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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: vyshane on Wed, 18 August 2010, 21:25:50

Title: Finally got to use my Macally MK-96
Post by: vyshane on Wed, 18 August 2010, 21:25:50
Yesterday my iMate ADB to USB adapter got delivered, which means that I finally got to use my Macally MK-96 - a few years after I purchased it. I dig the ALPS switches. I like them better than the buckling spring actually. They are just as noisy though!

However, there are a few issues:

1) Keycap nubs are on the d and k keys instead of f and j. Not a biggie. I swapped the keys around.

2) Placement of ESC is not at top leftmost. I use Vim a lot. This might finally drive me to bind jk to leave insert mode in Vim and bash Vi mode.

3) Non inverted T arrow keys. I can get used to that.

4) Last but not least. This is the big one. I usually bind ctrl to the caps lock key. I proceeded to do that with the MK-96. Pressing the caps lock key activates ctrl as expected. However, I can't do combos with it, e.g. ctrl-a does not work. This is a big downer. I use combos that involve the ctrl key a lot. I use them for switching virtual desktops in OS X, and for window management in Vim and tmux.

Verdict? I don't think I'll use this keyboard much. Some of the issues, I can get around, but not the caps lock - ctrl problem.
Title: Finally got to use my Macally MK-96
Post by: xsphat on Wed, 18 August 2010, 22:37:14
I had the same problem with that 'board, but in OS X I rarely use Control anyway.
Title: Finally got to use my Macally MK-96
Post by: xsphat on Wed, 18 August 2010, 22:38:16
Hey Rip, I finally got a Selectric. It's a Selectric 1 with a 15" carriage, 1959, in black. I love it.
Title: Finally got to use my Macally MK-96
Post by: clickclack on Wed, 18 August 2010, 22:48:30
This may sound really silly and useless but if you really dug the keyboard apart from the control-a issue, how about nixing the capslock traces and doing jumpers to the Ctrl key?


Quote from: xsphat;214231
Hey Rip, I finally got a Selectric. It's a Selectric 1 with a 15" carriage, 1959, in black. I love it.

He nice to see ya =)
I just lost my Selectric I with my Selectric II =(
I am probably the only moron who could loose a mechanical typewriter (let alone two of them)
='(
Title: Finally got to use my Macally MK-96
Post by: xsphat on Wed, 18 August 2010, 22:56:17
The site says I last visited in May - top that Welly-Belly!

And congrats on losing 85 pounds of typewriters, lol.
Title: Finally got to use my Macally MK-96
Post by: clickclack on Wed, 18 August 2010, 23:11:02
To the OP-
The more I think about it, maybe the trace and jumper idea would really be usefull to you. I think I would actually try that if it was an issue I was having.
=)

Quote from: xsphat;214235
The site says I last visited in May - top that Welly-Belly!
And congrats on losing 85 pounds of typewriters, lol.

CLASSIC!
I needed that =)


Quote from: ripster;214239

  And for fun ...

It's a trap!!!
Title: Finally got to use my Macally MK-96
Post by: vyshane on Wed, 18 August 2010, 23:15:09
Quote from: clickclack;214234
This may sound really silly and useless but if you really dug the keyboard apart from the control-a issue, how about nixing the capslock traces and doing jumpers to the Ctrl key?


I pulled the trigger on a SIIG Minitouch (GH Space Saver), which has a sane ESC key placement as well as inverted T arrow keys. I probably won't bother modding the MK-96.
Title: Finally got to use my Macally MK-96
Post by: clickclack on Wed, 18 August 2010, 23:26:16
Congrats =)
Title: Finally got to use my Macally MK-96
Post by: vyshane on Wed, 18 August 2010, 23:39:12
Quote from: clickclack;214255
Congrats =)


Thanks :) This comes after a year of not buying any keyboards. I hope that buying that ADB to USB connector does not turn out to be the start of a chain reaction!
Title: Finally got to use my Macally MK-96
Post by: iMav on Thu, 19 August 2010, 03:11:30
The mk96 are great for the money (can be had NIB relatively cheaply if you keep your eyes peeled on eBay).  I have several of them as they are great give away keyboards (assuming you have some iMates to pass along as well...which I do).
Title: Finally got to use my Macally MK-96
Post by: vyshane on Thu, 19 August 2010, 03:23:42
Quote from: iMav;214315
The mk96 are great for the money (can be had NIB relatively cheaply if you keep your eyes peeled on eBay).  I have several of them as they are great give away keyboards (assuming you have some iMates to pass along as well...which I do).


Yep, I got mine when you posted about it here (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=4325). Thanks for the tip!

