80s Ampex Hi-Tek keyboard VIA and QMK firmware by me

vuckale · 30 May 2022, 01:05

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Hello! Just wanted to share a project I did a while ago. This is a terminal keyboard from 80s which has unique layout and uses white linear space invader (Hi-Tek series 725) switches. I really liked the switches and aesthetics of it, so I decided to convert it to QMK and VIA using a Teensy++ 2.0 development board. I have been using it for 6 months without any problems, but since there are no diodes on the PCB I would not recomend it for gaming or for some advanced shortcuts, even though QMK deals with ghosting very well. I documented everything in this repository:

https://github.com/vuckale/ampex-210-pl ... a-firmware

Feel free to ask anything or give feedback!
Thank you!

inozenz · 30 May 2022, 10:12

those legs man :O

Muirium · 30 May 2022, 11:31

Very elegant setup, nicely done!

TNT · 30 May 2022, 14:38

Wow! Do you have more pictures of the board for us? Those legs are amazing!

vuckale · 31 May 2022, 00:10

Muirium wrote: 30 May 2022, 11:31 Very elegant setup, nicely done!

Thank you! I was going for a Retrofuturism style and this keyboard paired with flat LCD on monitor arm achieves this I think.

vuckale · 31 May 2022, 00:18

TNT wrote: 30 May 2022, 14:38 Wow! Do you have more pictures of the board for us? Those legs are amazing!

Right now I can only post the pics that I have on my github repo since I don't have the keyboard with me.

Here is how it looks flat on the desk which is 7°

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And this one is with legs fully open i.e. 15°

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The one you see in the original post is with legs half open (11°). I would say flat is the most comfortable to type on for me, but the other 2 are also okay.

vuckale · 31 May 2022, 00:24

inozenz wrote: 30 May 2022, 10:12 those legs man :O

they can be set to 7, 11, and 15° angle! Check out my other reply I posted the pictures
The one in the original post is 11°

TNT · 31 May 2022, 09:45

Love the layout on this one. Retro 65% + Numpad

vuckale · 31 May 2022, 20:36

TNT wrote: 31 May 2022, 09:45 Love the layout on this one. Retro 65% + Numpad

Yes! Have the exact layout! Don't forget the awesome 9U spacebar

inozenz · 31 May 2022, 21:47

TNT wrote: 31 May 2022, 09:45 Love the layout on this one. Retro 65% + Numpad

but fxck that backspace man....

Muirium · 31 May 2022, 22:01

Use Clear: HHKB style Delete!

TNT · 31 May 2022, 22:06

inozenz wrote: 31 May 2022, 21:47 but fxck that backspace man....

Hahaha, true that. Just move it left like two keys in the numrow

inozenz · 01 Jun 2022, 12:12

TNT wrote: 31 May 2022, 22:06
inozenz wrote: 31 May 2022, 21:47 but fxck that backspace man....

Hahaha, true that. Just move it left like two keys in the numrow

noo... look a the esc key, it has the extra width which shouldnt be there. the designer thought fxck it imma make a lot of ppl mad in the future!