[Final vote] Best input device mod 2012

[webwit]

Please vote for your winner of the award for the Best input device mod in 2012.

By voting in this category you can win Cherry ANSI doubleshot keycaps from Ascaii.

This is the final round. See the first round and second round for reference. There are 4 instead of 3 final nominees because of an equal number of votes in the second round.

The winner of this category will receive a Deskthority Award Clack Factory Wingnut Trophkey!



The nominees are:

bpiphany's Filco replacement controller
Ever wanted your tenkeyless to have a programmable controller? Just replace the stock controller board in your keyboard with the programmable HID Liberation Device by bphiphany!


Lots of replacement controllers waiting to liberate your HID!

Ceesa's Tipro Trackpoint mod & Cherry G80-1501 SSK
Two great mods to improve existing keyboards - check out CeeSA's adventures into making his own Cherry space saving keyboards and how to add a trackpoint to a Tipro.


A CeeSA Cherry G80-1501 SSK.

Soarer's converter
Soarer's converter is a Teensy-based project which adapts IBM XT, AT and some 122 key terminal keyboards to USB. It has brought to life many vintage keyboards, with excellent execution and documentation.


IBM PC 3270 keyboard, part number 6110344. Revive it!

Suka's DIY keyboard collection
Suka's collection of self-made, ergonomic keyboards is just amazing. His ability to turn idea into reality is awe-inspiring!


Suka's BlueCube tilted in normal position.

[Soarer]

My converter has been around for quite a while now, but this was the year when I started to consider it a complete solution (as much as software ever is; there is always more that could be added).

The release of v0.997 and then the milestone v1.0 (both this year) added user-configurable remaps, layers, macros and selects (modes), provided by tools running on Windows, Linux and Mac OS-X. Lots of (mostly enjoyable!) effort went into making it as full-featured as possible yet still easy to use, fixing bugs quickly, and providing support to those who needed/wanted it.

Some say my converter is single-handedly responsible for driving up prices of IBM PC/XT and 122-key Terminal keyboards and making them scarce! (I'm not sure about that myself, but it's a nice thought).

Selected comments for cheerleading purposes... (there were a lot more in the first draft of this post )

Model F 122 + Teensy with Soarer's code = a loud and proud board with NKRO over USB

aw man and a support reaction time of ten minutes!
there is no hid manufacturer that can compete with any of this
thank you sir, i'm heating up the soldering iron.

What a fantastic project, with my beginner skills I never thought I would be able to do anything with a 122-key Unicomp UB40856 keyboard, a $9 castaway from eBay.

But a Teensy later.. it's been great so far! Thank you very much!!

I am honestly surprised that this is so easy!

Thank you for all of your help

Soarer's docs are insanely good. I would like to reward him with a virtual cookie or something.

Now is the time, Icarium and everyone - vote!

[wcass]

my IBM AT with added keys and TSSK mods would not have been possible without Soarer's hard work. he has made something that turns a classic piece of tech art into a functional classic piece of tech art.

[Krogenar]

We ran a positive campaign. We campaigned on the issues.
(crowd cheers)
And the issue is change. Change for the future. The people have spoken!
(crowd cheers)
Ask not what your keyboard enthusiast forum can do for you... you have nothing to fear but fear itself.
If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Live free or die! And in conclusion... read my lips!
(crowd goes wild)

Vote for Soarer's converter -- it helped me turn an old terminal keyboard (Model F 122 key) into a working, awesome, completely kickass daily driver. The process of making the converter helped me learn to solder, and deepened my appreciation for vintage keyboards. Also, Soarer provided fantastic support and advice on materials.

Soarer's not just displayed a high level of technical skill -- he's made the fruits of those skills available in a concrete way to the keyboard community.

[webwit]

The two nominees with currently the most votes are: bpiphany's Filco replacement controller and Soarer's converter.