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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: dhoepp on Wed, 22 May 2019, 17:24:33

Title: Unicomp Spacesaver M having some issues.
Post by: dhoepp on Wed, 22 May 2019, 17:24:33
Sometimes I can use this keyboard for days at a time. Then suddenly, the spacebar will stop working, but so will several other keys. Seems to be a few in the top row. I will quote an ongoing ticket with Pckeyboard:


I_want_to_open_this_back_up._The_issue_doesnt_appear_to_be_my_space_bar._It_is_nowhere_near_consistent,_and_I_can_hear_the_space_bar_actuating._However,_sometimes,_when_the_space_bar_goes_out,_so_do_several_other_keys._Here_is_the_top_row.
1234690-=
That_includes_the_tilde_key.


They suggest I pay $35 to have it repaired, which I'm not unwilling to do. I just thought I would see if someone had experience with these and knew what the issue was.
Title: Re: Unicomp Spacesaver M having some issues.
Post by: Computer-Lab in Basement on Wed, 22 May 2019, 17:50:26
how new is this Unicomp?

a bolt mod might fix the issue if you take it apart and discover broken rivets, but due to the intermittent factor it sounds more like a controller issue
Title: Re: Unicomp Spacesaver M having some issues.
Post by: Altis on Wed, 22 May 2019, 18:18:15
Can't say anything to your issue, but I will say that it's kind of sad that a group of people so dedicated to the Model M that they formed their own company and bought up the manufacturing equipment seem to have let it fall apart. I remember when they were talking about releasing a 60% model, etc, but now it's like they've become uninspired or lost interest.
Title: Re: Unicomp Spacesaver M having some issues.
Post by: ro0llo on Thu, 23 May 2019, 05:41:13
Have you tried re-seating the controller? This is very easy to do yourself and doesnt requiere you to do a bold mod afterwards. Maybe humidity has something to do with it as you say some days it does work correctly and sometimes now?
Title: Re: Unicomp Spacesaver M having some issues.
Post by: dhoepp on Thu, 23 May 2019, 09:23:59
I've never been able to get it apart. I think it requires a special tool. 5.5mm? Also slim wall socket.
Title: Re: Unicomp Spacesaver M having some issues.
Post by: equalunique on Thu, 23 May 2019, 12:40:11
The same thing happened with a  Unicomp EnduraPro I sold to some one on r/mechmarket. It was fine before I put it into the mail. When it arrived, several keys were not working, including the spacebar. I suspect the membrane in these keyboards is sensitive to contaminants, which in my case, I suppose could have gotten in after the delivery service knocked around the box a bit.