11 Year Old Unicomp Model M KeyboardSubmitted by zstandig t3_yqwxur in BuyItForLife
BeardedZorro t1_ivr2spm wrote
Only 11 years old? Looks straight from 1992.
N0t_Just1n t1_ivripf3 wrote
IBM made the model M starting in the 80s and a company they spun off (Unicomp) still makes a Model M based off the original look and feel.
Here’s a good video by a lesser known YouTuber on the subject:
sprashoo t1_ivu3w08 wrote
They didn’t exactly spin it off - they sold what they considered to be an obsolete keyboard design and tooling to a small company, Unicomp.
I’m simultaneously grateful Unicomp has continued to plug away making the best keyboard you can buy for under $400, and a bit frustrated they have so little actual interest in the keyboard community. Their changes have all made the keyboards uglier and cheaper looking.
An actual nice looking modern (or tastefully retro) buckling spring board at an attainable price would be a huge hit
NotYourAverageBeer t1_ivulf9n wrote
In your opinion..what is the best keyboard you can buy for over 400$?
sprashoo t1_ivuoqj1 wrote
Probably the Model F Labs reissue of the Model F.
onowahoo t1_ivv8gn0 wrote
I thought they had issues with the quality of the product
sprashoo t1_ivvcvt7 wrote
Ehh, one person is recreating a complex mechanical/electronic product from scratch. I would not say quality has issues (the quality of the parts is fantastic) but sometimes some work is required to get everything working smoothly. Like re-seating springs etc. There’s a reason rubber domes took over - they just work, not maintenance or setup required.
It’s not a mass produced product.
onowahoo t1_ivzd3mw wrote
I feel you... I looked long and hard into getting some beamsprings... But after I got a keyboard with Blue Alps I decided it was too much work and too much of a risk to spend this money on a model F.
onowahoo t1_ivv95lf wrote
What ever happened to that other manufacturer who was making beamspring switches that were analog?
SignificantSmotherer t1_ivvf7hi wrote
I always preferred the Model F, but they don’t always work well with adapters, the delete key gets confused.
Logitech tends to make good commodity product designs that feel pretty good, but longevity, not always.
If you like it, buy a spare. Or two.
Valuable-Lawyer-6155 t1_iy9tt3g wrote
something like an angry miao adjustable flex alice
pc_g33k t1_ivutuhj wrote
Does it have to be a keyboard with buckling springs? I still have the 1994 IBM Model M with buckling spring switches as well as some older Cherry keyboards with mechanical switches such as the Cherry G80-9009. But nowadays I mostly use my RealForce keyboard with capacitive switches.
sprashoo t1_ivuu67j wrote
Never “got” Topre myself, just felt like rubber domes to me, but objectively Unicomps are generally cheaper than Topre boards. Subjectively I think they’re better too, but that’s just me.
pc_g33k t1_ivuw5hj wrote
I see, I certainly see where you are coming from. Unfortunately, I'm not aware of any tastefully designed retro buckling springs keyboards at the moment. What about modern mechanical keyboards with Cherry MX switches? Actually, I'm not against membrane keyboards, either. It's just that most membrane keyboards on the market are low quality and all membrane keyboards got a bad name as a result. Also, the tactile feedback of the rubber domes degrade a lot after just 3 months of use. That said, the Fujitsu Libertouch is one of the best membrane keyboards I've tried.
sprashoo t1_ivvcmay wrote
It’s all a matter of taste. I do dislike most ‘clicky’ cherry style switches (eg cherry blue) because the click feels sort of fake compared to buckling springs. There are a ton of new options out there most of which I haven’t tried though.
pc_g33k t1_ivvglpo wrote
> It’s all a matter of taste. I do dislike most ‘clicky’ cherry style switches (eg cherry blue) because the click feels sort of fake compared to buckling springs. There are a ton of new options out there most of which I haven’t tried though.
Yep! It's just personal preference. Same here! The clicky Cherry MX switches feel less solid than buckling springs. It even feels like I'm clicking a pen sometimes. 😂The only Cherry MX switch I like is the linear black switch. But I like both buckling springs (when I want feedback) and capacitive switches (when I want a laid-back cushiony feel) more than Cherry MX switches. BTW, plate mounted and PCB mounted switches also feel different.
sprashoo t1_ivvjmsl wrote
Yeah. Definitely construction makes a big difference. Actually, a keyboard I quite like using is an old CoolerMaster TKL with Cherry Brown switches... which I filled almost entirely with silicone caulking (the GE Silicone II type that doesn't destroy electronics as it cures). Like, you can't see it from the outside but the whole case is filled up. It makes the whole thing super heavy and solid, with a very satisfying (almost Topre-like?) sound. With that mod the browns are quite enjoyable to type on, even though nothing has changed about the switches.
dsawchak t1_ivry0dy wrote
My IBM Model M in one room is from 1992 (requires a funky USB adapter to power it, and drops out sometimes, but still works well). My Unicomp Classic in the other room is from 2017.
markswam t1_ivu391u wrote
Good to know I'm not the only one with weird dropping out issues on a Model M. Mine's from 89. I eventually got annoyed with the USB adapter drop-out issue and relegated it to my file server, which has a PS/2 port.
dsawchak t1_ivu5ke0 wrote
One thing that helped was attaching it to a powered USB hub, because the old Model Ms required more power than a typical USB port provides, I think.
markswam t1_ivu6065 wrote
Interesting. I may have to try that. The converter I have made no mention of that, but I suppose it makes sense.
floofcatfuzz t1_ivu86hy wrote
It’s not that USB can’t supply enough power, it’s that cheap USB-PS/2 adapters aren’t built to pass enough power through to the PS/2 side. The famous blue cube adapter was awesome, but it seems to no longer be made. You can still pay a lot for one here, however.
markswam t1_ivudoch wrote
I had been using one of the Monoprice converters when I was trying to use it over USB, which supposedly has the same functionality as the blue cubes, but it seemed to struggle.
floofcatfuzz t1_ivuo3xm wrote
I get very occasional drops of the key release events for alt or ctrl, but I’ve always blamed that on macos. Annoying to unplug/replug but quick to fix.
dsawchak t1_iw04p9s wrote
There we go; TY for the clarification. That makes more sense.
sosimon t1_ivsi09o wrote
Exactly, that’s 11 years a-wait… :-o
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