[project] Cherry G80-3000 Wireless

[cookie]

Hello DT,

First of all, I higly value this forum! I learned and still learn a lot reading here
A few verry talented people inspired me to do this modification, so thank you guys for that!

Okay how should I start? Maybe a few lines about me and what drove me to do that modification.
I am a professional Web and Backend developer from Germany and I usually stay with my input devices till they melt!
Before my studys I gamed a friggn LOT and still do So my project is not 100% Work oriented.

My first Keyboard I liked a lot was a "Logitech Internet Navigator Keyboard" and I was super happy with that thing.
That was also my first keyboard with multimedia keys I got used to them and started to like them verry much, so that became something I like to have as well.
Since that day I switched from Microsoft products to Logitech I wanted nothing else!

6 years ago I sold my Internet Navigator Keyboard and bought that super fancy G15 thing with macro keys and backlit!
So far so good, the features were nice on paper but I realized that I spend a crapton of money for features I barely use.
I sold that thing quite time ago and since then it became a pain in the ass to find a propper keyboard =/
I wanted a keyboard with a deafult qwertz layout, wrist rest and multimedia keys (Wireless was optional).
I tried to stick with Logitech but I was super disappointed with their stuff.
The whole "G" line was way to big on my desk and way to ugly for my taste and I didn't want to spend money on features I never use.
The rest was simply cheap shit with no wrist rest and a terribly layout.
Microsoft had a low price gaming keyboard I liked... but I can't get over that glossy finish and the whole cyborg stuff... omg ugly!
Roccat was to fancy, Razer had hardware problems, Steelseries 7G way to expensive, cherry = no wrist rest, logitech = douchebag layout...
At the end I bought a G110...

I was (and I still am) super frustrated about the mainstream industry products, how they look, what they offer, what they cost and how shitty the quality is.
After all I decided to build my own one. And somehow I landed here and learned a lot.

First of all I asked myself what exactly I want?
* DEFAULT LAYOUT FOR FUCKING SAKE!
* Wireless (Without latency)
* Mechanical
* Cherry MX-Blue Switches (I loooove that click clack shizzl!)
* Black color
* Doubleshot Keycaps
* Multimedia Keys
* Wrist Rest
* Fullsize Keyboard
* Simple Design


I ordered a Cherry G80-3000 and was sooooooo disappointed about the quality, they felt so flimsy and cheap and the keycaps are a joke.
Shame on you cherry! 65€ for that? At least they are PBC mounted and the switches are killer! AND I got it for 20 bugs from ebay (new condition).
Next one was the Cherry sirius XT wireless keyboard I got for 15€ (ebay). I ordered a cherry product on purpose with the intention
I haven't to do huge changes on the keyboard matrix. It has a 2,5 GHz sender and I didn't felt any latency problems due testing.
And the best part are the doubleshots for 6€

First I got a BEER!

PA140021.JPG (111.99 KiB) Viewed 4633 times

After that I started to check the Matrix of both keyboards, lucky for me nearly 85% were equal!

PA140023.JPG (184.44 KiB) Viewed 4633 times

After I matched it I labeled the wires correctly and soldered the controller on the pbc.

PA140026.JPG (694.66 KiB) Viewed 4633 times

I soldered a few bridges to macht the Matrix of the wireless controller

PA140025.JPG (303.95 KiB) Viewed 4633 times

After all keys worked well I put the Controller on the PBC. I used 2 screws to fix that.

PA140033.JPG (163.26 KiB) Viewed 4633 times

I put everything together in the G80 case (Untill the new cas is not done it will stay there).

PA140034.JPG (172.67 KiB) Viewed 4633 times

Done!

PA140035.JPG (96.52 KiB) Viewed 4633 times

Currently I write with that thing and I am not 100% sure if that controller will stay.
I Noticed a few lags sometimes and I dont know if the batterie is maybe low or something like that.

The next steps (Beside testing how this thing will work) is a new case. I am not 100% sure about the material but it
should become something dark grayish near to black to match a razer mamba 4G.

Yeah a lot for a first post I think

Cheers,
Edel

[ripster]

Nice mod! Using a Cherry Wireless as donor to prevent redoing the matrix was clever.

5124045827_57a6d86501_z.jpg (158.57 KiB) Viewed 4624 times

[webwit]

Great mod and first post, well done.

[cookie]

Thanks, the only problem is that it sometimes stop working and its lagging sometimes... have to check the batteries and build a better housing for them. I simply soldered them together + a bit of ducktape.... maybe I have a loose connection on them =/

I hope the problem is not with the sending unit.... otherwise I have to find another one.

[itlnstln]

Well done.

[Ascaii]

For the case you should look for an NCR case like this one: it fits a g80-3000 PCB perfectly (they are a custom order g81-3000).

Here is a picture on an ebay auction: http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dl ... RK:MESE:IT

The Keys are the reason it went for as much as it did. A lot of times people will discard the case+pcb and just keep the dyesub keys. You could make a WTB thread ehre and on gh if the style suits your fancy.

[cookie]

Hey ascaii, thanks 4 the link, but I already got a set of pretty awesome doubleshot keycaps (! They are amazing
I am going to sandblast them to get a newish look and feel.

I am building the case myself, I am not 100% sure about the material but I think it will be made of wood + aluminium.

I will keep this thread up to date

[sixty]

For the case you should look for an NCR case like this one: it fits a g80-3000 PCB perfectly (they are a custom order g81-3000).

Here is a picture on an ebay auction: http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dl ... RK:MESE:IT

The Keys are the reason it went for as much as it did. A lot of times people will discard the case+pcb and just keep the dyesub keys. You could make a WTB thread ehre and on gh if the style suits your fancy.

They actually do not fit the newer style G80 pcbs perfectly. Looking at the pics, it seems like this one would not fit in the older case.

[Ascaii]

For the case you should look for an NCR case like this one: it fits a g80-3000 PCB perfectly (they are a custom order g81-3000).

Here is a picture on an ebay auction: http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dl ... RK:MESE:IT

The Keys are the reason it went for as much as it did. A lot of times people will discard the case+pcb and just keep the dyesub keys. You could make a WTB thread ehre and on gh if the style suits your fancy.

They actually do not fit the newer style G80 pcbs perfectly. Looking at the pics, it seems like this one would not fit in the older case.

strange, I recently test fitted a new g80-3000 USB pcb in an NCR case and it worked.