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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: simon_C on Sat, 20 August 2011, 11:12:03

Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: simon_C on Sat, 20 August 2011, 11:12:03
alright folks, inspired by a few pics ive seen lately, spherical keycaps have really cought my attention.

Show me what you have, whether it be vintage computing, SP doubleshots, or whatever youve got with sphericals!

Ill start... with my all-time favorite rubber dome board,  one that most people probably dont realize has spherical keys:
The Apple Pro keyboard.

(http://i.imgur.com/SX4iw.jpg)


they keycaps are indeed flat profile and spherical, albeit anly slightly. i always liked how wide the keytops were in relation to other keyboards too. too bad i cant find that specific key cap style for cherry mx switches
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: HaaTa on Sat, 20 August 2011, 11:52:00
Hmm, favourite dome board...right... (:P)

My website is in shambles atm, but here is some of the stuff I have pics of ready (I have a bunch I haven't even open yet).

Bud Hall Effect Keypad
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-pJYxUBZxwbc/TWAA_V8KiQI/AAAAAAAADww/Tn8e1sYfOJk/s800/2011-02-18%25252010.31.51.jpg)

TTX Keyboard SMK Cherry Compatible Switches
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-y29TALyprlg/TkE2d7Z8d4I/AAAAAAAAAt4/L9ZaL7vAJS0/s800/IMG_0845.JPG)

IBM 7361073
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yT96jOyWhuE/Tbo-gzk_bgI/AAAAAAAAAeU/nFuhiQWmLyU/s800/2011-04-28%25252015.39.02.jpg)

Volker-Craig KB-4412
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-g8yx1AojhK0/TdHHocAeMvI/AAAAAAAAAls/FPG0Uxh8j0A/s800/2011-05-16%25252019.56.18.jpg)

Atari CX85 Keypad
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_VMOKHeQCkI/TbIO2-LCiDI/AAAAAAAAAR8/tf1eJVyp2s8/s800/2011-04-22%25252014.10.07.jpg)

Heath-Zenith Linear ALPS
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ZGz3ggTDReM/TVbOSPSdz-I/AAAAAAAAD8Y/iSJqRvAOMGM/s800/2011-02-12%25252010.02.03.jpg)

IBM DisplayWriter Keyboard
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-f-i7i_12kAM/TIp24mxY8NI/AAAAAAAAD20/WKUx1J8kouo/s800/2010-09-10%25252013.39.25.jpg)
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: simon_C on Sat, 20 August 2011, 12:37:59
hey hey hate on that board all you want, but until i got my AEX2, thats all i typed on. its the only dome board i can still tolerate. mostly due to the shape of the keys and its sheer mass.
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: mr_a500 on Sat, 20 August 2011, 12:54:58
Kaypro II

(http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/7829/bluebig.jpg)

Quote from: ripster;402311
I was complimenting it.

Never a more beautiful key has been designed by a college dropout.  This is the more traditional cylindrical shape in the AEKII - the apple disappeared in 2007.
Show Image
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4741179545_e0d2c83618_z.jpg)

College dropout? Do you mean Steve Jobs? He was kicked out of Apple before that key was made. The original Macintosh keyboard doesn't have the Apple symbol on that key.


Edit: ...and you should know, because this is your picture:

(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=7395&stc=1&d=1263839095)
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: mr_a500 on Sat, 20 August 2011, 13:07:40
 :blank:
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: keyboardlover on Sat, 20 August 2011, 13:09:48
Quote from: mr_a500;402312
College dropout? Do you mean Steve Jobs? He was kicked out of Apple before that key was made. The original Macintosh keyboard doesn't have the Apple symbol on that key.

Edit: ...and you should know, because this is your picture


Sounds like the self-proclaimed #1 expert has been dethroned!
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: woody on Sat, 20 August 2011, 13:14:28
[ATTACH=CONFIG]24735[/ATTACH]

This old-school baby which is in better hands now.
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: mr_a500 on Sat, 20 August 2011, 13:17:17
Quote from: woody;402322
(Attachment) 24735[/ATTACH]

This old-school baby which is in better hands now.

