GH60 Keyboard Project

[WhiteFireDragon]

Lysol's (IvanIvanovich) layout. I did this one next because it's not your typical layout that we've all seen already.

[Matt3o]

would you release the source file? I could create a batch to change colors/layouts

[Batmann]

Matteo do you mean that you can do 3d render on a remote server and display them in real time?

[Matt3o]

Matteo do you mean that you can do 3d render on a remote server and display them in real time?

indeed

[metalliqaz]

I'm finally able to integrate everything I know to get this. The keycaps are cherry profile, inside the case that I designed.

Show Image

I'll render all the different layouts like this. I think this is easier for newbs to see possible layouts than it is just looking at plates I posted. Although, each render like this burns a couple hours of my time just preping it for the final render.

Very cool!  Needs more contrast though.

[Strelok]

Is there any chance we can get the HHKB plate with full modifiers?

People who want the actual HHKB layout can just not use them.

[jdcarpe]

Is there any chance we can get the HHKB plate with full modifiers?

People who want the actual HHKB layout can just not use them.

You mean the 1.5-unit modifiers on the ends? The plate design will have holes for them. If you get WFD's HHKB-style case, the top cover just covers those holes. You can always get the fully open top cover, instead.

[Strelok]

Is there any chance we can get the HHKB plate with full modifiers?

People who want the actual HHKB layout can just not use them.

You mean the 1.5-unit modifiers on the ends? The plate design will have holes for them. If you get WFD's HHKB-style case, the top cover just covers those holes. You can always get the fully open top cover, instead.

Cool.

This case is preferable IMO.

[OrangeJewce]

For the person who is designing the case, is there a chance we could get one like the 365 mini which has an extra weight built in? The 365 mini uses Brass but we could use anything.

Cheers,

[Strelok]

For the person who is designing the case, is there a chance we could get one like the 365 mini which has an extra weight built in? The 365 mini uses Brass but we could use anything.

Cheers,

WhiteFireDragon is making an angled case with possible brass weights.
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=39599.0

The_Beast is making a small case meant to have feet.
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=39787.0

[IvanIvanovich]

Nice renders. It looks almost like my board in real life, since I used white/black, Dolch and red esc Cherry keycap.

[Strelok]

For those who haven't seen this, wireless expandability has some interest if it can be worked in.

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=40514.0

[komar007]

Okay, I've decided to rotate all the switches back to 0 or 180 degrees.
Unfortunately, there's one which cannot be rotated like this no matter what, so the ISO enter will be rotated 90 degrees and it'll be the only one.
Except for the 6 pins with SPI, I'll break out the 4 unused pins and all 5 row signals. This will make it possible to extend the board with extra keys or connect extension modules.
The GHPad can be connected either using 2 of the extra pins, or directly to the matrix using all four pins as columns, in which case it won't require a separate controller.
Now the question is: where to put the breakout pads?

[JPG]

very nice of you komar!

[jdcarpe]

Now the question is: where to put the breakout pads?

The ideal location would be somewhere around where the backspace is, but that area of the board is heavily populated, and I don't know how you would run the traces over there. I guess there is a very practical location, which would be just to the right of the ATmega, between the spacebar stabilizer holes.

[rknize]

If there is no space to cluster them in a line suitable for a header, then just put them wherever.  Through-holes are preferable, but pads will work in a pinch.

[GordonZed]

I don't know if I'll be able to afford one of these when it comes down to the GB, but I am following this one closely. Really excited for this.

[metalliqaz]

Sorry dudes I don't follow this thread.  Will there be a layout with arrow keys?

[jdcarpe]

Sorry dudes I don't follow this thread.  Will there be a layout with arrow keys?

Only if you program it to have arrow keys. But no, it won't have a dedicated 1x set on the right for arrows.

[Loligagger]

Okay, I've decided to rotate all the switches back to 0 or 180 degrees.
Unfortunately, there's one which cannot be rotated like this no matter what, so the ISO enter will be rotated 90 degrees and it'll be the only one.
Except for the 6 pins with SPI, I'll break out the 4 unused pins and all 5 row signals. This will make it possible to extend the board with extra keys or connect extension modules.
The GHPad can be connected either using 2 of the extra pins, or directly to the matrix using all four pins as columns, in which case it won't require a separate controller.
Now the question is: where to put the breakout pads?

So a layout with an ANSI enter would have no rotated switches then? Also, would a combined groupbuy with the gh60 and ghpad be a possibility?

[sordna]

Sorry dudes I don't follow this thread.  Will there be a layout with arrow keys?

Unfortunately no, but there's a thread on DT about designing a 60% keyboard with arrow keys:
http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/refining-a-compact-layout-t5266.html

However, if you are in a hurry for a programmable 60% keyboard with arrow keys, your best bet is the new Poker 2/PRO whatever it's called. Or for non-programmable, the new Filco MINILA.

[Glod]

been using my hhkb and poker so much that i forgot that they exist on other keyboards glad the GH60 doesnt have them

[jdcarpe]

So a layout with an ANSI enter would have no rotated switches then? Also, would a combined groupbuy with the gh60 and ghpad be a possibility?

Yes, any switches that must be rotated will be at 180 degrees, instead of 90 degrees. No issues with stems and keycaps. As for the GHpad, I'm not sure where komar is on that one. I know there was talk about doing the GB for those combined, but I'm not sure if he would want prototypes, or if he's comfortable enough to go straight to the GB phase.

[bpiphany]

ISO enter should be rotated 90° as any 2X high cap (not applicable here). They are made that way, and Costar stabilizers won't work if they aren't. Just so you know =)

[komar007]

ISO enter should be rotated 90° as any 2X high cap (not applicable here). They are made that way, and Costar stabilizers won't work if they aren't. Just so you know =)

Does that mean an ISO enter has the "+" rotated 90 degrees?
Has anybody tried the rev. A with costar stabilizers?

