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-   -   Unicomp Model-M a disaster (http://www.hardwarebanter.com/showthread.php?t=198541)

B00ze January 13th 18 04:05 AM

Unicomp Model-M a disaster
 
Good day all.

I love the Model M keyboard, and have several PS/2 ones. I also have 2
Unicomp USB Model M's. Now, I haven't tried the other one of those that
I have (without Windows Keys) but the one I am using now is a DISASTER!
I do not know what they did with their USB controller, but it is
horrible. When I boot the PC, if I press any key too quickly (e.g. if I
do not wait 5 seconds) then the keyboard will lock-up. It makes it hard
to enter the BIOS. And if I put the computer to sleep, then 1/3rd to
2/3rds of the time, when I wake it with the keyboard, the keyboard
freezes. It gets weirder; when I wake the computer with the keyboard, I
can hear Windows "re-discover" the keyboard (you can hear the new USB
device sound,) the NumLock light does not turn back on until that sound
plays, but more often than not, the keyboard doesn't re-load properly
and becomes unusable.

Anyone have a Unicomp USB keyboard? How does it work for you?

I'm already thinking of getting a Mechanical Keyboard, but haven't found
one that LOOKS like the Model-M (i.e. BIG).

Thank you.
Best Regards,

--
! _\|/_ Sylvain /
! (o o) Member:David-Suzuki-Fdn/EFF/Red+Cross/SPCA/Planetary-Society
oO-( )-Oo Atheism is a non-prophet organization.


Andy Burns[_6_] January 13th 18 09:51 AM

Unicomp Model-M a disaster
 
B00ze wrote:

I love the Model M keyboard, and have several PS/2 ones. I also have 2
Unicomp USB Model M's.
I do not know what they did with their USB controller, but it is
horrible.
I'm already thinking of getting a Mechanical Keyboard, but haven't found
one that LOOKS like the Model-M (i.e. BIG).


Why not use of of your PS/2 model M keyboards?
Just get the right USB adapter that can supply the hefty power
requirement, IME the one that works looks like this

http://zevv.nl/play/misc/ibm-usb/modelm_usb-001.jpg

I've also heard people having success using a KVM that has PS/2 ports
with USB ports

Roger Blake[_2_] January 13th 18 02:31 PM

Unicomp Model-M a disaster
 
On 2018-01-13, B00ze wrote:
Anyone have a Unicomp USB keyboard? How does it work for you?


My father-in-law bought one because the keyboard that came with his new
PC was awful. (Most of them ae.) It's been fine, he loves it. No issues,
though the feel is not quite as good as a real Model M, which is what
I use with a PS2-USB adapter.

I'm already thinking of getting a Mechanical Keyboard, but haven't found
one that LOOKS like the Model-M (i.e. BIG).


I haven't put them next to each other, but his Unicomp looks to me to
be approximately the same size as the Model M.

--
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mr. Man-wai Chang January 13th 18 02:44 PM

Unicomp Model-M a disaster
 
On 13/1/2018 12:05, B00ze wrote:
Good day all.

I love the Model M keyboard, and have several PS/2 ones. I also have 2
Unicomp USB Model M's. Now, I haven't tried the other one of those that
I have (without Windows Keys) but the one I am using now is a DISASTER!
I do not know what they did with their USB controller, but it is
horrible. When I boot the PC, if I press any key too quickly (e.g. if I
do not wait 5 seconds) then the keyboard will lock-up. It makes it hard
to enter the BIOS. And if I put the computer to sleep, then 1/3rd to
2/3rds of the time, when I wake it with the keyboard, the keyboard
freezes. It gets weirder; when I wake the computer with the keyboard, I
can hear Windows "re-discover" the keyboard (you can hear the new USB
device sound,) the NumLock light does not turn back on until that sound
plays, but more often than not, the keyboard doesn't re-load properly
and becomes unusable.

Anyone have a Unicomp USB keyboard? How does it work for you?


I have bought one Unicomp and asked Unicomp to repair an older IBM Model
M. Both of them worked without USB issues. Your problem might be caused
by the red joy-mouse.