Oh, I liked that keyboard.... and now I finally know what type of switch it has - Keytronic capacitive foam and foil - just like on the Victor 9000.
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: simon_C on Sat, 20 August 2011, 13:37:15
okay im gonna ask this now because its been driving me nuts... what in hell is this "ping" i keep hearing about. the only "pings" i know are the network kind, and the kind you get from an engine when your timing is off.

on another note, i would love a set of glossy clear DSAs from signature plastics... that would be so epic on a cherry blue board
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: keyboardlover on Sat, 20 August 2011, 13:40:17
It's a sporadic Cherry MX switch/plate issue.

Please see here for more info (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?19743-Does-Your-Modern-Plate-Mount-Cherry-MX-Board-Ping-Ring-*Read-Instructions-First*).
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: keyboardlover on Sat, 20 August 2011, 13:47:39
I would recommend ignoring anything Ripster has said about the issue. He's biased.

Here's my original poll (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?18739-Have-you-experienced-the-Filco-quot-ping-quot-noise). Has a lot of good info in it.
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: simon_C on Sat, 20 August 2011, 13:50:34
just sounds like a normally clicky keyboard to me. i dunno.

anyway, back on topic!
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: keyboardlover on Sat, 20 August 2011, 13:51:12
As I previously mentioned, 34 people whose keyboards didn't ping and think the issue is "overblown" proves nothing and is utterly useless information.
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: keyboardlover on Sat, 20 August 2011, 13:56:18
Good point. Here's mine:

(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=21592&d=1311203674)
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: simon_C on Sat, 20 August 2011, 16:37:03
i love spherical caps. arent the signature plastic ones thicker than their cylindrical keys?
anyone have a set of DSAs they want to show off?
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: mr_a500 on Sun, 21 August 2011, 11:07:07
Quote from: simon_C;402271
Ill start... with my all-time favorite rubber dome board,  one that most people probably dont realize has spherical keys:
The Apple Pro keyboard.

Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/SX4iw.jpg)

Yes, that is weird. I didn't think Apple ever used spherical keycaps. Even the original Apple II had cylindrical keycaps. (the Apple 1 didn't have a keyboard)

Edit: I just saw a picture of an Apple II with spherical keycaps. I own an Apple II and it has cylindrical. Somewhere between Apple II and Apple II+, they switched. It doesn't make much difference though because the spherical indentation is so slight.
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: mr_a500 on Sun, 21 August 2011, 11:27:25
Quote from: ripster;402660
I was going to mention that those don't really look like sphericals but didn't want to appear rude.

You didn't want to appear rude? That's a first. I thought that was your thing. That's how I identify a ripster post. I read a post and say, "Wow, that's pretty frigging rude. That's got to be ripster." [look left at username] "Yep... ripster."  
(:wink: Edit: I'm just taunting ripster here, not really serious. :biggrin:)

At first I thought that keyboard was cylindrical, but if you look at the A key, it looks slightly spherical. (but maybe it's just wear)
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: keyboardlover on Sun, 21 August 2011, 11:33:17
Except for that post on the first page that you got completely ass-wrong.
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: mr_a500 on Sun, 21 August 2011, 12:44:03
Quote from: ripster;402671
When I look at a Ripster post I say to myself, "That Dude is ALWAYS right".

The keys on a Apple M0110  aren't spherical, and those are OLD Skool ALPS.

Sig (for when you need 100% right)>Keyboard List>M0110.

I never said the M0110 had spherical keys.
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: mr_a500 on Sun, 21 August 2011, 12:54:15
Quote from: ripster;402707
I never did either.

So... what's your point, then?
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: mr_a500 on Sun, 21 August 2011, 13:18:50
Quote from: ripster;402715
That even OLD OLD Apple keyboards don't have Spherical Keys.  And I doubt the OP does either.

Boy, you try to be polite at Geekhack and you get yelled at.

I never yelled. I'm calm as a cucumber. I'm just questioning your line of reasoning.

