Digital Equipment DEC RT101+ PCXAL-NA Keyboard 5-Pin DIN NMB Hi-Tek Switches

Digital Equipment DEC RT101+ PCXAL-NA Keyboard 5-Pin DIN NMB Hi-Tek Switches

The Digital Equipment Corporation RT101+ is a full-size desktop keyboard produced for DEC terminals and workstations. Manufactured by NMB Technologies Inc. through their Hi-Tek Keyboard Division in Chatsworth, California, this keyboard uses Hi-Tek Space Saver switches — a tactile, low-profile switch mechanism well-regarded among vintage keyboard enthusiasts. It connects via a 5-pin DIN male connector on a coiled cable and draws 5VDC at 300mA maximum. Part number PCXAL-NA designates the North American variant; the board itself is labeled 11B054-011 REV.B.

Specifications & What's Included

• Manufacturer: NMB Technologies Inc. / Hi-Tek Keyboard Division (for Digital Equipment Corporation)
• Model: RT101+
• Part Number: PCXAL-NA
• Secondary Part Number: 11B054-011 REV.B
• FCC ID: AQ5RT101-LC
• Switch Type: Hi-Tek Space Saver (tactile, low-profile)
• Connector: 5-pin DIN male
• Cable: Coiled, attached
• Power: 5V DC, 300mA maximum
• Country of Manufacture: Thailand
• Certifications: UL, CSA, GS
• Layout: Enhanced AT-style with DEC-specific function key arrangement
• Included: Keyboard with attached coiled cable only — no adapter, manual, or accessories

Applications

DEC's RT101 series keyboards were designed for use with Digital Equipment Corporation terminals and workstations from the late 1980s and early 1990s — the same era as DEC's VT320, VT420, and DECstation systems. The 5-pin DIN interface was DEC's standard keyboard connection during this period, shared with a range of VT-series terminals and Alpha-based workstations. Today these keyboards are sought by two audiences: legacy system operators maintaining DEC hardware in specialized industrial, scientific, or institutional settings where VT terminals remain in service, and vintage computing collectors drawn to the Hi-Tek Space Saver switch mechanism, which offers a tactile feel distinct from both the Alps and Cherry switches more commonly found in keyboards of the same era. The colored indicator dots on the Alt and Ctrl keys are a characteristic DEC styling detail that helps identify this as genuine DEC-branded hardware rather than a generic clone.