it was modernized.
Future project is to add some LED strips inside and have it be able to do silly visual notifications while still looking like it’s an antique. 😊
@@johnkelly1620 very cool!
You could argue that the bleaching is damaging but when the parts are doomed to yellow/degrade anyway I guess it's not that big of a deal
Awesome project, it turns out really great!!!
Thanks for sharing!
Hardest keyboard flex I’ve seen in A LONG time. Nicely done, my man. Nicely done 👏🏾
Ahem… I use this keyboard at work.. have a key span adb to usb converter… oh and I still have the Woz signed IIgs computer… 😊
Awesome video, I went on your channel to look for more of your videos to watch but was sadly disappointed that there wasn’t more, please don’t stop making videos, it was a treat to watch
I’m blown away by how not janky this is. The pcb with connectors, the printed caps for ports. Even the yellow tape!
youtube doesn't allow me to save this video in my "glorious videos that are so important" playlist and I'm so mad because this was not only excellent work, but also the way you showed the whole process and all your Ls make this such a humbling and inspiring experience. literally one of the best videos put out here and I command you for that. ALSO, nice desk.
0:45 Apple keyboards still have the dedicated power button. I had no idea caps lock actually used to lock (like on typewriters), I kinda like it. Cool project, you nailed the end result.
@@marcellkovacs5452 Ah good point, but only on laptop keyboards though, right? And thank you!
@@mttcx From the point of view of the IIgs, this button is Reset, not Power. The IIgs didn't have a sleep mode, and only a power switch on the power supply at the back. Did the IIgs keyboard Reset button send an ADB code or just connect GND and PSW? It's been a long time ... Anyway, awesome mod!
@mttcx but I had a question, why did you remove the locking mechanism instead of binding that caplock key to a shift, so it would would work as intended? Are you not able to donthatvusing zmk?
I ended up undoing the changes I made to the caps lock, so will lock again. I like having a separate shift, and I can't differentiate between left and right shifts as they're on the same trace. I'm going to create a new layer for caps, and have it use capitals.
@@mttcx This is a feature that can be turned on for any keyboard, but unfortunately it's in the BIOS menu of motherboards. So not every motherboard will have that feature, and most users will probably not look for it. Apple making their own computers and peripherals gives them the ability to make use of the power button.
WOW. You made this keyboard even better than before. My brother had Apple 2gs back in the late 80's and I really like that Control key exists where capslock keys usually is. This is keyboard mod perfection.
Besides the awesome and impressive project, very very clean editing and storytelling. I am looking forward to watching your next projects. Special mention to the compositing at the end to show typing.
The graphics were amazing in this video. My unasked for suggestion would be to make the audio backing track fade in and out when you speak less noticeable. The music choice and your voice over are both good its just that transition for me. Hope to see another video soon!
One of the best mod videos I've ever seen for sure. How you paid attention to every detail is remarkable, I really enjoyed to take a glass of water and seeing the entire process. Cheers!
This is an awesome project. In 2023, I also bought an old ADB keyboard (A9M0330), and recreated the main circuit board to have USB-C connection.
Now I'm working on a brand-new keyboard design, taking inspiration from this keyboard and making the layout more functional. It's called C-81 :)
this is such an incredible project! You mentioned the diode-free wiring of the keys on this keyboard and speculated that it could cause issues down the line. Years ago I went down the Apple Extended Keyboard rabbit hole and although I loved the keyboard itself, at the rate I was typing I'd sometimes run into issues with ghosting and missed keystrokes. My solution: I took an old janky AEK that was no good anymore, desoldered absolutely everything off the PCB, sanded off the traces, and then put in new Matias switches that were hand wired to one another using diodes. It's incredibly janky but it does work! I spent some time playing with these smaller vintage Apple keyboards and I seem to recall having fewer typing issues on those so maybe the smaller matrix is better suited to the lack of diodes.
The lack of diodes are the sole demerit on some of the best keyboards Apple ever made.
But again, what a remarkable project!
This channel’s gonna blowup!!
You rarely see such quality content creators on YT. Happy to be one of your first 1k subscribers, excited for your upcoming projects!
This is genuinely really cool; the amount of time and effort put into the keyboard.
I just ordered this board on eBay, along with all the PCBs and 3D printed parts from JLC (I also got the knob CNC'd). This is one of the best keyboard restorations I've ever seen. Excellent work!
What a fantastic first video. Amazing to see the restoration plus modding. Anytime makers show their iterations I am all for it.
I remember distinctly growing up my friend had one of these keyboards at his house, and he had a dust shield on it. It was like a thin translucent gel-foam type material designed to catch debris but still allow for a smooth typing experience. I will never forget the satisfaction I got using that keyboard, for one single day, like 30 years ago as a kid. Legendary video
I find hidden Gems like these on RUclips once or twice a year and I love it!
Liked, Saved to Favorites, and Subbed! :)
this is that rare moment where RUclips bring me over some high quality video and I'm glad it's this one 😭, it's crazy your first video is this good, keep it up man I'll join the ride and look forward on what you got next!
