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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: damorgue on Mon, 23 July 2012, 18:20:29

Title: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: damorgue on Mon, 23 July 2012, 18:20:29: Could the ones that have them or know of good sources of info provide them? I don't read foreigneese
KMAC
The Cheat
356
etc

I would like to know more about them, even though I will never own one.
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: EDI on Mon, 23 July 2012, 18:57:47: Space-cadet keyboard
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Space-cadet.jpg)
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: touchtype on Mon, 23 July 2012, 19:29:21: Learn Korean.
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: The_Beast on Mon, 23 July 2012, 20:38:51: I need the "rub out" key

:D
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: fl0w3n on Tue, 24 July 2012, 12:21:03: Quote from: EDI on Mon, 23 July 2012, 18:57:47
Space-cadet keyboard
Show Image
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Space-cadet.jpg)

Whoa, badass...details on this?
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: hashbaz on Tue, 24 July 2012, 12:23:05: Quote from: The_Beast on Mon, 23 July 2012, 20:38:51
I need the "rub out" key
I need a "GREEK" modifier.
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: modulor on Tue, 24 July 2012, 13:01:56: Perhaps the Humble Hacker? http://www.humblehacker.com/keyboard/
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: Harlequin on Tue, 24 July 2012, 20:03:03: for custom keyboards, i think LZ SE (from S.Korea) is probably the most unique custom keyboards out there. It costs too much though.
I've read from DT that there will be a GB for LZ SE. Around 700 USD i think. Basically they are shipping from Korea so it costs extra.
Not sure if it's still going on or not.
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: dorkvader on Tue, 24 July 2012, 23:36:58: Quote from: fl0w3n on Tue, 24 July 2012, 12:21:03
Quote from: EDI on Mon, 23 July 2012, 18:57:47
Space-cadet keyboard

Whoa, badass...details on this?
Similar to the symbolics keyboard. Made by Microswitch, I believe. Very old (Like '82 or so?), a million modifiers, etc. The "Knight Keyboard" is older, though. Pretty easy to find more info on google: The space cadet had a bit of a following, so information is abundant.
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: Tenkey on Wed, 25 July 2012, 03:26:23: Wow thats a sick looking keyboard, never seen anything like that :P
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: modulor on Wed, 25 July 2012, 09:04:31: Quote from: dorkvader on Tue, 24 July 2012, 23:36:58
The space cadet had a bit of a following, so information is abundant.

It uses Hall Effect switches that are said to be some of the best feeling switches ever made. Here is the thread over at DT for Lisp keyboards: http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/the-lisp-keyboards-t98.html (http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/the-lisp-keyboards-t98.html)
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: Findecanor on Wed, 25 July 2012, 12:58:02: The most unique keyboards out there must be the ones that are unique.

Period.
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: damorgue on Wed, 25 July 2012, 13:24:40: Quote from: Findecanor on Wed, 25 July 2012, 12:58:02
The most unique keyboards out there must be the ones that are unique.

Period.

I didn't think that much about it when I posted it. I was actually looking for info on how the case of the cheat and 356 works since I intend to make a couple of cases and was looking for inspiration. Is the middle part watercut?
Posting info on the 'not-very common' boards is fine, doesn't have to be one of a kind really.
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: Sifo on Thu, 26 July 2012, 01:04:34: So basically... Korean customs
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: damorgue on Thu, 26 July 2012, 15:19:00: Quote from: Sifo on Thu, 26 July 2012, 01:04:34
So basically... Korean customs
I was looking for info on those, but please feel free to contribute information on other interesting boards. I don't think there is a thread were such information is stored, where people can show of their holy grails and perhaps tell us a bit about them.
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: damorgue on Thu, 09 August 2012, 09:16:55: Anyone with the 356, 356mini, the cheat or simlar that could post some detailed pics and show us how they were constructed inside?
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: microsoft windows on Thu, 09 August 2012, 09:53:01: Quote from: EDI on Mon, 23 July 2012, 18:57:47
Space-cadet keyboard
Show Image
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Space-cadet.jpg)

I wouldn't call that keyboard anything terribly special. It's pretty typical for keyboards designed in the early 1980's. Has a bit in common with the Commodore 64 keyboard, which is pretty common:
http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/c64/h/front.jpg
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: dorkvader on Fri, 10 August 2012, 02:06:26: Quote from: microsoft windows on Thu, 09 August 2012, 09:53:01
Quote from: EDI on Mon, 23 July 2012, 18:57:47
Space-cadet keyboard

I wouldn't call that keyboard anything terribly special. It's pretty typical for keyboards designed in the early 1980's. Has a bit in common with the Commodore 64 keyboard, which is pretty common:
http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/c64/h/front.jpg
It also has "a bit in common" with my IBM 6110668 (122-key F), as well as most other keyboards. It's still pretty unique (not counting the Knight keyboard, and other Symbolics keyboards of course). What with the million (well 6 at least) modifiers, the three (four?) language keycaps (Greek for equations, English, and is that APL?), those hand keys, honeywell keyswitches.... Sure it bears a striking resemblance with the large 2X doubleshot spherical keycaps, but there are a large number of properties it has that aren't really manifested in other keyboards.

