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Author Topic: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!  (Read 4392 times)

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Offline antaeus

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Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« on: Sun, 02 September 2012, 02:30:37 »
After much thought personal struggle, I decided to go with a Unicomp Classic 104 USB as my first mechanical keyboard.

I am really looking forward to using this beast.  Thanks to all the great info here on Geekhack I was able to formulate a decision. 

Gonna report back when it arrives.

Can't wait!
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Offline tp4tissue

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #1 on: Sun, 02 September 2012, 03:52:28 »
Enjoy, annoy your co-workers ftw.
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Offline rowdy

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #2 on: Sun, 02 September 2012, 04:43:11 »
Try to resist more struggle, or your wallet will be hurting.

Soon you will be wondering what MX switches feel like, and even Topre, and your wallet will never forgive you ;)
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ

Offline antaeus

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #3 on: Sun, 02 September 2012, 04:51:44 »
Quote from: rowdy on Sun, 02 September 2012, 04:43:11
Try to resist more struggle, or your wallet will be hurting.

Soon you will be wondering what MX switches feel like, and even Topre, and your wallet will never forgive you ;)

You aren't kidding!  I almost opted for a Filco with MX blues.  I went down to my local Fry's Electronics and tried some of their keyboards today.  Not Filcos, but I wanted to feel the switches.  Tried the reds too.

Arrrgghh!! This is going to get addicting...
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Offline rowdy

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #4 on: Sun, 02 September 2012, 05:19:56 »
Quote from: antaeus on Sun, 02 September 2012, 04:51:44
You aren't kidding!  I almost opted for a Filco with MX blues.  I went down to my local Fry's Electronics and tried some of their keyboards today.  Not Filcos, but I wanted to feel the switches.  Tried the reds too.

Arrrgghh!! This is going to get addicting...

;)
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ

Offline Alessandro

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #5 on: Sun, 02 September 2012, 05:46:58 »
Nice, solid first board!

Now what happens when you be wanting key caps for it? :D
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Offline jkercado

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #6 on: Sun, 02 September 2012, 05:47:10 »
Welcome to the wonderful world of buckling springs. :D
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Offline antaeus

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #7 on: Sun, 02 September 2012, 06:01:37 »
Quote from: Alessandro on Sun, 02 September 2012, 05:46:58
Nice, solid first board!

Now what happens when you be wanting key caps for it? :D

I've thought about that too!  Some key caps will be the next purchase :P

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Offline antaeus

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #8 on: Sun, 02 September 2012, 06:02:50 »
Quote from: jkercado on Sun, 02 September 2012, 05:47:10
Welcome to the wonderful world of buckling springs. :D

Thank you! I'm really looking forward to it! I understand it's tactility like no other :D
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Offline jkercado

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #9 on: Sun, 02 September 2012, 06:07:16 »
Quote from: antaeus on Sun, 02 September 2012, 06:01:37
Quote from: Alessandro on Sun, 02 September 2012, 05:46:58
Nice, solid first board!

Now what happens when you be wanting key caps for it? :D

I've thought about that too!  Some key caps will be the next purchase :P

True! Here's mine with its of custom keycaps...


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Ducky 1087XM Green | Unicomp Ultra Classic Black | IBM M4 | 1989 IBM Model M | Genius i200 | Cherry G84-4100 | Microsoft Arc Keyboard

Offline antaeus

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #10 on: Sun, 02 September 2012, 06:13:42 »
Quote from: jkercado on Sun, 02 September 2012, 06:07:16
Quote from: antaeus on Sun, 02 September 2012, 06:01:37
Quote from: Alessandro on Sun, 02 September 2012, 05:46:58
Nice, solid first board!

Now what happens when you be wanting key caps for it? :D

I've thought about that too!  Some key caps will be the next purchase :P

True! Here's mine with its of custom keycaps...

Show Image


Very nice!

By the way, some of your posts were instrumental in helping me make my decision :)
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #11 on: Sun, 02 September 2012, 12:03:44 »
Buckling springs define one end of the spectrum.

This is the other end:

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Offline antaeus

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #12 on: Sun, 02 September 2012, 12:19:53 »
Quote from: fohat.digs on Sun, 02 September 2012, 12:03:44
Buckling springs define one end of the spectrum.

This is the other end:

That can't be very responsive...can it?

Haha....how would you know you've pressed the key? ;)
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #13 on: Sun, 02 September 2012, 16:03:44 »
That is precisely why my "smart" phone drives me absolutely batty.

That and my big old clumsy fingers.
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"The Trump campaign announced in a letter that Republican candidates and committees are now expected to pay “a minimum of 5% of all fundraising solicitations to Trump National Committee JFC” for using his “name, image, and likeness in fundraising solicitations.”
“Any split that is higher than 5%,” the letter states, “will be seen favorably by the RNC and President Trump's campaign and is routinely reported to the highest levels of leadership within both organizations.”"

