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Re: I Built a Keyboard

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On Tue, 21 Oct 2014, BartC wrote:

>
>
> "Michael Black" <et472@ncf.ca> wrote in message
> news:alpine.LNX.2.02.1410201608520.2911@darkstar.example.org...
>> On Mon, 20 Oct 2014, RS Wood wrote:
>> 
>>> On 2014-10-19, Rich <rich@example.invalid> wrote:
>>>> http://www.davecooper.org/blog/2014/10/15/i-built-a-keyboard/
>>>>    There's a really simple answer to what motivated me to do this. I
>>>>    wanted to see if I was capable of doing it. I'd never designed
>>>>    anything before, dealt with manufacturing companies, sourced
>>>>    materials like the ones I used, or wired something like this up
>>>>    before. From a glance it seemed to me like I would be able to do it
>>>>    with a solid amount of effort so I decided to go for it. To me,
>>>>    this was a hobby project, and hobby projects can run some people up
>>>>    into the thousands (think high end RC cars or models) so this was
>>>>    financially feasible for me to pursue.
>>>> 
>>> This looks like it was a lot of work, and a lot of fun, and pretty
>>> darned educational, too.  I'm impressed and a little bit jealous!  As
>>> for the question, "why even bother?" any self-respecting nerd knows the
>>> answer to that one.
>>> 
>> Of course, the real trick is to take an old typewriter, add microswitches
>> to all the keys, and then you have a real manual typewriter feel to your
>> keyboard.
>
> A  bit limited, as there are too many keys missing to use effectively (such
> as 'one' and 'zero'!).
>
> Although it would have better than my first effort at building a keyboard,
> by rewiring (and relabeling) the buttons an a Casio calculator to give
> alphanumeric entry. (It was better than nothing until I could afford to buy a 
> proper one, c. 1981.)
>
> But the best 'feel' and best feedback I think was on an ASR33 teletype. Not
> exactly quiet though.
>
Wasn't that Teletype machine's keyboard mechanical?  I had a baudot 
machine at one point, and you'd press a button which engaged gears or 
something that sent out the serial bits for that key.  SO there was a 
rhythm to it, you had to get used to the delay for it to send the 
character before you could press another key.

   Michael

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I Built a Keyboard Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2014-10-19 13:50 +0000
  Re: I Built a Keyboard whiskers@sleepy.cat - 2014-10-19 15:28 +0000
    Re: I Built a Keyboard Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-10-19 14:38 -0400
  Re: I Built a Keyboard RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-10-20 18:53 +0000
    Re: I Built a Keyboard Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-10-20 16:09 -0400
      Re: I Built a Keyboard "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2014-10-21 00:42 +0100
        Re: I Built a Keyboard Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-10-20 22:13 -0400
          Re: I Built a Keyboard "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2014-10-21 10:43 +0100
        Re: I Built a Keyboard scott@alfter.diespammersdie.us (Scott Alfter) - 2014-10-21 17:07 +0000
          Re: I Built a Keyboard RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-10-21 17:42 +0000
          Re: I Built a Keyboard Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2014-10-21 23:20 +0000
        Re: I Built a Keyboard Theo Markettos <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> - 2014-10-22 14:23 +0100
          Re: I Built a Keyboard "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2014-10-23 14:22 +0100
            Re: I Built a Keyboard Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-10-23 14:03 -0400
            Re: I Built a Keyboard Paul Sture <nospam@sture.ch> - 2014-10-23 22:03 +0200
              Re: I Built a Keyboard Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-10-24 15:44 -0400

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