Looking for a PC keyboard with rubber cup springs...

seb132 · 01 December 2014, 22:48

Does anyone know a model of vintage keyboard for PC or for McIntosh which has rubber cups instead of springs under its keys ?

I want to replace the springs under an A600 and an A1200 to improve the "typing feeling" but I can't find one for sure...

Thanks for your help; I will publish pictures of the Mod once done.

Jope · 02 December 2014, 08:05

Look for a Mitsumi PC keyboard in this shape: (KPQ-E99ZC-13)

(I replaced some of the keycaps with C128 keycaps, please ignore)

It has the same rubber cups as big box Amiga keyboards and the mechanism is otherwise compatible too.

Naturally you could also butcher a big box Amiga keyboard, but then there's one less of those.

The Apple Keyboard II also has compatible Mitsumi hybrid switches with buckling rubber cups.

Jope · 02 December 2014, 08:17

Seems to me that most Mitsumi keyboards that begin with KPQ-E99 will have the switches we love so much.

An expensive KPQ-E99ZC-12 on eBay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mitsumi-5-...item23365ed0b7

seb132 · 02 December 2014, 17:06

Thanks a lot ! Looks like an Amiga keyboard, the Mitsumi...

Apple II I bought one for 20 USD + shipping and it was springs.

Kehil · 02 December 2014, 19:57

I did simillar hack for my Atari 130XE with HP PS2 keyboard. It improved tactile feedback a lot. pictures here

Jope · 02 December 2014, 21:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kehil

I did simillar hack for my Atari 130XE with HP PS2 keyboard. It improved tactile feedback a lot. pictures here

Similar in a way, but not quite the same thing as what the OP was talking about.

With these Mitsumi hybrid mechanisms, the spring sits between the keycap and the switch tray like this:

http://jope.fi/amiga/amikbd/mitsumispring.jpg

The OP wants to replace it with one of these:

http://jope.fi/amiga/amikbd/mitsumicup.jpg

Kehil · 02 December 2014, 22:11

Ahh, I thought that it would be different, sorry for OT.

seb132 · 03 December 2014, 03:15

Exactly...

But thanks anyway, I was about to butcher an HP keyboard I have... :-D

Jope · 02 January 2015, 18:39

Muhaha. Just sacrificed yet another KPQ-E99ZC-13 to give my A1200 with A500 keys that lovely big box feeling. The keyboard was 1 euro from ebay.de, shipping .de -> .fi was an eye-watering 16e. :-D

http://jope.fi/amiga/amikbd/wedgemitsumiupgrade.jpg

Supamax · 02 January 2015, 19:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jope

Muhaha. Just sacrificed yet another KPQ-E99ZC-13 to give my A1200 with A500 keys that lovely big box feeling. The keyboard was 1 euro from ebay.de, shipping .de -> .fi was an eye-watering 16e. :-D

http://jope.fi/amiga/amikbd/wedgemitsumiupgrade.jpg

Hi Jope, do you see similar auctions at a low price?
Could you link me/us one of them?

Is this mod good for A600/A600HD too?

Jope · 02 January 2015, 19:42

The green membrane A600 kbd can take the rubber cups. Just search ebay.de for mitsumi tastatur and pay attention to the shape of the case.

seb132 · 02 January 2015, 20:44

Yeah I just won one on eBay France for 12e + 8e postage to France. The seller contacted me he has 20 other keyboards and he is interested in a direct deal.

What I like is the mitsumi keys seems to be directly compatible with our Amiga keys (?) so I maybe can turn all my Amigas to the French AZERTY standard...

)

Jope · 02 January 2015, 20:47

Yeah, just the font is wrong.

Look carefully at the stems though. There are two kinds. You will have to swap the stem along with the keycap if the stems are not the same type between the keyboards.

seb132 · 02 January 2015, 20:51

Thanks! Yeah I didn't think about the fonts... I'll figure out with my first one once I'll receive it...

Jope · 02 January 2015, 20:57

Here you can see the big box Amiga style stem and cap:
http://jope.fi/amiga/amikbd/mitsumicup.jpg
As you can see, the square section of the stem is flush with the top of the stem and the keycap's square part is straight.

This is the PC/wedge Amiga style stem and cap:
http://jope.fi/amiga/amikbd/pcmitsumi.jpg
The stem's square part is recessed in a circular hole and the keycap also has a circular part before the square part.

These keycaps are not interchangeable, you must swap the cap + stem at the same time.

It seems that all of the PC Mitsumis I have encountered so far have the same recessed type stems as the wedge Amigas.

seb132 · 02 January 2015, 23:01

Ok thanks for these details. Very useful. I believe it's a bit more trouble but can be done... I'll give it a go but will of course keep the Amiga keys.

cpiac64 · 02 January 2015, 23:28

i have some pieces from Amiga keyboard, send me a pm for more info

seb132 · 24 January 2015, 07:36

Got one of those Mitsumi PC's keyboards..... Surgery is not far away

01 December 2014, 22:48	#1
seb132 French in Australia Join Date: May 2012 Location: Gold Coast Age: 52 Posts: 507	Looking for a PC keyboard with rubber cup springs... Does anyone know a model of vintage keyboard for PC or for McIntosh which has rubber cups instead of springs under its keys ? I want to replace the springs under an A600 and an A1200 to improve the "typing feeling" but I can't find one for sure... Thanks for your help; I will publish pictures of the Mod once done.