Let me re-cap:

1. The original poster posts picture of Apple keyboard with slightly spherical keycaps.

2. I say I never saw Apple spherical keycaps before, but then searched and saw an Apple II with spherical keycaps.

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Apple-II.jpg)

3. You say the M0110 doesn't have spherical keys. (??)


I just don't get what the M0110 has to do with anything.
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: mr_a500 on Sun, 21 August 2011, 13:23:25
These TI-99/4a keys are spherical, right?
(http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/2559/keyss.jpg)

Now look carefully at the original poster's Apple keyboard:
(http://i.imgur.com/SX4iw.jpg)

I'm not saying for sure that they're spherical, but that they look slightly spherical to me.
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: keyboardlover on Sun, 21 August 2011, 14:34:55
Threads that start out with "Show me your spherical" are what get Geekhack blocked by itlnstln's Malware software.
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: simon_C on Sun, 21 August 2011, 14:45:00
nope theyre definitely sphericals. heres some pics

side profile of keycap: http://i.imgur.com/h1FEc.jpg
front profile of keycap: http://i.imgur.com/XH99Q.jpg

and seriously, take your bickering to the PMs.  75% of this thread has been bickering. should be posting pics!
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: simon_C on Sun, 21 August 2011, 16:20:34
yeah its unfortunate. that board has probably my favorite key style. broad, shallow, spherical tops with a flat keybord profile. if i could only find that for a cherry. ill just have to settle for the DSAs
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: mr_a500 on Sun, 21 August 2011, 16:37:33
More vintage spherical keycaps:

TRS-80 Model III

(http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/5733/trs80.jpg)

(http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/5733/trs80.jpg)

Notice how angled the bottom row keys are.
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: simon_C on Sun, 21 August 2011, 17:27:49
Quote from: ripster;402798
You talking about the Korean ones?  Those are Cherry MX DSAs made by Signature Plastics for KBDmania or OTD.
no i know those are DSAs, i meant the apple pro keycaps. i wish i could find that style for cherry switches.
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: VPX on Mon, 22 August 2011, 15:00:46
When I read the title I immediately thought of this:

[video=youtube;qqXi8WmQ_WM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqXi8WmQ_WM[/video]
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: simon_C on Wed, 24 August 2011, 00:27:55
I think VPX murdered my thread..... way to go man! *pouts*
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: sordna on Wed, 24 August 2011, 00:48:34
The Kinesis advantage has blue spherical keycaps for the home row keys, sorry for the bad cell phone pic. You can easily tell these keys apart just by feel so there are no dots or indents on the F and J keys

[ATTACH=CONFIG]24971[/ATTACH]
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: simon_C on Wed, 24 August 2011, 16:14:26
anyone else with DSAs to show off? how did you come across them?
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: bpiphany on Thu, 25 August 2011, 08:28:35
Quote from: simon_C;404504
anyone else with DSAs to show off? how did you come across them?
(http://i54.tinypic.com/adyfbs.jpg)
Ordered from SP
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: simon_C on Thu, 25 August 2011, 20:47:09
Quote from: PrinsValium;404821
http://i54.tinypic.com/adyfbs.jpg
Ordered from SP

how are they to type on? and how much did they run you from SP, was it part of a group buy?
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: simon_C on Sat, 27 August 2011, 09:53:18
Quote from: ripster;405468
You sound kinda obsessed about this "Show Me" thing.

Don't open up the attachment if easily offended or prone to snitch tendencies.
(Attachment) 25066[/ATTACH]
I wish Geekhack had spoiler tags.   Makes these jokes run MUCH smoother and would reduce the times I am snitched on.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]25120[/ATTACH]
Title: Show me your spherical keycaps!
Post by: bpiphany on Sat, 27 August 2011, 10:16:15
Quote from: simon_C;405239
how are they to type on? and how much did they run you from SP, was it part of a group buy?

They are like any other keycaps to me, different from others but not that much different. I wanted a uniform profile to be able to swap them around anywhere on the board, this kept the price down a little too. I placed a order with SP myself, and yes it was expensive =) I ordered more than those though, so less than they would have been on their own.