Offline Alessandro

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #14 on: Sun, 02 September 2012, 16:14:36 »
Quote from: fohat.digs on Sun, 02 September 2012, 16:03:44
That is precisely why my "smart" phone drives me absolutely batty.

That and my big old clumsy fingers.

This, I have trouble using any phone! :(
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Offline antaeus

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #15 on: Mon, 03 September 2012, 02:08:20 »
Quote from: fohat.digs on Sun, 02 September 2012, 16:03:44
That is precisely why my "smart" phone drives me absolutely batty.

That and my big old clumsy fingers.

Agreed!

Heck, even my iPhone has the "click" if I turn on the sound.  This ridiculous keyboard idea would have nothing!
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Offline antaeus

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #16 on: Mon, 03 September 2012, 02:10:35 »
Quote from: Alessandro on Sun, 02 September 2012, 16:14:36
Quote from: fohat.digs on Sun, 02 September 2012, 16:03:44
That is precisely why my "smart" phone drives me absolutely batty.

That and my big old clumsy fingers.

This, I have trouble using any phone! :(

Phones and I have a mixed relationship.  They are great for killing time and those odd tasks for which they are uniquely suited, but they always leave me wanting.
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Offline 486

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #17 on: Mon, 03 September 2012, 02:45:14 »
Some phones have external boards like Motorola Atrix but they are the same as those Macair unibody keyboard and most people don't like short travel keyboards
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Offline RougeR

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #18 on: Tue, 04 September 2012, 10:22:58 »
n900 keyboard is best ive found on a phone so far, that and linux OS is why i got it.
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Buckling spring warrior!

Offline antaeus

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #19 on: Tue, 04 September 2012, 14:41:06 »
Quote from: RougeR on Tue, 04 September 2012, 10:22:58
n900 keyboard is best ive found on a phone so far, that and linux OS is why i got it.

I've heard about this phone off and on.  I love keyboards like this.  I was always faster on these by far.
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Offline posthaste

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #20 on: Wed, 05 September 2012, 18:31:35 »
Yeah, I began with a Unicomp Customizer and quickly escalated to Filco Majestouch after discovering GH.
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Offline gbohn

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #21 on: Wed, 05 September 2012, 19:36:00 »
> Yeah, I began with a Unicomp Customizer and quickly escalated to Filco Majestouch after discovering GH.

  Things can quickly spiral out of control  :) .

  I started out using the old IBM 'Model  M' keyboards since forever ago.

  I came to expect keyboards to be built like a tank and work forever... (I still have two from around '94 that my Wife and Kids use, and they're holding up fine).

  A few years back I bought a Unicomp, and was a little disappointed in the lighter case weight, but still generally happy. But after only 3 years or so the black lettering is already wearing off the more heavily used gaming 'A' and 'S' keys. (It also started to act up and drop out while in use... maybe just bad luck on my part).

  Then I went to see what alternatives were available with more than the 2KRO of the Model M, and ended up getting a white lettering on black key-cap Das Professional S. But then several of the key-caps became 'grey' on black within a week.

  Then Cherry Double-Shot keys were required to fix that... And then Red-Alert DS key-caps seemed alluring, and then...

  Good Luck with the new keyboard.
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Offline antaeus

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #22 on: Tue, 11 September 2012, 01:59:06 »
Finally got my new Unicomp today!!!

Gotta say, I love this thing.  So vastly different than any other keyboard I have ever owned.  The buckling spring sound and feel is great.

Quite a bit different than my Macbook pro's keyboard.  :)
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Offline stingrae

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #23 on: Tue, 11 September 2012, 02:19:38 »
Glad you are enjoying it :D
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Offline jkercado

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Re: Took the plunge on 1st mechanical - bought a Unicomp!
« Reply #24 on: Tue, 11 September 2012, 08:23:24 »
Quote from: antaeus on Tue, 11 September 2012, 01:59:06
Finally got my new Unicomp today!!!

Gotta say, I love this thing.  So vastly different than any other keyboard I have ever owned.  The buckling spring sound and feel is great.

Quite a bit different than my Macbook pro's keyboard.  :)

Awesome! I love my Unicomp more and more every day. It's my office keyboard. It just feels so snappy, and wonderfully clicky. And with the blank black keys, it's pure badass.

Congrats!
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Ducky 1087XM Green | Unicomp Ultra Classic Black | IBM M4 | 1989 IBM Model M | Genius i200 | Cherry G84-4100 | Microsoft Arc Keyboard
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