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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: ConiKost on Wed, 18 February 2015, 14:03:43

Title: Unicomp media keycaps bad quality?
Post by: ConiKost on Wed, 18 February 2015, 14:03:43

Hi!
Does anybody also ordered some media keycaps from Unicomp?
I've ordered two sets for my two IBM Model M 122 (1397003), but those keycaps seems to have a very bad quality.
See my attached picture.

Unicomp picture:
(http://pckeyboard.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/MediaKeys.jpg)

The actual keycaps:
(http://i.imgur.com/GQaRQtf.jpg)

Is this normal?

Title: Re: Unicomp media keycaps bad quality?
Post by: brimborion on Wed, 18 February 2015, 14:06:44

Quote from: ConiKost on Wed, 18 February 2015, 14:03:43

Hi!
Does anybody also ordered some media keycaps from Unicomp?
I've ordered two sets for my two IBM Model M 122 (1397003), but those keycaps seems to have a very bad quality.
See my attached picture.

Unicomp picture:

Show Image

(http://pckeyboard.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/MediaKeys.jpg)

The actual keycaps:

Show Image

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

Is this normal?

Normal or not, it's not what was pictured. Have you contacted Unicomp?

Title: Re: Unicomp media keycaps bad quality?
Post by: 0100010 on Wed, 18 February 2015, 15:32:39

Mine look pretty much like yours, where the legends are towards the top left, and not centered.  Never really noticed it, looks fine to me as is - I only use the volume up, volume down and mute keys.

You could open a support ticket with Unicomp, ask them if they could do a set with the legends centered.

Title: Re: Unicomp media keycaps bad quality?
Post by: fohat.digs on Wed, 18 February 2015, 18:54:18

My volume keys are just right, but my Windows keys are high and to the right.

It is like they are shooting at a moving target. Sometimes hit, sometimes miss.

I love Unicomp and feel that they are an exceptional company in terms of customer service, but my pearl/pebble "Green Alert" set with green legends was all over the map.

Unicomp is like a box of chocolates.

Title: Re: Unicomp media keycaps bad quality?
Post by: berserkfan on Thu, 19 February 2015, 11:54:13

Quote from: fohat.digs on Wed, 18 February 2015, 18:54:18

Unicomp is like a box of chocolates.

The company is run by Forrest Gumps.

nice people

but not the brightest bulbs in the room

Title: Re: Unicomp media keycaps bad quality?
Post by: swornxin on Fri, 20 February 2015, 21:47:32

I was kind of disappointed with the replacement key I ordered for one of my Model Ms also.  It wasn't even close to looking original.  The RGB modifiers I got at the same time were perfect though.  I guess it's just hit and miss.  I would definitely contact them though, because those don't look right at all.

Title: Re: Unicomp media keycaps bad quality?
Post by: inanis on Fri, 20 February 2015, 21:55:13

I recently got a RGB set from Unicomp for my SSK, the shift keys showed up with two very different shades of green. I contacted support, who were very responsive, but their answer was "that is how we make them". That seemed like a terrible answer, but they assured me that even if I got a replacement the shift keys would still be different shades of green. I opted to keep them rather than return, but I can't say I was impressed with the quality control.

Title: Re: Unicomp media keycaps bad quality?
Post by: dante on Fri, 20 February 2015, 21:58:56

I blame it on the Kentucky Bourbon.  Maybe they were made on a Monday or Friday. :D

Title: Re: Unicomp media keycaps bad quality?
Post by: Touch_It on Fri, 20 February 2015, 22:13:17

My take on this.  I've ordered a set and got a set.  Some things are definitely off-center.  However if thats how it is thats how it is.  Caps are still high quality and you can't beat the price or customer service.

Title: Re: Unicomp media keycaps bad quality?
Post by: ConiKost on Thu, 26 March 2015, 07:48:01

In the meantime, I've got a replacement set, which is much better alligned :)

Title: Re: Unicomp media keycaps bad quality?
Post by: ander on Thu, 26 March 2015, 17:51:45

Yeah, unfortunately their quality's not dependable. The example caps are notably more consistent. You'd think that since they were doing something so specialized, even esoteric, they'd have higher standards.

A friend of mine ordered an Ultra Classic KB from them earlier this year that looked so good I ordered one too. When it arrived, I was disappointed to find that all of the text legends were indistinct and over-bold. It really looked amateurish; I never saw work like that on any KB. So regretfully, I returned it, and found and cleaned up a mid-'90s Lexmark instead, which looks vastly better.

All told, your caps look pretty good to me. The symbols are clear enough; there's just a bit of variation in the placement. If you're not demanding perfection (which is unrealistic anyway, with these people), they're fine IMHO.

Title: Re: Unicomp media keycaps bad quality?
Post by: fanpeople on Fri, 27 March 2015, 01:38:10

My set look pretty much like yours individually, but I have them next to each other in a set of three and I think just because of that they look better as a group.

mine go

Back-play/pause-forward

Sound down-mute-sound up