Modifying a uTron

[ghaz]

Hi guys,

I have a uTron on the way (my wallet is feeling lighter!), and ideally I would like to increase the distance between the two halves. I may even go as far as attaching the halves to the arm rests on my chair. Does anyone have much of an idea about how easy this would be, and how risky it would be to change out the cable between the two halves? I suffer pretty bad RSI and I think this would help a lot.

Thanks for any info you might be able to give.

Cheers

[Muirium]

Good question! I'm keen to hear how this goes. Topre switches in an ergo: fantastic! But the design is a bit too conservative for its own good.

Best of luck with the mod!

[cookie]

I think it is not that hard to do, I assume that the wire is connected with a connector or directly soldered on the PBC.
If you habe solid soldering skills and a propper equipment this should be easy! I use a solder station and a desoldering pump for such things. Keep in mind to not burn the wires and PBC with a too hot iron!

A other thing with you RSI, don't give up bro! This can and will be better, the best way to get rid of this is to analyze bad computing habits and change you lifestyle a little bit. Doing sport almost cured my RSI completely, you get in shape and you strengthen your body! Only a strength body can over come all the repetitive stress without getting harmed.

What helped me the most were the following things:
1: Stop hanging out on PC after work! Simply don't do this.... let you body rest!
2: Ergonomic input devices at wort, MX RED helped a lot to me because they are verry light and you can typre effordless!
3: Good chair, good table and good posture, there are several guides about a good posture at work.
4: Good and regular rest, no overnight coding/gaming sessions!
5: Sport, man that was the biggest deal, I lost 30 KG (66lb) and got in a good healthy condition!

A year ago I coul'd barely hold my guitar, now I can play as much as I wan't...

Anyway, good luck with your mod!

P.S Pictures would be great

[Muirium]

Definitely take pictures! The µTron is a poorly documented keyboard online, as far as I can tell. (Naturally I went to read up on it when I first heard of an ergo Topre's existence.) Insides are even better!

Cookie's right about RSI in general, too. Mix things up, pull some weights, etc. All true. But so too, fundamentally, is the keyboard. The µTron is second only on my ergo wishlist to the DataHand! Very interested to see what you do with it.

[kbdfr]

[…] 5: Sport, man that was the biggest deal, I lost 30 KG (66lb) and got in a good healthy condition!
[…]
P.S Pictures would be great

Pictures would be great

[hoggy]

To love to hear how it works out.

About the rsi - If you've already got a kinesis and branched out to a utron - then you're already thinking long term (good choice).

[ghaz]

Thanks for the advice so far. I'll definitely take some photos when it arrives, and I'll try to get some shots of the internals right away, assuming it's easy. I'll also take photos the whole way along, as I'll probably need advice... I've been meaning to learn to solder for a while. Unfortunately this project could turn out to be an expensive way to start. Hopefully the cable is attached by a connector!

Also thanks for the advice with the RSI. I'm very aware that it's a marathon and not a sprint. I've also realised that it's a series of cumulative steps, and each one gets me closer to being free of pain. Steps that I've taken so far:

* Took up lifting weights (free weights).
* Bought a Steelcase Leap from a liquidated company and brought it to work (my dad has my old one back in Australia).
* Cut down computer use at home a lot (and use a proper keyboard at home now too).
* Started using the Kinesis Advantage.
* Started using a Kensington Expert Mouse on my left hand (right hand was damaged by years of online poker, though I'm a programmer now.
* Take regular breaks and do stretches.
* Learned to type with the Colemak layout (via the Tarmak transitional steps - see http://forum.colemak.com/viewtopic.php?pid=12313)
* and more!

Alas I can't change my desk out at work, or I'd have done that too!

I think I can do better, so here I am about to pull apart a keyboard that I spent months deliberating over . I also contacted Datahand to see when they might be building some more, but my email bounced as apparently their email boxes are full . I will probably keep trying, even once I've got my uTron. It's worth a try, even if there's a 30% chance it will help.

Thanks everyone.

[ghaz]

By the way, I do wish I'd bought the mx red Kinesis Advantage! I would actually be buying one of those, and bringing my mx brown advantage home, except I have decided to break the bank and get the uTron instead .

[ghaz]

I guess I should also look into having a better posture. I think my posture is generally pretty good, but I'm sure it could do with another look.

[Muirium]

Good stuff. You've been thinking this over and acting, too. Can't beat that!

I'd get practicing with the soldering iron, if I were you, Ghaz. This is not a keyboard to shrug off if you make enough mistakes. It'd be nice if its design is friendly enough to avoid soldering, and I've frankly no idea whether it is or not. But now is a good time to level up a bit just in case!

