Chicony KB-5161

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Chicony KB-5161

FCC ID	E8H5IKKB-5161 E8H5IKKB-5161A
Manufacturer	Chicony
Layouts	Asian 101
Keyswitches	Alps SKCM Blue Alps SKCL Green Alps SKCM White Cherry MX Blue SMK Alps Mount (Monterey Blue) <ref name="eBay-SMK"/> Futaba MA series Omron B3G-S (Amber) Taiwan white and black shaft Mitsumi Miniature Mechanical (Yellow)
Interface	XT/AT switchable
Rollover	2KRO (KB-5161) NKRO (KB-5161A)
Price	$89 (1989)<ref name="PCMag-19891212" />

Chicony KB-5161 is a series of keyboards from Chicony. The details below are incomplete and potentially subject to errors.

Re-Brands

• Samsung / VTI (Alps SKCM Blue)<ref name="VTI"/>

Variants

KB-5161/5162

Appears to be the 2-key rollover series.

KB-5161C/5162C

Alps SKCM Blue ("ALPS", 1987 PCB)<ref name="Sandy-5161C" />

KB-5161F/5162F

This code refers to at least two different keyboards:

• Cherry MX Blue<ref name="Sandy-MX" /><ref name="KBT-ARC" /> and either alps.tw Type TWB 2B or 3 Cherry MX clone — both variants cite "CHERRY SW" on the PCB, thus not yielding the name of the clone manufacturer; as Chicony only cited Aristotle as their source of Cherry MX clones, it's possible that these switches are an earlier type of Aristotle Cherry MX clone
• Alps SKCM White ("ALPS", 1989 PCB)<ref>Deskthority — Chicony 5161</ref>

KB-5161A/5162A

N-key rollover series. Keyboards within this series seem to all have an 'A' suffix regardless of switch. This series has its own FCC ID, ending with KB-5161A<ref name="KBT-5161A" />

Alps SKCM

Alps SKCM Blue; PCB is labeled "KB 5162/5161A ALPS–N KEY"; the case is 489 × 209 × 42 mm and the unit weighs 1.45 kg<ref name="KBT-5161A" />

Omron B3G-S

Amber Omron B3G-S series switches; PCB is labelled "OMRON N–KEY", and PCB copyright date is 1987<ref name="gh-5161A" />

Mitsumi Mechanical

Yellow Mitsumi miniature mechanical switches, unlabelled PCB, copyright date 1987<ref name="mitsumi" />

Gallery

KB-5161A with blue Alps

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  Top
• 
  Top, showing switches
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  Left side
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  Right side
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  Bottom
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  Keycaps
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  Internals
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  PCB underside
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  Switch internals
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  Assorted; controller date is 8745 (45th week in 1987)

KB-5161C Mitsumi rev-A with Mitsumi miniature mechanical switches

• 
  Top
• 
  Top, showing switches
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  Bottom
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  Bottom label
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  Keycaps
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  Switch plate label
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  PCB
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  PCB close up
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  PCB label
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  Controller
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  Connector; also visible is what appears to be a 555 timer dated 9104 (4th week 1991)
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  Internal case markings

References

<references> <ref name="Sandy-5161C">Sandy — chicony_kb5161</ref> <ref name="Sandy-MX">Sandy — Cherry MX</ref> <ref name="KBT-ARC">KBtalKing — ▲▲▲ARC KB-5181特規cherry青軸▲▲▲</ref> <ref name="KBT-5161A">KBtalKing — ■鍵盤史的遺跡Chicony 5161A原生藍軸■</ref> <ref name="gh-5161A">geekhack — Help with Chicony 5161A</ref> <ref name="mitsumi">geekhack — Chicony 5181 and 5161 with new switches</ref> <ref name="eBay-SMK">eBay — Chicony KB-5161 Mechanical Keybord w/ Blue Alps Switches Clicky E8H5IKKB-5161 ^{[Volatile reference]}</ref> <ref name="PCMag-19891212">Google Books — PC Magazine, December 12, 1989 (Wanted: More Than Just a Replacement, pp. 225–260)</ref> <ref name="VTI">Deskthority — Samsung keyboard made for VTI Personal Computers Posted 2019-02-11.</ref> </references>