The Oracle Answers

Muirium · 17 Feb 2015, 00:12

fohat wrote: ↑

Wow! That is magnificent!

The dedicated arrow keys are wonderful.

I have been wondering how to set up my AT when I do the ANSI mod on it (including spacebar and Alt keys) but you have showed me the way.

I still need Escape in its proper place at the top left of the numpad, and numpad Enter is one of the most important keys on the whole board to me, also Left F9 will become F11, and F10 will be Windows, but Wow! just Wow!

Thank you.

Uh, thanks. Just a little logic. Glad you like it. My thinking was: go for an HHKB-style 60% block (including the Backspace key over Return, I just don't have the right cap for it) and prioritise an arrow cluster immediately to the right of that, in the numpad block. I'm really not a numpad guy, so this was an obvious big win for me.

The details over there are still up for grabs. Not all the caps are correct! For instance, Caps Lock is actually my Fn key, HHKB style, so I can have a function row across the number keys and all the other tricks that smart little board has up its artful sleeve. Consistency makes learning any new board easier. F9 and F10 are actually Control and Option keys, while Alt is Command. I love a full suite of mods, and this board is more generous that way than an HHKB. Though I kept Control as Control, for consistency again too.

Numpad Enter is a good point. I was on the fence whether to give it a 2u cap in the "numpad", but chose the zero key instead. Like you, I'm used to hitting an Enter key in the corner on all my boards >TKL. If there's keys to the right of the arrow cluster, my fingers just expect it! I might actually go with that instead, as I've hit period a couple of times instead of Enter, just by reflex. In that case, I'll pull out zero, move the stab insert down to the corner, and substitute vertical Enter and a small zero key for big zero and period. The times I actually enter decimal numbers in earnest don't excuse breaking that little bit of muscle memory.

Bitsquid · 19 Feb 2015, 12:33

I've got the feeling I'm not clever enough for this hobby.

I have a Ducky Zero with MX Reds and a German ISO layout. I don't like the caps very much (too high, too black, glossy plastic) and so I thought I'd just buy a keyboard with caps that I do like and replace them.

I got this keyboard on ebay (http://www.ebay.de/itm/121558597687 ) with PBT caps that looked compatible from the outside.

But when I tried to change the caps I found that all keys with more then one "stem" wouldn't fit. E.g. space key, enter, backspace and so on. Can anyone tell me how to get keycaps that fit the ducky? For now I've replaced only the alphanumerics and that really makes a difference (the new caps are not as high and the plastic has a better texture etc) but well.. it feels very makeshift.

scottc · 19 Feb 2015, 12:35

That auction link doesn't work. What keycaps are they?

Edit: Ah, just a typo in your text. The bottom row of those keycaps (the 1.25u caps) won't fit but I believe the others should.

guk · 19 Feb 2015, 12:37

scottc wrote: ↑That auction link doesn't work. What keycaps are they?

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Cherry-G81-8015- ... 1558597687

scottc · 19 Feb 2015, 12:38

Foiled again, my edit wasn't quick enough!

Muirium · 19 Feb 2015, 12:39

Ah, a G81. There's your mistake! Those have horrible asymmetric stemmed 1.25u mods, to match their horrible switches.

The Ducky should be pretty compatible with most MX caps, in the right layout. That kind of nonsense is typically a Cherry specialty.

Bitsquid · 19 Feb 2015, 12:42

So if I'd buy a G80-3000 it should work? The stabilized keys too? How do I know that the caps are PBT plastic?

Muirium · 19 Feb 2015, 12:47

This ought to help:

http://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_article_numbers

Cherry guys may have specific pointers. I find the G80 range immensely confusing!

Higsby · 26 Feb 2015, 02:52

I'm interested in getting my first mechanical, and I know I want a quiet, compact keyboard. My little brother has a Razer Blackwidow with Cherry MX Blues, and I know I definitely don't want anything that loud.
My max price I'm comfortable paying is about $160 USD, and I'd enjoy anything with either an embedded numpad (like the Keycool Hero 84) or no middle section (like the CM Storm TK).

I'm not sure I'd be able to handle a 60%, it just seems like it would be too alien from my current full-size membrane keyboard.