[hoggy]

Take a look at ergotron. I went for the workfit s as my employer had just fitted out the office with the same desk through out.

You can practice soldering on old electronic junk...

[ghaz]

Thanks. Some of those ergotrons look pretty good, though they don't seem quite as useful if I decide to mount the keyboards on my chair's armrests.

Do you guys have any soldering irons recommendations for this kind of work? I'll grab some broken / old electronics from work or elsewhere to practice on. Anyway, I'll have more information as soon as I get the thing!

[cookie]

[…] 5: Sport, man that was the biggest deal, I lost 30 KG (66lb) and got in a good healthy condition!
[…]
P.S Pictures would be great

Pictures would be great

I am not verry fond of posting pictures of me in forums, sorry

If the wire is directly connected to the pbc, I highly recommend a soldering pump!

[nightsnack]

Really looking forward to seeing pictures of your microTron. Those already online are mostly stock images, and I have yet to see a comparison of the uTron key cap with a regular Topre keycap. I'm also very curious about the smaller 17mm pitch, whether it take a lot of effort to adapt to that.

[webwit]

It has smaller keys.

[cookie]

Wow were you get those nice pictures? Really nice!

[JBert]

He took them, check http://webwit.nl/input/utron/ for more.

[Muirium]

Nice feet.

But none of the insides. So we still wait!

[nightsnack]

It has smaller keys.

Does that make it difficult to switch between the utron and regular keyboards?

[JBert]

I think the reverse staggering of the left-hand side will upset you even more than just the small keys...

[webwit]

It does not make it difficult because it's such a different device. All keys can be reached by finger movement, without hand movement.

[cookie]

I think the reverse staggering of the left-hand side will upset you even more than just the small keys...

Actually this is the best about it! Id love to have a non staggered board

[ghaz]

I love the non-staggering on the Kinesis Advantage, so the reverse staggering shouldn't bother me.

Alas, Personal Media Corporation have had trouble putting through my credit card (the site didn't even ask me for a CCV number). They'd rather not give one of my other cards a go, so I'm going to try wiring them Yen now. I tried to convince my brother (who doesn't live in the same country as me) to grab one from Akihabara for me, but he's on his way out of Tokyo tomorrow and can't manage it.

Nice pictures webwit. Is that as far as the two sides can be moved apart from each other? I assume there screws on the back that will make it easy to take the back off?

You have the Kinesis Advantage too, right? How hard is it to reach the thumb keys (arrow keys, backspace?, page up and down), compared to the Advantage?

Thanks

[ماء]

I love the non-staggering on the Kinesis Advantage, so the reverse staggering shouldn't bother me.

Alas, Personal Media Corporation have had trouble putting through my credit card (the site didn't even ask me for a CCV number). They'd rather not give one of my other cards a go, so I'm going to try wiring them Yen now. I tried to convince my brother (who doesn't live in the same country as me) to grab one from Akihabara for me, but he's on his way out of Tokyo tomorrow and can't manage it.

Nice pictures webwit. Is that as far as the two sides can be moved apart from each other? I assume there screws on the back that will make it easy to take the back off?

You have the Kinesis Advantage too, right? How hard is it to reach the thumb keys (arrow keys, backspace?, page up and down), compared to the Advantage?

Thanks

It does not make it difficult because it's such a different device. All keys can be reached by finger movement, without hand movement.-Webwit-

[Muirium]

Webwit was talking about the stagger. Ghaz is asking about the layout. This stuff gets complex…

[ghaz]

Webwit was talking about the stagger. Ghaz is asking about the layout. This stuff gets complex…

I'm especially interested in a comparison between the Advantage thumb clusters and the uTron keys, because the uTron keys may be easy to reach and still be less convenient than the Advantage thumb clusters.

Anyway, I will answer my own question in due time, assuming Personal Media Co manages to sell me the bloody thing!

[Muirium]

Japan: "What, you foreigners want to buy our stuff? Why? Just come here and get it."

[webwit]

I'm currently at a holiday destination so I can't check, but I think the screws are hidden under the feet or keys, not sure. The cable between the units should have been longer, you can check cable length here:
http://webwit.nl/input/utron/utron7.jpg
Not sure how it compares to the Kinesis Advantage without having them side by side. Also I never used the Kinesis much.
I used a shopping/shipping service to buy it from PMC and have it forwarded.

[ghaz]

Thanks Webwit.

Personal Media Co have already received my wire, and are shipping it, so I'm back on track .

[HaaTa]

I'm in Tokyo right now if someone else wants a uTron.
And even once I leave next week, buying on Amazon.jp and having someone forward it is another option (we do have some Japanese members around).

Yeah, the screws are hidden under the feet. I've tried to take them off before, but wasn't successful (might have destroyed the feet).