Alps Appreciation

[Elrick]

Those keycaps are NOT PBT, they are ABS. It's an incorrect listing by mechanicalkeyboards.com

Geez Blaise, you're the penultimate Killjoy .

At least let us contemplate owning Brand New PBT Alps key-caps before kicking us all in the groin, with reality here.

Nah man, Alps were MEANT to be used with doubleshot ABS - sounds way better than PBT .

You nearly always surprise me with your comments and your reviews .

Although for once I wouldn't mind buying a single keyboard that has unblemished Alps PBT caps, just to see up close how good or bad they really are.

Not doubting your comment here Chyros, just extremely curious in finding out....

[Blaise170]

I have a NEC PC88 with dyesub PBT and Blue Alps (two actually even though I'm shipping one to Orihalcon this week) and they are pretty great.

The question I am faced with now is how to go about converting it. TMK supports the native protocol which I think is PC98, but the connector it uses is rather odd

If I remember correctly, Hasu sells ready-made converters for PC98 for around $35. Would be way easier than trying to completely redo it yourself.

[Elrick]

I have a NEC PC88 with dyesub PBT and Blue Alps (two actually even though I'm shipping one to Orihalcon this week) and they are pretty great.

PM'd already, extremely interested to see where this goes .

[waldorf120]

Alps artisan alert! Just saw on mechmarket that Clackeys is selling some Alps artisans based on the Cacodemons from the Doom franchise. They're $50 for painted ones but only $20 for unpainted and they come in both horizontal and vertical Alps mount!

[Blaise170]

Nice. I just bought a white one. Alps is sorely under-represented in the artisan world.

[Elrick]

Nice. I just bought a white one. Alps is sorely under-represented in the artisan world.

As it should because no Alps Keyboard should have that abysmal junk on any keyboard. Very juvenile and extremely bad taste .

Even I prefer to use all AUTHENTIC key-caps that came with the keyboard, whether it's a Model-M or an OmniKey. Far better key-sets on them already without exchanging them for this kiddie-like garbage.

[waldorf120]

As it should because no Alps Keyboard should have that abysmal junk on any keyboard. Very juvenile and extremely bad taste .

Even I prefer to use all AUTHENTIC key-caps that came with the keyboard, whether it's a Model-M or an OmniKey. Far better key-sets on them already without exchanging them for this kiddie-like garbage.

Not sure if sarcasm

[zrrion]

now if only we could get that in skcc :p

[Blaise170]

Nice. I just bought a white one. Alps is sorely under-represented in the artisan world.

As it should because no Alps Keyboard should have that abysmal junk on any keyboard. Very juvenile and extremely bad taste .

Even I prefer to use all AUTHENTIC key-caps that came with the keyboard, whether it's a Model-M or an OmniKey. Far better key-sets on them already without exchanging them for this kiddie-like garbage.

Suum cuique.

[Elrick]

Suum cuique.

Oh damn using Latin, which now elevates you up there in the Keyboard Parthenon of Extreme Nerdism.

We bow before you......

[depletedvespene]

Uuuuuh... Latin the language or Latin the keyboard? Because the latter is almost grounds for banning...

[Blaise170]

Uuuuuh... Latin the language or Latin the keyboard? Because the latter is almost grounds for banning...

[mog_genius88]

I currently have the opportunity to buy an undampened cream alps board but its more than double the price of a typical orange board. Is it worth it? The only thing that seems to be different between the two is spring weight

[Blaise170]

Some people swear by Cream Alps so if you don't want it I'm sure someone else would.

[//gainsborough]

I currently have the opportunity to buy an undampened cream alps board but its more than double the price of a typical orange board. Is it worth it? The only thing that seems to be different between the two is spring weight

Cream alps are absolutely the best tactile alps switch, IMO =)

How many switches come on the board you're looking at?

[mog_genius88]

I currently have the opportunity to buy an undampened cream alps board but its more than double the price of a typical orange board. Is it worth it? The only thing that seems to be different between the two is spring weight

Cream alps are absolutely the best tactile alps switch, IMO =)

How many switches come on the board you're looking at?

As much as comes in the non adb next keyboard.

Im loving my browns so creams have to be pretty amazing to beat it. Not looking for something that is "lightly tactile"

[//gainsborough]

I would compare the tactility of creams to more of a choppy feeling. If you're looking for a switch comparison, I would say cream alps tactility is closer to orange than it is to brown.

Also, regarding the NeXT: make sure though that it's the horizontal enter version and not the BAE-ish one!

[mog_genius88]

I would compare the tactility of creams to more of a choppy feeling. If you're looking for a switch comparison, I would say cream alps tactility is closer to orange than it is to brown.

Also, regarding the NeXT: make sure though that it's the horizontal enter version and not the BAE-ish one!

Yes it is the ansi one for sure. Its 100% creams.

Would you say the tactility is a bit sharper than orange?

