Rarest Switch?? Cherry MX Lock

GinoKun

23 Sep 2021, 14:18

Hello! Miqaeri's here. This time I have a special switch with me which is the cherry MX lock!
It took me quite some time finding this switch, which delays this video.

Hope you guys enjoy!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wlBvUX_f3A
Last edited by GinoKun on 23 Sep 2021, 15:42, edited 2 times in total.

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Muirium
µ

23 Sep 2021, 15:01

Wrap [youtube] tags around it and you can embed it. Like Chyros always does.

As for MX lock: it's semi-rare. I have one or five myself, so it's not that bad!

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timw4mail

23 Sep 2021, 15:29

Probably rarer than the equivalent ALPS locking switch. It seems like locking switches were kind of a fad.

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Muirium
µ

23 Sep 2021, 15:36

They were kind of annoying

Back when keyboards could only send data to the computer, when they were unidirectional, latching keys were fine for maintaining state like CAPS LOCK. A latched key was a nice physical indicator, and folks were used to them from manual typewriters. But once the host machine could talk back to the keyboard, latching keys became problematic because they could so easily fall out of sync. The host can see the state toggle but it can't reset it!

You see this in Hasu's TMK. He supports latching caps lock, but has to handle it quite differently from the normal momentary key.

GinoKun

23 Sep 2021, 15:45

Muirium wrote:
23 Sep 2021, 15:01
Wrap [youtube] tags around it and you can embed it. Like Chyros always does.

As for MX lock: it's semi-rare. I have one or five myself, so it's not that bad!
hmm.. I tried quoting it but its not working :D

GinoKun

23 Sep 2021, 15:48

Muirium wrote:
23 Sep 2021, 15:36
They were kind of annoying

Back when keyboards could only send data to the computer, when they were unidirectional, latching keys were fine for maintaining state like CAPS LOCK. A latched key was a nice physical indicator, and folks were used to them from manual typewriters. But once the host machine could talk back to the keyboard, latching keys became problematic because they could so easily fall out of sync. The host can see the state toggle but it can't reset it!

You see this in Hasu's TMK. He supports latching caps lock, but has to handle it quite differently from the normal momentary key.
ohhh.. just learned that QMK is based from TMK. Means the locking mechanism in QMK is the same with TMK right?

Findecanor

23 Sep 2021, 15:55

Muirium wrote:
23 Sep 2021, 15:36
But once the host machine could talk back to the keyboard, latching keys became problematic because they could so easily fall out of sync. The host can see the state toggle but it can't reset it!
Before they became super-rare, I put a Cherry MX Lock switch on my ErgoDox for toggling the embedded numpad layer.
That use-case doesn't require any synchronisation with the host, because the layers are all on the keyboard.

BTW, hasn't there been a latching key switch that could be unlatched with a relay?
I'm pretty sure that I have at least seen a post around here of a computer keyboard where the Shift keys were mechanically linked to break the Caps Lock key, as they are on a mechanical typewriter.

Lanrefni

23 Sep 2021, 17:23

Findecanor wrote:
23 Sep 2021, 15:55
Muirium wrote:
23 Sep 2021, 15:36
But once the host machine could talk back to the keyboard, latching keys became problematic because they could so easily fall out of sync. The host can see the state toggle but it can't reset it!
Before they became super-rare, I put a Cherry MX Lock switch on my ErgoDox for toggling the embedded numpad layer.
That use-case doesn't require any synchronisation with the host, because the layers are all on the keyboard.

BTW, hasn't there been a latching key switch that could be unlatched with a relay?
I'm pretty sure that I have at least seen a post around here of a computer keyboard where the Shift keys were mechanically linked to break the Caps Lock key, as they are on a mechanical typewriter.
If I ever get around to finishing it, my Quefrency will have an Alps locking switch for the layer switch.

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