Problems with Unicomp Model M

[Blaise170]

Hi all, known about GH for some time but never needed to register. Hopefully this is the correct forum for this.

I just received my first Unicomp Model M in the mail and having issues with it. It's the USB 122 key model and I have tried using it with multiple PCs but cannot get the alpha keys to work other than P and L. I received an RMA but it's going to cost me $18 return shipping that I'd rather avoid.

Does this sound like a broken keyboard or a broken user? I've tried just about everything I can think of like installing drivers but just can't get it to function. My Ducky keyboard is working fine using the same USB port. I'm hoping the good people of GH can help with this issue before I waste money on returning it.

[E TwentyNine]

What seller is charging you shipping on an RMA?

[Blaise170]

It is a reseller in NV, it was a group buy basically.

[fohat.digs]

Too late now, but Unicomp is a great company and their products are quite reasonably priced.

You can't buy a new IBM Model M keyboard with a warranty, but for some (couple of tens of?) dollars, paying retail for a Unicomp is probably worth it.

[rowdy]

Welcome to Geekhack!

Although someone might be able to suggest a course of action, this is most likely a defective keyboard, and a solution would almost certainly involve opening the keyboard and fiddling around inside - something that would invalidate your warranty (especially if this is a new keyboard).

You would be best to investigate the RMA option first, if you can.

[Blaise170]

Guess I'll just eat the return shipping cost then. I like the feel of the keyboard, so maybe I will pick up another Model M down the line. Fortunately my Ducky works just fine. 

[rowdy]

If you can be patient, Model M keyboards turn up quite often.  It is just a case of waiting for one near you, or with reasonable shipping, that is not missing any keycaps.

I managed to pick up two for $35 or something, cleaned them up, found a few keycaps that I was missing, and now have one that works very well (typing on it now!) and another one the needs a bolt mod and is missing a dozen or so keycaps.

[dorkvader]

Guess I'll just eat the return shipping cost then. I like the feel of the keyboard, so maybe I will pick up another Model M down the line. Fortunately my Ducky works just fine. 

Before you do that there's a few quick fixes you can try.

First of all, was it the one from this post ? I just got mine in and wrote up a quick review.

Do the keys sound different when you press them? this can help diagnose the issue.

So usually if just a few keys aren't working, it's a fixable problem. Here are a few things to try.

#1 and this is usually the case: the keycap is mis-seated. Just remove the keycap and replace it. If that doesn't work first try, try a different keycap just for testing. sometimes (rarely) the keycaps aren't moulded correctly.
#1.5 : spring not working right: in this case, you can swap the spring with a chopstick.

Harder fixes
#2: dust under the sheet. This is uncommon and usually only happens after the KB is opened for bolt-modding or other maintenence.
#3: hammer mis-seated. This is also uncommon, especially for a new KB. The fix is usually to open it up, cut all the rivets off, drill holes where they were, install bolts, re-seat the hammer(s), reassemble it, screw nuts onto the bolts and then test it.

[Blaise170]

Yes, it was the one from that buy. The keys sound the same. I tried pushing the springs down manually with a cotton swab and that method only works with working keys. So for whatever reason the board isn't registering the buckled spring in the non-working keys.

[dorkvader]

Most likely some dirt or something is between the sheets. preventing contact between them. Sadly, the easiest fix is to bolt mod it. Up to you if you want to go through all that trouble.

Good call trying it with a cotton swab. Most people wouldn't have thought of trying that next. You're either a good thinker or you did your homework: either way is very much in the spirit of GH.

[Blaise170]

I'm not sure. I have $35 in this keyboard so if I return it I'm out half of my money. Yet, I have never internally modded one of my keyboards so I don't know if it would be worth spending the time and money on trying to fix it myself if there is no guarantee of it working. What would you advise?

[dorkvader]

I'm not sure. I have $35 in this keyboard so if I return it I'm out half of my money. Yet, I have never internally modded one of my keyboards so I don't know if it would be worth spending the time and money on trying to fix it myself if there is no guarantee of it working. What would you advise?

It's up to you. The proposed fix involves time and effort and is certainly not the easiest. If performed successfully, the keyboard should feel a little nicer to type on and it will be much easier to repair in the future if other problems arise. however, it involves a lot of effort (cutting all the rivets off, flattening them, and drilling all the holes accurately) and some time (it's really annoying to drive all the new bolts through the holes), and a set of nuts / bolts (depending on where you go, perhaps $5 - $15 in hardware). If you see this as a keyboard to use for the next while you might go for it. If you don't, then returning it is likely the better option.

I would opt to repair it because my preference is always to do that: that's the kind of guy I am. I also have other keyboard to use in the meantime.

If you do decide to repair it, feel free to ask me questions. I will likely bolt - mod mine at the same time to help answer them with pictures.

[E TwentyNine]

I'm not sure. I have $35 in this keyboard so if I return it I'm out half of my money. Yet, I have never internally modded one of my keyboards so I don't know if it would be worth spending the time and money on trying to fix it myself if there is no guarantee of it working. What would you advise?

I'd advise reseating the controller after cleaning the contacts before you pull the key assembly apart.

Once you have it off I'd also test it with a wire to see if it will register other keys.

[dorkvader]

I'm not sure. I have $35 in this keyboard so if I return it I'm out half of my money. Yet, I have never internally modded one of my keyboards so I don't know if it would be worth spending the time and money on trying to fix it myself if there is no guarantee of it working. What would you advise?

I'd advise reseating the controller after cleaning the contacts before you pull the key assembly apart.

Once you have it off I'd also test it with a wire to see if it will register other keys.

I would absolutely not advise reseating the controller.

These use a very different method to connect the controller to the membranes. One person already has irreparably damaged his. You can see pictures of my keyboard here (same type).
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=62060.msg1445825#msg1445825

Another reason I don't think this will help is that those two keys have other keys in their row / column, so more than just two would be out if it were a controller contact problem.

This is a workable idea for an IBM 122-key, but that is not the case here. Also bridging contacts is easy on the physical sodlered connector for the IBM ones, but here in unicomp land it's a carbon contacts on the controller: harder to bridge without damaging.

[E TwentyNine]

I would absolutely not advise reseating the controller.

These use a very different method to connect the controller to the membranes. One person already has irreparably damaged his. You can see pictures of my keyboard here (same type).

These use the pressure "connection" method same as modern Unicomp 101's and plenty of other boards do they not?

Another reason I don't think this will help is that those two keys have other keys in their row / column, so more than just two would be out if it were a controller contact problem.

He wrote the opposite.  None of the alphas are working except P and L.  This is why I think it's a connector to the controller problem and not a dirt in the membrane problem.

[Blaise170]

To be exact, only a few of the keys on the main section will work:

PL;'/\][

Backspace and the other symbols do not work, as well as the function keys. The Windows key, numpad, and other system keys do seem to work. I don't think I'll try to fix it myself as I do not own a drill so that would be additional cost for something that I may not even be able to fix anyways.

[dorkvader]

To be exact, only a few of the keys on the main section will work:

PL;'/\][

Backspace and the other symbols do not work, as well as the function keys. The Windows key, numpad, and other system keys do seem to work. I don't think I'll try to fix it myself as I do not own a drill so that would be additional cost for something that I may not even be able to fix anyways.

oh, well in that case re-seating the connector could work. I would try that before a bolt mod

sorry for mis-reading it.