02 December 2014, 08:05	#2
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,900	Look for a Mitsumi PC keyboard in this shape: (KPQ-E99ZC-13) (I replaced some of the keycaps with C128 keycaps, please ignore) It has the same rubber cups as big box Amiga keyboards and the mechanism is otherwise compatible too. Naturally you could also butcher a big box Amiga keyboard, but then there's one less of those. The Apple Keyboard II also has compatible Mitsumi hybrid switches with buckling rubber cups. Last edited by Jope; 02 December 2014 at 08:18.

03 December 2014, 03:15	#8
seb132 French in Australia Join Date: May 2012 Location: Gold Coast Age: 52 Posts: 507	Exactly... But thanks anyway, I was about to butcher an HP keyboard I have... :-D Last edited by prowler; 03 December 2014 at 22:25. Reason: Back-to-back posts merged.

02 January 2015, 20:57	#15
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,900	Here you can see the big box Amiga style stem and cap: http://jope.fi/amiga/amikbd/mitsumicup.jpg As you can see, the square section of the stem is flush with the top of the stem and the keycap's square part is straight. This is the PC/wedge Amiga style stem and cap: http://jope.fi/amiga/amikbd/pcmitsumi.jpg The stem's square part is recessed in a circular hole and the keycap also has a circular part before the square part. These keycaps are not interchangeable, you must swap the cap + stem at the same time. It seems that all of the PC Mitsumis I have encountered so far have the same recessed type stems as the wedge Amigas. Last edited by Jope; 02 January 2015 at 21:05.

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02 December 2014, 08:17	#3
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,900	Seems to me that most Mitsumi keyboards that begin with KPQ-E99 will have the switches we love so much. An expensive KPQ-E99ZC-12 on eBay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mitsumi-5-...item23365ed0b7

02 December 2014, 17:06	#4
seb132 French in Australia Join Date: May 2012 Location: Gold Coast Age: 52 Posts: 507	Thanks a lot ! Looks like an Amiga keyboard, the Mitsumi... Apple II I bought one for 20 USD + shipping and it was springs.

02 December 2014, 19:57	#5
Kehil Registered User Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Prague/CZ Posts: 67	I did simillar hack for my Atari 130XE with HP PS2 keyboard. It improved tactile feedback a lot. pictures here

02 December 2014, 22:11	#7
Kehil Registered User Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Prague/CZ Posts: 67	Ahh, I thought that it would be different, sorry for OT.

02 January 2015, 18:39	#9
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,900	Muhaha. Just sacrificed yet another KPQ-E99ZC-13 to give my A1200 with A500 keys that lovely big box feeling. The keyboard was 1 euro from ebay.de, shipping .de -> .fi was an eye-watering 16e. :-D http://jope.fi/amiga/amikbd/wedgemitsumiupgrade.jpg

02 January 2015, 19:42	#11
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,900	The green membrane A600 kbd can take the rubber cups. Just search ebay.de for mitsumi tastatur and pay attention to the shape of the case.

02 January 2015, 20:44	#12
seb132 French in Australia Join Date: May 2012 Location: Gold Coast Age: 52 Posts: 507	Yeah I just won one on eBay France for 12e + 8e postage to France. The seller contacted me he has 20 other keyboards and he is interested in a direct deal. What I like is the mitsumi keys seems to be directly compatible with our Amiga keys (?) so I maybe can turn all my Amigas to the French AZERTY standard... )

02 January 2015, 20:47	#13
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,900	Yeah, just the font is wrong. Look carefully at the stems though. There are two kinds. You will have to swap the stem along with the keycap if the stems are not the same type between the keyboards.

02 January 2015, 20:51	#14
seb132 French in Australia Join Date: May 2012 Location: Gold Coast Age: 52 Posts: 507	Thanks! Yeah I didn't think about the fonts... I'll figure out with my first one once I'll receive it...

02 January 2015, 23:01	#16
seb132 French in Australia Join Date: May 2012 Location: Gold Coast Age: 52 Posts: 507	Ok thanks for these details. Very useful. I believe it's a bit more trouble but can be done... I'll give it a go but will of course keep the Amiga keys.

02 January 2015, 23:28	#17
cpiac64 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Italy Posts: 1,136	i have some pieces from Amiga keyboard, send me a pm for more info

24 January 2015, 07:36	#18
seb132 French in Australia Join Date: May 2012 Location: Gold Coast Age: 52 Posts: 507	Got one of those Mitsumi PC's keyboards..... Surgery is not far away

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