--
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/( _ )\ May the Force and farces be with you!
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T[_6_] January 14th 18 11:39 PM

Unicomp Model-M a disaster
 
On 01/12/2018 08:05 PM, B00ze wrote:
Good day all.

I love the Model M keyboard, and have several PS/2 ones. I also have 2
Unicomp USB Model M's. Now, I haven't tried the other one of those that
I have (without Windows Keys) but the one I am using now is a DISASTER!
I do not know what they did with their USB controller, but it is
horrible. When I boot the PC, if I press any key too quickly (e.g. if I
do not wait 5 seconds) then the keyboard will lock-up. It makes it hard
to enter the BIOS. And if I put the computer to sleep, then 1/3rd to
2/3rds of the time, when I wake it with the keyboard, the keyboard
freezes. It gets weirder; when I wake the computer with the keyboard, I
can hear Windows "re-discover" the keyboard (you can hear the new USB
device sound,) the NumLock light does not turn back on until that sound
plays, but more often than not, the keyboard doesn't re-load properly
and becomes unusable.

Anyone have a Unicomp USB keyboard? How does it work for you?

I'm already thinking of getting a Mechanical Keyboard, but haven't found
one that LOOKS like the Model-M (i.e. BIG).

Thank you.
Best Regards,


Hi Booze,

I sell them and own one myself. I "ADORE" them.

The only issues I have come across is the spring under the space bar
on two units I sold.

A quick call to Unicomp at 859-233-2130 got both of them fixed.

It sounds like you got a bad unit. Call Unicomp. They will
make it right for you.

I am a very fast typist. I am a good 50% faster typing on a
Unicomp as it was meant to emulate the IBM Selectric typewriter.

Some of the el-cheap-o keyboards I have to use at customer
sites drive me around the bend. You can't tell one key
apart from another and you can't tell when you have depressed
a key. I wind up having to watch every key I press. It
is a pain in the neck (not my "exact" word) and severely
slows me down. Laptops are the worst.

So call Unicomp and get yours fixed and then start enjoying
using a decent keyboard for a change!

:-)

-T


Jason[_13_] January 15th 18 03:23 AM

Unicomp Model-M a disaster
 
On Fri, 12 Jan 2018 23:05:09 -0500 "B00ze" wrote in
article
Anyone have a Unicomp USB keyboard? How does it work for you?


I'm sorry you are having so much trouble. I have had one (a USB model M
with Windows keys and APL legends too) for a few years with no problems
whatsoever.

B00ze January 16th 18 04:57 PM

Unicomp Model-M a disaster (Reply to everyone)
 
Good day all.

I rummaged into my keyboard box this weekend, hoping to find a $10 USB
keyboard to test, but no luck, all PS/2.

But I tried my other USB Unicomp, the one without the Windows Keys. That
one does NOT freeze-up when waking the computer from sleep, however, the
lights (NumLock,...) do NOT wake-up! So when the computer goes to sleep
the lights go out but the keyboard is still active. When I wake the PC,
the keyboard gets re-detected (I still find this behaviour strange) but
the lights stay out. If I then press CapsLock, well there you go,
NumLock turns on along with CapsLock. My Unicomp with the windows keys
doesn't have that problem. I wonder if they can ship me updated controllers.

I also tested with Windows 10: Lo and Behold, the Unicomp with windows
keys gets re-detected as before, but it does not freeze. Apparently
Windows 10 has better USB drivers than Windows 7. Don't get me wrong,
the keyboards work fine, EXCEPT when it comes to powering-up/sleep, then
they are a disaster.

Andy: Yeah, I even have a PS/2 port on my current motherboard lol, but I
bought these USB ones because everything's USB nowadays + all my PS/2
Model M's do not have the Windows key. I also have USB-PS2 adapters, but
many of those do not work, I haven't tried the ones I do have.

Roger: Yeah, the Unicomp ARE the same as Model-M's; what I am thinking
of is a Cherry-MX keyboard that does not come with a light-show, and
that is roughly the same shape as a Model-M. Removable key caps would be
appreciated (it's so easy to wash a Model M).

T: Yeah, I will open a ticket, maybe I can get updated controller boards.

Thanks all.

Let's see what I can get out of Unicomp...

