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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Whiskey in the Jar-o on Fri, 22 February 2008, 19:10:13

Title: Optimus using Cherry MLs?
Post by: Whiskey in the Jar-o on Fri, 22 February 2008, 19:10:13
http://www.engadget.com/photos/optimus-maximus-at-long-last-we-bring-one-home/656815/
Title: Optimus using Cherry MLs?
Post by: ashort on Fri, 22 February 2008, 20:24:29
Are they kidding us?  For that price we should get at least browns or blues.
Title: Optimus using Cherry MLs?
Post by: Whiskey in the Jar-o on Fri, 22 February 2008, 20:28:18
I think they had enough trouble keeping the keys to a reasonable height with OLED modules and all.  Also, dunno about MX, but the ML keycaps are very easy to pull off.
Title: Optimus using Cherry MLs?
Post by: ashort on Fri, 22 February 2008, 20:43:47
VERY interesting thread here and it gets into "clickyness" and resistance of the keys.  It's insightful, but not in the way that the discussions on here are.

http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/02/22/165209
Title: Optimus using Cherry MLs?
Post by: xsphat on Sat, 23 February 2008, 01:07:39
Quote from: Whiskey in the Jar-o;3176
Also, dunno about MX, but the ML keycaps are very easy to pull off.


The key caps on MX switches come off pretty easy.
Title: Optimus using Cherry MLs?
Post by: dw_junon on Sun, 24 February 2008, 17:19:25
They sure look Cherry MLs.

Engadget complain that the action requires too much force; I can't help but wonder why so.

I admit, I did find the slashdotter remark about key depression amusing.
Title: Optimus using Cherry MLs?
Post by: Whiskey in the Jar-o on Sun, 24 February 2008, 17:38:11
Quote from: dw_junon;3189
They sure look Cherry MLs.

Engadget complain that the action requires too much force; I can't help but wonder why so.

I admit, I did find the slashdotter remark about key depression amusing.


May have something to do with the thick OLED module as keycap.
Title: Optimus using Cherry MLs?
Post by: IBI on Mon, 25 February 2008, 05:42:17
Quote from: dw_junon;3189
Engadget complain that the action requires too much force; I can't help but wonder why so.


I guess that's just a psychological thing. It's an expensive and much wanted piece of kit that they don't own and the keys have got screens on, both factors are probably going to want to make you be gentle with it.
Title: Optimus using Cherry MLs?
Post by: xsphat on Mon, 25 February 2008, 08:53:04
The other day one of my co-workers said, "I really want the Optimus keyboard, but it costs $200 and I'd never pay that for a keyboard." He was shocked when I told him they start at $600 and go up to over $1500. Funny, huh?
Title: Optimus using Cherry MLs?
Post by: ashort on Mon, 25 February 2008, 21:07:30
Quote from: xsphat;3196
The other day one of my co-workers said, "I really want the Optimus keyboard, but it costs $200 and I'd never pay that for a keyboard." He was shocked when I told him they start at $600 and go up to over $1500. Funny, huh?


How shocked was/would he be when you tell him what you paid for the HHKB2, that is small, seemingly missing keys, LOUD, has no labels (or darkened ones on your, as opposed to OLEDs!)?

=-D
Title: Optimus using Cherry MLs?
Post by: xsphat on Mon, 25 February 2008, 21:56:50
I did, and then I told him I got deal on mine. He thought I was dumb. Damn hippie.
Title: Optimus using Cherry MLs?
Post by: Nonmouse on Tue, 26 February 2008, 00:31:39
Quote from: IBI;3194
I guess that's just a psychological thing. It's an expensive and much wanted piece of kit that they don't own and the keys have got screens on, both factors are probably going to want to make you be gentle with it.


