Got myself a muTron.

[Bauta_Steen]

Hello, some time lurker here and after dealing with moderate to severe RSI and hacking different keyboards with varying results I (got my employer to) get me a muTron. After remapping some keys (space and other thumb keys mostly) and a couple of months of use I have to say I'm pretty happy with it. My RSI symptoms aren't half as bad as it has been (although it isn't necessarily due to the muTron). I will probably tweak the layout and remapping over time and will post if anyone is interested (or any other questions about it for that matter).

Pros:
- Many good keys for thumb and first finger (not much necessary for the little finger if you also remap the modifiers).
- Compact and portable (although looks like it could be even more compact if the top "bezel" could be shaved off which could maybe make it an excellent travel keyboard, will open it some time to check).
- Comparing with my colleagues 45g Topre HHKB/RealForce the key press action feels lighter (which is good if one has RSI, I also asked if they could make 30g ones but they only had 45g).
- Works fine on both Windows and Linux so far.
- Very good build

Cons:
- Left hand needs some relearning.
- Needs remapping of some keys (remapping the space bar is absolutely necessary).
- No dedicated F keys (and the Fn keys is in a quite useless position).
- Cable between keyboard halves is quite short and not removable.
- Arrow and PgUpDn clusters are not very convenient.
(- Smaller than standard keys are maybe not so good if you have fat fingers.)
(- Price if you have to pay out of pocket.)

Images of my setup:

[ApocalypseMaow]

I dig the thumb cluster area!

That backwards iso enter though

[davkol]

Welcome to GH.

I don't think the Fn key is in a particularly bad spot, because it looks more like a palm key.

Have you tried positioning the μTron like they do in the promotional video (around 1:41)? It seems like an interesting idea to keep the front corners together, and get something close to a columnar layout.

[SonOfSonOfSpock]

Really nice! Did it take some time to adjust to the smaller key caps? Also, can you give us an idea about your hand size?

[FrostyToast]

Beautiful board to get started with!
Topre is love.

[vivalarevolución]

What's the default output of those big keys underneath Tab and Enter?  And is the default space really over there on the left?  If so, ugh.

[Air tree]

Nice to see this pop up.

Always been intrigued by this board(s), but the price tag has swayed me off.

[Doyniish]

Nice board! I want one of these oh so bad but like others have stated, too expensive!

[jacobolus]

And is the default space really over there on the left?  If so, ugh.

Space isn’t used too much in Japanese. I assume anyone typing in English would want to remap one of the main thumb keys to be space.

[kurplop]

Nice board.

Maybe a dumb question but is the keyboard pronounced M tron,  U tron, Microtron or something else? 

[Bauta_Steen]

@davkol Ah, didn't think about using the palm for the Fn key, would still prefer dedicated keys though seems there would be enough space.

I did try to play around with the positioning at first, for me I liked more space between the halves and also more tenting than the feet allow so I put some stuff under the inner ones.

@SonOfSonOfSpock My finger are about the width of the keys so maybe would count on the thinner side. I actually don't notice much transitioning from a regular size keyboard (at home) and the muTron. What takes adjusting is the right hand, especially the lower row where the keys are offset by a full key or so.

@prdlm2009 The extra thumb keys are for Japanese input and does nothing per default on a US keymap. As jacobulus said in Japan the space is rarely used (you can easily see where a word ends or begins due to the character system).

@kurplop I actually don't know the proper name, guessing micro tron since it's a smaller (micro) and compact take on the tron keyboards.

As far as remapping I'm currently using the following (with dual function modifier keys):

Code: [Select]

                          [del]  [backspace]
                        [ Tab ]  [ Ret ]
[SuperL][ShiftL/*][CtrlL/Space]  [CtrlR/Ret][ShiftR/_][SuperR/backspace]
                     [AltL/F13]  [AltR/Ins]


[jacobolus]

is the keyboard pronounced M tron,  U tron, Microtron or something else?

Personally I’d either say “mu tron” (it’s a greek letter μ at the front), or “micro tron”.

[vivalarevolución]

And is the default space really over there on the left?  If so, ugh.

Space isn’t used too much in Japanese. I assume anyone typing in English would want to remap one of the main thumb keys to be space.

Cool, thanks.  I can go to sleep knowing that I learned something today.

