Noppoo Choc Mini
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This article requires additional photographic illustration — White and LED backlit pictures needed, and photos of revised layout |
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| Part number | Choc-84 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Noppoo |
| Features | Backlighting, integrated numeric keypad, caps lock/control reversal |
| Layouts | 84-key ANSI |
| Keyswitches | Cherry MX |
| Keycaps | Laser-etched POM (original model) |
| Interface | USB |
| Power draw | 9 mA[Citation needed] |
| Rollover | NKRO |
| Weight | 1.6 lbs (~730 g) |
| Price | ~80 USD |
The Noppoo Choc Mini is a compact, backlit 84-key layout keyboard based on the US ANSI layout.
Versions
There are several versions of this keyboard available.
- Black
- White
- Black, LED Backlit
There are also at least two different US ANSI layouts. The layout pictured below has the following keys in the far-right column: Switch Lock, Pause/Print Screen, Page Up/Home, Page Down/End, Delete/Insert, and right arrow. The non-backlit model alphanumeric legends are laser etched with gold-coloured text. The newer layout changed the far-right column to: Delete/Switch (Lock), Home, Page Up, Page Down, End, and right arrow. Insert is moved to the Fn layer of F12. The non-backlit model alphanumeric legends of this version have white text. Additional changes exist besides those in the far-right column, but that column saw the majority of the alterations. The change appears to have been made by February 2012.[1]
Keys
Early versions of the Choc Mini used laser-etched POM keycaps, with golden coloured legends for the primary layer. This was changed to white text, which may also be laser etching.
The front printing is split into several colours: sky blue for num lock and the integrated numeric keypad; magenta for insert, Windows key lock, and the media controls; white for scroll lock, and green for switch lock, which swaps caps lock and control keys (with a dedicated LED). The modifier keys use only text for their legends. Status LEDs are provided by windowed keycaps.
The space bar also sports a Noppoo branding in form of the company logo and text.
The laser-etched keys of the original version are very susceptible to staining, as illustrated below.
Rollover
This keyboard features N-Key Rollover over USB. It achieves this by exposing two separate keyboard interfaces over the USB port, which works similarly to as if there had been a USB hub with two keyboards attached.[2]
Compatibility
This keyboard works on Microsoft Windows and Linux.
The Noppoo doesn't work on Apple macOS and iOS without workarounds:
- Setting the keyboard in PS/2 mode and use a PS/2-to-USB converter.
- Use thefloweringash's Kernel Extension IOUSBHIDDriverDescriptorOverride and KeyRemap4MacBook.
The technical reasons for the problems with Apple products are two: 1. It uses a report format which Apple's parser has a problem with. 2. It supports only low-speed USB, which has a report size limit of 8 bytes. To get around that limit for NKRO, it uses two HID interfaces but of which only one carries the modifiers, and Apple's HID class driver does not combine modifiers from different keyboards.[2]
See also NKRO-over-USB issues.
Gallery
The following pictures date from 2011, prior to the layout changeover in 2011 or early 2012. This version used natural colour laser-etched legends.
- Noppoo Choc Mini 84
Front view
Top view
Laser etching in good condition
Stained laser etching
Laser etching detail
Windowed keycap
References
- ↑ Deskthority — Noppoo Choc Mini [Red Backlight] Posted 2012-02-05. Retrieved 2024-03-20.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Geekhack — Noppoo Choc Mini on MacOS. Posted by thefloweringash on 2011-12-06. Retrieved 2024-03-20
