Frequently Asked Questions

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Payment Error's
If you receive an M1 or M5 error it is due to incorrect billing information. What you have entered does not match your credit card companies billing information.
Keyboard Layouts
We offer a wide range of layouts, you can check them out in our Knowledgebase.

 



Support

Printing On Black Keys
Black keys are only available in unprinted form. We use sublimation printing which is a permanent printing technology. This printing technology is dark on light printing. Our standard black keyboards use a medium gray key which allows the use of sublimation printing.
Specifications for Unicomp keyboards

Dimensions:
Classic: 492 mm x 210 mm x 45 mm (19.4" x 8.3" x 1.9")
UltraClassic: 454 mm x 181 mm x 48 mm (17.9" x 7.1" x 1.9")
PC122: 527 mm x 216 mm x 64 mm (20.8" x 8.5" x 2.5")

Weight:
Classic: 1.99 kg (4.4 lbs.)
UltraClassic: 1.7 kg (3.6 lbs.)
PC122/Emulator: 2.3 kg (5.1 lbs.)

Key switch technology : Buckling spring

Distance Between Keys: 19mm (0.75")

Maximum key travel: 3.8mm

Peak travel force: 72gms ±20gms
Key switch life: 25 million

Cable length : 1.8m ±.15 (6ft ±.5)

All keyboards are UL, FCC Class B, and CE certified.

UltraClassic and Classic USB keyboards are Windows 8 certified.

All keyboards manufactured in an ISO 9001:2008 certified process.

What is B/S or Q/T

Unicomp uses two different switch technologies in our products. The buckling spring (B/S) technology provides excellent tactile and acoustic feedback to the user and is the preferred technology used by high speed, high volume typists.


The buckling spring "Model M" keyboard, invented by IBM in the 80's; popularized by Lexmark in the early 90's; and manufactured by Unicomp for the past 20 years is regaining its status as one of the best keyboards in the market.


Your fingers will feel the difference with a buckling spring keyboard. Your typing accuracy will improve. The buckling spring key switch is design to record your keystroke at the precise instant that you feel the tactile change.


Standard rubberdome keyboards record the keystroke well after the tactile change is felt by your fingers. If you miss characters as you type and you know you pressed the key, that's why. If you've tried to enter a shifted character but it came out lower case, that's why. In fact most rubberdome keyboards require you to press the key all the way to the bottom. To compensate, many rubberdome users end up pounding the keys as they type. Ouch!


With the instantaneous nature of the buckling spring, your fingers can stop before the key hits bottom. Yes, the force required to press a buckling spring is a little higher than a rubberdome, but the low force over-travel period designed into the buckling spring allows your fingers to comfortably decelerate before hitting the key bottom. Ahhh!


While we specialize in making buckling spring keyboards, we do offer many of our models with a rubberdome (R/D) keyswitch for users who want the other benefits our products offer. Those include the robust design, integrated mouse devices, customized layouts and colors, and custom microcode. We call our rubberdome keyboards Quiet Touch(QT).


Steps for cleaning a keyboard.


1) Shut down the computer and detach the keyboard connector before any cleaning procedure.
2) Do not use compressed air. Doing so can cause harmful debris to move into the keyswitch area of the keyboard. Use a vacuum to remove debris from between the keys.
3) Do not use liquids on the keyboard. We use windex applied first to a cloth and then used to clean the key tops.
4) For a more thorough cleaning, remove all of the keys and repeat steps 2 and 3.

To remove keys, place a small screwdriver under the front edge of the key and pry upward lightly. Be careful not to flip the key across the room when it comes free.

To install a key, rock the keyboard front to back so the spring pivots freely into the center of the chimney area. It doesn't have to be perfectly centered, just not touching any of the sides. At this point, place the stem of the key into the chimney with the spring riding up into the center of the stem. Press down until it snaps into place. Actuate the button and feel the tactile switch. If you don't feel the snap, remove the key and do it again.

You can remove the spacebar with a small screwdriver. Simply insert the screwdriver under the front edge ( the edge closest to you) and pry upward gently until the key pops free. Note there is a metal wire or bail attached to the back of the spacebar. Look at the chimney with the spring in it and make sure it is clear of debris.The spring needs to remain attached to the white pivot plate in the bottom of the chimney so use caution.

Now reassemble everything. The metal bail goes down behind the spacebar chimney and then slides away from you into 2 retaining tabs located under the C-V and <-> or N-M keys. As you are inserting the the stem of the spacebar into the chimney, be sure to have the spring positioned in the center of the stem. You may need to tilt the keyboard from front to back to get the spring to rest in the center of the chimney. Guide the stem into the chimney and press down until it snaps into place. It shouldn't take too much force.</div>

Driver Support
All Unicomp keyboards except our terminal and emulation keyboards use the standard drivers built into your operating system. Terminal and emulation keyboards use drivers provided by the terminal manufacturer or the emulation software developer.
SpaceSaver M - Unique Aspects
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SpaceSaver M - Locking and Unlocking F1-F15
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Using a Classic or UltraClassic on OSX

You can change the key sequence that cause Cut, Copy or Paste to be execute by the following procedure:

1) go into "System Preferences"
2) Select "Keyboard" from the hardware list
3) of the two tabs - "Keyboard" and "Key Shortcuts", select the later
4) select "Application Shortcuts"
5) Below the two dialog boxes, you will see a + and a -; select the +
6) A dialog box will appear and you will be prompted to enter a Menu Tile. Type the name of the function as it appears in the application menu - in this case, type "Cut"
7) tab to the Keyboard Shortcut box and depress the F10 key-- or if you like the two key Shift+F10 keys.
8) Select Add. Now when you are in any application and you depress the F10 key ( or Shift+F10 if that is what you choose), the Cut operation will be performed on the highlighted word/object.
Similarly, you can assign F11 and F12 to Copy and Paste Functions in the same manner. But note if make these reassignments, Control + C will no longer cause the Copy function to be executed.
Of course the basic problem with a 101 key keyboard is that it has no key to serve as a Command modifier key.
Note that OSX accepts Ctrl and the Control modifier, Caps Lock as the Caps Lock modifier and Alt as the option modifier. Also it is possible reassign any of these 3 keys to serve as the Command modifier by the following procedure:
1) go into "System Preferences"
2) Select "Keyboard" from the hardware list
3) of the two tabs - "Keyboard" and "Key Shortcuts", select "Keyboard"
4) at the bottom of the dialog box, select the Modifier Keys button
5) now select the Caps Lock pull down button on the right and from the menu, select Command
6) Select OK.
Now when you depress the Caps Lock key, you will select the Command modifier and you execute all operations in OSX that are called by Command + __. Unfortunately, you no longer have a Caps Lock modifier or function.
Hopefully between these two operations, you can find a way to make you 101 key keyboard useful in OSX.

PS/2 to USB adapters
Unicomp does not sell PS/2 to USB adapters and, therefore, are hesitant to recommend any specific adapter. However, we have received feedback from previous users on several adapters that have been known to work well. Those adapters are :
BYTECC BT-2000
KINGWIN USB to PS2 Adapter
IOGEAR GUC10KM
Terminal Vs Emulation Keyboard.
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