What old switch would you love to bring back?

green-squid · 28 Feb 2018, 15:28

I would love to see blue alps (cough cough ebay prices) or beamspring (even if I couldn't afford it)

I'm curious about what you think

Blaise170 · 28 Feb 2018, 15:43

green-squid · 28 Feb 2018, 16:06

Ace pad tech kind of makes them now, don't they?

Myoth · 28 Feb 2018, 16:13

oh god ... I have too many things to put in here !

maybe Futuba MA ?
maybe Beamsprings ?
maybe SKCM White ?
maybe SKCM Orange ?
maybe any SKCM/L switch ??

green-squid · 28 Feb 2018, 16:18

Myoth wrote: ↑oh god ... I have too many things to put in here !
maybe SKCM White ?
maybe SKCM Orange ?
maybe any SKCM/L switch ??

Matias are missing out on BIG MONEY by not making similar new switches

purdobol · 28 Feb 2018, 16:20

Anything based on leaf spring is good in my book. So clicky switches without click leaf.
Simple yet satysfing. Like frugo caps

Alps SKCP, Alps SKFF, Marquardt Butterlfy, Beamspring. Hell even Futaba MA.

Really like linear (kind of) switches with sharp tactility, and click when actuation occurs.
They tend to be on the heavier side though, depends on design.

Marquardt Butterfly would be my pick.

FXT · 28 Feb 2018, 16:37

Definitely beamspring. Modern layout with beamsprings would be great. Or a reproduction 3279.

green-squid · 28 Feb 2018, 16:44

FXT wrote: ↑Definitely beamspring. Modern layout with beamsprings would be great. Or a reproduction 3279.

Myoth wrote: ↑maybe Beamsprings ?

purdobol wrote: ↑Beamspring.

That's a Triple Beam Dream

Now I wonder if a company would be willing to take up the task of making 'em if there's enough demand (with MX sliders)

andrewjoy · 28 Feb 2018, 17:06

I would have to say green alps.

And brown alps so i can finally try them.

And lime alps as they are supposed to be super awesome.

Sure beamsping and hall effect , but if we are talking practical . bring back good alps

MAGA

Make Alps Great Again

All matias need to do is pre lube and bring back the slits, i have done some testing on this as its the slits that reduce the wobble

green-squid · 28 Feb 2018, 17:21

andrewjoy wrote: ↑I would have to say green alps.

And brown alps so i can finally try them.

And lime alps as they are supposed to be super awesome.

Sure beamsping and hall effect , but if we are talking practical . bring back good alps

MAGA

Make Alps Great Again

All matias need to do is pre lube and bring back the slits, i have done some testing on this as its the slits that reduce the wobble

Matias should improve their Alps clone game while someone else (Ellipse what up) should get in on the Beam Dream™

andrewjoy · 28 Feb 2018, 17:25

It would not cost them much at all , the modern switch plate is fine springs are fine , sliders are fine, just some lube, slits and better tolerances.

So only investment for them would be new top housings and some time.

depletedvespene · 28 Feb 2018, 17:40

My answer won't surprise anyone here, but still...

Model F buckling springs!

In a wide array of layouts and sizes and stuff.

green-squid · 28 Feb 2018, 17:44

depletedvespene wrote: ↑My answer won't surprise anyone here, but still...

Model F buckling springs!

In a wide array of layouts and sizes and stuff.

Ellipse's keyboards and the HOPEFULLY upcoming Model MF PCB should cover that.

Blaise170 · 28 Feb 2018, 18:01

Matias will never be successful with making the older Alps switches because that was never the point. When Alps got out of the business, they sold their stuff to Forward (Fuhua) and once Forward discontinued the Alps line Matias needed an alternative. I don't foresee Matias ever investing in their switches because the potential ROI is really quite low.

green-squid · 28 Feb 2018, 18:03

Blaise170 wrote: ↑Matias will never be successful with making the older Alps switches because that was never the point. When Alps got out of the business, they sold their stuff to Forward (Fuhua) and once Forward discontinued the Alps line Matias needed an alternative. I don't foresee Matias ever investing in their switches because the potential ROI is really quite low.

Seeing the uptick in popularity of the Alps64 keyboards, I disagree.

andrewjoy · 28 Feb 2018, 18:12

Blaise170 wrote: ↑Matias will never be successful with making the older Alps switches because that was never the point. When Alps got out of the business, they sold their stuff to Forward (Fuhua) and once Forward discontinued the Alps line Matias needed an alternative. I don't foresee Matias ever investing in their switches because the potential ROI is really quite low.

