Ergonomic mechanical keyboards with N-key rollover?

[Announ]

Could someone suggest some currently available ergonomic keyboards with n-key rollover?

I've checked the Truly Ergonomic Keyboard, the Kinesis Advantage and the Maltron dual hand 3D keyboards.
Of these, only the Truly Ergonomic Keyboard claims to have Full N-Key rollover capability, but it's actually limited to 6-KRO. They claim that this limit is imposed by the USB specification, but that's only partially true. I tried contacting Truly Ergonomic regarding this matter but received no answer.

I'm looking for silent switches, but given the apparent scarcity of this combination I'm willing to put up with clicky ones.

[dorkvader]

I'm pretty sure the kinesis has NKRO over PS2 (Not counting those function keys it's got.) Most keyborads that have 6KRO over USB (Limitation of USB 1) will have NKRO over PS/2, with a passive adapter. I don't know for sure, but it's a reasonably good bet that the TE will be compatible with this.

Why do you want NKRO?

[Announ]

The Kinesis PS/2 models doesn't seem to be available anymore (just like the Maltron's, they're all USB only now).
Maybe the USB version would still be NKRO with a passive PS/2 adapter, but their official site says nothing in this regard. EDIT: Maybe you meant exactly this?
2nd EDIT: I contacted Kinesis for confirmation and they say that their keyboards are "limited to a 6-key rollover over the USB protocol" and that they "cannot be converted to a PS/2". So no NKRO there.
The Truly Ergonomic Keyboard is not compatible with USB to PS/2 passive adapters.

I want NKRO for gaming and stenography.

[daerid]

Will you actually need to press more than 6 keys down at any given time in those activities?

I think NKRO is way overhyped. In the vast, vast majority of situations 6KRO is perfectly fine. Yours may be different, but I kinda doubt it.

*EDIT* Okay, for Stenography it seems to be a legit need, but for gaming I'm still skeptical.

[natas206]

What game(s) actually require you to press down more than 6 keys at the same time?

I don't know of any USB keyboards that are truly NKRO. I've read about a certain non-ergo gaming keyboard that claims it is but it seems more trickery than anything and apparently can create problems. 

Anyways, if you can get your hands on an older PS/2 Contoured keyboard such as a Classic or Professional that's your best bet. Otherwise with the Advantage if you can get a PS/2 cable you could disconnect the USB cable from the USB daughterboard of the keyboard, connect the PS/2 cable directly to the main circuit board and completely bypass the USB daughterboard, thus converting it to a PS/2 keyboard (full NKRO). 

[Icarium]

NKRO is totally overhyped. Tons of keyboards are 2KRO and nobody even notices and basically all USB boards are 6KRO because the standard doesn't allow more.

[Lanx]

if you got 135 you can get a new, white kinesis (ps2) from 1995, picture even shows foot adapter (since you want it for steno) it's buy it now so anyone can just go buy it.

i think it's a great deal, yea it's old but it's untouched, not even barely used, never used.

it's a really really old one too a 130, has the really faded looking keys, it's even plastic wrapped.

will you ever come along this type of deal? a new ps2 kinesis for under 150? maybe, i highly doubt it tho, grab it quick

(p.s. i won't post a link cuz the ppl will just nab it, if you really want it, ebay search for kinesis keyboard, you'll see it right away, unless someone already nabbed it since it's buy it now)

[sordna]

I was told that the older PS/2 Kinesis is 6KRO, like the USB one. Lanx have you tried the key rollover on yours?

[Lanx]

i didn't do any sort of scientific testing but basically bash the whole keyboard and stuff came up, there was probably a program i found online that let me press every key as well, but those links always die.

[Announ]

The hardest charts in rhythm games like O2Jam require pressing more than 6 keys at once. And even when they don't explicitly require 6+ key chords, NKRO makes timing more precise, as there is no need to completely release the previously held keys in order for new ones to register.
I know 6KRO is not fine for this particular activity, as I use an old PS/2 keyboard instead of my USB one to play. Otherwise, missing notes because of the key limit is very frustrating and makes clearing some charts impossible.

Otherwise with the Advantage if you can get a PS/2 cable you could disconnect the USB cable from the USB daughterboard of the keyboard, connect the PS/2 cable directly to the main circuit board and completely bypass the USB daughterboard, thus converting it to a PS/2 keyboard (full NKRO).

This sounds very interesting. Are there some images or more detailed information regarding this modification? It would suck to order an Advantage for this and then realize that I don't have the necessary tools or skills to do it.

[mbc]

.. http://www.ebay.de/itm/CHERRY-G80-5000-HAMPO-ErgoPlus-MX5000-Tastatur-keyboard-NEU-NEW-NUEVO-NOVO-NIB-/190718934561
.. :-D
PS. Obviously advertising my own auction

[natas206]

The hardest charts in rhythm games like O2Jam require pressing more than 6 keys at once. And even when they don't explicitly require 6+ key chords, NKRO makes timing more precise, as there is no need to completely release the previously held keys in order for new ones to register.
I know 6KRO is not fine for this particular activity, as I use an old PS/2 keyboard instead of my USB one to play. Otherwise, missing notes because of the key limit is very frustrating and makes clearing some charts impossible.

Thanks

This sounds very interesting. Are there some images or more detailed information regarding this modification? It would suck to order an Advantage for this and then realize that I don't have the necessary tools or skills to do it.

I could email you pictures of the main circuit board if that helps. It's a pretty simple mod - all you need is a screwdriver to open the keyboard. The USB cable simply unplugs from a small daughterboard. From there the PS/2 cable simply plugs into the main circuit board (thus bypassing the USB daughterboard completely). Again the key here is getting your hands on a PS/2 cable.

[Kerosene]

Will you actually need to press more than 6 keys down at any given time in those activities?

I think NKRO is way overhyped. In the vast, vast majority of situations 6KRO is perfectly fine. Yours may be different, but I kinda doubt it.

I would say >6KRO is NKRO as far as common usage of the term "NKRO" goes. You've got non-NKRO boards which are invariably 2KRO, and NKRO boards which are 6KRO or better, nothing in between.

[dorkvader]

Will you actually need to press more than 6 keys down at any given time in those activities?

I think NKRO is way overhyped. In the vast, vast majority of situations 6KRO is perfectly fine. Yours may be different, but I kinda doubt it.

I would say >6KRO is NKRO as far as common usage of the term "NKRO" goes. You've got non-NKRO boards which are invariably 2KRO, and NKRO boards which are 6KRO or better, nothing in between.

There exist some inbetween. The Sidewinder is 22KRO or thereabouts.

[ecerulm]

NKRO is totally overhyped. Tons of keyboards are 2KRO and nobody even notices and basically all USB boards are 6KRO because the standard doesn't allow more.

Well it's not really true that the standard doesn't allow more.

The HID standard specifies a 6KRO mode just to make easy for the BIOS implementers to support USB keyboards to configure the BIOS. So there is 6 keys + modifiers usb reports and since that is enought for most uses then the keyboard manufacturer they just support that.

A usb keyboard using Full-speed usb can send usb reports NKRO but still there is few keyboard manufactures offering that since most users are ok with 6KRO (and they need to support both methods, since BIOS only support 6KRO usb reports).

You can find firmware for Ergodox that support NKRO (if my memory serves me well).

As long as the keyboard chipset it's capable of USB Full-speed, it's just a matter of the firmware supporting the NKRO reports.