I'm willing to bet that it's in the reviewer's head- the ML switches only take 1.6 oz (45 cN for the metrically inclined) to actuate, and the travel is only 3mm (compared to 1.8-2.3 oz and 4mm travel for the MX switches).  I strongly doubt that the added inertia from the mass of the caps is really going to be noticeable.  Now, the size, shape and spacing, that I can see making a big difference.  I seem to recall that the keys are spaced a fair bit wider, to make the screens usably sized, and the flat, smooth surface doesn't really look appealing, tactilely.  Maybe the reviewer is mistaking strain from stretching for key actuation fatigue?  I've seen a couple of other reviews that praise the action on it- one compared it to a Model M (though not actually by name- just "an old, clicky IBM keyboard")
Title: Optimus using Cherry MLs?
Post by: sashomasho on Tue, 26 February 2008, 00:39:15
Quote from: xsphat;3204
I did, and then I told him I got deal on mine. He thought I was dumb. Damn hippie.


I got my hhkb last friday. As it was over $100 I had to pay taxes to the customs. When the guys there understood that this is 'just a keyboard', they began to feel very uncomfortable and sorry for me for taking my money ('...but laws are laws boy!'), the taxes were more than most of the good keyboards costs here. i don't expect people to understand me, but I don't call them dumb for buying $500 video cards which will costs nothing in less than two years....
Title: Optimus using Cherry MLs?
Post by: Whiskey in the Jar-o on Tue, 26 February 2008, 00:49:10
Quote from: Nonmouse;3205
I'm willing to bet that it's in the reviewer's head- the ML switches only take 1.6 oz (45 cN for the metrically inclined) to actuate, and the travel is only 3mm (compared to 1.8-2.3 oz and 4mm travel for the MX switches).  I strongly doubt that the added inertia from the mass of the caps is really going to be noticeable.  Now, the size, shape and spacing, that I can see making a big difference.  I seem to recall that the keys are spaced a fair bit wider, to make the screens usably sized, and the flat, smooth surface doesn't really look appealing, tactilely.  Maybe the reviewer is mistaking strain from stretching for key actuation fatigue?  I've seen a couple of other reviews that praise the action on it- one compared it to a Model M (though not actually by name- just "an old, clicky IBM keyboard")


Believe it or not, there is a standard  (http://www.amazon.com/review/R1PYC6BRJX6G2Q/ref=cm_cr_rev_detmd_pl?%5Fencoding=UTF8&cdMsgNo=1&cdPage=1&cdSort=oldest&cdMsgID=Mx2K8CS1OA5A1R9#Mx2K8CS1OA5A1R9) for key spacing - 19.05 mm between key centres of the keys in the same row.  It's pretty consistent across all my keyboards.  The keytop area can vary between keyboards, of course, which can give the illusion that keys are spaced close / far apart.
Title: Optimus using Cherry MLs?
Post by: Nonmouse on Wed, 27 February 2008, 13:22:02
Quote from: Whiskey in the Jar-o;3207
Believe it or not, there is a standard  (http://www.amazon.com/review/R1PYC6BRJX6G2Q/ref=cm_cr_rev_detmd_pl?%5Fencoding=UTF8&cdMsgNo=1&cdPage=1&cdSort=oldest&cdMsgID=Mx2K8CS1OA5A1R9#Mx2K8CS1OA5A1R9) for key spacing - 19.05 mm between key centres of the keys in the same row.  It's pretty consistent across all my keyboards.  The keytop area can vary between keyboards, of course, which can give the illusion that keys are spaced close / far apart.


Right- but the keys on the Optimus are 20.2 mm wide, plus whatever space there is between keys.  I seem to recall reading 20.5 mm key spacing?  In any event, it's larger than standard.  It'd be interesting for somebody to actually use a force gauge and test the actual force required.
Title: Optimus using Cherry MLs?
Post by: iMav on Wed, 27 February 2008, 16:40:35
Quote from: ashort;3203
How shocked was/would he be when you tell him what you paid for the HHKB2, that is small, seemingly missing keys, LOUD, has no labels (or darkened ones on your, as opposed to OLEDs!)?

Actually, the HHKB Pro's are pretty quiet.