Greetings, and questions from a new guy

[SAL36864]

Greetings,

Introduction:

I ran across a link to this forum, while reading a thread at xtremesystems, some time ago, and have been reading the the reviews, wiki, and posts here since then. Given my general lack of satisfaction with my current keyboards, the greater lack of satisfaction with the keyboards I find available at local stores, and the fact that I am spending a rather large sum on a new computing solution, I though it was time that I acquire a new keyboard more to my liking (rather that is my excuse, as given the amount of time I have spent lurking here, I think I may be developing a new obsession).

Lead to question:

Currently I have been looking at keyboards, and of keyboards currently in production, the following three are the ones that I have found particularly interesting.

For buckling spring:
The Unicomp 122 Key Emulator/Terminal
IBM 6110668 (Do these all use capacitative switches?)

For Blue Cherry MX:
The FILCO Majestouch Tactile Click 104-key NKRO

For Topre
Topre Realforce 103UB (I would prefer if this came in a 55g model)

What I think I would like most is a 122 key keyboard (maybe more like quadibloc's 133 key idea), high resistance, tactile, and clicky, with N-key rollover (using a PS/2 port), with black body, black keys, and black key labels (like bhtooefr's Zaphodian Unicomp idea). Though I do not know what I want for keycaps, definitely two parts, either injection molded plastic or metal (but which metals). I am thinking of trying to make this but...

Questions:


What mechanical keyboards are currently available with N-key rollover? From what I have read only the FILCO offers N-key rollover without issues.

What is it about the "Happy Hacking" keyboards that is supposed to make hackers happy?

Are there any clickly ALPS keyboards currently out there other than the FILCO Zero?

What are interesting keyboard to look at, particularly full size (or larger) clicky keyboards? (Excluding those at Elitekeyboards and  Unicomp's pckeyboards)

Is there a way, all be it laborious and fairly expensive, to modify a buckling spring keyboard as to make it gain N-key rollover?

What are good resources if I were, say, interested in constructing my own keyboard?

Closing:

Thanks

Edit:
I do programming, and writing. A little gaming but more strategy than FPS.

[rdjack21]

The older Topre boards with a PS/2 connection have N-Key rollover. The newer USB only versions are limited by the USB Spec.

[SAL36864]

The older Topre boards with a PS/2 connection have N-Key rollover. The newer USB only versions are limited by the USB Spec.

I had read that the Topre did have N-Key rollover but none of the ones I could find for sale (GeekStuff4U and EliteKeyboards  mentioned N-Key rollover, and were USB, which made me think that they no longer had the feature.

Has anyone tried using a USB to PS/2 adapter on a Topre to see if it actually retains the feature?

Also what are the model numbers for the older PS/2 Topre keyboards?

[namelessguy]

I had read that the Topre did have N-Key rollover but none of the ones I could find for sale (GeekStuff4U and EliteKeyboards  mentioned N-Key rollover, and were USB, which made me think that they no longer had the feature.

Has anyone tried using a USB to PS/2 adapter on a Topre to see if it actually retains the feature?

Also what are the model numbers for the older PS/2 Topre keyboards?

Realforce and its variants (including HHKB) do not work with usual PS/2 connectors. And other PS/2 adapters with some advanced functionality, which are basically for KVM switches and pretty expensive, don't make them more than 6-key rollover, since the output is already limited to 6 keys, even though the keyboard itself is internally n-key rollover capable.

And you want some US layout Realforce with PS/2 connectors? The only one I know is Realforce 101 (ML0100). Differently weighted, no Windows key.

But if I'd say, you can probably live with just 6-key rollover unless you are a serious rhythm action player or WoW multiboxer.

[SAL36864]

Realforce and its variants (including HHKB) do not work with usual PS/2 connectors. And other PS/2 adapters with some advanced functionality, which are basically for KVM switches and pretty expensive, don't make them more than 6-key rollover, since the output is already limited to 6 keys, even though the keyboard itself is internally n-key rollover capable.

I was wondering because some keyboards are designed to detect if they are hooked up to a passive converter.

And you want some US layout Realforce with PS/2 connectors? The only one I know is Realforce 101 (ML0100). Differently weighted, no Windows key.

I could go with International or Japanese layout instead of American as well.

But if I'd say, you can probably live with just 6-key rollover unless you are a serious rhythm action player or WoW multiboxer.

True, but given the Filco does have it, and  is cheaper, and the Torpe used to have it, I figured I would want to look into it.

multiboxer.

I was not aware of such things, back when I played MMO's it was free, and you got banned for multiple accounts (also it was tun based), but this gives me an interesting idea involving controlling multiple virtual machine instances simultaneously, and I may need more RAM.

[SAL36864]

The Cherry MX8100 does have terrible layout.

I would think that the best I could hope without getting getting my own PCB made, would be a Model F, 122 key terminal version, modified to be PS/2 compatible. If the keyscaps are compatible with the Model F, I could get blank ones from Unicomp, or some from a Model 13, and get a custom case.

Edit:
Why the AT?

Also:
sethstorm switched keys, or at least tried to, from/to a Model F terminal to/from a Model 13, and his F had black keys on it, so getting black keys on the model F terminal should be doable.

[HaaTa]

The keys are more or less the same, but the stabilizers are different, so you'll need some of those as well.

I prefer the feel of the single piece keys though, they feel more solid.

[itlnstln]

Why the AT?

There is an AT and an XT Model F.  The XT will not work without an expensive adapter (if you can even find one).  AT uses the same protocol as PS/2, so a cheap adapter is all you need to get going.  You can even daisy-chain adapters to get USB, but you would only get 6-KRO due to the USB HID driver spec.

[SAL36864]

I have been looking for the XT adapter but could not find any available (except for passive ones), and it seems those that were most often mentioned were not compatible with the 122 key keyboards. I did find a number of people who have been attempting, or said they would attempt, to build one, as well as some plans, for how to build and program one, but I have not seen how successful this has been.

[SAL36864]

Interesting, I did not see that one.