Author Topic: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard (Updated 01-27-2022)  (Read 21372 times)

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Offline Anjheos

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Hello and Welcome to the Mugen Interest Check



IC Form (Updated 01/27/2022):  here
Discord Server is now live!: https://discord.gg/zFexnTDPVe

Updates:

- After all the feedback I've received on the design I've done adjustments to it. All feedback was helpful and changes will be reflected in the upcoming prototype. The renders have also been updated to reflect the changes.
Changes to the design (Reference old renders here.):
- The uneven blocker is no more!
I was able to adjust the physical layouts that I wanted originally to fit with the new blocker.
Thanks to everyone who convinced me to make the change!


- Bumpons have been changed, along with a slight modification to the base.
- Plate was re-designed to be simpler and make more sense.
- Modified the mid accent's side profile, the Front and back angles of the mid accent are now parallel as opposed to the previous aggressive front angle from before.
- Case materials have been finalized, all colors will be aluminum, there will be an option to get a brass mid for each for those who wish.
- All changes mentioned will be reflected in the upcoming prototype.

- View the detailed breakdown of Changes:

More
After going through a lot of the feedback on the IC form, and from members in my discord and friends and other peers in the community, I've updated some key points in the Mugen's design.

Detailed list of updates to the design:

Blocker:
Show Image

The most important change on the face of the keyboard is the blocker by the left arrow. After looking at the layouts in KLE I was able to get a decent configuration for the other optional bottom row layouts.
Show Image

Now the inner blockers are uniform! In all honesty I think it's a good change, It completes the simple front look that I wanted and is more visually pleasing.
I did follow how some other 75's did it, namely the ones that use a 1.5U shift (Evolv75, Box75). I really appreciate everyone who pushed me to make the change.

Plate:
Show Image

The old plate looked like a mess and honestly didn't make sense, to the point it made someone forget if it was a gasket mount or a top mount.
I simplified it and adjusted mounting points, along with applying the changes brought about by the adjustments in the bottom row.
Top row mounting points now hide right under the junctions of the blockers which hides them adequately from a user's perspective.
Bottom row mounting points were adjusted to be far enough from the spacebar + stabs.
I've also looked into getting more materials available from the get go. Aluminum and POM along with the initially mentioned FR4.

Uneven angles on the side profile:
Show Image
Show Image

Specifically on the mid accent and concurrently with the top case, I adjusted the angle of the mid accent on the front side (right side in the picture) to be less aggressive and parallel to the back angle.
This gives a better and cleaner look to the shape, I also added chamfers that run along the edges that meet other layers of the case as a nice transition between layers.
Also the gap where the top and bottom case meet has been fixed, that was my bad.

Bottom profile and bumpons:
Show Image
Show Image

I received a lot of comments regarding the bumpons, so I changed them. I'm now using Blackpaw bumpons designed by AKB, all credit to him! They're really nice bumpons.
After doing some reading and research I've also changed they're placement to be more appropriate to what I'm after, this placement does make more sense.
Because of the change in the bumpons I've also changed the back corners of the base to look more normal and aesthetically pleasing. This brings the edgey factor of the board down by a bit, and the base looks more normal.
I like how it turned out and again I appreciate everyone who pushed me to make some changes!

PCB Options:
Previously I said that I wouldn't be offering a Hotswap option for the PCB, but that has changed with the feedback I've received. I'm considering designing a hotswap PCB, but I won't be decided until after I get the prototype built and tested.
I'd also like to gauge how many people would opt for the hotswap option if it was available, so please drop your thoughts in the updated IC form!

Color options:
Initially the colors weren't set in stone since I was working out the logistics, but that has since changed and I've now decided on final color options for the Mugen, as well as material options for the mid accent.
At first the Grey color was locked to having a copper mid accent, I felt uncomfortable with that idea as well so I decided to make the base kit all aluminum for all 3 parts of the case.
I've also added one more color to the mix and made sure all the mid accents are the highlight of the design, an accent as it should be.
There will be an option to replace the mid with brass, or copper only for the grey color since it's the most expensive option. I'm going with this because I don't want to force anyone to pay more for a certain color and there's more choice.
The mid accent colors are not mix-and-matchable though, so do please take note of that.

Internal modifications:
Show Image
Show Image

I've modified the internals of the design based on feedback and research.

I've made the mid accent thicker to increase surface contact between the 3 layers, and there's overlap along the case walls to serve as alignment between case parts and also to add some sealing along the seams of the design.
This change also adds rigidity to the mid accent.

I've fixed some features on the bottom case internals, namely the huge rectangular recess under the alphas. I opted for a more uniform internal bottom since there was a high chance that leaving the recess would cause a sound discrepancy on certain parts of the keyboard whilst typing.
This was also an attempt to adjust the internal space of the case for the sake of sound.
I've also changed where the JST header is placed on the PCB and reflected that on the bottom case, there's now a cable routing channel from the UDB area to the JST header on the PCB, this runs along the space between the F-Row and Number Row.

Not too much change for the top case really, other than reflecting the changes in the plate mounting points and adding plate and case alignment features mentioned above in the mid accent changes.
I am going to be testing an optional o-ring burger mount feature on the prototype to add option for mounting, an easy enough addition to a top mount design.

