[EBay] Unicomp 122 Key $36.99 OBO + shipping

[Touch_It]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Unicomp-Model-M-Clicky-Mechanical-Buckling-Spring-122-Button-USB-Keyboard-/131348112155?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item1e94f5231b

Didn't see this listing posted.  I imagine he may take a lower number and it could work out to be a decent deal.  Says its a black friday/cyber monday deal so who knows how long it will last.

[intelli78]

Is this the one with funky scan codes?

[Touch_It]

Didn't really look but I'm like 95% sure it is.

[fohat.digs]

Any sane person would spend less than twice as much and get one of the F-122s that are available now ......

[ed_avis]

Can the case on this be swapped with the F122?

[fohat.digs]

Can the case on this be swapped with the F122?

I suppose that it is possible. The top area where the function keys are located seems like it should work, but as far as I know the only guides have been done for the older case styles.

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=45089.msg1377226#msg1377226

[ed_avis]

Thanks for the link.  It looks possible but not a straightforward swap, so I will leave it until some far-distant day when I'll have a few hours spare to mess around.  (I would like a black case for my F122 to go with the black keys I transplanted from an M13.)

[kalrand]

These are the same Unicomp keyboards that have been bouncing around ebay/geekhack for a few months now. Probably the same lot even.

At one point they were $19 and a bunch of us bout them.

They feel cheap for a unicomp. Then again I've never tried a unicomp 122, but they feel cheap compared to a model m 122.

The scancodes are shift+normal codes, so its compatible with windows, but not good for use with something like Linux where you can remap scancodes to extra keycodes.

[SL89]

Pardon my ignorance, but what do you all mean about 'funky scancodes' I have windows and linux and i am interested in one of these very much. Would they work as is or are they just for terminals?

[kalrand]

There are three types of Unicomp 122 key keyboards out there.

I forget what Unicomp refers to them, but I personally differentiate them based on what scancode they send for F13.

If they send "F13" thats something that Windows will choke on, but linux can happily map to "F13" and you can do fun things with it.

If the keyboard sends "Shift + F1" then Windows will understand it, and so will linux, but hitting the key above F1 is programmatically the same as hitting the shift key and F1, and I can already do that.

Then there are some terminal keyboards that from what I understand pretty much cause your computer to burst into flames and melt into slag. So I don't know what those do, but it's bad.

These particular keyboards are of the "Shift + F1" variety, but feel light, hollow and kind of flex when you type on them. I once had one and sold it on craigslist.

[SL89]

There are three types of Unicomp 122 key keyboards out there.

I forget what Unicomp refers to them, but I personally differentiate them based on what scancode they send for F13.

If they send "F13" thats something that Windows will choke on, but linux can happily map to "F13" and you can do fun things with it.

If the keyboard sends "Shift + F1" then Windows will understand it, and so will linux, but hitting the key above F1 is programmatically the same as hitting the shift key and F1, and I can already do that.

Then there are some terminal keyboards that from what I understand pretty much cause your computer to burst into flames and melt into slag. So I don't know what those do, but it's bad.

These particular keyboards are of the "Shift + F1" variety, but feel light, hollow and kind of flex when you type on them. I once had one and sold it on craigslist.

Thank you for clarifying. Are these ones in the Ebay posted the same as these ones on the unicomp website?

[kalrand]

There are three types of Unicomp 122 key keyboards out there.

I forget what Unicomp refers to them, but I personally differentiate them based on what scancode they send for F13.

If they send "F13" thats something that Windows will choke on, but linux can happily map to "F13" and you can do fun things with it.

If the keyboard sends "Shift + F1" then Windows will understand it, and so will linux, but hitting the key above F1 is programmatically the same as hitting the shift key and F1, and I can already do that.

Then there are some terminal keyboards that from what I understand pretty much cause your computer to burst into flames and melt into slag. So I don't know what those do, but it's bad.

These particular keyboards are of the "Shift + F1" variety, but feel light, hollow and kind of flex when you type on them. I once had one and sold it on craigslist.

Thank you for clarifying. Are these ones in the Ebay posted the same as these ones on the unicomp website?

