Time to speculate rampantly about Unicomp

[bhtooefr]

So, Unicomp actually used their Twitter account. They're coming out with something for Thanksgiving.

https://twitter.com/UnicompKeyboard/sta ... 0207223808
"gobble gobble gobble. . . what do I see for Thanksgiving day?" for those that don't want to go to Twitter.

I'm guessing tenkeyless, based on the exchange that followed.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Nice new mouldings, or do you reckon they just put the existing tooling through a band saw?

They need to get white-on-black doubleshots made! They should partner up with SP and get some nice caps made. And bundle a red escape key in every box. (I need to suggest that to Matias too ;-) (The shell also needs to be a darker, purer shade of black, instead of dusty-looking grey.)

I also hope they've stopped dumping glitter into the key mixture. I didn't realise until I got mine that they were doing anything that retarded, as it doesn't show up in photos. It looks absolutely stupid.

That said, I'm happy to cut them some slack because, as I understand it, Unicode boards are 100% American labour. They aren't even buying in crates of someone else's switches at discount prices. I think their pricing is pretty fair considering that you pay a lot more for keyboards made in Taiwan.

Their problem seems to be a top-down lack of aesthetics. Sadly, their new website didn't buck this trend, but only continued it. If all Thanksgiving brings is a revamp of their branding and styling, that would in itself help their appeal when people are comparing their products with other brands.

Of course, if they were to reintroduce capacitive BS, I would forego all concerns about styling!

[bhtooefr]

The way Model M keys are shaped internally, even a single shot is hard to make, and a double shot is nearly impossible.

Dye sub, laser, and pad printing are it, and dye sub can't do light-on-dark, it can only do dark-on-light (or, as Topre does, darker-on-dark). (So, how about some good lasering, Unicomp?) The twilight keys have got to frickin' go. (Just like vampires, keys shouldn't sparkle.)

And, I believe the cables and controllers are Chinese. Plastics, I thought were locally sourced (which is actually why they're such crap).

And, as I said in IRC... if they bring back capacitive BS, my nipples will explode with delight! But, the odds of that happening, I'd think, are somewhere near the odds of IBM announcing their new line of beam spring keyboards for 2013.

[wcass]

white text on black should not be too hard - you just dye everything but the text - in other words, color around the letters.

i keep putting off testing a version of this idea - using a "Sharpie" to mark a key, RIT dye it dark, then go over it with acetone to remove the marker (PBT is ketone resistant). the hope is that the dried marker will create a mask just as it does for the copper on a PCB being etched.

if they want to do a 10keyless capacitive, i have a model name (and artwork) that they can use!

[Icarium]

wcass: You should really go through with that project. It would be too awesome not to try!

[Jim66]

M15. Not. A. Problem.

[bhtooefr]

The problem is, with their current process (read: with no new tooling), I'm not sure it'd be practical to do negative dye sublimation without it looking like crap, especially at the edges and corners.

[hoggy]

M15. Not. A. Problem.

Too right! There's a big m15 shaped hole in my collection.

[Findecanor]

The white-on-blue legends for the Kentucky Wildcats keyboards are pad-printed, right?

[wcass]

M15. Not. A. Problem.

The white-on-blue legends for the Kentucky Wildcats keyboards are pad-printed, right?

M15 and blue Wildcats keys are pad printed. Unicomp was not happy with the longevity of the product so they stopped offering them. that is commitment to quality.

[RC-1140]

I have the bad feeling that we are going to have to organize a European group buy of the new product. Shipping costs too much from US for single deliveries.

[guilleguillaume]

I have the bad feeling that we are going to have to organize a European group buy of the new product. Shipping costs too much from US for single deliveries.

I'm tired of having to pay nearly 80€ every time I buy something in USA because it's just impossible to get those things here in Europe

Oh! Don't forget about that 1$ = 1€ thing...

[RC-1140]

ya, international shipping costs and customs really suck. AFAIR in the end I spent around 180€ on my Unicomp 122-Key Emulator. But on the other hand, flying over there and flying back isn't cheaper. I'm having the feeling, that when I go to the US next year (after finishing school, before starting university) I will return with an additional suitcase, full with stuff I bought.

[bhtooefr]

Really, the answer for you guys is most likely, European reseller.

The Keyboard Company does carry Unicomp products, too - looks like as long as you're OK with UK layout, you can get what you want. (Unless it's PS/2 and black, or PS/2 and Windows keys, or USB without Windows keys.)

[hoggy]

M15. Not. A. Problem.

The white-on-blue legends for the Kentucky Wildcats keyboards are pad-printed, right?

M15 and blue Wildcats keys are pad printed. Unicomp was not happy with the longevity of the product so they stopped offering them. that is commitment to quality.

I'm not disagreeing with you, but I would still be happy if I had to replace one after five years.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

The way Model M keys are shaped internally, even a single shot is hard to make, and a double shot is nearly impossible.

Not if they're two-part caps.

[RC-1140]

The way Model M keys are shaped internally, even a single shot is hard to make, and a double shot is nearly impossible.

Not if they're two-part caps.

I'm unsure, whether two part caps are thick enough to be doubleshot. Also I would prefer typing on lasered PBT than on doubleshot ABS, but that's just my two cents.

[bhtooefr]

Actually, the two-part ones are HARDER to do as double-shot, as I understand. (The two-part caps have the clips on them to lock them onto the bottom part.)

What would be ideal is an Alps or Cherry-style slider. It's been done on buckling spring before, with Alps Supermembrane.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Not sure how that would work — you'll have to treat us to another one of your delightful MS Paint sketches …

[bhtooefr]

No need. I can just treat you to webwit's photos: http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8 ... s-t62.html

Among my least favorite switches, though, which is sad given that it's the most expensive buckling spring board I've bought (but it came with a free Acer switch board... blech @ that, too).

[Daniel Beardsmore]

No full diagrams there (seen that page before — sweet board), but I presume you're suggesting that you could achieve the two-part cap on an otherwise normal IBM board using Z mount instead of the side clips for easier moulding?

Not overly impressed with Cherry's lasering — filthy colour from new, rough and lumpy lettering, doesn't exactly exude quality. Really looking forwards to seeing Matias lasering as apparently they achieve their dazzling white letters without infill.

[bhtooefr]

I'm saying, switch to a stem style like that, then mount Alps caps on the thing.

You might actually be able to mold an IBM to Alps adapter, although the caps may end up a bit higher than they should be.

[GH1391401]

So is it just the shipping coupon?

[bhtooefr]

If so, that really wasn't worth teasing, Unicomp.

(I mean, not a bad deal by any means, but not worth teasing.)

[rodtang]

That was disappointing...