Chicony KB-5191 review (Mitsumi miniature mechanical yellow)

Skip to 6:15 for a typing demonstration.

A review of this lovely donation by Muirium, the KB-5191.

The practice sentence was: "Hello my name is Thomas and I'm typing on a aChicony KB-5191 right now. Although it has possibly the cutest switches in existence, it fails to deliver - such a shame considering the potential."

[DLac]

your channel is easily one of my favorites, I am super into mechanical keyboard and your voice is soothing. Your content is well thought out and presented very respectably. Please continue just as you are. cheers.

[xavieraxiak]

I scored one of these lately, new in its box. Your review is spot on. It feels like a rubber dome type keyboard. I will put another board into it that has Cherry MX blue switches.

[Redspl]

I've got a 5191 with Futaba Cherry-MX Compatible clicky switches, and the key feel is really nice, i love to write on this thing. As I was bored with its looks, i've spraypainted it black, leaving the keycaps white - it now has a kinda interesting look to it, you don't see black keyboards with white keycaps very often :P

[matthewpalmer]

I wonder if the switches with a much smaller keycap would good for one of those handheld Bluetooth keyboards. I think it would be nice to use with an Intel compute stick.

[RC-nqmg]

I picked up an old chicony at the local thrift shop a few years ago.... never used, still had the plastic and ties around the coiled cord. made an atx to ps2 adapter and have been using it ever since. keys have nice travel and great tactile feedback, and a nice crisp click. none of this weird squeaking. not sure what model it is, the only 2 stickers on it are the FCC ID with the chicony name, and what appears to be a serial number. Maybe an rebrand produced by chicony for a terminal? either way its a fantastic keyboard, paid $5 for it. -Edit: just did a search on the FCC ID and it looks like it may be a KB-5161and might have MX-blues in it, don't have a key puller to verify and I don't want to wreak it.

[EE--]

Ahaha, oh those poor Mitsumi switches, they have so many bad things going for them.

[Churchgrimm]

This surprises me. I have an Olympia Electronic Compact 2 electric typewriter which uses Mitsumi's Standard Type 2 switches (linear with Mitsumi mount.) I love typing on it. The switches have a great key feel, operate smoothly, and the keycaps are exceptional. I also have an Atari CX85 numpad with the same switches and they feel good in that as well (though I think they might have less travel in the CX85.) I honestly expected these Mitsumi miniatures to be great switches.

[GabrielMorero]

Great video Chryrosran. I have two Taiwan NTC kbs with Mitsumi Minuature switches, one of them is brand new, but they both feel awful. I always wonder if the problem is that they are been mounted directly on the PCB . How are the switches mounted on that Chicony? Maybe this type of switch respond better having a plate that gives them stability while been pressed....

[kfirezer]

Scored one of these with no other than - SCKM Blue Alps! in a good condition none the less :3

[tuff_lover]

Quick question: Are BTC keyboards rare?
If so, what kind of mech they use?

[dabombinablemi]

-I'd really love to know how to repair one of these, I've got one with Cherry MX Blue (they feel alot much better than the Kailh Blue switches on my new keyboard), and the only functional part seems to be the "on line" light.-
Edit: Dead caps (I've had plenty of experience in dealing with them from old motherboards). 10 micro farad 16V.

[CrcusMaximus]

is this the switch for the Tandy 1400LT keyboard

[wisteela]

This looks like the one that came with my Mitac 386 from Tandy in 1993. I've still got it, and the computer. Mine is PS/2, and of course UK layout. I actually really liked it, but it was noisy and rather loose feeling. I'll have to dig it out and clean it up. It's currently filthy.

[OtherVoices]

I have a Qtronix-QX 201 (I got it for 5 €) with the same switches as that one and it has exactly the same problems as you mentioned. And yes, it feels like it has very good potential but it is impossible to type with it for too long. Have you got any luck opening those switches? Lubing the switches makes any difference? I like it but with those problems it's impossible.

[Neightr]

Has anyone come up with a good mod for these switches to salvage the keyfeel a bit? I thought someone came up with something for MY's that made them feel better.

[vojtasTS]

Fascinnatingly enough, mine is from 1992, uses Aristotle clicky switches(half of them sadly don't click anymore, as they have an incredibly fragile design, it has no AT/XT switch and there isn't a speaker grille on the bottom. Oh yeah, and it has different keycaps. They look dye-sublimed to me, and the font on the alpha keys is incredibly thick.

[UpRoaryus]

OMG i love your voice. I don't know what you do but you would so have a career in voice over or audiobooks. It's lovely to listen to, much like the ping of my model f xt keyboard....

My chicony 5191 doesn't have those swtiches though - mine look more like cherry mx switches, but I don't think cherry made white switches so I don't know what it is. Not that it matters much, since it melted thanks to being on top of a soldering iron that was accidentally plugged in .... Not sure if there is anything worth salvaging off the board at all beyond maybe keeping the keycaps as replacements for any that might go missing on a cherry board....

[smada]

A keyboard that sounds like a mouse. How ironic.

[Eznus]

Where can I find the driver for KB-5911 ? E8HKB-5911 ?

[eliemazraani]

I have one, u Really Cover it all, Superb review