Second thing:
I'd like to add at least one more LED. The question is where to put it... Backspace maybe? FN to the right of shift?

[Loligagger]

Another LED to serve as a layer indicator or something? I'd probably put it on the escape/~ key, or under the spacebar (not necessarily on the switch itself, due to interfering with costar stabs).

[WhiteFireDragon]

ISO enter are always rotated, and if using costar, it MUST be rotated to match the rotated stabilizers. The bend in the middle of the costar stabilizers needs to be on the same side as where the LED hole is in the switch. It's a good thing that's the one switch that you coincidentally kept rotated.

[komar007]

Ok, so the iso enter led placeholder is currently facing left. Is that correct? The costar stabilizer can be rotated 180 degrees, right?


Well, wait. I have this on my prototype board:

And it seemed to work fine, when I had the keycaps on...

[WhiteFireDragon]

Wait, you said ISO enter is the only rotated switch. That looks like an ANSI left-shift. And that looks like it's mounted on the old poker plate.

[komar007]

Wait, you said ISO enter is the only rotated switch. That looks like an ANSI left-shift. And that looks like it's mounted on the old poker plate.

Yes, I meant on the poker plate and the old GH60 PCB I had a costar mounted like this on shift and it worked rather ok.

[WhiteFireDragon]

Yeah that is OK I guess, but it's not really suppose to be like that for costar stabilizers. When you have it mounted like that, the switches doesn't completely bottom out when it's suppose to, but rather stops when that middle bend hits the side the switch. It'll bottom out properly when you have the switch oriented correctly where the LED hole is on the same side as the stabilizer wire. The difference is really small though so I don't think most people will notice.

[komar007]

Okay. Do your plates allow both possible positions of the stabilizers? And lastly, what's the purpose of all the cutouts in stabilizer holes, instead of just two rectangles? Are there some other stabilizers that can be used?

[gnubag]

Okay. Do your plates allow both possible positions of the stabilizers? And lastly, what's the purpose of all the cutouts in stabilizer holes, instead of just two rectangles? Are there some other stabilizers that can be used?

cherry stabs are easier to insert if you can put them together first and then mount them on the plate. you dont have to fiddle the wire in afterwards.

[Loligagger]

If it can be helped the switches with stabilizers should be at 0 degrees (since I know the costar stabs not bottoming out properly would bug me). I could always modify the stem of a rotated switch for any non stabilized key, but modifying the stabilizer wire would be more difficult.

[WhiteFireDragon]

@ gnubag - why did you delete that post? It was a perfectly good picture for a simple explanation.

Okay. Do your plates allow both possible positions of the stabilizers? And lastly, what's the purpose of all the cutouts in stabilizer holes, instead of just two rectangles? Are there some other stabilizers that can be used?

What do you mean by both position of stabilizer? Unfortunately, stabilizers can only be mounted in one direction. You can't rotate it 180 degrees because the mounting is not symmetrical in that sense (there is a slight offset). 3 different stabilizers can be used: Costar, plate-mounted cherry, and PCB-mounted cherry. That's all we really have to choose from anyways.

[komar007]

@ gnubag - why did you delete that post? It was a perfectly good picture for a simple explanation.

Okay. Do your plates allow both possible positions of the stabilizers? And lastly, what's the purpose of all the cutouts in stabilizer holes, instead of just two rectangles? Are there some other stabilizers that can be used?

What do you mean by both position of stabilizer? Unfortunately, stabilizers can only be mounted in one direction. You can't rotate it 180 degrees because the mounting is not symmetrical in that sense (there is a slight offset). 3 different stabilizers can be used: Costar, plate-mounted cherry, and PCB-mounted cherry. That's all we really have to choose from anyways.

I meant put the wire on the other side of the switch.
OK, could you post a picture which shows where all the wires go and how the switches have to be rotated to be compatible with all 3 types of stabilizers and your plates?

[alaricljs]

Cherry stabs don't care about switch rotation, only costar.  Costar really should be configured such that the wire side of the stab is on the LED side of the switch.

[bpiphany]

How well the Costar stabilizers work with the switch in the wrong direction also depends on the cap, With thicker/smaller caps things can go really bad... I had this argument with someone I'm not going to name. I won =)

[alaricljs]

Then of course we have the whole Costar hits the LED argument too... so don't stick an LED in those switches.

[IvanIvanovich]

If adding more LED, I vote to add 4 more on the WASD.

[phetto]

+1 for wasd backlight, minimalistic gamer board ftw!!

[komar007]

wasd, but all diodes together? Either all on or all off?
I can do this.

[4LI4Z]

all diodes together are fine, keep it as minimalistic as possible

[Glod]

wasd backlit sound good

[TheSoulhunter]

Sounds good!

[Luke]

wasd, but all diodes together? Either all on or all off?
I can do this.

Yes please!

[WhiteFireDragon]

wasd, but all diodes together? Either all on or all off?
I can do this.

+1 to this. One resistor for the 4 WASD LED is fine. If you make WASD lights possible, I foresee someone requesting the whole keyboard backlit as well.

[pix3l_fodder]

Would like to add my interest in these for the final product Looks for a super clean ISO, nothing fancy!

[Broadmonkey]

+1 to this. One resistor for the 4 WASD LED is fine. If you make WASD lights possible, I foresee someone requesting the whole keyboard backlit as well.

I would probably be that person,  but I will keep it to just one LED on the ESC key. That way I could program it to work as a lock key, similar to scroll lock, but would act as locking the arrow keys, F-row, media keys or whatever you would fancy.

[IvanIvanovich]

Simple on/off cluster of 4 works for me. We can control LED on/off with a Fn+key?