It also doesn't have a windows key :(
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: Okita on Fri, 10 August 2012, 14:20:34: (https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yO1952DCi4A/TabS_dMQYlI/AAAAAAAAANI/qgiS9xO7Jrg/s500/1%2520early%2520prototype%2520skull%2520esc%2520kbdmania%2520365.jpg)

Picture that inspired me to buy a HHKB Pro 2. This is a picture I saved - I can't remember where I got it nor do I know which type of board this is. The cabke, however, can be easily found with a google search.
Title: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: whiskerBox on Fri, 10 August 2012, 14:23:09: We used to have a cool wiki with expensive and rare keyboards.
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: dorkvader on Sat, 11 August 2012, 01:59:40: Quote from: Okita on Fri, 10 August 2012, 14:20:34
Show Image
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yO1952DCi4A/TabS_dMQYlI/AAAAAAAAANI/qgiS9xO7Jrg/s500/1%2520early%2520prototype%2520skull%2520esc%2520kbdmania%2520365.jpg)

Picture that inspired me to buy a HHKB Pro 2. This is a picture I saved - I can't remember where I got it nor do I know which type of board this is. The cabke, however, can be easily found with a google search.
Sort of looks like that 356 mini to me. I was going to go with Pure LE, but then I saw the stepped capslock.
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: damorgue on Mon, 13 August 2012, 03:10:21: No one wants to show of their customs or authentic Cherry prototype or something? I would have guessed that the ones who has them also likes to show them to people.
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: mkawa on Mon, 13 August 2012, 09:14:45: there was a thread in the old pictures archive with pictures of korean customs. if someone *AHEM REAPER AHEM* could start it up again, that would be keen. i have a bunch of kits sitting in my room that i haven't had time to build, but i'll definitely take some pics when i'm done with them :D (at my current keyboard building rate this could be a while though)
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: Pyrolistical on Thu, 23 August 2012, 19:23:38: The most unique keyboards in the word are the set of keyboards of with the population of 1

Here are the ones I know of:
http://pyrolistical.github.com/blog/2012/08/11/full-custom-keypoard/
http://www.humblehacker.com/keyboard/
http://mykeyboard.co.uk/microswitch/
http://www.datamancer.net/keyboards/keyboards.htm
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: dorkvader on Fri, 24 August 2012, 18:44:45: And fully half of them use Dvorak (or a close variant)

I notice that #1 was also posted on GH, here.
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: Velma on Mon, 27 August 2012, 10:14:49: Im curious about how these stunning datamancer boards look if you open them and check what switches they use. Its a shame they dont provice more "technical" information for us nerds, "Mechanical keyswitches with millions of keystrokes compared to those throwaway plastic rubber dome boards" doesnt say very much this day and age.
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Mon, 27 August 2012, 11:46:23: If I remember correctly datamancer use something like the Dell AT101 a lot for thier works. If you look at most of them you can tell its Alps anyway.
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: nullstring on Mon, 27 August 2012, 13:06:53: Quote from: dorkvader on Tue, 24 July 2012, 23:36:58
Similar to the symbolics keyboard. Made by Microswitch, I believe. Very old (Like '82 or so?), a million modifiers, etc. The "Knight Keyboard" is older, though. Pretty easy to find more info on google: The space cadet had a bit of a following, so information is abundant.

You sure? Emacs was created in the 1976, and was inspired by the space cadet keyboard. Logic would insist the space cadet keyboard would pre-date (or co-date?) this.
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: Velma on Mon, 27 August 2012, 13:30:03: Lol, it almost seems like the symbolics space and knight boards are like the "Mayian" crystal skulls of the keyboard world. Unique, enegmatic little novelty items with a certain cult following ;D
Title: Re: The most unique keyboards out there.
Post by: dorkvader on Mon, 27 August 2012, 22:41:58: Quote from: nullstring on Mon, 27 August 2012, 13:06:53
Quote from: dorkvader on Tue, 24 July 2012, 23:36:58
Similar to the symbolics keyboard. Made by Microswitch, I believe. Very old (Like '82 or so?), a million modifiers, etc. The "Knight Keyboard" is older, though. Pretty easy to find more info on google: The space cadet had a bit of a following, so information is abundant.

You sure? Emacs was created in the 1976, and was inspired by the space cadet keyboard. Logic would insist the space cadet keyboard would pre-date (or co-date?) this.
I'm not old enough to know for sure, but wikipedia says the knight keyboard is older. More importantly, the jargon file agrees:
http://catb.org/~esr/jargon/html/S/space-cadet-keyboard.html

It's hard to find real dates on the space cadet keyboard, though. All I know is that Webwit's appears to be from 1982 (hence my post). Interestingly enough, the controller chip on the space-cadet keyboard is programmed in lisp.

According to the following lisp machines were only made in 1977 or so (date of the CADR. The first prototype was '75)
http://www.andromeda.com/people/ddyer/lisp/

According to Wikipedia emacs was ported to CADR (Second lisp machine after CONS) from ITS in 1975. (Which is interesting, because the emacs page says 1976 was he initial release)

Having now looked, it's surprisingly difficult to get dates on all this stuff. Basically the only source with dates is that above-linked history of lisp machines. There's no date on the keyboards as far as I've seen (Except internally, but there aren't enough internal pictures)