deskthority

This Item becomes the Switch Try Numpad V2 presented by Mr.Interface and me.
All Keys in full function on a Tipro Modul.

A few things for me ToDo:
- ad 3 mod ML Switches
- housing question (want to keep it light)

A few things the comunity could do
- question of programming

should the keys be programmed with only one key?
so you better could get an impression where is the trigger point?
which keys, which order?

Alternative, i could programm a phrase:
"Cherry MX Black switch is activated"
"ALP Black switch is activated"


- Anti disappearance action

Mr. Interface has unfortunately lost a couple of STB's, so we would like to secure this thing
will not disappear.

Ultimately, the thing is for you, so you should decide what will happen.

Ideas / Rules :
- shipping with insurance and tracking code is mandatory

Other Ideas?

Something else?

I think having the keys pro-programmed is a cool idea. One key should also include a macro that plays back the return shipping address, in case anything went wrong.

As for the anti disappearance action.. that is a bit harder. Even fully insured and tracked parcels can disappear, as I sadly know from experience. In case of a total screw-up there is not much you can do. The parcel carrier will pay-back an insurance cost of (usually around 40 Euro with DHL Päckchen) in case it is lost. This will not bring back the switches and board in the worst case scenario.

Maybe there should be a GPS sensor in the numpad? I am kidding... kinda.

PS: Great job guys - how long did you take to mod the plate and PCB to fit both ALPS and Cherry?

Goil!

I would suggest programming each key with its matrix code: A1, B2 and so on. This would allow blind testing and yet knowing which key (but not which switch) has just been activated.

Edit: as for the housing, I think it is best to use the original case. Total weight of the unit is about 600g, but considering that the testing is for free, shipping costs shouldn't prevent anyone from taking part.

Happy to use some sort of special delivery service that has tracking but need to be careful about the options to use and definitely use an insurance option. I recently submitted a claim to Royal Mail for a lost purchase in the UK (sent by standard mail) which included a list of items ordered (inc cost) and proof of posting. They sent me back a letter saying 'blah, blah, blah', here is a pack of first class stamps for your trouble.

there seems to be very less interest in the open points and maybe in this thing at all

@sitxty - i file the side's of the alp switches to fit in the plate. i was able to solder them on w/o making new holes.
Unfortunately, some a little bit awry.

Insurance can be even worse depending on the company you use. With some, there would be nothing you can claim when the mail loses this, even when insured. Read the small print. Check if it says something about new vs used items. If you lose this, they might say "show us the receipt". "You don't have any but you say it's worth 100 EUR? Oh, too bad."

I'd still insure shipments in most cases, because they don't know if they can snub you in advance, and the success rate of delivery will be higher. USPS is worst when it comes to small print. The funniest part is where you are insured against damage, but the small print defines damage as "total destruction", not any other damage.

Wow, just saw this for the first time. This is awesome!

Hey,
They idea is not so bad, but I think you should take it just as a complement of Mr. Interface's STB. I'm saying this because shiping a whole board is expensive enough, an there will be a small amount of users that will adhere to this idea.
Just spoke with the previous guy in Mr. Interface's list of the STB, and he said that in Romania, only the Romanian Postal Service was able to offer the best price for the shipping of the switches, all other couriers asked 20€ and above. It's almost the same in Italy. And there are only the switches, no board.
The idea is that many of our deskthorithians (what a scientific name I found for us. In your face geekhackers) fellows, want the cheapest way to try the switches, so after that with the money saved they can buy a good board. No one wants to spend 1/4 of their budget just to try the switches.

About the programming, I say, keep it simple. One key, one character. This way you can see much better the triggering point.

As for the disappearance action. We are talking about the users fault or the courier? If it is the users, you can always ask the previous user, for a receipt or whatever they give you when sending the package. This way you can be shure thet he sent the package and didn't kept it or lost it. If it is the courier, this might prove difficult as Sixty said.
However, there might be a solution. Like Mr. Interface said in one of his "Open Sink" threads, the rule of "First come, first served", should be eliminated and the passing of the board should be made based on the country where it is,and the distances.
What I mean is that if the board is in Italy, all the users in Italy will have priority, against the user located in Belgium for example. This way you will eliminate lots of border crossing. In fact, many packages and letters get lost while being shipped from a country to another.

Some ideas or rules:
1. Tracking code mandatory
2. If the next in list is in an area of 30-50 km radius, door delivery mandatory (This way we'll get to socialize and know the users better)
3. No messing with the board and no trying to modd the switches. It might end up that someone will want to try the ghetto reds or ergo clears and forget that he modified the switches, so the next user will find himself with a total different feeling of the keys.

ok, item is finished and programmed.
pics here:
http://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1897

the buttons are programmed with one key.
1st button always beeps at activation. 2nd and 3rd have no beeps.

Layout: