Great video Mike! I've just written a detailed article for the next mag on keyboard cleanliness so I'll definitely be adding this video as a link. Totally fascinating! Personally I dont like either solution. The full UV cover makes the keyboard look like it's received a bad spray lacquer paint job and in contrast to the case (imo) makes it look like a cheap finish. I also have reservations on it's durability long term. The smaller detailing in just the letters is better but for me (as a professional model maker) it looks like the old letraset you used to get and as someone who's looking at making a custom keyboard for my ngo (for which I've actually had made a custom transfer sheet of letters made which need Matt lacquer protected once applied) it still doesn't look right. Id again question the durability (and once noticed if it did start to fade would that cause just as many concerns). The technique used to apply the character set to the next keyboard is a fabulous process binding them at the molecular level so they can't come off or fade unless you have sandpaper for hands. After extensive testing on my own next keyboards and ngo keyboards I simply found warm soapy water on a damp cloth cleans most stains or a solution of 99% ipa and a cotton bud gently applied removes all dirt and fully restored the keys on my grubby keyboard to new. The only thing you cannot restore is wear and shiny spots that are made by constant use. The matt bowl finish will over time and use go shiny on commonly used keys and there's nothing you can do about that. Unless you use a ps2 keyboard or wear gloves.
Thank you for this video. I'm not a heavy user of my Next and both my KS1 and KS2 look fine to me. I'm sure heavy coders will have a different thought. The UV layer in the bowl sounds like a decent approach. Appreciate the lighting you've used to show how this appears, though it would be good to see how it looks under "normal" lighting, since most users may well use the keyboard in that kind of environment. Coating just the legends themself kind of feels a little cheaper looking, as they start to look at stickers dropped on the key. Again, a video without the spot might be useful. If I were to vote, I'd vote the first option, for the main reason of a consistent look once you do get a reflection of light. Or maybe the second, because I do like the feel of the keys. Sorry, I'm not helping :D Due to my personal lighter keyboard usage, If I were to pick one thing about the keyboard, it would be the centering of the legends. I have a small handfull of keys that have legends a little off centre, and that bothers me more.
Leave it as-is. The UV layer is really not necessary for most users. External keyboards can also be used of course. From the description of the fading issue, proper cleaning methods should be advised to get the grease and dirt from the bubbles.
I prefer the look of the legend fill if it is actually effective in protecting the keys from finger oil and dirt accumulation. Having said that, as a programmer and a touch typist I would never use the built in keyboard for game development due to the awkward key layout for common symbols and lack of finger placement locator bumps on the F and J keys. Is there a reason they were not implemented? It is a huge oversight for touch typists considering how much effort was put into developing a quality keyboard suited mainly for non touch typists and the fact that the Next allows typing out the keywords.
The keyboard look was based on the 48+/128+ and Sinclair computers never had them. So that being the intent they were not implemented. Keeping costs down on an expensive project meant not having to make an additional mould, or risk errors in the assembly process, ensuring the F and J locations received the alt keycaps prior to the keyboards having legends etched on. Could always have a look if there are other Kickstarters :)
Not sure what you are proposing: backers would be able to buy a new keyboard to replace a faded one? Or are you thinking for future manufacturing runs? I would like to know if there is a way to clean the existing keyboard that might help restore the whiteness.
Great explanation Mike.
Legend fill would get my vote. Microsoft Sculpt keyboards use this and they're glossy black too. The bowl fill does look like stickers.
Great video Mike!
I've just written a detailed article for the next mag on keyboard cleanliness so I'll definitely be adding this video as a link. Totally fascinating!
Personally I dont like either solution. The full UV cover makes the keyboard look like it's received a bad spray lacquer paint job and in contrast to the case (imo) makes it look like a cheap finish. I also have reservations on it's durability long term.
The smaller detailing in just the letters is better but for me (as a professional model maker) it looks like the old letraset you used to get and as someone who's looking at making a custom keyboard for my ngo (for which I've actually had made a custom transfer sheet of letters made which need Matt lacquer protected once applied) it still doesn't look right. Id again question the durability (and once noticed if it did start to fade would that cause just as many concerns).
The technique used to apply the character set to the next keyboard is a fabulous process binding them at the molecular level so they can't come off or fade unless you have sandpaper for hands. After extensive testing on my own next keyboards and ngo keyboards I simply found warm soapy water on a damp cloth cleans most stains or a solution of 99% ipa and a cotton bud gently applied removes all dirt and fully restored the keys on my grubby keyboard to new.
The only thing you cannot restore is wear and shiny spots that are made by constant use. The matt bowl finish will over time and use go shiny on commonly used keys and there's nothing you can do about that. Unless you use a ps2 keyboard or wear gloves.
Thank you for this video. I'm not a heavy user of my Next and both my KS1 and KS2 look fine to me. I'm sure heavy coders will have a different thought. The UV layer in the bowl sounds like a decent approach.
Appreciate the lighting you've used to show how this appears, though it would be good to see how it looks under "normal" lighting, since most users may well use the keyboard in that kind of environment.
Coating just the legends themself kind of feels a little cheaper looking, as they start to look at stickers dropped on the key. Again, a video without the spot might be useful.
If I were to vote, I'd vote the first option, for the main reason of a consistent look once you do get a reflection of light. Or maybe the second, because I do like the feel of the keys. Sorry, I'm not helping :D
Due to my personal lighter keyboard usage, If I were to pick one thing about the keyboard, it would be the centering of the legends. I have a small handfull of keys that have legends a little off centre, and that bothers me more.
My Thinkpad has the legend layer. It looks fine and has been hardwearing.
My KS1 Next is still mint, the keyboard is as good as new and looks/feels great still
Leave it as-is. The UV layer is really not necessary for most users. External keyboards can also be used of course.
From the description of the fading issue, proper cleaning methods should be advised to get the grease and dirt from the bubbles.
How about flat keys with the bowl being clear and stuck on top? Too much optical distortion?
I prefer the look of the legend fill if it is actually effective in protecting the keys from finger oil and dirt accumulation. Having said that, as a programmer and a touch typist I would never use the built in keyboard for game development due to the awkward key layout for common symbols and lack of finger placement locator bumps on the F and J keys. Is there a reason they were not implemented? It is a huge oversight for touch typists considering how much effort was put into developing a quality keyboard suited mainly for non touch typists and the fact that the Next allows typing out the keywords.
The keyboard look was based on the 48+/128+ and Sinclair computers never had them. So that being the intent they were not implemented. Keeping costs down on an expensive project meant not having to make an additional mould, or risk errors in the assembly process, ensuring the F and J locations received the alt keycaps prior to the keyboards having legends etched on. Could always have a look if there are other Kickstarters :)
I thought the white lettering was printed on. If not then it should be safe to clean with IPA. That is, if theres no risk rubbing letters off.
Not sure what you are proposing: backers would be able to buy a new keyboard to replace a faded one? Or are you thinking for future manufacturing runs? I would like to know if there is a way to clean the existing keyboard that might help restore the whiteness.
Future, not current. As per the comment above, Adrian is writing something about keyboard cleaning.
Glossy surface looks more cheaper, just make matte small shagreen