Interest Check - European Poker Group buy Round 2

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Well, if it makes you any happier, I've just ordered a 105-key Realforce (variable weight). I've been needing to try one for a long time, so here goes. Fukka white, Cherry MX brown and complicated black ALPS are all giving me no joy right now, so it's time for a change.

[Sugoi]

There is no ISO Layout für the KBC Poker, or should i be wrong?

No, so far there is none. That's why we need to get more people who want ISO to make KBC consider the production worthwhile for them.

[blackshuck13]

I would be interested in an ISO version, not sure which keyswitch yet tho...

[hargon]

Very good. Hopefully the'll consider this. I would be highly interessted in an EU ISO (german) layout too.

[v33k]

Would properly also be interested in 2

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Just curious, do you all want blank, fully lettered, or front (Fn layer) legends only?

The ISO demand is deeply reassuring, but I don't know about the MOQ for lettering for individual nationalities and I doubt we'd make it. I'm happy with blank, although it would be very helpful if the key fronts were labelled with the Fn layer.

[agor]

I might be interested for an ISO version, too.

[wupi]

Just curious, do you all want blank, fully lettered, or front (Fn layer) legends only?

The ISO demand is deeply reassuring, but I don't know about the MOQ for lettering for individual nationalities and I doubt we'd make it. I'm happy with blank, although it would be very helpful if the key fronts were labelled with the Fn layer.

German layout would be cool, but blank with fn layer also.

[Sugoi]

German layout would be cool, but blank with fn layer also.

Same here.

[hargon]

Would be pleased with german or blank here too. Hope the AltGr-Issue is adressed then... need this key quite often in german layout.

[Gunny]

I'm happy with blank, although it would be very helpful if the key fronts were labelled with the Fn layer.

Pretty much the same. Blank + the same key fronts inscriptions that the Poker already has (+ modifier keys maybe ?) would be great. Of course I'd prefer a fully French layout but if it's not possible to have multiple nationalities that will do the trick.

[paat]

A blank iso version would work for me too.

[Lamaboi]

I'd be more then happy with just the default US ansi layout, hope that's not going to be a problem.

[wupi]

What about the second round ?

[sixty]

Everyone wants ISO and ISO is nowhere near ready. Unless we find 20 people for a second run of ANSI ones, its not happening.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Aw, I was really looking forward to my ISO Poker :P

D’oh.

[ihhbui]

I'm interested in an ANSI MX Red please =]

[Brian8bit]

I will take one with browns and one with blacks in ANSI.

[Lenny_Nero]

The pokers we got in group buy 1 look different from the ones iMav got and the ones poker originally distributed. I don't know why, I never ordered anything different.

I am gutted that I lost out on the first round, but thats another story
and if poss would still like to get hold of one of these.

But from the look of this thread there seems to be a lot of confusion about the layout styles they come in.

My ideal layout would be a British layout with a big ['ish] transmit key and brown switches.
I would have at least one, but depending on the caps it comes with I would have what there is needed to make up the numbers.

Also what was the change/diff between the iMav and Sixty grp 01 versions ??

[JBert]

So far, I think the Poker from group buy 1 got it 98% right, but it did have a few issues:

• No Alt-Gr key. This is a real problem for non-Americans as I can't easily type the Euro symbol... (Known beforehand though)
• No way to switch Esc and tilde by default. (Known beforehand)
• When in "Esc mode" (entered by pressing Fn + Q) you can type no tilde by pressing the Fn key again. As I tend to edit LaTeX files using GVim, I really need the tilde AND the Esc key. Staying out of "Esc mode" is not that much better because I now need to type Fn + Tilde every time I want to go back to Vim's default editing mode.
• No numpad emulation (Ok, this is a bit far-fetched, but I do know a program which has hotkeys bound to the numpad. I might need to buy a Cherry keypad to fix this)
• The inverted-T is embedded in WASD. I'm more used to JKIL myself... (Was known beforehand, just a silly preference though)

Seeing how these issues make life somewhat harder than necessary, will there be a revised PCB/firmware? Alternatively, would it be possible to buy a mod-PCB which has an empty spot to could solder in a Teensy++ instead of the Holtek controller (hopefully with just the diodes and USB connector soldered on)?