[vivalarevolución]

Also, what you are using to remap the keyboard?   The usual remapping software, did it come with software, or is it programmable in some manner?

[Bauta_Steen]

Also, what you are using to remap the keyboard?   The usual remapping software, did it come with software, or is it programmable in some manner?

Basically all keys except the lower left/right Fn/Tron keys return keycodes and are remappable through software. In my case I'm using AHK for Windows and xmodmap/xcape for the Linux remappings. Although it did come with a Windows CD driver which I think enables the Tron mode, but I have not looked into that yet.

[AhmadZuhdi]

can μTRON use with osx ?
what max the cable between each μTRON ?

thanks in advanced

[Bauta_Steen]

can μTRON use with osx ?
what max the cable between each μTRON ?

thanks in advanced

I have not tried the muTron on a Mac but I would assume it would work just as well as for Linux/Windows. You would need to do some remapping though, and if I'm not mistaken the tool is called Karabiner for Mac.

The cable between the two halves is indeed quite short and only allows about 10 cm of separation between the halves depending on how you angle it.

[AhmadZuhdi]

can μTRON use with osx ?
what max the cable between each μTRON ?

thanks in advanced

I have not tried the muTron on a Mac but I would assume it would work just as well as for Linux/Windows. You would need to do some remapping though, and if I'm not mistaken the tool is called Karabiner for Mac.

The cable between the two halves is indeed quite short and only allows about 10 cm of separation between the halves depending on how you angle it.

thanks for the reply, also where do you get this board ?

[berserkfan]

I think the price tag really makes this board impossible.

not to mention lots of weird little quirks like that unique enter key.

It would be cheaper and almost certainly more ergonomic for people to just build their own keyboards from scratch, or buy a Kinesis, an Ergodox and an Axios for the same price as a mutron.

[jacobolus]

It would be cheaper [...] for people to just build their own keyboards from scratch,

For anyone who is skilled enough to build a nice DIY keyboard, and values their own time, there’s no way this is true. Figuring out enough of what you like to build a keyboard from scratch and end up happy with it inevitably takes months of fiddling: ends up being at least dozens if not hundreds of hours of work. (If you have an existing design and manufacturing instructions handed to you to clone precisely, then maybe, I guess...)

This is like saying “it would be cheaper for people to just put together their own bicycles from parts ordered out of a catalog instead of buying a pre-built bicycle,” or “it would be cheaper for people to sew their own wedding dresses instead of buying a dress,” or “it would be cheaper for people to just paint their own pictures to hang on their wall instead of buying a painting.” etc. Sure, raw materials cost might be cheaper, and if you were already an expert bike mechanic / seamstress / painter it might not even take all that long, but as an amateur you’re unlikely to get a result with the same fit and finish, and it’s going to take a lot of time and work to learn to make something that doesn’t totally suck.

[berserkfan]

It would be cheaper [...] for people to just build their own keyboards from scratch,

For anyone who is skilled enough to build a nice DIY keyboard, and values their own time, there’s no way this is true. Figuring out enough of what you like to build a keyboard from scratch and end up happy with it inevitably takes months of fiddling: ends up being at least dozens if not hundreds of hours of work. (If you have an existing design and manufacturing instructions handed to you to clone precisely, then maybe, I guess...)

This is like saying “it would be cheaper for people to just put together their own bicycles from parts ordered out of a catalog instead of buying a pre-built bicycle,” or “it would be cheaper for people to sew their own wedding dresses instead of buying a dress,” or “it would be cheaper for people to just paint their own pictures to hang on their wall instead of buying a painting.” etc. Sure, raw materials cost might be cheaper, and if you were already an expert bike mechanic / seamstress / painter it might not even take all that long, but as an amateur you’re unlikely to get a result with the same fit and finish, and it’s going to take a lot of time and work to learn to make something that doesn’t totally suck.

It isn't so much about saving money, as having something that really works as a layout. Of course layouts are subjective and some people may really like this one. But to me, it's the equivalent of getting a unicycle intended for 6 6" people. Usage isn't enjoyable. I'd rather cobble my own bicycle out of spare parts just to have something that fits.

Even if the mutron was reduced in price from $515 to $51.50, I would not buy and use it. Even after experimenting with many different layouts including on my own programmed matrix boards, that mutron layout is something I just can't accept.