If anyone could recommend me a keyboard that fit these criteria, I'd be forever thankful.

--

There's actually a massdrop on the Keycool Hero 84 ending in 2 days, and it seems pretty reasonable.
Is there a better alternative, based on the criteria I've listed?

Edit: It seems that the Massdrop would be shipping on March 31st, but I'd prefer to not wait that long.

Madhias · 26 Feb 2015, 09:37

Is there a 40% keyboard project out there with Bluetooth support? I am shy and do not want to ask in the various Hyper Micro threads, since the project probably is already in a state not to change anything anymore!

Like an option GONSKeyboardworks has?

7bit · 26 Feb 2015, 09:54

I'm quite sure it should be possible to have some thing that has a USB input that does blue tooth out put. However, there is no plan to add that thing to the PCB-matrix.

Muirium · 26 Feb 2015, 11:53

That kind of "just shove it in there, it'll work" design thinking is what makes Bluetooth boards with battery life measured in hours instead of days/weeks. Battery life is all about power draw. And bitbanging a wired controller is real heavy on the juice. Replace!

Anyone know if Gon's BT module is just as dumb, or if it replaces the controller as it should? The battery life figures alone will say the answer!

@Higsby: You're in the US, right? Location matters a lot. For those of us in Europe, MassDrop's prices are close to DOUBLED by the time the good gets to our door. Thanks to crazy shipping and hideous tax.

http://deskthority.net/help-f53/please- ... t1386.html

Higsby · 26 Feb 2015, 17:15

@Muirium: Sorry about that; I've edited my profile. I'm actually located in Canada, but close enough to the American border that it isn't too much of a hassle to ship things to America and pick them up.
As of right now, US$160 is CA$200, which is terrible for me, ergo, Canadian websites are one place I should consider ordering from (amazon.ca; ncix.ca; directcanada.com; newegg.ca; memoryexpress.com).

Muirium · 26 Feb 2015, 20:42

Well, as it happens some of the quietest mechs around today are Canadian too.

http://www.matias.ca/quietpro/

Check out the sound samples. Matias uses damped switches, which makes a huge difference over Cherry MX. Even "silent" linear switches like MX red are louder than Matias.

The downside is you'd better like the caps, because all the action for those is in MX mount. Matias switches are Alps mount. Which basically means tumbleweed…

Higsby · 26 Feb 2015, 20:51

I appreciate the suggestion and will keep it in mind, but I would prefer something with an embedded or left-sided numpad (not sure many exist like that).

Muirium · 26 Feb 2015, 21:25

The PC version of the Mini Quiet Pro has an embedded numpad:

Press Fn+J for 1, Fn+I for 5, etc. Just like IBM's SSK.

The Mac version looks like it doesn't though:

Higsby · 26 Feb 2015, 21:28

I apologize for failing to notice that. I will definitely consider it.

Muirium · 26 Feb 2015, 21:35

Whether this board is your best bet really depends on how much of a priority silence is. They don't come any quieter than Matias. But then you do lose out on aftermarket caps selection, and there are certainly cheaper boards out there, as well as better built ones. None of them are as quiet, though!

Here's a long review:

http://deskthority.net/review-f45/matia ... t7114.html

Hypersphere · 26 Feb 2015, 21:55

The Mac versions of Matias mini keyboards do indeed have an embedded numerical keypad. It doesn't show up on the keycaps, because they are already busy with other symbols.

Muirium · 26 Feb 2015, 22:04

That's good to know. Matias' Mac legends are… well… legend for their crazy clutter. Just in case you don't know were to find the Keyboard Viewer I suppose!

Option:

: Option.tiff (279.49 KiB) Viewed 8385 times

Shift + Option:

: Shift Option.tiff (271.61 KiB) Viewed 8385 times

You could say that one of the things the HHKB misses is an embedded numpad. It would need a second Function key to enable that, or I guess a layer lock, which you could think of in the same way as it handles Caps Lock; although behind the scenes it would be more like the SSK, locked into numpad mode until the trigger is sent again. But I must admit I seldom miss a numpad, embedded or even physically!

Hypersphere · 26 Feb 2015, 22:12

An embedded numpad can be a selling point for some TKL and smaller keyboards, including the IBM SSK and Topre RF 87u, but I don't really miss it in the HHKB.

