Tweak the Tex Beetle

[ShakeR]

Help create the perfect (entry level) Beetle.

1. First mandatory change is make it all plastic.
2. The rest is up to you.

http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=377

There's also a thread somewhere on Geekhack dedicated to the Beetle that I can't find.  If someone can reply w/ link, I'll post it here.

[CPTBadAss]

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=43646.0

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=39693.0

The bottom right and bottom row with all the 1x keys? That's a disaster. It's almost like Tipro Matrix board...It should really be closer to like a Pure or a Poker layout.

[Photoelectric]

I thought that the appeal of TEX Beetle was the aluminum cover.  Take that away, and it will be in direct competition with a Poker and similar.  I would tweak the aluminum cover and offer it in more colors.  Perhaps sell the internals and cases separately, and you'd put them together and ship when a customer selects their desired combination.

[Tarzan]

I thought that the appeal of TEX Beetle was the aluminum cover.  Take that away, and it will be in direct competition with a Poker and similar.

Yep, this was my impression as well.  Now if they'd make it ALL aluminum...   

[SpAmRaY]

qwerkeys had this thread -> http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=45364.msg948514#msg948514

you guys had this one -> http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=43646.msg938465#msg938465

a link to a review -> http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=45364.msg948514#msg948514

massdrop thread -> http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=45597.msg954338#msg954338

this might be the one your looking for

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=39693.0

and if it's all plastic can we drop the price to like $65?

[lyrill]

as one of the earliest endorser of this keyboard( i bought it the same day it came out, that Friday May, 17th. I should be one of the earliest to get it. I didn't care to show the world i got it first. I was busy settling to summer apartment. I waited 3 days until I really started trying the Tex Beetle. I took no pride and benefited nothing from getting it early.

I didn't care to get a second one on massdrop for the cheaper price. I bought 2 other items with my beetle purchase, so it's only a 20 dollar difference really. Not worth it to get a second one. Although Massdrop probably pissed every early Tex buyer off besides me.

To put it short and simple, Tex Beetle is a baller keyboard that will be seen with a lot of mackbook pros--and there ARE a lot of macbook pros, no ****.

[sordna]

I would love a Tex Beetle without the wide bezel, so it's as compact as possible.

[Hypersphere]

1. Keep the Aluminum top; maybe even change the plastic bottom to aluminum.

2. Lose the top bezel.

3. Optional and controversial because this would change the customary inverted-T of the arrow keys: Lose the redundant tilde key below the enter key, move the left arrow to the space formerly occupied by the tilde key thus making the arrow cluster a square instead of an inverted-T or diamond, and increase the size of the right alt and right ctrl keys.

4. Make Fn+arrow keys = PgUp, PgDn, Home, and End.

5. Fn+I = insert; Fn+P = PrintScreen; Fn+ [ = ScrollLock; Fn+] = Pause

6. Via DIP switch or other means, be able to convert right Fn key to an extra Win (or Command or Meta) key.

[ShakeR]

Thanks for everyone's input!

[Tarzan]

1. Keep the Aluminum top; maybe even change the plastic bottom to aluminum.

This.

[aj-kun]

build it with double shots stock...ie. tao hao ds

[MarkPharaoh]

Don't like having 2 dedicated Fn keys on it. And everyone on the bottom row of 1" just seems really off to me, but I have never used the keyboard.

[Hypersphere]

Now that I have actually used the Tex Beetle for a while, I really like it the way it is.

Earlier, I thought it would be good to delete the top bezel, but after seeing the Beetle on my desk, I think the faceplate design looks really great -- especially the top bezel. So, keep the bezel, please.

I like the small spacebar; it responds more evenly than a longer spacebar, and the correspondingly smaller stabilizer diminishes "spacebar rattle". The Beetle's spacebar is the best I have encountered.

Definitely keep the dedicated arrow keys.

About the only issue I have with the Beetle is that the 1x right-shift key is a bit too small, and the slightly displaced z-row staggering sometimes throws me off. One way to deal with this is to add a column of keys on the far right-hand side of the board. The arrow cluster could then be shifted to the right. This would enable the z-row staggering to be normal, and it would provide for a larger right-shift key. In addition to housing the right-arrow key, the new column would have room for four other keys, e.g., Home, End, PgUp, and PgDn. This proposed design would also enable the bottom row modifiers to be larger. The result would be similar to the Leopold FC660M or FC660C, with two additional keys in the far-right column.

[Photoelectric]

I like that layout--it's almost standard in terms of custom keycap replacement--minus the funky spacebar, of course and a couple of non-standard modifiers.

[Hypersphere]

If I drew it correctly, I think all the modifiers in the bottom row are standard 1.25x. The spacebar is short, but I think there are some functional advantages to a short spacebar.

[Photoelectric]

Is one of those bottom row modifiers also possibly redundant?  As in, if one of the Control keys goes away, the spacebar could be extended if needed.

[Hypersphere]

I find that I need a control key on both sides. Possibly only one Fn or Alt key is needed, but I actually prefer short spacebars. Most Mac users would probably want a Command key on both sides. Although I am a Mac user (along with Linux and Windows), I only need Command on one side. In fact, I remap the Caps Lock as Command (Win or Meta).

One other tweak that I forgot. I added some adhesive rubber strips to the plastic feet on my Beetle, both to enhance the grip and to raise the back slightly when the feet are extended. I like the typing angle to be the same as on my IBM SSK and Leopold FC660M. So, I would recommend that future Beetles have rubberized feet that are a tad longer.

[metalliqaz]

Hey, was just ordering something and decided to poke around your vender forum and found this thread.  I know I'm late to the party but here's my two cents:

The Tex Beetle is pretty much perfect... except the lasered caps.  Just include doubleshots or dyesub pbt and it's pure w1n.

[ohgodpleaseno]

Now that I have actually used the Tex Beetle for a while, I really like it the way it is.

Earlier, I thought it would be good to delete the top bezel, but after seeing the Beetle on my desk, I think the faceplate design looks really great -- especially the top bezel. So, keep the bezel, please.

I like the small spacebar; it responds more evenly than a longer spacebar, and the correspondingly smaller stabilizer diminishes "spacebar rattle". The Beetle's spacebar is the best I have encountered.

Definitely keep the dedicated arrow keys.

About the only issue I have with the Beetle is that the 1x right-shift key is a bit too small, and the slightly displaced z-row staggering sometimes throws me off. One way to deal with this is to add a column of keys on the far right-hand side of the board. The arrow cluster could then be shifted to the right. This would enable the z-row staggering to be normal, and it would provide for a larger right-shift key. In addition to housing the right-arrow key, the new column would have room for four other keys, e.g., Home, End, PgUp, and PgDn. This proposed design would also enable the bottom row modifiers to be larger. The result would be similar to the Leopold FC660M or FC660C, with two additional keys in the far-right column.

Rich IMO this is my idea of a perfect compact keyboard layout. I know you and I previously discussed some of the desired elements of smaller form factor keyboards but I have to say this essentially encapsulates all the the design elements I deem necessary for maximum success!