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Keyboard Recommendation

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  • C Offline
    C Offline
    CodeWraith
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    I would recommend my old Elf's keyboard[^]. Steel case, real key switches and lasts at least 42 years long. But parallel keyboards of that sort don't grow on trees these days and I will need something more modern when I build 'Zwölf', Elf's younger brother. Just yesterday I was asking dumb questions about interfacing USB ports to an 8 bit computer, guess why. But there is another way to get exactly the keyboard that you want and that lasts forever. Tear out the encoder and the cable from an old keyboard. Then buy about a pound of cherry keyswitches[^]. Then design and 3D print keycaps and a case for the keyboard[^]. Layout, spacing and finish are entirely up to you. You will not need a circuit board. The keyswitches snap into square holes in the case, but you will have to wire up the switches in columns and rows on the underside and then also connect the encoder you have salvaged from an old keyboard. I might have to do a little more, like programming a PIC microcontroller with a suitable interface as keyboard encoder, but that's worth it. That keyboard can last another 42 years.

    I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats. His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.

    M R R J J 5 Replies Last reply
    0
    • C CodeWraith

      I would recommend my old Elf's keyboard[^]. Steel case, real key switches and lasts at least 42 years long. But parallel keyboards of that sort don't grow on trees these days and I will need something more modern when I build 'Zwölf', Elf's younger brother. Just yesterday I was asking dumb questions about interfacing USB ports to an 8 bit computer, guess why. But there is another way to get exactly the keyboard that you want and that lasts forever. Tear out the encoder and the cable from an old keyboard. Then buy about a pound of cherry keyswitches[^]. Then design and 3D print keycaps and a case for the keyboard[^]. Layout, spacing and finish are entirely up to you. You will not need a circuit board. The keyswitches snap into square holes in the case, but you will have to wire up the switches in columns and rows on the underside and then also connect the encoder you have salvaged from an old keyboard. I might have to do a little more, like programming a PIC microcontroller with a suitable interface as keyboard encoder, but that's worth it. That keyboard can last another 42 years.

      I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats. His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.

      M Offline
      M Offline
      Mike Hankey
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      Good idea, switches are cheap enough.

      They call me different but the truth is they're all the same! JaxCoder.com

      1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • C CodeWraith

        I would recommend my old Elf's keyboard[^]. Steel case, real key switches and lasts at least 42 years long. But parallel keyboards of that sort don't grow on trees these days and I will need something more modern when I build 'Zwölf', Elf's younger brother. Just yesterday I was asking dumb questions about interfacing USB ports to an 8 bit computer, guess why. But there is another way to get exactly the keyboard that you want and that lasts forever. Tear out the encoder and the cable from an old keyboard. Then buy about a pound of cherry keyswitches[^]. Then design and 3D print keycaps and a case for the keyboard[^]. Layout, spacing and finish are entirely up to you. You will not need a circuit board. The keyswitches snap into square holes in the case, but you will have to wire up the switches in columns and rows on the underside and then also connect the encoder you have salvaged from an old keyboard. I might have to do a little more, like programming a PIC microcontroller with a suitable interface as keyboard encoder, but that's worth it. That keyboard can last another 42 years.

        I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats. His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.

        R Offline
        R Offline
        RickZeeland
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        Nah, this is the one for me: USB Typewriter Kit (Assembled) from USB Typewriter on Tindie[^] :-\

        C J 2 Replies Last reply
        0
        • C CodeWraith

          I would recommend my old Elf's keyboard[^]. Steel case, real key switches and lasts at least 42 years long. But parallel keyboards of that sort don't grow on trees these days and I will need something more modern when I build 'Zwölf', Elf's younger brother. Just yesterday I was asking dumb questions about interfacing USB ports to an 8 bit computer, guess why. But there is another way to get exactly the keyboard that you want and that lasts forever. Tear out the encoder and the cable from an old keyboard. Then buy about a pound of cherry keyswitches[^]. Then design and 3D print keycaps and a case for the keyboard[^]. Layout, spacing and finish are entirely up to you. You will not need a circuit board. The keyswitches snap into square holes in the case, but you will have to wire up the switches in columns and rows on the underside and then also connect the encoder you have salvaged from an old keyboard. I might have to do a little more, like programming a PIC microcontroller with a suitable interface as keyboard encoder, but that's worth it. That keyboard can last another 42 years.

          I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats. His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.

          R Offline
          R Offline
          Ravi Bhavnani
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          Was de-bounce technology common in those days, or was that offered as an upgrade?  :) /ravi

          My new year resolution: 2048 x 1536 Home | Articles | My .NET bits | Freeware ravib(at)ravib(dot)com

          C 1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • C CodeWraith

            I would recommend my old Elf's keyboard[^]. Steel case, real key switches and lasts at least 42 years long. But parallel keyboards of that sort don't grow on trees these days and I will need something more modern when I build 'Zwölf', Elf's younger brother. Just yesterday I was asking dumb questions about interfacing USB ports to an 8 bit computer, guess why. But there is another way to get exactly the keyboard that you want and that lasts forever. Tear out the encoder and the cable from an old keyboard. Then buy about a pound of cherry keyswitches[^]. Then design and 3D print keycaps and a case for the keyboard[^]. Layout, spacing and finish are entirely up to you. You will not need a circuit board. The keyswitches snap into square holes in the case, but you will have to wire up the switches in columns and rows on the underside and then also connect the encoder you have salvaged from an old keyboard. I might have to do a little more, like programming a PIC microcontroller with a suitable interface as keyboard encoder, but that's worth it. That keyboard can last another 42 years.

