Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Unicomp's "New" Model M Keyboard

pckeyboard.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

181–190 of 191 posts

Re: Unicomp's "New" Model M Keyboard

#181

Post by Macha »

kilolima wrote: post #48
vunderba wrote: post #19

As an aside and a huge lover of mechanical keyboards since the original IBM model M with the buckler springs, I picked up a Keychron Q5 Pro a few months ago and really like it. https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-q5-pro-qmk-via-wi... It's pretty easy to replace the key caps and it has a very good tactile feel to it. It does weigh as much as a houseboat but that's fine as I prefer it to stay stationary. One thi…

"Built with the Mac users’ experience in mind while still retaining compatibility for Windows devices..." No thanks!

This is just marketing guff. What it means is there's a toggle on the side between Mac and windows keycodes so you don't get command moving places when you use it with a Mac like a regular windows keyboard, and it ships with the Mac keycaps installed.

You can swap out the Mac keycaps for windows keycaps (at least when I got it all, the windows keycaps were all in the box) and flick the switch to the windows position and it's a standard PC keyboard.

Mine is actually my Mac keyboard (I've got a ducky shine connected for my personal Linux/Windows dual boot machine as it's easier than fiddling with a KVM or synergy), but I've got it configured as a windows keyboard as I've just been using windows keyboards with macs for like a decade now.

Re: Unicomp's "New" Model M Keyboard

#182

Post by Macha »

adrianmonk wrote: post #26

As long as we're talking mechanical keyboards, do they all require maintenance just to keep working, or is the basic Cooler Master one I bought just a dud? After only like 2 years, many of the keys stopped working reliably. They'd double type or fail to register. I looked into it, and this seems to be a common issue with many mechanical keyboards. I tried some of the recommended solutions (blow dust out, use contact…

I take the keycaps off once or twice a year so I can clean under/around them. I don't do any maintenance other than that, and I did the same with my pre-mechanical keyboards (it's actually much easier as the cherry keycaps are way more durable/easy for being removed and put back than e.g. butterfly mechanisms that a lot of membrane keyboards use)

Re: Unicomp's "New" Model M Keyboard

#183

Post by Macha »

digitalsushi wrote: post #179

I recommend owners purchase an automotive pick set. It's given me hundreds of idle-plaything hours stuck on zoom calls, picking dog hairs out from between the keys like a neurosurgeon.

I use the key puller that came in the box with one of my keyboards for that.

It's led to some awkward moments in calls as the gap in the handle is just big enough to get my finger in easy and make it hard to take out.

Re: Unicomp's "New" Model M Keyboard

#184

Post by tiltowait »

jtriangle wrote: post #5

This is quite cool, but I really don't understand some people's affinity toward buckling spring switches, they're loud and odd feeling, not nearly as consistent as anything cherry or their alternatives are offering.

I find MX-style switches (Cherry in particular, but not limited to them) to be very inconsistent. This is especially true of clicky switches like blues, but even linears can be all over the place. I think the most consistent switches I've found are Topre, Matias Tactile Click, and maybe beamspring (I say "maybe" because I've only used one such keyboard).

Re: Unicomp's "New" Model M Keyboard

#185

Post by tiltowait »

deeesstoronto wrote: post #180

I really enjoy typing on the unicomp buckling spring keyboard; I've had an older model for a long time. It seemed very well built on the outside, however eventually a number of keys stopped functioning. Taking it apart, I found that the plastic rivets holding the assembly together failed. It was repairable by drilling and replacing the rivets with machine screws. Although original model M's were built in the same way…

I wonder if the "New" Model M has the same problem, or if they've finally updated/replaced their tooling. AFAIK they were/are still using the old machines from the 80s and 90s.

Re: Unicomp's "New" Model M Keyboard

#186

Post by tiltowait »

bombcar wrote: post #84

https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/store/ has some similar things. The Model F 122 puts the Model M out to pasture.

If you can get one in a reasonable amount of time. It took about 1.5 years to get my F62, and a year to get my split Model F. They're definitely nice keyboards, though IMO the "F" switch is a bit overrated. The main advantage for me is the ability to have a 60% keyboard.

Re: Unicomp's "New" Model M Keyboard

#187

Post by MengerSponge »

dcchambers wrote: post #173
dcchambers wrote: post #162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would love to take a look at that paper if you're willing to share :)

Oh, disregard this. I misread your post thinking you wrote your dissertation about the HHKB, not that you literally typed it up using one, haha.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden-path_sentence

:p

Re: Unicomp's "New" Model M Keyboard

#188

Post by tiltowait »

23B1 wrote: post #9

Not sure if this breaks HN's rules, but I'd love to hear anyones suggestions on favorite split keyboards. There's a lot of homebrew boards out there that're very small/light but I have sausage fingers and the demeanor of an orangutan. https://www.amazon.com/KINESIS-Advantage360-Professional-Erg... ^closest I've found, but $$$

Layout-wise, I haven't seen anyone beat the Keyboardio. The thumb cluster is perfect, and the palm keys are fantastic. The only thing it lacks is a sculpted key well like the Kineses/Maltron.

From looking at it, the Glove80 looks to be a near-perfect layout (good thumb cluster, sculpted well, but no palm key). The switches give me some pause, but I haven't ever tried them.

Re: Unicomp's "New" Model M Keyboard

#189

Post by tiltowait »

gsamuelhays wrote: post #17
23B1 wrote: post #9

Not sure if this breaks HN's rules, but I'd love to hear anyones suggestions on favorite split keyboards. There's a lot of homebrew boards out there that're very small/light but I have sausage fingers and the demeanor of an orangutan. https://www.amazon.com/KINESIS-Advantage360-Professional-Erg... ^closest I've found, but $$$

I supported the Keyboardio kickstarter and purchased two Model 01s which I liked very much. The problems I had with it were twofold: first - I use my pointer finger for the "c" key, which was very difficult and I had to switch to my middle finger. This adjustment was made with a little effort and eventually my brain was able to switch depending on which keyboard my hands were fit to - sort of like a dialect. The much…

Was your Model 01 with the clicky switches or the quiet ones. I believe the clicky ones had some issues. Mine did; one of the switches just sends keypresses on repeat. I could fix it, but it's more work than I care to put in right now.

The Model 100 uses MX-style switches and has some small design improvements here and there. No complaints on my end, but I haven't put it through as much torture as my Model 01.

ETA: Which Mistel did you get? They look interesting.

Re: Unicomp's "New" Model M Keyboard

#190

Post by kilolima »

Aeolun wrote: post #72
kilolima wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Built with the Mac users’ experience in mind while still retaining compatibility for Windows devices..." No thanks!

What (I think) this means is that their keyboards have a switch that reverses the location of CMD and Ctrl.

Thanks. I wonder which mode works best in linux?

But regardless, when a product chases the mac crowd it makes me think it's probably overpriced or sacrificed functionality for the sake of design.

Post reply on HN