deskthority

Yes, it's one of those things. I normally have a real Model M on my desk, but I got this today so I figured I'd try it out. As you can probably tell, I've taped correct key markings over most of the phone keys and rearranged the numpad so it makes sense on a PC. If I ever hook this thing up to the phone line though, I'll have to rearrange it...

For being a rubber dome keyboard, it's not bad. Then again, it is a Model M rubber dome.

Rubber domes that look like real keyboards? What next! Mechanicals that look like scissor switches?

That last one being the holy grail of a decent laptop keyboard.

Lexmark actually did a transverse buckling spring, but never used it.

Alps and Cherry (ML in that case) have both had mechanical low profile switches intended for laptops. But, even the ML-4100 is a fair bit thicker than the current standard for a laptop board.

What might work well is HP's hinged key over metal dome technique from their calculators, although it has full preload, and actuation bottoms out the key.

Muirium wrote:Mechanicals that look like scissor switches?

Well, that depends on whether you want a) a bulky laptop from the early 90s with full travel switches, or b) reasonably slim laptop with low profile switches.

Low profile mechanical exists, but I'm not terribly comfortable with low travel. That said, whoever made the keyboard for the Dell Latitude E4310 did a fabulous job. Topre couldn't do a better job of the switches.

For a desktop board, you've got Cherry's G80-3800 and the forthcoming G80-3850 (same thing but plate mount). Low profile caps on full-travel switches.

I have allways wanted to try out one of the rubberdome M's. Are the keycaps compatable with the regular M?

IIRC, it depends on whether the board has one or two-piece caps. (I forget if any of the rubber domes got two-piece caps.)

If they're two-piece, the top piece is compatible. The stem part is not compatible, but with some dremel work, can be made to be compatible, as I understand (as it's plastic added to the buckling spring stem design, to depress the rubber dome). This does also mean that buckling spring stems will never work on the rubber dome.

neko2k wrote:For being a rubber dome keyboard, it's not bad. Then again, it is a Model M rubber dome.

I've got lots of Model Ms, but no "white on black" keys. Do you have any ref for this keyboard? Is this something easy to find and how much does it cost?

I nearly bought a used M13 with white on black keys but at $150 or so it was a bit expensive for keycaps (I'm not interested in the board itself)

Not to mention, the white on black M13 keys are pad printed. And I hear it's pretty bad pad printing, too.

bhtooefr wrote:IIRC, it depends on whether the board has one or two-piece caps. (I forget if any of the rubber domes got two-piece caps.)

If they're two-piece, the top piece is compatible. The stem part is not compatible, but with some dremel work, can be made to be compatible, as I understand (as it's plastic added to the buckling spring stem design, to depress the rubber dome). This does also mean that buckling spring stems will never work on the rubber dome.

You could put something in a BS stem to make it work on a RD. Not sure if anyone would want to.

Going the other way however, I'd think your dremelling skills would have to be exceptional to get the part where the spring sits inside the stem correct starting from this:
I doubt they left it correct so you could just cut out that middle piece and get a BS equivalent, the middle part is probably solid right up to the top.

I thought webwit actually converted a M2 RD to BS?

I did not. I convert these to the trash can.

The black case looks cool though! I guess you could just put put BS guts in it, isn't it?