Cherry MX with diodes in them?

[huttala]

Hi!

I bet ppl has allready asked this, but I can't fint it anywhere so I guess I'll repost it.

I got an board with clears, that I modded to ergoclears, and I love the switches, but hate the board.
I want to desolder the switches and put them in another board, that does not have switches with diodes.
Do I have to desolder all the diodes from the switches when I do this swap? If not, will I get NKRO because of the diodes?

Thanks.

[mintberryminuscrunch]

why desolder?
just swap the stems.
Edit.Didn't read the nkro part, not sure if edited or it's me being tired

[Gilgam]

if you swap the stems end springs, you won't get the diodes and therefore no NKRO.
Even if you desolder/solder on another board i don't think the keyboard will be NKRO...

[huttala]

if you swap the stems end springs, you won't get the diodes and therefore no NKRO.
Even if you desolder/solder on another board i don't think the keyboard will be NKRO...

I swapped the stems and the springs allready, thats why its ergoclears now. But the board I want the clears in has platemounted switches, so I thought that it would be easier to just swap the whole switch instead of desolder all of them and then change stems and springs.

But as I said before I want to make sure that the switches with diodes will work on the other board.

EDIT:
Another thing came to mind, if it works with the diodes, can I just swap the diodes with LED's so I get backlighting? I know it's a pain to do that mod, but if it's possible I will do it.

The board I'm going to put the clears in is an Corsair K60 (yes I know some of the switches is rubberdomes but it's freaking beautiful).

[Kurk]

Non-NKRO boards have controllers that block certain key events in order to prevent ghosting. The most radical and easiest way to do so is to stop registering after 2 key presses. Depending on the matrix design, some keyboards can realize more than 2KRO without diodes but only with certain key combinations.

Short answer to your question: No, just adding diodes doesn't convert a xKRO board to a NKRO one. You'd also need to exchange the controller.

added: Oh, and you do realize that the diodes would need extra connections on the PCB? So you'd also have to drill around 200 extra holes and connect them to the switch matrix on the PCB.

[huttala]

Aight, so the easiest way to do this is to desolder the switches that are plate mounted and then swap the stems then.

And abot the diodes, i was thinking that maybee corsair k60 has the same PCB as k90 and that it would be easy to just add switches with diodes. But I dont know that yet because the board is on its way here.

Thanks a lot for the help!

[Kurk]

Aight, so the easiest way to do this is to desolder the switches that are plate mounted and then swap the stems then.

And abot the diodes, i was thinking that maybee corsair k60 has the same PCB as k90 and that it would be easy to just add switches with diodes. But I dont know that yet because the board is on its way here.

Thanks a lot for the help!

This seems like the way to go. The K60 has 20KRO over USB which is essentially NKRO without a PS/2 connector, so chances are high that the diodes will already be there.

[huttala]

Aight, so the easiest way to do this is to desolder the switches that are plate mounted and then swap the stems then.

And abot the diodes, i was thinking that maybee corsair k60 has the same PCB as k90 and that it would be easy to just add switches with diodes. But I dont know that yet because the board is on its way here.

Thanks a lot for the help!

This seems like the way to go. The K60 has 20KRO over USB which is essentially NKRO without a PS/2 connector, so chances are high that the diodes will already be there.

Yay!
Thanks for the input.

[ripster]

Go for it!

Take lots of pics. I think diodes will be on the switch side of the PCB. Seems to be the trend.

[huttala]

I will take a lot of pics.

While I'm at it, diodes = LED's that doesnt shine, right? So I could throw in some RGB leds in the switches instead, right? That would be awesome.

[off]

wannasee!
Think rgb-leds will fail though, seeing how they (afaik) require more power, and a board full adds up quickly. And if Ripster's instinct is right this time you'll have fun desoldering diodes from the board first (instead of out of the switch).
might not even line up nicely with the ledspot of the switch.
and absolutely, light emitting diodes vs diodes. no clue if it will work or fry. pics much appreciated >:D

[Kurk]

I will take a lot of pics.

While I'm at it, diodes = LED's that doesnt shine, right? So I could throw in some RGB leds in the switches instead, right? That would be awesome.

What off said. I'm afraid that LEDs could require too much power. Even if the controller would provide the juice needed, the LEDs could be rather dim because each row (or column) is scanned sequentially. For simplicity, let's say the keyboard matrix contains 10 rows; then a given LED would only be lit a tenth of the time. So if the polling rate would be 1000 Hz and you'd press one key continuously down then its LED would be on 100 times a second for a 1000th of a second. Disclaimer: that's how I understand it. I'm no expert.
Morever, if the diodes are soldered onto the PCB as ripster suspects then it will be very hard to rewire them to switch-embedded LEDs.
But I also say: go for it, take pictures, shoot videos and post about it!

edit: slightly edited for better understability...

[off]

^ and there's that.. so it'll be at best a board that lights up on keypress; which is still bloody wicked.
*edit: although I'm not even sure now. xD

[ripster]

Nah, won't happen. I tried it for the lulz once but not how a scanning matrix works.