Regards,

--
! _\|/_ Sylvain /
! (o o) Member:David-Suzuki-Fdn/EFF/Red+Cross/SPCA/Planetary-Society
oO-( )-Oo "And yesterday the planet seemed to be going so well." -Dent


B00ze January 17th 18 06:45 AM

Unicomp Model-M a disaster (Reply to everyone)
 
On 2018-01-16 11:57, B00ze wrote:

T: Yeah, I will open a ticket, maybe I can get updated controller boards.


Bought 2 new updated controller boards, let's see how they fare once I
get them...

--
! _\|/_ Sylvain /
! (o o) Member:David-Suzuki-Fdn/EFF/Red+Cross/SPCA/Planetary-Society
oO-( )-Oo "Intel Inside" is a government warning requied by law.


B00ze May 2nd 18 03:44 AM

Unicomp Model-M a disaster (Reply to everyone)
 
On 2018-01-17 01:45, B00ze wrote:

On 2018-01-16 11:57, B00ze wrote:

T: Yeah, I will open a ticket, maybe I can get updated controller boards.


Bought 2 new updated controller boards, let's see how they fare once I
get them...


For those who can still access the rest of this thread (for context):

I have finally taken the time to replace the v6.x controller boards for
my USB Unicomps with the v7.x controllers they sent me. The problem with
the keyboard totally freezing-up if I dared to touch it while the BIOS
was booting-up is resolved (Hurray!) The strange behaviour when waking
the computer from sleep is still the Windows re-detects the keyboard,
as tho I had unplugged it while asleep, and sometimes it does not detect
it correctly so you're stuck on the logon screen. I tested with a cheap
Logitech keyboard, and it is definitively a Unicomp thing, there is no
re-detecting the keyboard on wake with the Logitech.

The bad news is that my older 101 keys Unicomp uses a different locking
mechanism for holding the controller board than my newer 103 keys, and I
am totally unable to make the controller connect to all of the
keyboard's signal lines, so some keys are always not working. I guess I
will have to buy some foam-tape and try to make the foam push the
flexible membrane harder against the PCB. I have asked Unicomp if they
can do anything for me but had not heard back in a week - I might have
to open a new ticket rather than open my old one. Will update this thread.

Regards,

--
! _\|/_ Sylvain /
! (o o) Member:David-Suzuki-Fdn/EFF/Red+Cross/SPCA/Planetary-Society
oO-( )-Oo Despite the cost of living, it remains very popular.


B00ze May 4th 18 06:18 AM

Unicomp Model-M a disaster (New foam pad in the mail)
 
On 2018-05-01 22:44, B00ze wrote:

For those who can still access the rest of this thread (for context):

I have finally taken the time to replace the v6.x controller boards for
my USB Unicomps with the v7.x controllers they sent me. The problem with
the keyboard totally freezing-up if I dared to touch it while the BIOS
was booting-up is resolved (Hurray!) The strange behaviour when waking
the computer from sleep is still the Windows re-detects the keyboard,
as tho I had unplugged it while asleep, and sometimes it does not detect
it correctly so you're stuck on the logon screen. I tested with a cheap
Logitech keyboard, and it is definitively a Unicomp thing, there is no
re-detecting the keyboard on wake with the Logitech.

The bad news is that my older 101 keys Unicomp uses a different locking
mechanism for holding the controller board than my newer 103 keys, and I
am totally unable to make the controller connect to all of the
keyboard's signal lines, so some keys are always not working. I guess I
will have to buy some foam-tape and try to make the foam push the
flexible membrane harder against the PCB. I have asked Unicomp if they
can do anything for me but had not heard back in a week - I might have
to open a new ticket rather than open my old one. Will update this thread.

Regards,


Unicomp is sending me a new foam pad. I will try to remove the old one
and place this one a little lower, so that contact is better with the
PCB. Will report back. Pretty happy with the new version 7 controller;
if this foam pad works, I will mark this thread as resolved and give a
hearty two thumbs up for Unicomp keyboards.

Best Regards,

--
! _\|/_ Sylvain /
! (o o) Member:David-Suzuki-Fdn/EFF/Red+Cross/SPCA/Planetary-Society
oO-( )-Oo Data, ahh, I think Spot needs a litter box. -Troi



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