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Da: Kickstarter <no-reply@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Oggetto: Project Update #39: ZX Spectrum Next by Henrique Olifiers
Data: 30 ottobre 2018 20:40:26 CET
A: carlo.malantrucco@xxxxxxxx
Rispondi a: No Reply <no-reply@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
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Keyboard progress
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Posted by Henrique Olifiers (Creator)
First of all, apologies for the two extra weeks between the updates -- but
only now we’ve finally got keyboard news worth sharing, including next steps
towards finishing the keyboard.
With the keys samples in hand (see previous update
<https://emails.kickstarter.com/mpss/c/IwE/6TYCAA/t.2m5/8xjNIBH-Qny0uQvFQoReBg/h2/Kvh8eyEDYxccobuZZtapCUX-2Buyj4rUau9-2F7EUH2fWjGnuUjZnM0d8uQFfFAgQWnJ51yktlBZoYhMyj5bXWEQk1mUyn3RGyWNGSWrASZPus8-3D>),
Phil proceeded to test them back in Cambridge. The way we do this is quite
simple: we attach the keys to an existing template keyboard with the same
mechanism that is used in the Spectrum Next’s keyboard.
It ain't sexy, but it works and that's what matters!
The most important feedback here is that the key format feels incredible good
-- in fact, even the keyboard manufacturer, a specialist in keyboards with
years of experience and dozens of models under their belt -- praised how good
the Next keys feel to the touch, and how accurate the keyboard becomes with
the key shape compared to a typical, modern keyboard.
Let this sink in for a second… Keyboard experts in 2018 are saying that the
original key shape developed by Rick back in 1984, when paired with modern
mechanics and engineering, is better to the touch than the key shapes we use
in most keyboards today. Yep.
With the good news in hand, it’s feedback time to our manufacturer friends.
The first issue Phil detected was an injection mark on the top of the keys,
seen at an angle. This has to do with a width discrepancy of 0.15mm of some
of the keys’ notches. With the wider notch, a depression appears on top of
the square keys that is perceptible at an angle depending on light incidence.
The keen eyes of Mr. Phil Candy wouldn't miss that. No, sir!
Note that this is visible in the unpolished finish, which is not the final
finish: the keys are meant to be polished in that part, thus the depression
would become even more apparent, particularly with several keys in a row.
Our friends got the feedback and proceeded to fix the issue, and sent us back
today pics of the new injected keys, now with the polished finish to its
surroundings, showing that the distortion seems to be gone. These new keys
are now flying to Cambridge for Phil’s final appraisal and go-ahead.
Look at that polish! Look at that shine! Mirror, mirror, is that...
In parallel to the keys’ work, the manufacturer gave the greenlight to the
keyboard metal backplate for the final assembly, and the keyboard plastic
frame molding, so the final keyboard can be shortly assembled and tested with
the case prior to the greenlight to mass-injection, assembly and dispatch to
SMS in Nottingham.
This should hopefully now run smoother and quicker, with the keyboard
assembled for our next update!
Case extra care
In parallel to the keyboard work, Phil revisited one aspect of the case to
make double-sure that mass-injection wouldn’t result in the warping we have
seen in the past and solved with extra structures. Following a meeting with a
few colleagues experts in plastic molding and injection, Phil decided to
thicken a bit the upper case by 0.7mm in certain areas, allowing for the
plastic to flow better during injection and giving it even more resilience
upon mold extraction. As the saying goes: ‘better safe than sorry’, and since
we had the time to act on this so it has been.
The bold areas are indicated by red
The amount of work that goes into a simple change of width of one surface...
Phil is ace.
The next steps ahead of us now are to get the keyboard assembled, fitted
neatly into the reviewed case, get both mass-injected, assembled and flown
over to the SMS plant for final assembly and dispatch.
A couple of steps closer now!
Blackpool Play Expo
For those of you lucky enough to have visited Blackpool Play Expo, Jim Bagley
took a Spectrum Next case and box to show people in the flesh. But if you
missed it, make sure to visit the FB group
<https://emails.kickstarter.com/mpss/c/IwE/6TYCAA/t.2m5/8xjNIBH-Qny0uQvFQoReBg/h3/HE2UYZIDTZxfLuJ8qHDFiPRkouZhqyWOCzoemsF9XNQlK1IBnJbLe2nMzxsKg3Og>
where Jim appears in quite a few of pictures of the event, plus playables of
Monkey McGee and Baggers in Space! ;)
Shoutout for a new group, Gaming on the Spectrum Next
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focused on the upcoming games for our machine.
And that’s it for now, folks… Again, sorry for the lateness of this update:
Next update shortly as soon as more news on the keyboard are in!
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