They don't have to make old alps , just bring back the features that made the most difference, the lube and the better top housing. Matias switches are amazing , very nice but with a tiny amount of work they can do it, they love to bash on cherry , well even cherry have sorted out there sliders to make them smooth again so why can matias not do it ?

The alps/matias design is amazing and it should be put in more products, if they push this they can make more competition with cherry and that's good for everyone.

Blaise170 · 28 Feb 2018, 18:29

I used to have faith in Matias' continued improvement but they've been selling the same product for years and the lack of motivation shows me that they don't really care that much about the keyboards themselves. Matias switches are a product of survival, not innovation. I'm not saying it's impossible for any improvements to be made, but I'm not holding my breath (just look at their 60% project).

green-squid · 28 Feb 2018, 18:41

Blaise170 wrote: ↑I used to have faith in Matias' continued improvement but they've been selling the same product for years and the lack of motivation shows me that they don't really care that much about the keyboards themselves. Matias switches are a product of survival, not innovation. I'm not saying it's impossible for any improvements to be made, but I'm not holding my breath (just look at their 60% project).

But Matias probably isn't as much of a lost cause as, for example, Unicomp (May they Rest in SSKs).

davkol · 28 Feb 2018, 21:13

Yawn.

Let's try something different: Burroughs Opto-Electric

green-squid · 28 Feb 2018, 21:17

davkol wrote: ↑Yawn.

Let's try something different: Burroughs Opto-Electric

Interesting. Though optical/laser switches are still made I think (there is a company called bloody that makes gamery keyboards with them.

davkol · 28 Feb 2018, 22:15

Take a look at that force/travel graph though.

A4Tech/Bloody optical switches have nothing to do with this AFAIK.

XMIT · 28 Feb 2018, 22:49

green-squid wrote: ↑Ace pad tech kind of makes them now, don't they?

The spring weights aren't a perfect match and vintage Micro Switch has more travel. We're working on this.

XMIT · 28 Feb 2018, 22:50

davkol wrote: ↑Yawn.

Let's try something different: Burroughs Opto-Electric

You're not the first to have this idea. Just saying.

Daniel Beardsmore · 28 Feb 2018, 22:59

I am most fascinated by [wiki]ITT ETL18[/wiki]; I only managed to buy two, and HaaTa has one of those. Another company in the UK (Ellison Electronics) has a bunch in stock, but I still cannot get them to give me a price! I don't know if they're 20 p each or £200 each.

I've never typed on them, but they feel like no other switch. The closest is Mitsumi tactile (standard type, not the AEK II type), except drastically smoother. Sadly, only one keyboard has ever been found with them.

They're a tad on the large side though — it would be interesting to see how far they could be reduced in size.

tron · 28 Feb 2018, 23:13

I would love to see a modern beam spring reproduction. It seems like it could be done using the xwhatsit controller and pcb design based off of emdudes work.

It would be expensive and risky but modern beam springs in a low profile case would be a major contender in the keyboard enthusiast market. I have doubts the switch feel can be reproduced in any upcoming modern/low profile switch.

digital_matthew · 28 Feb 2018, 23:15

Is there a reason why beam spring switches are so tall? I'm sort of familiar with the mechanism, but I don't really see why they need to have all of that height. It would be great if someone created a low-profile remake of that switch.

davkol · 01 Mar 2018, 07:15

XMIT wrote: ↑
davkol wrote: ↑Yawn.

Let's try something different: Burroughs Opto-Electric
You're not the first to have this idea. Just saying.

I know, right.

But this thread…

green-squid · 01 Mar 2018, 07:18

davkol wrote: ↑
XMIT wrote: ↑
davkol wrote: ↑Yawn.

Let's try something different: Burroughs Opto-Electric
You're not the first to have this idea. Just saying.
I know, right.

But this thread…

Bro there is nothing wrong with this switch!

codemonkeymike · 01 Mar 2018, 12:48

Any sort of leaf spring switch, as someone said before. Either a reduced height IBM Beamspring or a lighter weight Marquardt Butterfly. I have a full board with each and either are end game material as is but a modern remake with small tweaks would make it available for everyone.

Chyros · 01 Mar 2018, 13:47

I'd very much like to try out Marquardts. I own some loose switches, and they feel excellent.