Any disadvantages to one piece buckling spring keycaps?

[courtesi]

So I've been playing that game ... you know ... how many different ways to build an Ellipse F62/F77 on the configurator; and I've been pondering on whether to buy keycaps with the board or not.

I've been typing on my Unicomp 103 for a while and have no complaints regarding the keycaps. However there is that nagging devil on my shoulder saying I should try to source one piece keycaps from a F/M - and how it seems wrong to put what many consider "inferior" caps on a brand new F.

So the question came up ... are there any disadvantages to one piece caps that you can think of?


Also ... are the caps that came on the silver badge M's (86-8?) as good as the earlier F's?

Inquiring minds want to know!

[Chyros]

Some people actually consider them superior, they say it gives a better keyfeel or something.

Personally, I've tried both, fuck if I could tell the difference xD .

[jacobolus]

I think the XT caps are probably nicest overall, but it’s a pretty wacky layout.

[Muirium]

As usual, there's a few different things going on all at once, which makes the picture muddled.

The profound difference is between IBM caps (whether one or two piece) and Unicomp's. The legends are just night and day, there's really no comparison. Also, Unicomp's colour matching for IBM's original colours is quite noticeably off. Don't try mixing Unicomp pebble with IBM mods.

Then there's the difference between one and two piece caps. That's a tighter race. Naturally, even Unicomp still makes single piece caps (just look at those 2.75 unit Shift keys) and theirs match their two piece alphas fine enough. The trouble kicks in when you try mixing, again. IBM's one piece alphas are noticeably shorter than the two piece versions. Put them side by side and you will notice. Even if you're Chyros!

Model F caps are the best when it comes to printing. XT legends are so bold and rich you can really see the corners IBM cut when you put them on an SSK like I did, alongside its native IBM mods. I also found the height difference was very much in effect, which isn't enough to make me stumble as a typist but it is annoying all the same. So long as it's between alphas and mods it's understandable, but just you try to handle the XT's missing single unit ] key. Ungh!



I'm glad I have the original caps on my Kishsaver. They're Model F awesome, without the layout bamboozlement of the XT. I put a Unicomp red Escape on it, which is bearable enough in blank. But just the thought of a whole set of Unicomp's on a board as special as that? No thanks.



Though I can live with the RGBs…

[courtesi]

Hmpf ... I predict a slew of half naked XT boards on ebay this year.

The legends on the Unicomp don't bother me; perhaps I'm not picky enough? I just want to make sure they last the life of the board.

[Muirium]

Unicomp's legends aren't the worst. They just compare very badly to IBM's. Let's see if I can find that picture I took of my ANSI modded AT…


post243502.html#p243502

That board has its original Model F alphas, and quite a few mods (it's an AT, they're way less cranky than XT's) but you can easily see the Unicomps I put on it. That ANSI Return most obviously, but also the arrow keys. I'll take a better picture when I'm back home. Finally got a new camera after all these years!

A board full of Unicomp caps will look fine. The clash is when you mix and match.

[Chyros]

…

Oh in terms of the legends, maybe, yeah. Although the ones on my one-piece Lexmark aren't really worse than those on most of my Model Ms, as I recall. I was more referring to the supposed typing feel difference, which doesn't even make sense xD .

[andrewjoy]

Apart from the vastly superior legends on the XT one part caps the feel is improved. The 2 part design adds a certain amount of play into the movement of the keycap. Try it for yourself , take a 2 part cap off any IBM and turn it upside down and wiggle the inner stem. You will notice it can move without coming out of the top part of the cap. This also effects the sound.

On Unicmomp

They do have a relatively new mould that they use for 1 part caps , unfortunately they only do it in the dark ( modifier colour ) i have asked them what volume they would need to produce them in other colours but nothing back yet.

[meow a cat]

One small detail to consider is that (some, all? not sure) Model F caps lack the homing bar. The AT I used to own had beautiful F one-piece caps, and the quality was far superior to my set of Unicomp APLs on my SSK, but the missing homing bumps were a little disconcerting at first.

[chzel]

No idea about Unicomp, but as far as I'm concerned, typing feel on the one piece caps is a bit better, but marginally so.
If you have them or can easily find them, fine, but not really worth going looking for them.

Finally got a new camera after all these years!

What? What? Still on the Canon train I guess! Did you get a speedlight yet?

[Muirium]

My glass belongs to Canon, uh, so to speak. So yeah, it's a Canon. Let's see if you can guess which one. Hint: it's current model, most of my lenses are EF-S, and I'm a feature hungry cheapskate.

I planned to buy it over here in the land of the free, but it turns out that Canon was doing a £100 cash back on the camera back in Britain, and the list price isn't any different for a change. So I bought it online and had it shipped to my folks in Scotland while I'm over here! It'll be a nice upgrade when I'm back. Had to buy an SD card for it because YES MY 350D IS THAT OLD!

Of course, the SD card was half the price over here. So the world isn't on its head quite yet. Only Canon.

[chzel]

I don't know Canon stuff, so in random...750D? And your 350D is the same vintage as my D50, which I only recently upgraded!

[Muirium]

Almost right! I went up a little bit to the 760D, which has a shoulder display like the big boys. It's a new rung in Canon's lineup. A little entry level Rebel with the better extras from the midrange line. And the current version of Canon's sensor, which its actually gotten ahead of them, right after the 7D mk.II. (My brother's camera that I'm using over here incidentally!)

750 on the left, 760 on the right:



The shoulder display caught my eye because my ancient 350D has two displays, too, and I'm used to one of them I can always look at in low light without being dazzled. Back in 2005, they simply split the main display area in two. Probably just so they could get away with a minuscule color LCD, rather than as a fancy feature:



That passive display is great and my old man's 550D was so much less of a camera to me because it lacked it. No such problem in my new one, which he's been told not to bloody tamper with till I pick it up!

[andrewjoy]

The only professional piece of video equipment i have still has mini DV tapes. Cannon HV30.