deskthority

I think part of the reason for those lock lights may have been because they were using a generic ALPS circuit board they used when making keyboards for a number of vendors. I know my ADB to USB converter will throw on the Caps Lock and Numlock lights when used on a PC.

Another point in favor of a New Model M vs Old Model M. If you get a New Model M with an RPI2040-based controller, you can flash QMK/VIAL on it. I know with the older models, you can get a Soarer's Converter. But that's an additional cost. QMK/Vial is free, once you get a 5.5mm hex screwdriver to op...

I'm thinking Matias is a pretty small outfit. I've had some email exchanges with their "engineer" and he told me that going forward, they want to use PBT as much as possible. I bought their PBT mouse and I really like it. The PBT won't get shiny as quickly. And the mouse is pretty light weight. I ow...

I got an answer from Matias. It's their own custom profile designed to match other Alps boards.

Whatever it is, I like it.

I've been experimenting with different key cap profiles to see which ones I like the best.

The Tactile Pro/Quiet Pro profile seems to really work for me.

Is there an "Alps" profile used for keyboards that use Alps/Matias switches?

Rollover? I haven't needed to experiment much with key rollover. I've just been typing away while I work and haven't had any issues. It took me an hour to find my Soarer's Converter. I had it on my desk. It fell down and behind my computer. I'd forgotten how much I prefer the Soarer's Converter over...

They are Black Alps. I like them. I like the Salmon Alps better. But not so much so that I would be willing to go through the effort of transplanting them between keyboards.

The Big Foot is here.

This is a nice board. A little yellowing, but not too bad.



Took me about 20 min to find my Soarer's Converter before I could use the thing. But, so far so good. It will get a good workout as I work tomorrow.

I'm in no mood to take on a soldering and desolder project now. I'll use it stock with a Soarer's Converter.

I just bought a Dell AT-101W off eBay. It will be here on Monday.

Do all Dell AT 101W keyboard have black ALPS switches?

I various prices for these all over the place, and I'm wondering if there is a rubber dome variant floating around and that's why it's so cheap.

Is there a use-case for average people not to have their modifiers merged?

Some Omnikey boards had passthrough PS/2 ports though I am not sure how exactly they worked. Unfortunately, those versions did not have Windows keys. I didn't think PS/2 supported daisy chaining. IIRC, motherboards had 2 PS/2 ports and one was for keyboard and one for mouse. I don't think the two w...

I use 3 different operating systems: MacOS, Windows 10 and Arch Linux. I primarily use trackballs and occasionally use mice. I recently bought 2 Sanwa Gravi trackballs. They're a modern replacement for the venerable Microsoft Trackball Explorer. https://www.amazon.com/SANWA-GMAWBTTB138/dp/B09Q8D6XL9...

Honestly your best bet if you don't want to solder is to go to a university computer engineering lab with a hundred bucks, 2 AEKs and a Dell AT101W , and pay those kids to put the switches from the Apple boards into the Dell. Do that. Old Dell keyboards are better built than old Apple keyboards any...

Ok, here is what I am looking for:

1. ALPS Orange or Salmon or similar tactile switches
2. 100% full size with Windows/Super keys.
3. Programmable, so either USB with QMK/VIAL or PS/2 with a Soarer's Converter
4. Separate left and right modifier keys, so I can program them individually

I'm debating getting a full size keyboard with Gazeew U4T switches and cherry profile keycaps.

A Keychron K10 Pro, may be the way to go. I keep trying smaller form-factor keyboards and end up going back to a 100%.

I own a Tactile Pro. Thought I don't find the switches as nice as those on this AEK, I think they're better than anything I have tried on the Cherry clone side of things. The best Cherry clone switch I have ever used is the Boba U4T (now Gazeew U4T). As much as I like that switch, I'd rather use som...

I think my experiment with the AEK is over at this point. Between the typing problems I am having and the lack of individual modifier keys that can be programmed (I need to reprogram Right Control to be the Globe key), I need to look at something either more modern or PS/2 vintage. I'd like to get s...

I switched to the US International Layout and did not get an AltGr key. But that may be just because of the AEK. I'll need to swap in an actual USB keyboard.

I know European keyboards with an AltGr key can do this. But my understanding is that those of us on ANSI keyboards need to type Alt + some four digital number on the numpad. That's merely a function of the keyboard layout in the operating system . I haven't personally touched a macintrash in years...

Something else odd happening with this keyboard. I'm not the world's greatest typist. I make mistakes. Sometimes I press 2 keys at once. On this keyboard, I'm hitting some kind of key combination that causes the number 6 to get pressed, followed by a bunch of other characters finally ending in an ES...

I like the AEK and AEK II. I'm not only limited to the Apple ecosystem. But I do use Macs, so I appreciate the addition of the extra modifier key that I can't get on a Model M or other vintage keyboard. As a typist, I REALLY appreciate the way Apple does things with the Option key. ⌥ + 8 is a bullet...

I have seen none other keyboards listed with these switches. Were these switches made for Apple? If so, I wonder why Apple requested a quieter switch.

kshopper2084 wrote: ↑

10 Nov 2023, 17:42

apastuszak wrote: ↑

10 Nov 2023, 02:19

I'm having one small problem with the keyboard. The E key is giving me an odd pinging noise when I press it. Has anyone heard of this? It's pretty distracting when I am trying to type.

You can take it apart and apply the "paper fix" to dull the sound. Try searching here for that.

Thanks

I'm having one small problem with the keyboard. The E key is giving me an odd pinging noise when I press it. Has anyone heard of this? It's pretty distracting when I am trying to type.

Boba U4Ts are replaced by Gazeew U4T switches. Due to switch yellowing issues Gazeew discontinued the Boba U4T.

There are still plenty of Boba U4Ts in the supply channel. Since I have keycaps over my switches, I really don't care if they yellow.

So, for the curious, this site sells parts for the AEK and AEK II. https://applerescueofdenver.com/products-page/macintosh-to-powerpc/keyboards-mice-joysticks-macintosh/apple-extended-keyboard-keyboard-ii-parts/ I have never ordered from them before. I just found then on a DuckDuckGo search. But if ...

Found both clips and managed to get them back in. Space bar works again! Thank God!

Crap. Looks like I may need new space bar stabilizer clips. The old ones may be broken. This is going to suck. I found one website that sells parts, but they're out of stock on that one.