Tipro split keyboard with R3 keycaps!

[Minskleip]

Yes! Todo: extend the tipro bus so I can type on it. First try was unsuccessful, so now I'll try something more basic, like melted glue!

Orange arrow is LAlt, and Front is LAlt + Shift which toggles between English and Greek layout. Norwegian characters (I don't write much Norwegian) is summoned with Compose.

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[Jim66]

Nice, It needs wrist rests.

[Minskleip]

Maybe - more important is a new desk! That one is too tall. I'm going to move to a lower desk as soon as I get the Poker, and maybe neutral arm positions is hoover position!

[hoggy]

Very, very nice. Beats my attempt at this.

[kbdfr]

Wow!

[CeeSA]

serious, yesterday i put some keycaps to one of my 4 Tipro 4x8 modules the same way.
i missed one row at least. 5x8 would be better.

but i like the slant toward the middle. nice feeling.

[Minskleip]

Have to be a little creative to get numbers and Function keys with only 4 rows.

[intealls]

It's a bit tricky, considering they don't have NKRO. You have to put layer switches on both devices, otherwise, some relatively common combinations will be impossible to perform. And it beeps like hell when you run out of 'KRO.

[kbdfr]

(...) You have to put layer switches on both devices, otherwise, some relatively common combinations will be impossible to perform. (...)

Modules connected via Tipro bus connector act as just one device. A layer switch on any of them will affect all modules. Not so, though, if you have a "master" module and a "slave" module connected to the PS/2 port of the "master".

[Minskleip]

intealls, how did you connect the firewire cable to the Tipros? I'm trying to be smart here, but it all fails miserably haha. The damned connector is so small!

[7bit]

It's a bit tricky, considering they don't have NKRO. You have to put layer switches on both devices, otherwise, some relatively common combinations will be impossible to perform. And it beeps like hell when you run out of 'KRO.

It is definitely not a game board!

Even when normally typing I get this annoying beep from time to time.

Here is my split setup (please notice my 1.5 units space bar!):

mytiprosetup_001.jpg (314.52 KiB) Viewed 5732 times

[Minskleip]

Nice work! Tiny space bar! What is it programmed to?

[CeeSA]

@beep
always the first think i do before i use a tipro:
i desolder this little black beepmaker

[intealls]

intealls, how did you connect the firewire cable to the Tipros? I'm trying to be smart here, but it all fails miserably haha. The damned connector is so small!

Buy heat shrink tubes. First strip the cables, spin them together kinda, and apply a medium amount of solder. Move the heat shrink tube over the area you just soldered and warm it up with a lighter or something. Rinse and repeat until you're done.

Edit: Check out this video for an example! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVpDzbND8sY

[intealls]

Here's the layout I've come up with so far. Still adjusting, it's probably gonna take a while to get used to. Numbers on the home row feel kinda nice though.

Code: Select all

  ------ ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------
 | esc   |       | tab   | å     | ä     | ö     | p     | y     | f     | g     | c     | r     | l     | ,     | ¨     | bsp   |
 |       |       |       | {     | }     | '     | "     | |     | $     | home  | up    | end   | pgup  |       |       |       |
 |       |       |       | F1    | F2    | F3    | F4    | F5    | F6    | F8    | F9    | F10   | F11   | F12   |       |       |
  ------ ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------
 |       |       | ctrl  | a     | o     | e     | u     | i     | d     | h     | t     | n     | s     | -     | '     | enter |
 |       |       |       | (     | )     | ;     | =     | /     | *     | right | down  | left  | pgdn  |       |       |       |
 |       |       |       | 1     | 2     | 3     | 4     | 5     | 6     | 8     | 9     | 0     | +     | ´     |       |       |
  ------ ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------
 |       |       | shift | .     | q     | j     | k     | x     | b     | m     | w     | v     | z     | shift | up    | L2    |
 |       |       |       | <     | >     | [     | ]     | \     | ins   | del   | #     | %     | &     |       | pgdn  |       |
 |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
  ------ ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------
 |       |       | alt     win   | L3    | L2    | spc   | spc   | spc   | spc   | L2    | L3    | altgr | left  | down  | right |
 |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       | home  | pgup  | end   |
 |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
  ------ ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------

[/size]

[Minskleip]

Thanks for the tip, but I had already bought a couple of these red connectors, so I couldn't wait more to get it up running. I created the cable by stripping off the outer plastic of a phone cable, and put the 6 leads into a braided cable thingie (I was hoping this would make it more flexible), and then soldered the leads to the connectors on the red connector while having it connected to the Tipro (else the pins would get misaligned). Success!

I have numbers under the homerow in a numpad constellation. This is very convenient when using "link hints" in Firefox/Pentadactyl. Just hit F and the number corresponding to the link you want to follow instead of having to reach for the mouse!

Backspace under the right thumb is very intuitive, and I've never even used right thumb for anything before!

The matrix layout is forcing me to improve my touch skills. For instance, I've always used the left index finger to type C, but this won't work anymore. I still type .org by moving my hand and typing r with the middle finger and g with the index though..

Getting used to hit Return with the index finger rather than the pinky was a bit awkward at first, but now it's very nice. Because the double width keys are so stiff it's very fulfilling to strike it down hard! Smite it like a GOD!

One thing I just noticed: I've placed the modules so that they turn inwards, or the opposite direction as the "truly ergonomic". When I have them this way the line from my forearm out to the thumb are almost straight:

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[intealls]

Looks great!

Regarding the connector you soldered on, was it identical to the original bus-connector included with the units? If so, where did you buy it?

[Minskleip]

It's from the same series, and I got it from Elfa

[mintberryminuscrunch]

what about the non staggered keys?
does it feel better, easier to hit the right key? or is it just a matter of getting accustomed to it?

[Minskleip]

A few keys are harder to reach, like N because it's closer to J on a staggered board. I used to press B with the wrong hand, so I'm still getting used to using my left hand on B, but with a matrix layout B is much more easy to reach with the left hand, so that's definitely a plus. I'm also overcompensating a bit when pressing Q, and end up hitting ESC, but that's improving.

Whit this particular layout I'm using, I also have to adjust to the small shift keys and not having a number row. To get ! I have to press leftmost FUN + SHIFT + M. Some of the modifiers could possible be improved by enlarging them, but that's just something one gets used to.

In short, matrix is an improvement for the right hand (as in no "random" placement of the keys. For instance, using the number row on a staggered board is very difficult because the keys are so random), and a very high improvement for the left hand. Both hands are now equal where on a staggered board the left has a distinct disadvantage.