A proposal for a new SSK

[Muirium]

An LED is still a diode

True. We usually have to protect them from burning out from too much current, with a resistor. Perhaps an artful coil would spare the need for even that! Though the amount of power that will make it through the transformer would surely vary quite a bit depending on the physical proximity of the moving coils.

[M'er Forever]

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[Muirium]

I'd go with more neutral caps on a light case like that, and the space between alphas and function row is much wider than I'd like – make it equal to the horizontal gap between backspace and insert for symmetry's sake – but anything like this is very compelling keyboard indeed!

[matt3o]

not a fan of this last color scheme.

I would go beige/pebble, pure-white/gray or black/dark-gray if you want something a little more modern.

[Soarer]

For a basic LED scheme, having them between PrtSc/ScrollLock/Pause and the numpad in the same order that the keys appear on the board makes sense, i.e. Caps, Scroll, (Num).

Somehow IBM chose to order them Num, Caps, Scroll on the 101-key Model M. An odd choice, since they had it right on the AT, where it was Caps, Num, Scroll.

[Findecanor]

That colour scheme reminds me of a hospital.

I think that an induction scheme would only be interesting if you would be backlighting the entire keyboard.
For Caps Lock and Scroll Lock, which are near the borders, you could transfer the current through leaf-springs embedded in the keyboard's borders. The longer they are, the more durable they are, the weaker springs you could use and the less they would impact the feel of the switch. The leaf springs could be mounted lengthwise along each border.

[M'er Forever]

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[M'er Forever]

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[M'er Forever]

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[M'er Forever]

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[Muirium]

Annunciators? You mean those lit labels you've added? They're pretty good. Harder to light up evenly than a simple indicator dot, but doable I think. There should definitely be one for Num Lock. The SSK is the one keyboard that truly needs it! Stick with the labels CAPS, NUM and SCRL though. And remember the home row divots on F and J.

As for striped logos:

The perfectly titled Men in Blue does the trick. I'd put it above the arrow keys, to utilise some already dedicated space. Like this:

I know where you're coming from with visual migraines, by the way. I get those if I stare into white too long. That's why I often use my Mac in inverted colour mode. I use one of the top right keys on an SSK to fire the macro to flip in and out of it. Easier than hitting Ctrl+Opt+Cmd+8 in a hurry.

[M'er Forever]

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[matt3o]

I still think that a simple LED with no text is way more elegant. You can frame the led matrix (just 2) in a different color so it's clear which led is in the right and which is on the left.

Regarding color schemes. I like the original retro feel, so this last one you pictured is pretty nice. You may also try black mods + dark grays alphas maybe (with black case).

I'm really not interest in NKRO, 6 keys are more than enough if that means having a cheaper/simpler controller. If I understand it correctly NKRO is obtained by creating a sort of internal USB HUB, which I find pretty cumbersome.

That being said $250 seems a pretty reasonable price point. I would definitely take one.

[M'er Forever]

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[M'er Forever]

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[matt3o]

oh okay if this still going to be PS/2 (which is good), no problem about NKRO. So that would be a nice addition.

Regarding color scheme, if we are limited to dyesub (which again is good, imho), I would try a pure white + pure gray combo. I wouldn't go too far from there.

You may also try the hi-pro topre colors, that I find veeery nice and possibly the HHKB white+light blue.

[7bit]

I want mine without branding or LEDs!!

[Kurk]

I'm in favor of 3 LEDs: Caps, Scrl and Num (the latter for the integrated numpad).

You're asking if I would pay 250 $ for one? Hell yes!

[matt3o]

I want mine without branding or LEDs!!

this!

[7bit]

I want 10 function keys to the left, 5 keys instead of the space bar, 2 keys between Hyper and Control, 5 keys to fill up the gap in the cursor section and a numpad to the right. Please remove the function row and all logos or LEDs.


Thanks!

[matt3o]

I want 10 function keys to the left, 5 keys instead of the space bar, 2 keys between Hyper and Control, 5 keys to fill up the gap in the cursor section and a numpad to the right.

Thanks!

not this!

[Muirium]

Yes, I'm with 7bit on this one. I actually prefer the super clean look with neither logo nor lights. It's exactly the kind of thing we want from high end design. Note how Apple doesn't brand the top of its keyboards anymore, and goes to pains to hide LEDs. Logos are for the underside.

That said, I wonder how Unicomp will take your suggested rebranding! Their logo is horrible, but I bet they think it's great.

NKRO is a more subtle, and important, topic than its name suggests. I have a Model M that can't even press Shift+Control+Arrows if I use both mods on the left. Gah! That's its matrix's fault, not the controller, so there's nothing obvious I can do to fix it. Essentially NKRO is the only guarantee that all combos will work. Less rollover means there's gotchas in there, and you don't need to be a gamer to hit them.

[matt3o]

NKRO is a more subtle, and important, topic than its name suggests. I have a Model M that can't even press Shift+Control+Arrows if I use both mods on the left. Gah! That's its matrix's fault, not the controller, so there's nothing obvious I can do to fix it. Essentially NKRO is the only guarantee that all combos will work. Less rollover means there's gotchas in there, and you don't need to be a gamer to hit them.

that's not a 6NRO problem I guess. shift+control+arrow it's still 3 keys.

[Muirium]

True. That keyboard (a 1990 122 key terminal Model M) wasn't designed for general use with arbitrary computers. So IBM took shortcuts in the membrane matrix. That or it was always horrible for mods even on the original system!

The signal chain is:

Matrix >> controller >> protocol.

The weakest link rules them all. Cap sense means an NKRO matrix, so that's great. Then it's down to a good controller. And Soarer has one that provides full NKRO over USB…

[Game Theory]

I actually like the logos and their placement. Usually I'm not a big fan of them.

[Muirium]

Well, it's subtle. I like IBM's logo on Model Ms, especially because it helps us date them from the front! But generally, less is truly more.

The best place for a logo is seriously the space above the arrow cluster. No need to cram things onto the bezel, where they'll look cramped.

[matt3o]

I would remove the SSK logo and maybe place it on the back (the keyboard underbelly)

[Muirium]

Wonder if there's room for it on the back, like Roland, Korg, etc. synthesisers? (I mean on the vertical plane at the back, not the underside that sits on your desk.) A reflective IBM stripe font SSK logo quite appeals to me, but maybe it's too distracting to have on the top, catching your eye.

[matt3o]

I mean "under"

[7bit]

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.