Cherry B70 “Pro” keyboard with Cherry housing
Below is a Cherry B70 Pro keyboard. The keyboard mechanism model number is B70-05AB. According to the 1979 Cherry Catalog, the clear anodized aluminum and walnut keyboard housing is model number B99-18AF. The description of the keyboard on page 21 of the catalog states:
“A versatile, reliable PROfessional style keyboard. Ideal for personal computer and hobbyist applications. Modifiable to add total obsolescence protection. Versatile enough to grow as your system grows.”
This ASCII keyboard is more fully documented in the “Meet the Pro” Cherry brochure (originally scanned by Engicoder @Deskthority) with schematics and feature descriptions. For it’s day, this would have been the “Cadillac” of Cherry keyboards complete with Cherry manufactured housing. Much like I consider the Alps AKB-3420 keyboard as a “reference” keyboard, I consider this Cherry B70 Pro as a “reference” keyboard as well. It is a classic example.
Here are some pictures:
- Cherry B70 Pro – top
- Cherry B70 Pro – profile
- Cherry B70 Pro – close up of key caps
- Cherry B70 Pro – rear
- Cherry B70 Pro – rear profile
- Cherry B70 Pro – key caps removed
- Cherry B70 Pro – keyboard mechanism top
- Cherry B70 Pro – keyboard mechanism rear
- Cherry B70 Pro – keyboard logic chip with 7914 datecode
- Cherry B70 Pro – locking lock key and alpha lock
- Cherry B70 Pro – space bar assembly
- Cherry B70 Pro – space bar switch with red dot
- Cherry B70 Pro – keyboard PCB markings
- Cherry B70 Pro – keyboard housing top
- Cherry B70 Pro – keyboard housing bottom
- Cherry B70 Pro – key caps 2
- Cherry B70 Pro – key caps 1
- Cherry B70 Pro – scooped re-legendable key cap