A proposal for a new SSK

[Muirium]

Wonder if there's room for it on the back, like Roland, Korg, etc. synthesisers? ...

Yeah! And when people complain your keyboard is too loud, you pretend it is a musical instrument.

Must tune my buckling springs sometime so I can make that happen. They are always a little differently pitched from one key to the next.

Meanwhile, Unicomp unveils a new product:

Something tells me this SSK proposal will be a bit of a stretch for them.

[7bit]

This is for people with bad eye sight!


If you have bad eye sight, you can't see the uglyness of it.

[matt3o]

it's not ugly it just looks that way

[riffraff]

Still worth a shot. And worst case scenario, it could lead to an interesting project with the 3d printing capabilities that exist now.

[M'er Forever]

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[M'er Forever]

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[wcass]

I would like to see it, but don’t think Unicomp will make it happen. It would require too much new stuff to stock and support; new controller, new barrel plate, new case, new hammers. If you give up the idea of cap-sense switches and you moved the function row back to where it is on other M then it would be more likely to happen.

But as I said, I would like to see it, so if you can get someone to print/mill the case and write the software, I will volunteer to make a cap-sense PCB matrix for this layout. I have done much of the work already for my XTant project (linked in earlier post) and have the raw materials. Actually, I have several large sheets of Pyralux (2 oz copper on 1mil Kapton) that I’m not using. That might be interesting to try.

[7bit]

Wait? I thought it was a community project, like the Phantom keyboard etc.!

[M'er Forever]

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[Muirium]

Wait? I thought it was a community project, like the Phantom keyboard etc.!

M'er's trying to get Unicomp into this. I think the community project route is orders of magnitude more likely to go places, however.

I doubt we could even talk Unicomp into making a plain jane SSK again. Their choice to ignore all the proof of strong demand in sky high SSK prices.

[M'er Forever]

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[M'er Forever]

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[matt3o]

I remember someone on GH contacted unicomp a while back and they told him that the cost of tooling for such a project (a standard SSK) would been too high. So unless anything changed, this remains just a typist dream. Glad to be proven wrong.

[7bit]

Don't know if you're serious about that or just "tongue-in-cheek". IMO it would be too different from the classic layout and difficult for touch typists to adapt to if they are accustomed to the classic SSK layout. I think your proposal would need to be the subject of another thread.

I am! I would really get one. Maybe a version that fits into 122 key Model M cases.

Ideally we would have a bit plastic part with switches everywhere which will be cut down to whatever is needed (like SSK, model F or 7bit-style terminal keyboard).

[M'er Forever]

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[7bit]

Wait? I thought it was a community project, like the Phantom keyboard etc.!

M'er's trying to get Unicomp into this. I think the community project route is orders of magnitude more likely to go places, however.

I doubt we could even talk Unicomp into making a plain jane SSK again. Their choice to ignore all the proof of strong demand in sky high SSK prices.

SSK can't be so difficult!

Cut the Model M plastic thing down, the rest of the components are all available or the metal backplate can be made. Only needs case, but that has been done for other keyboards before and these 2 plastic sheets must be doable somehow.

[matt3o]

Cut the Model M plastic thing down, the rest of the cpmponents are all available or the metal backplate can be made. Only needs case, but that has been done for other keyboards before and these 2 plastic sheets must be doable somehow.

you make it too easy

[7bit]

I'm a visioner! I always leave the little details to the experts.

[M'er Forever]

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[Muirium]

To get a feel for who Unicomp are, have a little look at this article about them:

http://bizlex.com/2012/07/keyed-in-unic ... ght-touch/

(bhtooefr's link.)

I think they take the "made in the USA" side of their business very seriously indeed. And I don't get the impression that they are interested in consumers so much as their longterm corporate customers.

They could always prove me wrong. They need to. All companies either change, as time requires, or die.

[wcass]

I wonder if making the PCB from Kapton rather than the 0.031" FR-4 originally used in the Model F might cause unwanted stray capacitance between the curved steel backplate and the foil circuitry on the Kapton, resulting in continual actuation of every key. Certainly Kapton would conform nicely and without stress to the curvature. One downside to foil on Kapton is that it would be especially susceptible to creases being accidentally formed in the foil when handled with anything but the greatest care during imaging/etching/processing, and/or during assembly.

I was just throwing it out there as it would basicly cost me nothing to do it on this Pyralux. Doing it on .031 FR-4 will cost me about $5. Pyralux would also wrap over the back edge, so no connector and cable needed to route the strobe and sense lines. I would suggest it is worth trying with those advantages.

[M'er Forever]

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[M'er Forever]

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[Muirium]

Well, if they're up for a new SSK, colour me impressed!

[M'er Forever]

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[matt3o]

let me recap. in 2014 we'll have:

confirmed:
- new switches from Matias (and probably new wired and wireless keyboards)
- new switches from Cherry
- new Topre keyboard with MX sliders from CM
- KBTalking TKL bluetooth kb

unconfirmed/dreamed:
- unicomp SSK
- HHKB Pro 3

oooh my

Now if I/we could just get Unicomp some hefty "angel" funding from one or more wealthy techno-freaks who appreciate design excellence, there might be a chance at making some marvelous things happen in Lexington.

Kickstarter!

[Muirium]

Add Bluetooth MJ3 / TKL to your wish list, Matt. And Duckies too, I hope. A Bluetooth Unicomp wouldn't be a bad idea either.

M'er: I wouldn't say we're any more refined over here either. For whatever reason, tasteless dolts are simply louder spoken in America. They still exist here, of course, but I think they're all just really into football…

Unicomp's in a rare position: they're in control of their own switch supply. Most keyboard manufacturers rely on Cherry or Topre; the only obvious exceptions being Matias, Cherry and Topre! I certainly think Unicomp could use a bit of inspiration, because they seem to be in a rut, oblivious to the innovation going on in the rest of the mechanical keyboard industry. They have a unique asset; might as well use it. And we have just the dream they need: a modern SSK.

[JBert]

Sent this to Unicomp to see what they think. I won't hold my breath, but it sure wouldn't hurt if it gets a whole stack of thumb's-up here...can I get a show of hands?

Sigh, if only it had 1.25 modifiers at the bottom like the newer Cherry keyboards...

[Muirium]

Oh, that too. A Filco style 1.25-1.25-1.25-6.25-1.25-1.25-1.25-1.25 bottom row is a desirable direction. Easier to mix around the mods (for Apple compatibility) and it has a clean look besides.

[M'er Forever]

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