[IC] DSA PBT color selection

[matt3o]

For the upcoming full PBT (including spacebars), DSA, "beige" GB we have basically 4 color options.

Please note that the pictures are just for reference, actual PBT color availability is limited and the final color won't 100% match!

1) Cold gray
Ala SGI Granite or WYSE.
good: goes well with anything
bad: boring



2) Warm gray
Like your slightly yellowed old abs keyboard
good: it's retro...
bad: ... no it's just old.



3) Real beige
Like Model M
good: c'mon it's model m
bad: not the best combo with black cases



4) Charcoal
This is something completely different and I don't think there's a keyboard available in PBT with this color. Think of it as a Dolch with black legends. The contrast is not high, but the end result might be nice and original.
good: original and classy
bad: low legend contrast


note that ALL LEGENDS will be black!

Please select your top 2 picks.

[Muirium]

Thanks for the 2 options from 4 good schemes. Care to share the colour codes for each of them?

I'm wary about the Charcoal set. Dark HHKBs look quite blank to me, even when they have legends. All the more in real life! There's a reason why dyesub was always on bright backgrounds in the day.

Also, when you say Model M: you mean SSK? the multi coloured legends on the integrated numpad on those are perfect!

[matt3o]

The best way to evaluate colors is maybe on "black keyboard" color



clockwise from top left: granite, warm gray, model m, charcoal

the legends will be black (or very dark gray). I don't know about multi colors, I have to talk with SP about that, but that shouldn't be a problem. Side printing would be nice but only if it doesn't impact on pricing

[matt3o]

I knew it...

[jdeblese]

Knew that it would be neck and neck?

[matt3o]

Knew that it would be neck and neck?

yep

[Muirium]

Anything but granite charcoal! (I actually quite like SGI Granite, but that's not an option.)

[matt3o]

I like all of them, the bottom line is that it's PBT and it has keys in all sizes with no rows.

[pasph]

Make another pool between the 2?

[matt3o]

Make another pool between the 2?

either I pick or I run this on geekhack, which means Model M for the former, granite for the latter.

[Jmneuv]

I think you should adjust the legends color to the selected combo.. i.e. a warm (brownish) dark grey for the beige set.

[Muirium]

Well, reduced contrast is a dangerous game to play. Remember Round 4…

I find the dark on dark dye sub HHKB just as intolerable.

[Acanthophis]

Well, reduced contrast on alphas is a dangerous game to play. Remember Round 4…

FTFY.

I don't mind low contrast on the mods, and black on GJQ is readable well enough.
That being said, I voted for Charcoal. Just Charcoal.

If Charcoal is out of the race definitely, I'll vote for the cold gray. I don't like this beige saturation, just looks dirty and aged (in a bad way) to me.

[imbattable]

Well, reduced contrast on alphas is a dangerous game to play. Remember Round 4…

FTFY.

I don't mind low contrast on the mods, and black on GJQ is readable well enough.
That being said, I voted for Charcoal. Just Charcoal.

If Charcoal is out of the race definitely, I'll vote for the cold gray. I don't like this beige saturation, just looks dirty and aged (in a bad way) to me.

This man speaks my mind!

[matt3o]

Well, reduced contrast is a dangerous game to play. Remember Round 4…

I find the dark on dark dye sub HHKB just as intolerable.

saturation is low just on the modifiers, but actually the dark gray is not that dark. you can clearly see the contrast with black in the picture above and it's not bad. So this is really just down to personal preference.

also, low contrast comes better in dye-sub. just saying...

[matt3o]

The three kings

[imbattable]

I scrolled down to your last post and was like "ZOMG CHARCOAL SO SEXY". Very nice indeed.

[fart_toast]

haha, with my vote Beige takes the lead xD

[fart_toast]

Can SP do ISO in this keycap shape in PBT ? Or will only ANSI be run for the GB?

[matt3o]

Can SP do ISO in this keycap shape in PBT ? Or will only ANSI be run for the GB?

there's no DSA ISO return (not even in ABS), we can have it done in DCS which goes pretty well with it.

[fart_toast]

OK, probably a long shot of anyone knowing if theres a pic of DCS ISO enter with a DSA set? Looking at SP's website the row 2 DCS looks pretty flat so would go well with a DSA set as you say.

[matt3o]

[fart_toast]

Wow you got on that quick! Thank you . Looks fine/great! I'll be in for this if ISO is an option at GB stage! I quite like the idea of the flatter profile.

[Vierax]

When I see those Retro DSA caps I still think how I can miss this GB : Plum and Brown fits so nicely each other

Matt, why do you think about another Dolch set : the previous one isn't still in production into SP factory ?

[matt3o]

Matt, why do you think about another Dolch set : the previous one isn't still in production into SP factory ?

it's not that simple... I can't tell you the whole story because I was asked not to yet, but what I can tell is that in 2-3 weeks a Dolch set could be actually available (unfortunately with very little mods options).

[Vierax]

I don't want to force you to break the secrecy, we all discover this in 3 weeks
I though about the DSA Dolch Replica set but as reading the last page of the thread I think we talk about the same

[matt3o]

Considered the success of the granite I took this picture with a nice gradient of (almost) pure grays.



Actually the only 100% unsaturated one is GDE the others have all a warm or cold shade. Unfortunately there's no "light gray" but just 1 white and 2 "off-whites", then we go directly to medium gray. So it will be an hard choice.

[snoopy]

I want Charcoal. Looks very nice.

[Acanthophis]

I want Charcoal.

Who doesn't?

[Muirium]

The majority who voted for the rest!

Cold grey has been winning pretty much the entire time.