Miniguru progress

[mSSM]

Two months since the last update. Any news?

[lowpoly]

Still working on it, but slowly. I'm currently finishing Rev D switch pcb. Going to pick up the brushed case from clear coating tomorrow.

Last week I repainted the Rev C case (the white one) and no runners this time but other, smaller paint issues. Painting is harder than I thought. Sometimes it works perfectly, sometimes not at all. Like on the white case. I guess I sand it again and have it painted. Two fails is enough.

I wanted the brushed case powder coated but the powder coat guy didn't want to do it. He said Aluminum can create bubbles in the paint. He wanted to do two test cases first. Sorry, don't have those. I went with regular paint then.

I also realized I ran out of 6.25u stabilizer (100mm). Going to bend a wire tomorrow which I luckily ordered in the past (1.5mm).

A few parts missing on the switch pcb and the push buttons for Rev D. After that it's all software.

[lowpoly]

Got the case, it requires some dust removal.

Also made the 100mm stab wire. Measuring the original ones again they are 1.6mm. Anyway, 1.5mm will do. This is what it looks like after bending, bead blasting and zinc plating:



I'm torn about the powder coating. Matte looks very good but also like a plastic case. Maybe white in glossy and if it's black in matte?

[lumogas]

Stab wire? What's that for?

[Muirium]

Violence!

(It's what makes stabilisers work. Those things beneath long keys like Return and the spacebar, that keep them level.)

[Aleksander]

The sexyness is strong in this one.

[vivalarevolución]

The sexyness is strong in this one.

Good description.

[fruitsaladfingers]

Can we please have a status update since it's been a few months since anything's been posted? I want this keyboard so bad! Please tell me it's making progress .

[lowpoly]

Sorry for no updates. If there's something consistent with this project, it's the lack of consistency.

As I said before, I lost one important coworker earlier this year and the other guy has little time since some months. Me too.

Anyway, I worked on it during last weekend and (almost) finished the mechanical/electronic part of Revision D:



Brushed aluminum with clearcoat. If you look at the first post in this thread, this is the version I always wanted. From an aesthetic point of view it does deliver!

We also moved the trackpoint slightly to a different angle. In the white version (earlier in this thread) it was invading the airspace over the "B" key a little. Now it's perfect. No cutting of the BGH keys necessary.

The mouse buttons are as smooth as they can be. There is no possiblity you'll move the 'board when using them. Unless you use excessive force, of course.

Only 2 LEDs missing because I couldn't find them. Have to look again. And the mouse buttons need a layer of clearcoat.

So basically, what's left is the firmware. If the controller board works. I've been reluctant to deal with the firmware because everything has been remodeled since I've last touched it. Will start with the white keyboard (Rev C) these days.

We still don't know if we will put it on Kickstarter (or any other crowd funding platform).There are so many steps involved in building this... It will probably need a chinese/taiwanese manufacturer to take over the whole thing. And I'm not sure if I can organize that. We'll see. If we don't find a good solution we will open source the whole project.

[HzFaq]

This board/thread always makes me smile, nice to see it all still rumbling along!

[lowpoly]

Another pic from that series:

[mSSM]

The mouse buttons are those nubs under the space bar? Which means you have left- and rightclick (i.e. mouse buttons 1 and 3), but not middleclick (mouse button 2)?

[shreebles]

Maybe you could have middle click via controller by clicking left and right mouse simultaneously?

[Muirium]

What! How are you meant to snipe with that?

(Says the guy who can do it with a single button Magic Mouse. But still, FPS games assume independent left and right click. Anything else requires workarounds. And clearly mech keyboard = head shots. We all know that…)[/sarcasmfont]

[mSSM]

Maybe you could have middle click via controller by clicking left and right mouse simultaneously?

Yeah, you can do that when you want to hit the middle mouse button once. It becomes a lot more difficult when you want hold it down while moving the trackpoint (this for example is a way to scroll in the new libinput).

[lowpoly]

The mouse buttons are just part of the key matrix. You can re-program these as keys or other keys as mouse buttons... There should be a solution somewhere. Key in the lower left for ex. I never need it for anything.

Or Meta+RightClick as MiddleClick. Or use the Touch controller.

Mechanically a third button won't fit. And I'm not even starting on the design.

[fruitsaladfingers]

Thanks for the update lowpoly - the hype is real! I can't wait for this to be released and will join the many others who will back it in crowdfunding, if that's the route you choose to finance it.

As someone who doesn't know much about building keyboards, I really hope you manage to get it released from a manufacturer and wish you luck on the firmware.

We all appreciate the work you've put in and are excited to have one of our own!

[webwit]

Looks fantastic!

It will probably need a chinese/taiwanese manufacturer to take over the whole thing. And I'm not sure if I can organize that. We'll see. If we don't find a good solution we will open source the whole project.

There are various members here with pretty direct lines to manufacturers, maybe get some help?

