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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: rich1051414 on Wed, 21 February 2018, 06:36:17

Title: 75% PCB with Alps support
Post by: rich1051414 on Wed, 21 February 2018, 06:36:17
Does anyone know of any 75% PCB's that have alps support?
Title: Re: 75% PCB with Alps support
Post by: Leslieann on Wed, 21 February 2018, 06:41:36
I think there may be one, but I couldn't tell you more than that, I do know LFKeyboards does a 68, an extended 68 and a TKL with alps, but not a 75.

Most ALPS are older keyboards and these smaller sizes were just not common until recently. 75 has never been common.
Title: Re: 75% PCB with Alps support
Post by: rich1051414 on Wed, 21 February 2018, 06:55:56
I think there may be one, but I couldn't tell you more than that, I do know LFKeyboards does a 68, an extended 68 and a TKL with alps, but not a 75.

Most ALPS are older keyboards and these smaller sizes were just not common until recently. 75 has never been common.
I am typing on one of lfkeyboard's keyboards now, was hoping something had popped up recently I missed, I really like 75% layouts. I just must have my F keys, I use them too frequently to hide them under a fn key.
Title: Re: 75% PCB with Alps support
Post by: Kevadu on Wed, 21 February 2018, 11:18:34
Buy a SIIG Minitouch?  If you end up getting one with Monterey switches, well those are great switches so just keep them.  If you get one with those awful Chinese alps clones then replace them with your favorite Alps switch and you'll have a 75% Alps board.
Title: Re: 75% PCB with Alps support
Post by: rich1051414 on Wed, 21 February 2018, 14:10:37
Buy a SIIG Minitouch?  If you end up getting one with Monterey switches, well those are great switches so just keep them.  If you get one with those awful Chinese alps clones then replace them with your favorite Alps switch and you'll have a 75% Alps board.
Lmao, I have one of those too, with orange alps in it :) Frustratingly with a missing escape key... I'll never find that tiny bastard, and the weird shape basically makes it non-replaceable.

Unfortunately, SMK switches would be loose in the plate, unless I could find one with SMK switches, but then swapping them with... smk switches... would be quite idiotic lol. These new smk switches feel identical to the montereys the siig could come with, only these have cherry mx mount.

I'll probably end up picking up another lfkeyboards kit if I can't track anything down. The keyboard I am typing on was meant for the smk switches, but my Kailh jades arrived first, and I loved them too much to let them sit xD

I could probably get away with bending a pen and force it to use cherry mounting points... but I want something more professional for these beauties.


Edit: I just realized I didn't specify in my OP that I needed the alps 75% PCB for SMK switches. Oops. SMK switches are weird, they have an Alps pin spacing, but the body of the switch mounts in plates meant for cherry switches. That means I have a ton of options for cases and plates, but no PCB for them.
Title: Re: 75% PCB with Alps support
Post by: Puddsy on Wed, 21 February 2018, 16:46:23
there's a leeku one but it's extremely rare iirc
Title: Re: 75% PCB with Alps support
Post by: Kevadu on Wed, 21 February 2018, 16:47:42
Wait, SMK switches do not have the same pin spacing as Alps.  They won't even work in a normal Alps PCB.  LFKeyboards is really your only option as far as I know.

Actually I have my own board made with SMK switches and an LFKeyboard PCB.  In fact I'm typing this message on it.
Title: Re: 75% PCB with Alps support
Post by: rich1051414 on Wed, 21 February 2018, 16:51:06
Wait, SMK switches do not have the same pin spacing as Alps.  They won't even work in a normal Alps PCB.  LFKeyboards is really your only option as far as I know.

Actually I have my own board made with SMK switches and an LFKeyboard PCB.  In fact I'm typing this message on it.
Thanks for letting me know. I was told this in the past and cursory glance seemed to check out. That saved me some frustration :)

Edit: Oh I see, the pins are staggered opposite of alps, and are ever so slightly further apart.