unified_retro_keyboard/hardware/keyboard-sol

SOL keyboard

This keyboard replicates the keyboard on the SOL-20.

The keyboard is designed using KiCad in order to be the most useful for anybody wishing to modify the keyboard for more specific uses, or to add to the project.

The keyset for the SOL-20 keyboard consists of the Unified Keyboard Project classic ASCII keyset, with a special SOL-20 add-on keyset.

Differences from the original include:

1. The original keyboard is a capacitive keyboard. This keyboard uses standard switches (either Cherry or Futaba). The Futaba keys approach the original feel, but there is a difference.

2. The original keycaps have an 11 degree angled stem. It may be possible to find such keycaps, or to create an 11-degree adapter, but I was unable to do so, so this keyboard was tested with straight keycaps. I have tried both, and do not find a difference in typing comfort or speed, althought there is an aesthetic difference. There is s tiny bit of space between keys using straight keycaps, so an 11 degree adapter may not require any change to the layout.

Notes

1. Some services balk at the number of cutouts in the full SOL-20 aligners, so in addition to the full aligner plates, the aligners for cherry MX and futaba keys have also been broken out into separate aligners for the main keyboard and numeric keypad.