[rouston]

So far, I think the Poker from group buy 1 got it 98% right, but it did have a few issues:

• No Alt-Gr key. This is a real problem for non-Americans as I can't easily type the Euro symbol... (Known beforehand though)
• No way to switch Esc and tilde by default. (Known beforehand)
• When in "Esc mode" (entered by pressing Fn + Q) you can type no tilde by pressing the Fn key again. As I tend to edit LaTeX files using GVim, I really need the tilde AND the Esc key. Staying out of "Esc mode" is not that much better because I now need to type Fn + Tilde every time I want to go back to Vim's default editing mode.
• No numpad emulation (Ok, this is a bit far-fetched, but I do know a program which has hotkeys bound to the numpad. I might need to buy a Cherry keypad to fix this)
• The inverted-T is embedded in WASD. I'm more used to JKIL myself... (Was known beforehand, just a silly preference though)

Seeing how these issues make life somewhat harder than necessary, will there be a revised PCB/firmware? Alternatively, would it be possible to buy a mod-PCB which has an empty spot to could solder in a Teensy++ instead of the Holtek controller (hopefully with just the diodes and USB connector soldered on)?

these are not issues. all small and odd personnal preferences. nothing that really necessitate any change quite frankly. numpad here? not serious...
altgr is replaced by ctrl+alt then 5 to have euro symbol.

[JBert]

Way to go, pick out one thing I marked as a preference of mine and then discard the rest of the list as non-serious.

Windows can map Ctrl + Alt to AltGr but I'm using Linux. I'd rather sacrifice the "context menu" and get a real AltGr instead, which is exactly what a new KBC keyboard is doing. Sadly, said keyboard has it's own set of "flaws".

[rouston]

how to drown in a glass of water...
these are not flaws, just personal preferences.

[webwit]

how to drown in a glass of water...

Lol, I didn't know that proverb, I bet there's a French original?

[lal]

Windows can map Ctrl + Alt to AltGr but I'm using Linux. I'd rather sacrifice the "context menu" and get a real AltGr instead,

Put this in /etc/default/keyboard on current Debian derivatives:

Code: Select all

XKBOPTIONS="lv3:menu_switch"

Or use your desktop environments keyboard configuration applet.

[JBert]

altgr is replaced by ctrl+alt then 5 to have euro symbol.

Fun fact: it works, sometimes. Depending on the application, certain hotkeys might use Ctrl + Alt + something, meaning you can't type accents because the application didn't even see it as AltGr + that other key.

I'm gonna treat your reply as subjective for now and see how far we can go with that.

Windows can map Ctrl + Alt to AltGr but I'm using Linux. I'd rather sacrifice the "context menu" and get a real AltGr instead,

Put this in /etc/default/keyboard on current Debian derivatives:

Code: Select all

XKBOPTIONS="lv3:menu_switch"

Or use your desktop environments keyboard configuration applet.

Thanks for that, I'll try it out on next reboot.

[Minskleip]

Build yourself a Teensy-ps2-to-usb-converter! It'll supposedly work with the Poker. I have the converter, but I'm missing the keyboard :I

[rouston]

how to drown in a glass of water...

Lol, I didn't know that proverb, I bet there's a French original?

yep. I'll try to use others in the future ^^

[Daniel Beardsmore]

how to drown in a glass of water...
these are not flaws, just personal preferences.

Normarily, of course, if you don't like a product, you buy a rival product that you do like. Leopold vs Cherry vs FILCO vs Noppoo for example.

Now, there aren't exactly a lot of keyboards in this form factor to choose from – you have exactly one choice: do you want Cherry, or do you want Topre? (The other, is do you want ANSI, or do you want ANSI?)

The miniguru will be interesting if it ever makes it into production, because then you'll have a programmable Cherry board WITH a trackpoint as an alternative option (the trackpoint means that when you really must still use a mouse, it too is on the home row).

I see the Poker as a poor stopgap until the miniguru comes out, but that may never happen :(

[webwit]

KBC has released a controller called Chameleon which they say is "the most powerful programmable controller":
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=12539447015
There are some topics about it on the KBC forum. I don't know much more than that though. But I bet it works well with the Poker. Maybe sixty can inquire with his contacts and import some. Or you buy directly from taobao. 20 EUR is a good price.