[//gainsborough]

I actually haven't had oranges on me for quite some time - and I don't really remember how oranges felt. Can I cop out and just say the tactility feel more refined? I remember trying creams, then promptly selling all the SKCM orange switches I had because why would I use SKCM orange when I have SKCM cream?

haHAAAAAA.


Oh...oh God.. Am I a pretentious asshole?! Don't answer that.



But really though, think of them as the tactile equivalent of SKCM blue. At least, in my opinion. Are they worth twice as much as SKCM orange, though? That's harder to answer.

Also why are there so many variants of linear alps and tactile alps, but only two variants of clicky alps?

[mog_genius88]

I actually haven't had oranges on me for quite some time - and I don't really remember how oranges felt. Can I cop out and just say the tactility feel more refined? I remember trying creams, then promptly selling all the SKCM orange switches I had because why would I use SKCM orange when I have SKCM cream?

haHAAAAAA.


Oh...oh God.. Am I a pretentious asshole?! Don't answer that.



But really though, think of them as the tactile equivalent of SKCM blue. At least, in my opinion. Are they worth twice as much as SKCM orange, though? That's harder to answer.

Also why are there so many variants of linear alps and tactile alps, but only two variants of clicky alps?

Hmm. Thanks for your input on this. I tried blues before and very recently had the pleasure of owning an skcm blue board that was essentially nos. Im sorry to say that i wasnt able to appreciate blues at all. The one i had was buttery smooth and in pristine shape but other than that i didnt like anything else about it. The tactility was light and sharp and the sound was awful. I would say i liked it marginally better than mx blues. However, it must be noted that im used to model f and beamspring so i guess any clicky would pale in comparison to those. I didnt even like the box clickbar switches. I sold the board to someone that would actually appreciate it for what i think was a reasonable price.

That being said i think im going to have to think about it overnight. Creams are pretty pricey but they might be worth it.

[//gainsborough]

Woah! Do you mind if I ask what board you were able to find in NOS condition? That's awesome!

Too bad you didn't like it though =( Just not robust enough?

[mog_genius88]

Woah! Do you mind if I ask what board you were able to find in NOS condition? That's awesome!

Too bad you didn't like it though =( Just not robust enough?

Was a chicony. I forget the model.

I just think i dont like most clicky switches. Something about the switches sounds wrong. With tactile and linear the sound you hear is the natural bottom out sound of the switch but with clickies something is put in there to purposefully generate the sound. The whole experience feels inorganic.

With the model f the clicking is a part of the switches function so it feels natural. Cant explain why i dont mind beamsprings thiugh

[Elrick]

With the model f the clicking is a part of the switches function so it feels natural. Cant explain why i dont mind beamsprings thiugh

Every other switch produced AFTER the Model-F, is a lame attempt to COPY the world's best switch design.

They have kept on trying to produce that special feeling and sound of a Model-F and ALL have failed miserably.

There is nothing out there that captures the true feeling of a Model-F, except maybe - Ellipse's attempted design.

Beamspring's are in a World of their own, so you won't get anyone today trying to reproduce that exact switch design.

[TicTocTom]

Just built my first keyboard. Soldering and caps done. Still needs a case, not low profile I hope. DONT KNOW HOW TO PROGRAM IT. HHHHEEELLLLPPP!!! Want a layer for Fkeys, numpad, arrows etc.

Ongoing build log here. workshop-f7/alps64-from-french-canadian ... 19138.html

Apreciate any alps help.

Tom

[TicTocTom]

Update: I've managed to install dfu-programmer though brew hub. But I can't get my keyboard to flash. Granted, I really don't know what I'm doing and my Terminal learning curve is vertical. Here is what I'm stuck on: No LED illuminated on pcb when pushing tiny button. (It lit up once.) atmega32u2 erases ok, but can't flash unimap.hex downloaded from TMK website. What am I missing? How do I identify the location of the .hex file.

I've checked all the switches with an multimeter and my novice soldering looks a-okay. There is power to the board. I think that the cable is also working; I've tried a few. The limitation seems to be with my inability to flash the board. HELP!

Please spell it out for me.

sudo dfu-programmer atmega32u2 <????????????>

?

[TicTocTom]

Thanks Hasu. It's all good now. Loving it!

[xtreg]

Hasu comes to the rescue!

Thanks Hasu. It's all good now. Loving it!

Sent from my MI 6 using Tapatalk

[TheMilkmen]

Hey does anyone here know about a 65-68 key alps pcb other than that on lfkeyboards? i cant seem to find anything other than that one and a pic of something like it showed up on reddit the other day but it has since disappeared.

[rich1051414]

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=69740.0 This?

[waldorf120]

Hey does anyone here know about a 65-68 key alps pcb other than that on lfkeyboards? i cant seem to find anything other than that one and a pic of something like it showed up on reddit the other day but it has since disappeared.

Sentraq 65 pcbs support Alps I think