Similar, but from what I can tell seem to be a cheaper construction. Someone did a teardown of one of these on geekhack a few weeks ago.

[SL89]

Similar, but from what I can tell seem to be a cheaper construction. Someone did a teardown of one of these on geekhack a few weeks ago.

perfect, i need these to outfit some employees, i might grab a bunch of these. as much as id like to give them proper tanks, these will do pretty well.

[kalrand]

Heres that teardown:

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=62060.0

[Touch_It]

Wow SL89 I need to come work for you, lol.

[SL89]

Wow SL89 I need to come work for you, lol.

if you're an automotive tech we can always use more hands, right now we are just burning thru old rubberdomes left and right, apparently motor oil and all the fun chemicals they play with are wreaking havoc on these cheapo boards

[Touch_It]

Wow SL89 I need to come work for you, lol.

if you're an automotive tech we can always use more hands, right now we are just burning thru old rubberdomes left and right, apparently motor oil and all the fun chemicals they play with are wreaking havoc on these cheapo boards

Not quite my forte .  I have a 2 yr degree in computer networking and work as a pos systems analyst.  I don't even change my own oil lol .

[SL89]

Wow SL89 I need to come work for you, lol.

if you're an automotive tech we can always use more hands, right now we are just burning thru old rubberdomes left and right, apparently motor oil and all the fun chemicals they play with are wreaking havoc on these cheapo boards

Not quite my forte .  I have a 2 yr degree in computer networking and work as a pos systems analyst.  I don't even change my own oil lol .

Next time i get a dead board ill post it so you can see the gore that is theys poor keybos.

[dorkvader]

Can the case on this be swapped with the F122?

Most likely not. The top case won't work with the metal bottom of the F 122 and the plastic case won't either. I'll try to shove  a 122F into mine and see what happens

Heres that teardown:

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=62060.0

thanks for finding that, I should bookmark all my own useful posts so I don't have to look every single time.

[Xonar]

I went ahead and ordered one. I've never tried a Unicomp before, but I suspect it'll feel cheaper than the 1988 Model M I'm used to. Wasn't about to pass this up at such a price, though. If I don't like it all that much it'll still make a nice backup.

[Glod]

so i got mine in with all its 2KRO over USB buckling spring glory

honestly its not terrible but its not great either, its odd to have a buckling spring keyboard actually flex when you press on it hard or twist it, you could easily kill someone with this keyboard but the keyboard would break unlike my model M which would survive the beating, just wipe off the blood

i have no idea why anyone would ever want this though, i got it "just because", looks interesting on my desk and that's all

[kalrand]

so i got mine in with all its 2KRO over USB buckling spring glory

honestly its not terrible but its not great either, its odd to have a buckling spring keyboard actually flex when you press on it hard or twist it, you could easily kill someone with this keyboard but the keyboard would break unlike my model M which would survive the beating, just wipe off the blood

i have no idea why anyone would ever want this though, i got it "just because", looks interesting on my desk and that's all

Show Image

Does anyone know if the build quality of these models is worse than a normal, new, Unicome M122? Are they all this flex=y, or was this particular run garbage?

[dorkvader]

Does anyone know if the build quality of these models is worse than a normal, new, Unicome M122? Are they all this flex=y, or was this particular run garbage?

Here's an in-depth teardown / review I did of mine which was NIB
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=62060.0

[kalrand]

Does anyone know if the build quality of these models is worse than a normal, new, Unicome M122? Are they all this flex=y, or was this particular run garbage?

Here's an in-depth teardown / review I did of mine which was NIB
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=62060.0

Right. I saw that. Has anyone done one of an off-the-shelf unicomp M122? This model number seems like a special order.

[dorkvader]

Does anyone know if the build quality of these models is worse than a normal, new, Unicome M122? Are they all this flex=y, or was this particular run garbage?

Here's an in-depth teardown / review I did of mine which was NIB
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=62060.0

Right. I saw that. Has anyone done one of an off-the-shelf unicomp M122? This model number seems like a special order.

based on the 4 or 5 unicomp special order KBs I have seen (mainly for GE Marquette medical workstations in various languages) they are the same internally as the normal models.