deskthority

It also comes in handy as an extra key to map to things.

And, this is incredibly niche, but RISC OS emulators like to use it to simulate the middle mouse button on machines that don't have one. (RISC OS is incredibly dependent on having the middle button available, as ALL menus are brought up using it. And, while emulators have started allowing you to map the right button to the RISC OS middle button (and use Menu as the right button instead), there's still occasions (much less common) where the RISC OS right button is necessary.

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Price would kill it though, probably

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Programmability isn't as expensive as you think. Literally the only component in my custom keyboard's controller is one of these:

A Teensy, which is in fact this size:

$14 each, and likely less with a real bulk order. They're easily powerful enough to run a highly programmable controller, and should support your proposed keyboard lock mode, too.

For a Model M style matrix, a bare bones PCB to hook up the matrix to the Teensy's pins, and a mini USB cable and socket is all you'd require for complete programmable USB functionality via detachable cable. Add a hub inside, with a few external sockets, as you've designed, and the wired version is complete.

Capacitative Model F is more complex, but this is true whether you have a Teensy involved or not. Whatever components are required to handle the analogue sensing side of things are a fixed cost. I'd just make the Teensy the baseline, shipped with a simple controller for use right out of the box, but with programmability ready and waiting for advanced users.

Or, you know, Unicomp does a specific controller anyway.

Swap whatever Cirrus IC is in there for the ATMega32U4 and be done with it. Digikey has the ATMega32U4 at qty 1000 for $3.5088/ea.

Exactly. A Teensy, I know how to configure, the chip itself is more complex but certainly doable.

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Muirium wrote:Programmability isn't as expensive as you think.... A Teensy ...

It is reprogrammed by reflashing the firmware completely.
It has EEPROM, but only a mere kilobyte which isn't very much for on-fly programming.

Findecanor wrote:

Muirium wrote:Programmability isn't as expensive as you think.... A Teensy ...

It is reprogrammed by reflashing the firmware completely.
It has EEPROM, but only a mere kilobyte which isn't very much for on-fly programming.

Soarer's converter seems to get along fine with the EEPROM in the Teensy 2.0, with layers...

Indeed! I've made literally hundreds of edits to my converter's config, but I only ever uploaded a firmware image to it twice (an updated converter version). It gets a lot of action:

My customisation, on the fly layer remaps and macros for several different keyboards, is all written to that little buffer with Soarer's tools.

All the same applies to the controller. But my controller lives inside one keyboard full time, so I don't edit it quite as often. I've still done so maybe 50 times, though!

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Top of the barrel? Or the buckled spring?

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Sterling. Even the Fn key right of right Shift can be hidden with the same technique, for those who want the Classic Layout. Meanwhile, I'd be using that little key extensively!

One good use for an a spare key in the 60% block of a larger keyboard: ISO's extra key. Its identity varies by national layout, and whether it's a Mac or not, but I do like my section break / plus-or-minus. Other languages have more pressing need for that one more cap.

bhtooefr wrote:

Findecanor wrote:

Muirium wrote:Programmability isn't as expensive as you think.... A Teensy ...

It is reprogrammed by reflashing the firmware completely.
It has EEPROM, but only a mere kilobyte which isn't very much for on-fly programming.

Soarer's converter seems to get along fine with the EEPROM in the Teensy 2.0, with layers...

Maybe we have to ask him how he does it, as you can actually use the unused Flash memory as data storage if your AVR chip's settings allow it.

Soarer's on-the-fly programmability is a giant usability win, compared to rebuilding from source. Keep static pieces static, and dynamic data accessible at runtime!

A kilobyte doesn't sound much this day and age, but keyboard layouts and macros are inherently simple things well suited to fitting in a few bytes. I only run against the limit on my converter, which is programmed for 5+ completely different keyboard designs. You really have to throw a lot at it to consume the space. More than one keyboard's worth.

M'er Forever wrote:

Muirium wrote:Top of the barrel? Or the buckled spring?

Nope! That's also what I originally thought. Hint: the answer lies within

Top of the pivot plate.

Perhaps, wouldn't be "within" though. How about the rubbery mat that the hammers hit? I've seen a lot of wear on those.

Or maybe it's the hammers, themselves…

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After answering M'er Forever's question, he was kind enough to put together some renders in color schemes of my choosing. I'm not much interested in anything smaller than the SSK, so instead of one scheme and two layouts, he did two schemes of one layout. Complete with custom engraved logo.

First, something closer to the previous renders, with just a *bit* more green to them:
I thought these looked great, and I may try to put this scheme together on one of my modded "SSK's".

But, as I learned to type on a selectric a long time ago, I have a certain affinity for that look (and how those keys felt, and buckling spring is closest to that). So I gave him a picture of an IBM Selectric typewriter and some personal preferences, and he put together this:
(What can I say, I like green)

I like the first scheme a lot, but I this second one is phenomenal, and likely never to be possible due to getting light legends on dark keys on a buckling spring keyboard is next to impossible as far as I know.

But if it ever is, I'm making this second keyboard.

Thanks M'er Forever for the time taken to put these together and answering my questions and nitpicks. These look great.

Matching case colour with lights makes for a nice touch. I'd have gone for a reflective metal top with piano-like ebony mods and ivory alphas, which might have been a bear to render!

Muirium wrote:Matching case colour with lights makes for a nice touch. I'd have gone for a reflective metal top with piano-like ebony mods and ivory alphas, which might have been a bear to render!

M'er suggested a anodized aluminum case but I suspect that would take more than just changing colors in the model.

As far as ebony mods and ivory alphas, I have that already - see my avatar. I wanted to see something different:

But I meant actual Ebony and ivory!

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The separate NumLock key makes sense. Does it also activate the internal numpad? How would one switch between the numpad numerical functions and its cursor navigation functions?
How is that realized in original IBM SSKs? I think you have to press shift to momentarily switch to the cursor functionality...

What is the function of the Invert Screen button? I couldn't find it in the thread and, obviously, it is not obvious