            I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats. His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.

            J Offline
            J Offline
            Jorgen Andersson
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            Why not buy a Cherry keyboard?

            Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello

            R C 2 Replies Last reply
            0
            • J Jorgen Andersson

              Why not buy a Cherry keyboard?

              Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello

              R Offline
              R Offline
              RickZeeland
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              I heard they are especially good for cherry-picking with Git :-\

              R 1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • J Jorgen Andersson

                Why not buy a Cherry keyboard?

                Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello

                C Offline
                C Offline
                CodeWraith
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                Custom layout, custom design, and in my case another encoder/interface don't come off the shelf. I'm also going to need a hexadecimal keyboard with address and data displays. Guess what, these encoders and display drivers are also hard to get. If at all, you get them from chip collectors with no guarantee that they are still functional and at a price higher than their weight in gold. For me it's yet another job for PIC microcontrollers + key switches + 3D printing.

                I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats. His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.

                1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • R Ravi Bhavnani

                  Was de-bounce technology common in those days, or was that offered as an upgrade?  :) /ravi

                  My new year resolution: 2048 x 1536 Home | Articles | My .NET bits | Freeware ravib(at)ravib(dot)com

                  C Offline
                  C Offline
                  CodeWraith
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  Very common. In hardware, not in software as it is done now. Tantalum capacitors, to be precise.

                  I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats. His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • R RickZeeland

                    Nah, this is the one for me: USB Typewriter Kit (Assembled) from USB Typewriter on Tindie[^] :-\

                    C Offline
                    C Offline
                    CodeWraith
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    Ahhh, steampunk! Hook that thing up to an Elf with Nixie Tubes[^] for the data and address displays.

                    I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats. His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • R RickZeeland

                      I heard they are especially good for cherry-picking with Git :-\

                      R Offline
                      R Offline
                      Ravi Bhavnani
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      RickZeeland wrote:

                      Git

                      Gaah!  Someone hand me a barf bag. X| /ravi

                      My new year resolution: 2048 x 1536 Home | Articles | My .NET bits | Freeware ravib(at)ravib(dot)com

                      R 1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • R Ravi Bhavnani

                        RickZeeland wrote:

                        Git

                        Gaah!  Someone hand me a barf bag. X| /ravi

                        My new year resolution: 2048 x 1536 Home | Articles | My .NET bits | Freeware ravib(at)ravib(dot)com

                        R Offline
                        R Offline
                        Rajesh R Subramanian
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        You're doing it again, Ravi. Just wait until the zealots come out. :laugh:

                        R 1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • R Rajesh R Subramanian

                          You're doing it again, Ravi. Just wait until the zealots come out. :laugh:

                          R Offline
                          R Offline
                          RickZeeland
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          Hmmm, the zealots seem to be asleep, must be a Post-Thankgiving effect :-\

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • R RickZeeland

                            Nah, this is the one for me: USB Typewriter Kit (Assembled) from USB Typewriter on Tindie[^] :-\

                            J Offline
                            J Offline
                            Johnny J
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            That has GOT to be the coolest thing I've seen in 2019! :omg: Too bad I don't have a manual type writer left I can convert... :sigh:

                            Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
                            Anonymous
                            -----
                            The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine
                            Winston Churchill, 1944
                            -----
                            Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.
                            Mark Twain

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • C CodeWraith

                              I would recommend my old Elf's keyboard[^]. Steel case, real key switches and lasts at least 42 years long. But parallel keyboards of that sort don't grow on trees these days and I will need something more modern when I build 'Zwölf', Elf's younger brother. Just yesterday I was asking dumb questions about interfacing USB ports to an 8 bit computer, guess why. But there is another way to get exactly the keyboard that you want and that lasts forever. Tear out the encoder and the cable from an old keyboard. Then buy about a pound of cherry keyswitches[^]. Then design and 3D print keycaps and a case for the keyboard[^]. Layout, spacing and finish are entirely up to you. You will not need a circuit board. The keyswitches snap into square holes in the case, but you will have to wire up the switches in columns and rows on the underside and then also connect the encoder you have salvaged from an old keyboard. I might have to do a little more, like programming a PIC microcontroller with a suitable interface as keyboard encoder, but that's worth it. That keyboard can last another 42 years.

                              I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats. His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.

                              J Offline
                              J Offline
                              Johnny J
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              Cool - Can you get it in red? :confused:

                              Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
                              Anonymous
                              -----
                              The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine
                              Winston Churchill, 1944
                              -----
                              Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.
                              Mark Twain

                              C 1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • J Johnny J

                                Cool - Can you get it in red? :confused:

                                Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
                                Anonymous
                                -----
                                The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine
                                Winston Churchill, 1944
                                -----
                                Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.
                                Mark Twain

                                C Offline
                                C Offline
                                CodeWraith
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #15

                                The keyboard in the video is just a plain straightforward design. You are absolutely free to draw up anything you like in a §D program of your choice and then print it. Of course you can get filament in all colors of the rainbow to print it. It's also not too hard to first prepare the surface with fine sandpaper, then spraypaint it in some color(s), apply lettering/decals and last a nice coat of clear paint to protect the decals and for the finish. That's the good part about DIY. You can custom design everything as you like. For example, I might the numeric keypad with a hex keypad for the Elf.

                                I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats. His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.

                                1 Reply Last reply
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