Cherry MX compatible ALPS!!!

[ctm]

I just saw this post that i-rocks is developing a Cheery MX compatible ALPS! Seems very interesting. Here's some pictures http://www.cool3c.com/article/92195.

[FrostyToast]

Interesting. I might have to buy a board just for these.
Assuming they still use the same mounting as normal alps.

[chyros]

So many pins Oo . Alps did originally make MX-compatible switches (just like Cherry made Alps-compatible ones) but they're very rare AFAIK.

I wonder how close the internals are to Alps, too. Interesting find!

[FrostyToast]

So many pins Oo . Alps did originally make MX-compatible switches (just like Cherry made Alps-compatible ones) but they're very rare AFAIK.

I wonder how close the internals are to Alps, too. Interesting find!

Those pins are led pins of an rgb led.
Rgb LEDs require two additional pins to be controlled.
I find it interesting that they were able to find accommodations for an led inside the switch.

[ctm]

I think Matias once said that due to the physical dimension of ALPS, it is not possible to put a Cherry MX stem inside. I wonder if i-rocks's switches has identical dimension as normal ALPS.

[chyros]

I think Matias once said that due to the physical dimension of ALPS, it is not possible to put a Cherry MX stem inside.

It probably just uses an Alps slider with an MX mount on top.

[nubbinator]

I think Matias once said that due to the physical dimension of ALPS, it is not possible to put a Cherry MX stem inside.

It probably just uses an Alps slider with an MX mount on top.

Wouldn't work.  The MX stem is larger than the Alps stem hole.  The only way for this to work is to have super long stems or to have a larger stem.

Considering that it's coming from iRocks, I have low expectations.

[chyros]

I think Matias once said that due to the physical dimension of ALPS, it is not possible to put a Cherry MX stem inside.

It probably just uses an Alps slider with an MX mount on top.

Wouldn't work.  The MX stem is larger than the Alps stem hole.  The only way for this to work is to have super long stems or to have a larger stem.

Maybe they use a cross that's been flattened vertically?

[nubbinator]

I think Matias once said that due to the physical dimension of ALPS, it is not possible to put a Cherry MX stem inside.

It probably just uses an Alps slider with an MX mount on top.

Wouldn't work.  The MX stem is larger than the Alps stem hole.  The only way for this to work is to have super long stems or to have a larger stem.

Maybe they use a cross that's been flattened vertically?

Sorry, I phrased that poorly.  I meant the stem of the caps, not the stem on the switch, is too large and will not fit.

Even if they had flattened the cross mount, you'd still run into that issue.

[chyros]

I think Matias once said that due to the physical dimension of ALPS, it is not possible to put a Cherry MX stem inside.

It probably just uses an Alps slider with an MX mount on top.

Wouldn't work.  The MX stem is larger than the Alps stem hole.  The only way for this to work is to have super long stems or to have a larger stem.

Maybe they use a cross that's been flattened vertically?

Sorry, I phrased that poorly.  I meant the stem of the caps, not the stem on the switch, is too large and will not fit.

Even if they had flattened the cross mount, you'd still run into that issue.

Ah! Yeah, I can see how that would be a problem xD .

Tbh from those pictures, that switches doesn't even LOOK like an Alps switch, so they must've done something fairly radical to it.

[FoxWolf1]

Wait a sec, don't ALPS-style switches usually have bits on both sides of the stem? Contacts on one side, tactile or click leaf on the other, like this:

This i-rocks thing seems to have a LED where the tactile leaf normally goes...

Given that, and the change of stem size, I wonder how much mechanical similarity these really have to other ALPS-style switches.

[dante]

Considering that it's coming from iRocks, I have low expectations.

Pretty much sums it up.

[vivalarevolución]

Will those switches be compatible with anything besides the stock PCB of the keyboard?  Doesn't look like it.

[bcredbottle]

Well **** me. The one thing that saved me from going keycap insane was the fact that my daily board uses Alps switches. Now it's game over for my wallet.

[sean]

Wait a sec, don't ALPS-style switches usually have bits on both sides of the stem? Contacts on one side, tactile or click leaf on the other, like this:

Show Image

This i-rocks thing seems to have a LED where the tactile leaf normally goes...

Given that, and the change of stem size, I wonder how much mechanical similarity these really have to other ALPS-style switches.

There are Alps linear switches that replace the leaf with an LED, like Alps green. My guess is they'll feel like Cherry switches that mount of ALPS boards. Maybe it isn't something most of us would be interested in but I'm sure there are others that could make use of it.