I bought two of them back then, and gave one to my colleague. I only waited two years before I decided to get an iMate so that I can use it :P
Title: Finally got to use my Macally MK-96
Post by: keyboardlover on Thu, 19 August 2010, 08:01:07
You can find them NIB on sale for $10 here (http://www.welovemacs.com/mk96.html).
Title: Finally got to use my Macally MK-96
Post by: spear on Thu, 19 August 2010, 14:27:08
Quote from: vyshane;214215
[...]
4) Last but not least. This is the big one. I usually bind ctrl to the caps lock key. I proceeded to do that with the MK-96. Pressing the caps lock key activates ctrl as expected. However, I can't do combos with it, e.g. ctrl-a does not work. This is a big downer. I use combos that involve the ctrl key a lot. I use them for switching virtual desktops in OS X, and for window management in Vim and tmux.
[...]


I remember that when I first got a Mac (clone), people thought this couldn't be done with ADB keyboards because of the way caps lock key up/down events were generated (down event on first key press, up event on second key release).  However, someone eventually figured out a way to do it and created uControl (originally iControl) (http://gnufoo.org/ucontrol/).  (It doesn't work for later versions of OS X.)  I also used to compile my own Linux kernels just to patch it with a version of this method.  I did that until my old Powerbook died.

I'm not sure whether that method would have worked with an ADB-USB adapter, though.
Title: Finally got to use my Macally MK-96
Post by: microsoft windows on Thu, 19 August 2010, 19:32:28
Quote from: xsphat;214235
The site says I last visited in May - top that Welly-Belly!

And congrats on losing 85 pounds of typewriters, lol.


I gained about 40lbs of typewriters when I got an old Smith-Corona from about 1940.
Title: Finally got to use my Macally MK-96
Post by: vyshane on Mon, 30 August 2010, 20:27:44
Quote from: clickclack;214234
This may sound really silly and useless but if you really dug the keyboard apart from the control-a issue, how about nixing the capslock traces and doing jumpers to the Ctrl key?


So I cracked. While waiting for the SIIG Minitouch, I went ahead and did it. Caps Lock is now nixed and Ctrl has taken it's place. Now using this keyboard at work.


(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=12300&stc=1&d=1283217918)
Title: Finally got to use my Macally MK-96
Post by: clickclack on Tue, 31 August 2010, 02:19:49
Many lawls!
You just made my day =)
Wait, scratch that! I have been sick for a few days so you made my week!
haahaa, I really needed that, thanks =)
...and congrats on doing it!
Quote from: vyshane;218398
So I cracked. While waiting for the SIIG Minitouch, I went ahead and did it. Caps Lock is now nixed and Ctrl has taken it's place. Now using this keyboard at work.


Show Image
(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=12300&stc=1&d=1283217918)
Title: Finally got to use my Macally MK-96
Post by: itlnstln on Tue, 31 August 2010, 07:38:42
Quote from: ripster;218423
Hahaha!  HW beats SW any day.


That's why I like DIP switches.
Title: Finally got to use my Macally MK-96
Post by: didjamatic on Tue, 31 August 2010, 07:56:50
I love crimes of passion against capslock keys.  This mod definitely qualifies.

You could run those wires to a dip switch or jumper block and make the mod reversible via flick of a switch or two.  Not that you would want to reverse it though.

(http://www.allproducts.com/ee/lightcountry/21-dip_switch.jpg)
Title: Finally got to use my Macally MK-96
Post by: vyshane on Tue, 31 August 2010, 08:03:54
Quote from: clickclack;218445
Many lawls!
You just made my day =)
Wait, scratch that! I have been sick for a few days so you made my week!
haahaa, I really needed that, thanks =)
...and congrats on doing it!


Thanks for planting the seed. Hope you get well soon :)
Title: Finally got to use my Macally MK-96
Post by: vyshane on Tue, 31 August 2010, 08:08:26
Quote from: didjamatic;218482
I love crimes of passion against capslock keys.  This mod definitely qualifies.

You could run those wires to a dip switch or jumper block and make the mod reversible via flick of a switch or two.  Not that you would want to reverse it though.


I don't think I'll want to reverse it. I'll cross that bridge if I ever come to it.

The GH Space Saver is getting closer:

Quote

  • Out of Foreign Customs, August 31, 2010, 7:51 am, AUSTRALIA
  • Into Foreign Customs, August 31, 2010, 6:27 am, AUSTRALIA
  • Arrived Abroad, August 31, 2010, 6:26 am, AUSTRALIA



Hopefully tomorrow!