Model MF - GB CLOSED

Pick our controller... Voting ends on Friday

The mini-xWhatsit that WCass shrunk down. It uses the same mini-controller design as Ellipse's F62/77, but with a connector meant to slip onto our PCB (inverted running parallel to the backplate)
19
31%
The CommonSense that DMA has recently put together. This is young yet, but has the most long term promise (not a question). It will have a very similar connector (possibly perpendicular vs. parallel slip-on mount)
43
69%
 
Total votes: 62

User avatar
fohat
Elder Messenger

18 Feb 2017, 15:29

DMA wrote:
I can't use the keyboard which doesn't have Esc key and proper arrows,
I have an F-122 with 2 Escape keys, I have them in both positions where they belong.

Reset the center arrow key to be another "down" and you will have an inverted-T with and an additional down arrow.
Attachments
F-122-top-copper-elephant.JPG
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__red__

18 Feb 2017, 15:35

lot_lizard,

Is that adapter in a sharable state? I've love to get a few printed on an SLD printer here.

__red__

18 Feb 2017, 15:39

DMA wrote: Sure, there's F122 at my desk - but turns out I can't use the keyboard which doesn't have Esc key and proper arrows, so it's more of an LCR meter than an input device. As a result I have sensing part pretty polished by now - because watching pretty lines on the scope is fun - but the actual keyboard part is not there like at all (even though the firmware was initially TMK-based).
On my F122 I don't use the F1->F10 keys as function keys but as media / fn layer keys.

The top left (what would have been F1) is my escape key.
(and caps lock is ctrl to stop the damage ^A has done to my wrist in using screen).

__red__

18 Feb 2017, 15:43

fohat wrote: I have an F-122 with 2 Escape keys, I have them in both positions where they belong.
Funny thing, I didn't actually see the escape keys there so for the first 10 minutes I was looking at those metal bolts and wires that you'd wound to join them wondering HOW ON EARTH (pub intended) you managed to match the capacitance of those bolts and wires close enough to the capacitative swing needed to register as a key on an xwhatsit controller.

My mind was melting to the point where I wondered if the elephant at the side was a tuning device for your theramin based escape keys.

User avatar
lot_lizard

18 Feb 2017, 15:52

__red__ wrote: Is that adapter in a sharable state? I've love to get a few printed on an SLD printer here.
Traveling today, but I'll PM you. Happy to share with anyone, but there are a few flavors of it in regards to silencing techniques (etc) that could be shared as well. The only reason I wouldn't stick it out publicly as an STL is because I think you'll need a little comfort playing with the tolerances to get it right based on the printer and filament you are using. They are TINY, and moving parts just need some small touches after you see how the print turns out.
Last edited by lot_lizard on 18 Feb 2017, 16:06, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
fohat
Elder Messenger

18 Feb 2017, 16:16

__red__ wrote:
I wondered if the elephant at the side was a tuning device for your theramin based escape keys.
I would have liked for the trunk and tail of the elephant to operate the theremin, but I think he is too small.

Like right- and left-hand mice, I like having escape keys on both sides.

With the exception of the political thread, I have a strong sense of humor.

User avatar
E TwentyNine

18 Feb 2017, 16:23

fohat wrote: With the exception of the political thread, I have a strong sense of humor.
Ah. That would explain the windows key.

User avatar
fohat
Elder Messenger

18 Feb 2017, 16:39

E TwentyNine wrote:
That would explain the windows key.
I think that Unicomp still stocks at least 2 different Windows keys, but if you don't specify you get the new angular one.

I was glad to have the enlarge/reduce screen graphic key to use when I re-mapped F9 to F11.

User avatar
just_add_coffee

18 Feb 2017, 17:05

lot_lizard wrote: and you would need to get the Dremel out for that Capslock.
I just laid an MX Capslock on top of a Model F's Capslock barrel. The barrel seems to be about 5mm to the left of where it needs to be to align with the MX key. If that's the issue, is it possible to make an adapter in which the MX portion equally off-center?

__red__

18 Feb 2017, 17:11

just_add_coffee wrote: I just laid an MX Capslock on top of a Model F's Capslock barrel. The barrel seems to be about 5mm to the left of where it needs to be to align with the MX key. If that's the issue, is it possible to make an adapter in which the MX portion equally off-center?
Depends on the height that you have the rest of your keys at. In you have lower key heights then the circular sections of the MX key actually sinks into the barrel when depressed. In you have them riding high then maybe.

User avatar
just_add_coffee

18 Feb 2017, 17:14

__red__ wrote: Depends on the height that you have the rest of your keys at. In you have lower key heights then the circular sections of the MX key actually sinks into the barrel when depressed. In you have them riding high then maybe.
Ah. I see what you mean now. Thanks!

User avatar
lot_lizard

18 Feb 2017, 17:27

This was sorted out months ago, including logo, but thought you might appreciate seeing the final design that is currently being produced to understand the full back and forth process with producers better as we wrap up. For this phase, we will only have the single container (no nesting). As we get better at this, we will likely continue to use this container as an exterior shell for nested packaging for other board designs we produce. As with anything we do, anyone is welcomed to use our die for runs for their own projects.

The logo will be on the INSIDE of top lid for a few reasons (including custom declaration variability when needed). The logo plate can be reused for smaller interior packaging going forward as well (why it is sized at 4" vs. 5+").

Some will find the branding silly, others will appreciate, but ultimately it lets us build capital going forward of reusable items that can be used VERY cheaply as we continue to improve our group offerings and our "brand"

There are several other surprises like this that have been worked out months ago (before commencing the actual GB) that will continue to pop up
IMG_0777.JPG
IMG_0777.JPG (39.81 KiB) Viewed 5199 times

__red__

18 Feb 2017, 17:53

lot_lizard, I just found the "Remodeling the Model M" thread... It looks like it'll take me a few weeks to catch-up!

