deskthority

Unicomp keyboards don't cost $100 anymore either.


Sadly true. I paid $104 for my New Model M. Now they cost $150.

$150 is a tough pill to swallow, when you can get a pretty decent keyboard from a company like Keychron for around $100. Obviously it's not a buckling spring Model M. But it's ...

I don't understand why soldered keyboards cost more than ones with hot swap sockets.

You cannot compare products targeted to Germany with products targeted to China (which possibly may also be sold to G7 countries). There is very likely a difference in the level of support / warranty. But one ...

All types of hot-swap sockets I've seen have been surface-mounted, and I think the process of soldering them can be completely automated on standard equipment.

Well, the switches still need to be inserted to the sockets. But yes, in general, surface mount is cheaper.

But I'm responding ...

Expensive and not ergonomic.

There is an advantage to soldered switches. The connection between a switch and its receptacle will not fail.


I'm not big into switch swapping. If I am going to use a Cherry MX style keyboard, I will usually go for either Glorious Panda or Boba U4T. If I buy a ...

I'm looking at Das Keyboard's website and they have the new Das Keyboard 6 Professional, which they claim is the "ultimate typing experience."

But I feel like there is nothing here that makes it worth the price tag:

Pros:

1. Shine through keycaps that actually look nice, if you're into that sort ...

A lot of new keyboards coming out these days, especially from Chinese manufacturers, seem to all support USC-C wired with detachable cable, 2.4GHz wireless with 1000 Hz polling rate and Bluetooth connectivity for up to 3 devices. And they almost all run QMK+VIA.

Is there some new HID chip coming ...

I'm using the Nuphy Air75 V2 now over Bluetooth. It has QMK/VIA on it and that one hasn't set off any alarms. I'm not a huge fan of low profile keyboards. And I really don't like wireless keyboards. But it is what it is.

What's your firmware of choice?

vvp wrote: 13 Jun 2024, 21:39 ... or maybe USB Ninja uses QMK (like) descriptor when triggered as a keyboard.

Well that would suck. That would mean I can never use a USB QMK keyboard again.

I understand how it works. I just wonder why:

1. The updated controller was fine for months and suddenly it was not.
2. The software identified the mini-M as a USB Ninja, a hacking USB cable that can receive wireless commands to deliver a malicious payload. USB Ninjas are transparents to the OS ...

USB devices need software device drivers to work. Operating systems support a bunch of generic or common devices out of the box. Otherwise, the USB stick, keyboard, hard drive, scanner, etc. has device driver software built in. If the OS doesn't recognize the device, it queries if a driver is ...

Such is the state of cybersecurity these days. Risks are too high to entertain your fancy custom keyboard. I don't blame them at all, sadly, they have an impossible job to fend off the bad actors and keep the company functioning at the same time.

Sucks though for sure.


I just wonder what set ...

I wonder if the USB Ninja uses a RPI2040 Microcontroller.

I've been using my Mini M for years on my work laptop. I bought a new RPI2040 based controller for it and flashed QMK/VIAL on it within weeks of QMK/VIAL getting released.

Today, I am typing away, and some security tool tells me it disabled my network access for my protection. I get kicked off of ...

I think part of the reason for those lock lights may have been because they were using a generic ALPS circuit board they used when making keyboards for a number of vendors. I know my ADB to USB converter will throw on the Caps Lock and Numlock lights when used on a PC.

Another point in favor of a New Model M vs Old Model M. If you get a New Model M with an RPI2040-based controller, you can flash QMK/VIAL on it.

I know with the older models, you can get a Soarer's Converter. But that's an additional cost. QMK/Vial is free, once you get a 5.5mm hex screwdriver to ...

I'm thinking Matias is a pretty small outfit. I've had some email exchanges with their "engineer" and he told me that going forward, they want to use PBT as much as possible. I bought their PBT mouse and I really like it. The PBT won't get shiny as quickly. And the mouse is pretty light weight. I ...

I got an answer from Matias. It's their own custom profile designed to match other Alps boards.

Whatever it is, I like it.

I've been experimenting with different key cap profiles to see which ones I like the best.

The Tactile Pro/Quiet Pro profile seems to really work for me.

Is there an "Alps" profile used for keyboards that use Alps/Matias switches?

Rollover?

I haven't needed to experiment much with key rollover. I've just been typing away while I work and haven't had any issues.

It took me an hour to find my Soarer's Converter. I had it on my desk. It fell down and behind my computer. I'd forgotten how much I prefer the Soarer's Converter ...

They are Black Alps. I like them. I like the Salmon Alps better. But not so much so that I would be willing to go through the effort of transplanting them between keyboards.

The Big Foot is here.

This is a nice board. A little yellowing, but not too bad.



Took me about 20 min to find my Soarer's Converter before I could use the thing. But, so far so good. It will get a good workout as I work tomorrow.

I'm in no mood to take on a soldering and desolder project now. I'll use it stock with a Soarer's Converter.

I just bought a Dell AT-101W off eBay. It will be here on Monday.

Do all Dell AT 101W keyboard have black ALPS switches?

I various prices for these all over the place, and I'm wondering if there is a rubber dome variant floating around and that's why it's so cheap.

Is there a use-case for average people not to have their modifiers merged?

Some Omnikey boards had passthrough PS/2 ports though I am not sure how exactly they worked. Unfortunately, those versions did not have Windows keys.


I didn't think PS/2 supported daisy chaining.

IIRC, motherboards had 2 PS/2 ports and one was for keyboard and one for mouse. I don't think the ...

I use 3 different operating systems: MacOS, Windows 10 and Arch Linux.

I primarily use trackballs and occasionally use mice. I recently bought 2 Sanwa Gravi trackballs. They're a modern replacement for the venerable Microsoft Trackball Explorer.

https://www.amazon.com/SANWA-GMAWBTTB138/dp ...

Honestly your best bet if you don't want to solder is to go to a university computer engineering lab with a hundred bucks, 2 AEKs and a Dell AT101W , and pay those kids to put the switches from the Apple boards into the Dell.


Do that. Old Dell keyboards are better built than old Apple ...

Ok, here is what I am looking for:

1. ALPS Orange or Salmon or similar tactile switches
2. 100% full size with Windows/Super keys.
3. Programmable, so either USB with QMK/VIAL or PS/2 with a Soarer's Converter
4. Separate left and right modifier keys, so I can program them individually

I'm debating getting a full size keyboard with Gazeew U4T switches and cherry profile keycaps.

A Keychron K10 Pro, may be the way to go. I keep trying smaller form-factor keyboards and end up going back to a 100%.