[shreebles]

What! How are you meant to snipe with that?

(Says the guy who can do it with a single button Magic Mouse. But still, FPS games assume independent left and right click. Anything else requires workarounds.

No one will use a Trackpoint for gaming and you know it
Also, what games do you play where middle click is so important for sniping?

And clearly mech keyboard = head shots. We all know that…)[/sarcasmfont]

Well, you may think this is stupid, and fanboyism.
But in most FPS, a mech is beneficial not just for headshots but generally for being fast and agile in the game.
Not only can your movements become more fluid but also you may need NKRO or at least 6KRO so you can play FPS properly, which almost all mechs today have.
Lastly, in Counter-Strike, stopping your movement steadies your gun which increases accuracy. The fastest way to stop is to hit the opposite direction key. If you do it fast enough, spamming left and right movement makes you harder to hit while at the same time increasing your gun's accuracy (entirely unrealistic but it's a game). So in CS, a mech keyboard really can equal more headshots. MX reds are perfect for this, but other light switches are close enough.

Yeah, you can do that when you want to hit the middle mouse button once. It becomes a lot more difficult when you want hold it down while moving the trackpoint (this for example is a way to scroll in the new libinput).

True, now that you said it I remember how important this is for the Trackpoint scrolling!
I have a Thinkpad for work and whenever I don't use a real keyboard and mouse the tri-button Combo with the Lenovo keyboard is really the best thing if mobility is important to you. A for me, a touchpad doesn't even come close.

[vvp]

Not only can your movements become more fluid but also you may need NKRO or at least 6KRO so you can play FPS properly, which almost all mechs today have.

I would say that FPS are just the games where you not need high N number in NKRO. One hand is occupied with mouse. The other hand has only 5 fingers. So 5KRO is enough.

[shreebles]

I would say that FPS are just the games where you not need high N number in NKRO. One hand is occupied with mouse. The other hand has only 5 fingers. So 5KRO is enough.

5KRO is OK. You need to be able to walk diagonally, so W and D, while sneaking, or sprinting, and still be able to crouch, jump, look at the scoreboard, whatever.

But I mentioned 6KRO because it is very common with mechs, if they don't have NKRO they typically have 6KRO over USB.

In some games though, you need even more keys on the keyboard. In GTA, I control helicopters using WASD and IJKL simultaneously (pitch, yaw, roll, and throttle) which 5KRO might not be enough for.

[lowpoly]

Thanks for the comments.

There are various members here with pretty direct lines to manufacturers, maybe get some help?

Yes, will do. I have one or two leads to check, then I'll ask here. First get it running though.

6KRO: that's the USB limitation. Beyond that you have to do tricky wizardry.

I found the LEDs and soldered them on Friday. 0603 footprint isn't fun anymore. You always have to order more parts than you need because if you drop something there's no way you'll find it. Ever.

Also clear-coated the mouse buttons. Since today everything is assembled and ready for testing.

Middle button for trackpoint scrolling: I use z-force for that. Higher z-force: scrolling, lower z-force: cursor movement.

[shreebles]

6KRO: that's the USB limitation. Beyond that you have to do tricky wizardry.

Yes, most NKRO USB keyboards emulate multiple keyboards with just one controller and cable. They show up as 3-4 keyboards in one on my (Windows) device manager.

Middle button for trackpoint scrolling: I use z-force for that. Higher z-force: scrolling, lower z-force: cursor movement.

Z-Force
Does that mean you are pushing the trackpoint downwards instead of just up, down, left, right?

[lowpoly]

Yepp, just push it a little more downwards while you move it.

[tentator]

bump?
any news?
waitin since yearssss...

tent:wq

[lowpoly]

Nothing new.

Started with Atmel Studio but the project wouldn't compile. Too much work ATM to figure this out. Also, we have to find a new workshop as the building with the current one will be torn down end of April.

[jesse]

Thanks for the comments.

6KRO: that's the USB limitation. Beyond that you have to do tricky wizardry.

https://github.com/keyboardio/HID is my implementation of single-keyboard true NKRO for Windows, Linux, MacOS and iOS. It's based in part on Haata's work and advice.

Feel free to use it or lift whatever you want

[jesse]

Thanks for the comments.

6KRO: that's the USB limitation. Beyond that you have to do tricky wizardry.

https://github.com/keyboardio/HID is my implementation of single-keyboard true NKRO for Windows, Linux, MacOS and iOS. It's based in part on Haata's work and advice.

Feel free to use it or lift whatever you want

(It works on Android. It just doesn't get nkro there)

[lowpoly]

Thank you.

IIRC, Hasu's code has something for unlimited NKRO as well. I just didn't activate it.

[jesse]

Thank you.

IIRC, Hasu's code has something for unlimited NKRO as well. I just didn't activate it.

Yup. Hasu and Haata both It's nice living in the future where this stuff isn't impossible anymore