Fantastic restomod! Good to see you were able to keep the case relatively stock on the outside and could repurpose parts of the keyboard that were no longer relevant to replace with more modern features. Looks fantastic too! Might also be worth looking into taking out the switches eventually to clean them, as Alps SKCM are somewhat notorious for dust exposure. Many have had a lot of success with usage of paraffin wax on the sliders which helps to both insulate them against dust and also act as a passive lubricant, increasing smoothness. All in all looks like a long-term project that you'll be able to tinker with. This is the type of keyborad content that I really enjoy, lots of user preference and hobbyist DIY stuff to make the keyboard fit your exact needs.
Loved seeing the entire process. You’re talented! Great work. End result was worthy of your efforts!
Great video man!
Having attempted a somewhat similar project, it’s so nice to see the dead ends and redos you went through.
So much of these sort of projects are 2 steps forward 1 step back.
It’s great to see that part of the process realistically shown and worked through.
Subbed.
Only 2k subscribers? That's pretty crazy, can't wait to see what else you make! Nice work with this one!
Insane video, great editing and a clear way of following what youre doing. some of the camera angles were a bit off when showing the circuitry i personally prefer seeing the entire pcb but nitpicking aside defintely want to see more!
This is a fantastically slick mod. Thank you for both showing your full process -- mistakes and all -- and for not cutting corners! This is a really inspiring build!
Wow. 1st video and already some impressive numbers with a production quality on par with some well established channel. Keep it up 👍
My guy, incredible work, top notch production quality and content, also I would pay $$$$ for one of these as I do not have the skills to build my own.
Keep with the great work, with this uniqueness and quality your channel will be huge in the future 🔥👊
As an enjoyer of both classic Apple and of mechanical keyboards and DIY projects, this was a real treat to watch. Nicely done!
Excellent video!
Thanks for sharing. I'm a big fan of these vintage keyboards. Just a small suggestion: the audio seems to get a bit louder during the brief pauses between your sentences, which can be a little distracting.
this is actually insane, congrats
thanks for open sourcing the entire project also, really tempted to give this a go at some point if I can track down one of these keyboards
I love so much the lighting on the keyboard of your thumbnail
You forgot the most important thing about this keyboard: it's got incredible switches! The salmon alps are legendary and very much sough after in the community.
not sure how you're going to make your next video any better... this was amazing! subbed
Thanks! I know I can do better with the edit/recording setup. Hopefully the subject is as captivating as this one seems to have been!
This is one high quality DIY electronics video. Thoroughly enjoyed it, even when I'm not a KB-nerd. Keep it up!
What a great project. I love seeing the struggle for using USB-C. As an electrical engineer, my first USB-C project ran into many similar issues. Great work and cannot wait to see your next project!
This is such a well-made and compelling video! I have interest but only brief knowledge on the technicals of what went on, but I watched the whole thing with rapt attention anyway. What a neat project you've worked through!
This is one of the coolest projects I have seen restoring a piece of Apple and Alps history. Man I would love to get a vintage Apple board with orange alps, or a broken one so I can use the orange alps in another board I own.
Great video! Production quality couldn't get much higher!
I give this channel approximately 1 week before it absolutely blows up in popularity!
Excellent production quality, and beautiful work on the keyboard!
cool project and amazing video, subscribed to see the mouse update next!
EPIC first video. Loved the process of the OEM plus build. GG
Awesome project! I have been a big Lenovo keyboard fan all my life, but this looks so good that I am considering this myself. Great video!
Now you’re really making me wanting to get back to my aek2 restoration project I have laying around! Awesome!
Do it! 😊
Impressive - I remember the quality of the keyboard and watching the video brings back great memories. Great job!
Amazing video, can't help but smile at the way modern processes like 3D printing and custom boards can save this lovely old keyboard from being just a museum piece. Love it.
Great job! I really liked those old keyboards. Also, this is some fantastic editing.
So creative & technically impressive. What a labor of love
This is dope, I love that you documented absolutely everything.
Nice job! Good luck with the channel. I'm also interested in your Flight Sim setup. This method of storing the Yoke and other stuff away looks very handy.
I applaud the dedication to keep the original parts as intact as possible.
This is fantastic. I’ve found myself still attached to my Apple A1243 keyboard; tighter corner radii and a flat slab of aluminum compared with the newer versions. If you ever feel like taking on a similar challenge to find a path to wireless + USB-C with those?
This is probably the coolest keyboard project I’ve seen. Beautiful work.
Good video! Your keyboard looks great and I think it's awesome that you showcased yourself doing some things that you've not really done before, like designing a PCB. It sets a good example for people wanting to get into DIY electronics, and you do a wonderful job of iterating your design.
My only note is about the video itself, the way the background music cuts in and out seems inconsistent and was distracting. Rather than having a lot of smaller voiceovers with the music having to swing up and down a lot - script and arrange the video so that the talking segments all go together and then have longer sections where assembly and b-roll are taking place and you can turn up the music. It'll be easier to more naturally smooth out those transitions, or to switch songs to match the mood and keep it fresh.
I guess there's one more note, at 6:39 the voiceover audio is very strange, louder and more reverb-y. Maybe this was added late and recorded in a different environment perhaps? Something to watch out for. I look forward to seeing your next videos!
Thank you! Yes I intend to do a bit more work to get the audio right next time ☺️
I love this video! Great job! One piece of feedback - perhaps fade the music in and out rather than cutting it, as it is a bit distracting.
so coool!! loved the video! so many skills that come together to restore a beautiful board, modernizing it without ruining the original design!
I am a massive fan of repurposing old tech for new! Amazing work mate. Well done!
really great project and demonstration of skills. Awesome keyboard.
sometimes its totally overboard but I do tend to model the area that I'm working in at the CAD stage and try to do assembly with components to face these problems off at the pass.
Brilliant work-I remember playing Oregon Trail and Montezuma's Revenge on an Apple II GS.
Wonderful end result! Projects like this make me want to learn how to design PCBs.
I spent a lot of time typing on the M0116/M0118 line which is basically the same keyboard but with more plastic. These are still really nice keyboards and many programmers will appreciate having the caps key and control key swapped in hardware by default.
Awesome project, sir. So much love for those keyboards.
I miss the feel of those alps key switches. That was my first keyboard and still one of my favorites. Beautiful job!
This is a great video, I look forward to seeing more!
Nice job man, this is super cool and I love the layout of that board and the touches you did.
This is an amazing project! Thank you for recording the whole journey of tinkering this board forward in time into 2024.
having the typing test be in the sun glare at 14:42 is such a nice touch
Awesome job! It was super entertaining too. Electronics aren't really my thing, but computers and vintage Macs have been my dream machines since I was young.
I have always truly adored this keyboard. Thank you for doing it modern justice ♥
Amazing project! You have done a great job that deserves admiration!
Such beautiful attention to detail! Makes one wonder how the sideways Apple logo on the Mac sitting on the desk is acceptable!? 😂 Love the video production and editing to boot 👏 new subscriber here!
awesome video! keyboard looks amazing and the printed pcb with all the expanders and microcontroller is genius! can't wait for more from you! also, that finger snapping at the end i've never seen anyone do like that lol.
Love the old Apple ID aesthetic. And really like your customisation.
Incredibly video. I think this has got to be one of the best sounding keyboards I've ever heard. As someone relatively new to the world of custom keyboards, what kind of switches would produce that kind of sound and typing experience? Also I love the indented caps, is that something that's still around at all?
This keyboard uses Alps switches, although the company is still active, from what I've read the quality of their keyboard switches have degraded. There's a group of keyboard enthusiasts who collect these keyboards just to harvest the switches from them!
The amount of work you put into this is bonkers. Well done.
Its fantastic. I can imagine you in a very successful startup that could change the concept of tech. Its what I think, keep doing it!
I already know this channel is going to be big. Good luck my man and keep up the great work!❤
Really nice work, and well done doing it all in a reversible way, so no damage is done. If I had any criticism, and it's minor, it's that you should use 'turned' pin headers (circular cross section) instead of square pin headers to connect to the DIP socket - the pins you used are much fatter than chip legs, and will stretch the sprung contacts inside socket, so it may not make reliable contact if you reinstall the original IC. A minor criticism of an excellent build though, and always good to see retro kit being used rather than gathering dust.
Thank you! And you're right, I 'cheaped out' on the pin headers, and I might regret that down the line. If I build another, I will look at the circular machined pin, headers.
Great work on this project, the end result is stellar
Now complete the set by getting a modern wireless mouse’s internals inside that classic apple mouse!
Amazing 🙌 can’t wait for more projects from you!
Such a fantastic restomod, and I love the colour of that filament!
I remember using these Keyboards, at University on an Apple LC. Always liked the feel of the Keys
Fantastic video and effort! I have been planning on doing something similar with an AEK II and an Apple Adjustable Keyboard, and I suspect I’ll be stealing a few ideas from this project!
Amazing work! You did and said a load of stuff that went over my head, but I really enjoyed the video!
I'm not an Apple guy, but I love love LOVE retro technology. And what I love more is forcing retro tech to interface with new tech. You've done an amazing job.
Very satisfying and interesting to watch how you cleaned and modded the keyboard. With an amazing end result!
I like that you tried to keep this as true to the original design as possible. It would be cool to see you try to extend the design language to the encoder knob as well - possibly modeling the dial like the key caps so that it has that unique bevel as well.
Overall, well done!
Thanks! I had a few thoughts on the encoder knobs, at first I was going to copy the 'Digital Crown' from the Apple Watch, but obviously they are conflicting eras and it didn't suite. I settled on a design influenced by the brightness control on the Macintosh Plus, but it could have been interesting to do something more similar to the keycaps!
@@mttcx IIRC most of the knobs on “Snow White” era Apple products were smooth cylinders - many of them partially recessed, which obviously wouldn’t work here. The volume knob on the //c might be an interesting inspiration; the volume scale on that was painted on but you could maybe do a similar effect in 3D for texture
This is so incredibly cool! I'm not sure if I want to buy one, or do a project like this myself more. Amazing work!