24 Nov
2002
24 Nov
'02
10:44 a.m.
On Sun, 24 Nov 2002, Sark wrote:
Actually, I've been planning on building my own. I
am currently
tracking down old, broken keyboards from terminals, etc. to get keytops
and switches from, and I am going to canniballize a cheap PC USB
keyboard for it's encoder chip and associated circuitry. Basically, I'm
going to build a new key matrix from real switches, to replace that
membrane and rubber disc thing modern keyboards use. I've done stuff
like this before, rewiring a very old PC keyboard to replace a broken
TRS-80 Color Computer 3 keyboard. With any luck, I'll have something
that won't wear out nearly as fast as others, and be comfortable to
type on as well. The only thing I might run into is contact bounce. I
don't know if there is anything in a USB keyboard to deal with this, as
I don't think membrane keyboards have quite the problem with contact
bounce as mechanical switches do. Any ideas?
I know Mr. Duell may not like my suggestion... but why not just find
yourself an IBM PS/2 'clicky' keyboard and use that, plugged into the PS/2
keyboard port on the back of your computer? Or are you unlucky enough to
have a machine that doesn't have a PS/2 keyboard connection? Sure, it's
not the same as the keyboard on, say, and ADM-3A, but it's 'more
authentic' than modern keyboards.
Of course, sometimes I like the fact that my keyboard is fairly quiet when
I'm typing on it. It may still be louder than my other machines in the
room, but it's nowhere near as obnoxious as a 'real' keybard.
Pat
--
Purdue Universtiy ITAP/RCS
Information Technology at Purdue
Research Computing and Storage
http://www-rcd.cc.purdue.edu