User avatar
lot_lizard

18 Feb 2017, 19:14

__red__ wrote: lot_lizard, I just found the "Remodeling the Model M" thread... It looks like it'll take me a few weeks to catch-up!
It's a windy bit, but fun venture for many of us. Thinking back, some things changed along the way, but not terribly many. Always hoped to correct a few misspellings and mistakes that I know are in there, but never happened. To save time, you could probably read every 3rd post from me and net the same result :lol:

There are several aspects (just like this box final) that I've never shown just to have some fodder going forward. At this point, I really should just have a "data dump" as there never seems to be enough hours in the day to be "cute" with how posts are delivered. Or at least properly...

Moral, welcome to the party. Many of us have respected your work already even though the projects were never tied. You might even find some shout outs if I recall correctly ;)

User avatar
Techno Trousers
100,000,000 actuations

18 Feb 2017, 20:55

The box is looking good! I find the logo on the inside an interesting design touch. Kind of like reminding you what's inside, but after you open it!

__red__

18 Feb 2017, 21:04

lot_lizard wrote: Maybe we give this a 1-2 week burn-in to help DMA, red, WCass, and anyone else that can contribute to get their heads around it fully?
I'm down like a clown.

I'm so down in fact I'll commit to getting two things done this weekend for this project:
[*] Get a test keyboard constructed and actually hooked to the PSOC controller.
[*] Try and get that PR to your github master so it will compile under Linux.

__red__

18 Feb 2017, 21:05

(I might have gotten sidetracked by a 4704 restoration the last few days)

User avatar
Techno Trousers
100,000,000 actuations

18 Feb 2017, 22:40

__red__ wrote:(I might have gotten sidetracked by a 4704 restoration the last few days)
Nice! We all have to prioritize, right?

User avatar
lot_lizard

18 Feb 2017, 23:19

Just got back home. A few more packages, with one being our torx fasteners. They look great, and I can tell you now that phase 2 will be 6-lobe throughout (even if we need to provide wrenches). Kudos Wodan for dropping the nudge. I use them constantly in my personal life, but never anything this small. Truly an excellent call

User avatar
alh84001
v.001

19 Feb 2017, 13:03

__red__ wrote: [*] Get a test keyboard constructed and actually hooked to the PSOC controller.
Wait, PSOC-based cap controller is still a thing? I thought DMA decided to do a fully custom thing.

User avatar
DMA

19 Feb 2017, 13:37

fohat wrote: I have an F-122 with 2 Escape keys, I have them in both positions where they belong.

Reset the center arrow key to be another "down" and you will have an inverted-T with and an additional down arrow.
That's where it gets weird.
Base of the T has to be on a bottom row. Esc has to be the in the top left corner.
Touch-typing doesn't work otherwise - well, it does until you need one of those keys. And since my editor of choice is vim..
alh84001 wrote: Wait, PSOC-based cap controller is still a thing? I thought DMA decided to do a fully custom thing.
That's the part where the beauty of the modern hardware really shines.
The "fully custom thing" is actually a simplified(that's right, _reducing_ part count) version of the CY8CKIT-059 - bare bones PSoC 5LP prototyping kit.

Actually the jury is still out on whether resistors should be added to drive/sense lines or not. But even if I end up adding them - soldering 32 standard thru-hole resistors between kit and keyboard is easy.

User avatar
XMIT
[ XMIT ]

19 Feb 2017, 13:50

My workaround for Esc is to place it to the left of 1! and above Tab, use a smaller ISO left shift, and put `~ to the right of left shift and to the left of Z.

User avatar
Phenix
-p

19 Feb 2017, 15:28

I second XMIT Esc Position, its nice!
Tough I love having an layer key on left to Z (on ISO layouts) to have arrow keys, imho comfy

User avatar
alh84001
v.001

20 Feb 2017, 00:12

DMA wrote: The "fully custom thing" is actually a simplified(that's right, _reducing_ part count) version of the CY8CKIT-059 - bare bones PSoC 5LP prototyping kit.
Interesting. Will the firmware then be compatible with the stock 5LP kit?

__red__

20 Feb 2017, 00:46

DMA wrote: Base of the T has to be on a bottom row... ... And since my editor of choice is vim..
I don't see how these two statements relate.

Image

User avatar
Darkshado

20 Feb 2017, 06:47

He's not using the arrows, on the F-122, so their "weirdness" vs a standard layout isn't an issue.

Odds are his shell is also in vi mode as well.

User avatar
lot_lizard

20 Feb 2017, 18:56

Silly update, but one nonetheless. We are getting several items in regards to packaging from a "local" (neighboring state) producer called Uline.

They are doing a couple of things for us pro-bono after a little phone time about our "objective". They are producing custom packing tape for us with our logo for the same price as the regular packing tape (also we can own the plate), and have agreed to give us the stickers for our anti-static sacks. Just asked that I post something about it, so here we are ;)

User avatar
E TwentyNine

20 Feb 2017, 19:07

Cool. Guessing a link might be in order as well: https://www.uline.com/

User avatar
Techno Trousers
100,000,000 actuations

20 Feb 2017, 21:00

That is super cool of them!

User avatar
just_add_coffee

20 Feb 2017, 21:46

Techno Trousers wrote: That is super cool of them!
I'm not completely sure of everything going on in this thread, but what I do know is that I need this in my life.

Image
Holds up to 158 cans – 212 without dividers and wine caddy.

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