Diverge II - custom split keyboard that is compatible with 104 key keycap sets

[blahlicus]

Introduction

Split keyboards are great, a lot of you are familiar with it, they are also very expensive when you try to obtain one outside of a groupbuy, getting keycaps are also difficult as split keyboards often follow non-standard layouts that gives no consideration to standardised keycap sets. I wanted to make split keyboards more available, I think one of the best ways to do it would be to make a split keyboard that is compatible with existing keycap sets, so here it is.

I'm introducing a split keyboard design that (I believe) is more ergonomic and is also compatible with 104 key keycap sets by using 1u keys only.

Prototype of Diverge II, the switches are populated with only one set of 104 key keycaps. Note the outside column, it was intended to use 1.5u keys instead of 1u keys.


Current design candidate for the next prototype, note the outside column is corrected to use 1u keys.

link to complete album of the first prototype

Features

• 12 key rollover
• Compatible with standard 104 key keycaps
• 72 fully programmable keys with intuitive GUI software or with the arduino IDE
• Media Controls
• Capable of running in tandem mode (the ergodox way) or be used as two individual keyboards
• Replaceable cables

I'll keep you guys updated on my progress, kinda looking for suggestions and opinions on the layout.

[davkol]

Looking good at first sight. Several questions though:

• Any plans for a compact case (without palm rests)?
• Are the outermost columns final? I got excited at first, because they looked a bit higher (like on Kinesis Advantage), but that clearly isn't the case. The column offset makes me kinda worried; the gap isn't going to be there in the end as far as I understand. I'm curious, if it'll fit the pinkie as well as the Shift keys on the Kinesis Advantage or my ErgoDox. Speaking of that, I'd appreciate use of different sculpted keycaps (like on my ErgoDox); aggressively sculpted bottom-row keys are nice in general, but this layout leaves the (1.5x or 1.25x) modifiers unused.
  
• The thumb keys look a bit weird. I'm afraid the bottom ones (F7/F8 in pictures) are too far to be comfortable. Do you happen to have an overlay to directly compare this layout to ErgoDox?
• Also, what about adding one key to the outermost bottom corner (like Ctrl on "standard" keyboards)? I sometimes press that key with the edge of my palm. The whole outermost column could be shifted down, because the uppermost key won't be easy to reach anyway.

[bcredbottle]

Someone please convince me not to buy this. Holy ****.

[MajorMajor]

Why duplicate the 5 and 6?