[off]

not how a scanning matrix works.

How so? current passes diode as long as switch is held; that's how lights work in general (although not normally 'MOMentary)

[huttala]

wannasee!
Think rgb-leds will fail though, seeing how they (afaik) require more power, and a board full adds up quickly. And if Ripster's instinct is right this time you'll have fun desoldering diodes from the board first (instead of out of the switch).
might not even line up nicely with the ledspot of the switch.
and absolutely, light emitting diodes vs diodes. no clue if it will work or fry. pics much appreciated >:D

Ok, so RGB leds draw to much power, but I should be able to put in other leds, like red, green or yellow, right? They have about the same voltage.

The board will arrive on monday, or thuesday, so I will start the modding by then, but need to get some LEDs before the board comes, and it would be nice to know that the LEDs will acctually light up as well.

[huttala]

This looks good, found this picure and it seems like they just took the same PCB as K90 and didn't add LED's.

[off]

This looks good, found this picure and it seems like they just took the same PCB as K90 and didn't add LED's.[iimg]

You realise that those holes you are pointing at are standard w cherry's?
an actual pcb pic might mean more
but wait till ripster (or someone) elaborates re the above posts

[ripster]

I'm now puzzling over the font.

[huttala]

This looks good, found this picure and it seems like they just took the same PCB as K90 and didn't add LED's.[iimg]

You realise that those holes you are pointing at are standard w cherry's?
an actual pcb pic might mean more
but wait till ripster (or someone) elaborates re the above posts

I was thinking about the switches being upsidedown, or maybee it's the ones I have that are upsidedown? My holes are on the other side of the switch, both my Cherry boards (G80-8113 and 11800).

And of course an actual PCB pic would be better, but I can't find any on ze interwebz.

Btw, do they connect an extra powersource to the led's on boards that has backligting from factory? Or how do they solve that problem?

[off]

upsidedown

And of course an actual PCB pic would be better, but I can't find any on ze interwebz.

They are indeed, according to the logo ofc. But though that is a hint at the pcb, not conclusive. And couldn't find any myself either, pussies don't want to ruin their expensive plate board I guess. Then again, I don't desolder 'for the heck of it'.

[huttala]

I don't desolder 'for the heck of it'.

Why not?

[sixty]

I'm now puzzling over the font.

Looks like a squished Futura Bold to me.

Edit: Perhaps this variant http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/efscangrap ... a-sb/bold/

[ripster]

The C is quite distinctive. I wouldn't be surprised if is custom. Unlike the Chinese Clones Corsair has some serious inhouse design talent and mojo.

Kinda too much and screwed up the keyboard though.

[huttala]

Since nobody seems to know how it works with the LEDs on a board with diodes I'm going to the store to get some LED's, gonna test it on my Cherry G80-8113 board today, lets hope for the best.

If it doesnt work I would be able to connect the external USB port as power to the LEDs on the Corsair K60 board, right?

EDIT:
It didn't work and the PCB on Cherry boards is really sensitive to heat, had to do some rewiring after I desoldered the switch.
So I guess I'll have to connect the LEDs on external power on the K60 as well, oh well, that's fine with me.

[ripster]

If you are trying to simply swap LEDs with diodes let me summarize:

Good luck with THAT!

IF the K60 has unstuffed LED pads like the lower end Xarmor/Qpad it SHOULD work.

[huttala]

If you are trying to simply swap LEDs with diodes let me summarize:

Good luck with THAT!

IF the K60 has unstuffed LED pads like the lower end Xarmor/Qpad it SHOULD work.

Yeah well, I tried, but failed, so now I know that it will not work.
Would be nice with some feedback tho, if anyone knows how to make this work, it cant be that hard since all the gaming keyboards have backlighting.

[off]

If you are trying to simply swap LEDs with diodes let me summarize:
Good luck with THAT!

Yeah well, I tried, but failed, so now I know that it will not work.
Would be nice with some feedback tho, if anyone knows how to make this work, it cant be that hard since all the gaming keyboards have backlighting.

Props for hands-on mentality. And

If it doesnt work I would be able to connect the external USB port as power to the LEDs on the Corsair K60 board, right?

Should definitely work, just needs some calculations w.r.t. max draw and some resistors in line with the leds. RGB I've got no clue on.

[huttala]

Thanks, but I'll go with one color leds instead of RGB. Just need to find a color that looks awesome.
And one other thing, just have to say that the PCB on Cherry boards SUCKS MASSIVE BALLS. Fucking worthless piece of shit, all the conectors that I've de soldered is loose now, and doesn't connect with the rest of the PCB.

I've desoldered a ducky board 3 times to try out different switches and no problems there, ONE time with these cherry boards and the PCB is fucked up, had to solder new wires to get the switches to work again. Fucking hell I'm pissed off right now.

[ripster]

This thread needs PICS!

of the PCB specifically.

And the font is Gotham Black.

Damn I'm smart.