BTW, with keyboards other than the HHKB, the implicit behavior of Karabiner remapping software is to have an embedded numpad:

: Karabiner_NumPad.png (61.1 KiB) Viewed 8376 times

EDIT: I just tested this with a WASD V2 87 keyboard. With a Karabiner-mapped Fn key, I do indeed get an embedded keypad as shown above. However, the way I usually use Karabiner is to remap keyboards to a HHKB layout, which interferes with some of the embedded numpad keys.

Muirium · 26 Feb 2015, 22:16

There's something to be said for the HHKB's conceptual purity. One Fn key, one Fn layer. If it ain't there, it ain't there!

Mal-2 · 26 Feb 2015, 23:34

Higsby wrote: ↑I appreciate the suggestion and will keep it in mind, but I would prefer something with an embedded or left-sided numpad (not sure many exist like that).

Like this one?
http://dsi-keyboards.com/product-catego ... keyboards/

Higsby · 27 Feb 2015, 00:18

Mal-2 wrote: ↑<snip>
Like this one?
http://dsi-keyboards.com/product-catego ... keyboards/

I've actually looked at that one. I'm incredibly certain that I don't want to deal with Red switches.

Are there any keyboards of relatively good quality with either browns or clears that are similar to the Matias Mini Quiet Pro?
I really like the idea of being able to at some point change my keycaps.

Muirium · 27 Feb 2015, 00:39

Well, you're pretty much just as stuck if you go for an unusual layout in MX, too. Have a look at (ugh) Pimp My Keyboard (terrible name) to see what I mean, aftermarket caps really do expect you to be using the common layout:

http://www.pimpmykeyboard.com/group-buys/

MX boards like the Filco Minila (which has a Bluetooth brother, the Minila Air) don't get much action with caps either. I think the Minila has no embedded numpad by the way. It's a bit of an awkward board thanks to its weird stagger too. (The offset between each row of keys. Look at your current keyboard: the Z row is stepped further right than the Q and A rows are. Imagine what your fingers would do if you get something different!)

Anything that's unusual out there is starved for caps. The best compatibility is for regular full size keyboards (naturally) and their two little brothers: TKLs and 60%. If you want something different, you're in for almost Matias like trouble for upgrading caps.

scottc · 27 Feb 2015, 00:53

Muirium wrote: ↑[...] (ugh) Pimp My Keyboard (terrible name) [...]

I've always disliked that name. I wonder why nobody's made a fuss about how crappy it is yet!

Muirium · 27 Feb 2015, 00:58

Because:

It's perfect for the kind of people they actually have in mind.
It's arguably better than MassDrop? A name which really says what to expect!
Besides, it's not exactly the only thing to complain about the way they run the place.

Perusing my PMK newsletters, none of the current action catches my eye. Instead, it's the fact that GBs get so few orders that I find striking. And SP's happy to promote this? Do they really make enough money from a few dozen orders here and there to make the effort worthwhile?

scottc · 27 Feb 2015, 00:59

Fair points, the lot of them!

facetsesame · 27 Feb 2015, 01:14

IMO, PMK was the perfect name for their original green CRT'd, be-kitty mug'd novelty key site, but I don't think it makes sense for its current existence other than for brand continuity. TBH I find it a little embarassing - it puts me off mentioning the thing to the wider world (albeit it's probably not for them either...) FYI, I'll just chuck in another TLA while I'm at it.

Why didn't I make a fuss about it before? I don't feel strongly enough to soapbox and wasn't really interested in potential ensuing drama. Oops!

Muirium wrote:Well, you're pretty much just as stuck if you go for an unusual layout in MX, too. Have a look at (ugh) Pimp My Keyboard (terrible name) to see what I mean, aftermarket caps really do expect you to be using the common layout:

http://www.pimpmykeyboard.com/group-buys/

I concur entirely, getting the right keyshapes in group buys for anything but standard keyboards is frequently impossible, but I love that the first example on the page is the APL legended madness. Common layout indeed!

Muirium · 27 Feb 2015, 01:22

Common, if you were in AI research at a certain point of time, I'm sure!