Status for the new prototype:
Thankfully I got the all the feedback and applied the changes to the design promptly. All the changes mentioned will be reflected in the prototype that I'll be building in the future.

Vendors, pricing and numbers will be more in reach after I get the prototype as well.

The original post has been updated to reflect all the changes in the design. I've also updated the IC form! I really appreciate everyone for giving me feedback and for helping me make the Mugen better than its initial state.





Design Origins:

The Mugen was born from the curiosity of seeing whether I can design my own keyboard with my own aesthetic flair.
I wanted a design that would be eye-catching but also wouldn't be too over-the-top.
The Mugen's aesthetic shows an interesting mid accent, but when viewed from the front it is all about business in its simplicity.
If there was a keyboard in mullet form this would probably be it.




I've always been a fan of keyboards with a mid-accent, and it just worked with the side profile which has been an integral piece since Day 1 of the design process.



I'm also a big fan of the 75% layout, personally, it's a good layout without having the size of a TKL but having nearly as much functionality.
The Mugen keeps it simple with just having as many keys as possible that can fit while having the keys spaced out decently.




***Boring stuff*** Why the name "Mugen":

More
Mugen, when translated from Japanese to English can mean "infinite" or "infinity".
The name is more symbolic in nature than literal when it comes to this design.

What does it symbolize?
When I first stepped into the keyboard community, the designs I saw were amazing, creative, and unique.
I could only dream of achieving something as great as what other designers have made.
I wanted to give it a shot, doing my research and learning how to use the different tools to make a design from scratch.
This turned into my passion project, I was determined to bring my design to life, and I greatly enjoyed the journey to make it happen.
Mugen: it stands for the infinite potential when you have the motivation and determination to see something through.


Specs:
- Aluminum Case with option for Brass or Copper mid accent.
- 7 degree typing angle
- Simple top mount design
- Plate options: FR4, Aluminum, POM
- Physical support for ANSI, ISO, Split Backspace, 6.25U and 7U spacebars.
- STM32 powered PCB
- ai03 Unified Daughterboard
- QMK Compatible (VIA TBA)
- Solderable PCB (Hotswap TBD)


New Layouts:


Plate:


Exploded Views:


Final Color Options:
- "Solitary"


- "Fantasy"


- "Abyss"


- "Serenity"



First Prototype Photos:
https://imgur.com/a/IxU7uVS
Please note that the color in the pictures isn't the final version, obviously a little off.
If you guys have any questions about the V1 proto you can ask me on the discord server.
Please do consider that this is the first prototype, hence there will be major imperfections present.





Minor Updates:
- Prototype is in progress. Been working on it for a year or so now and currently I'm waiting for the v2 prototype atm.
I will upload pictures of the v1 proto when I can. Sound test and build log once v2 proto comes in!
- Discord server is Under Construction at the moment, I will update this post once it is ready! Server is now live! This is the best way to contact me if you need to.
[/size]


Other things to address:
Is there RGB?
- No lighting for this, I designed the PCB myself and opted to exclude lighting on the keyboard as a design choice to keep the simple front (facing you) view.

Hotswap?
- Sorry but no hotswap for this one. As I said above, I designed the PCB myself, and I opted not to provide a hotswap option to simplify the design process.
- I'm currently considering an attempt at designing a hotswap option, I won't be decided until after the prototype though since that is priority at the moment.

Mid Accent gap on the bottom edge

- Ah yes, on very early drafts I did indeed have this go all the way down and it worked, but the entire internal structure of the keyboard was significantly different (think 3 big slabs of aluminum, top case, mid case and bottom case if you will).
  The gap there "stopping" the mid accent is a design choice to keep the underside of the keyboard as clean as can be. I didn't want to see copper on the bottom.
  Also the shape of the side profile is specifically what I wanted to keep, and stretching the bottom down threw off the proportions (yes I do have specific proportions for the side profile).


- I guess this was my misunderstanding, my bad, I thought people were referring to the aluminum layer on the bottom edge of the lowest point of the mid accent.

I've rectified it in the models, the shading in between shown in the image above is now caused by the chamfers where the edges meet.
Shown better here:


Other plate material options?
- I chose FR4 as the "stock" plate. I may release the plate files in the future for custom plates for those who want that option. Looking into Aluminum and POM plates, with the FR4 plate still an option of course. 

Personal Note:
After spending more time on the design, I've updated the it and the renders should reflect the changes I took into consideration. Thanks to all who gave me feedback!

I've seen everyone's initial thoughts and greatly appreciate the feedback!
There are some aspects on the design that I stand firmly on since it aligns with the original vision I have for the keyboard.
I understand that the design might not be everyone's cup of tea, and whether you liked it or not I truly do appreciate you taking the time and checking my IC out.  :)

Edit Log:
01/27/2022
- Updated IC to reflect changes made to the design.
- Updated colors to final options.
- Added changes log from initial presentation. Old Renders can be found here.

01/12/22
- Added link for V1 Proto Album

01/11/22
- Added Discord link

01/10/22
- Added Exploded views
- Added renders for potential color options
- Addressed some things I saw from replies
- Added small updates section







« Last Edit: Fri, 28 January 2022, 08:05:15 by Anjheos »

Offline ShiroMoria

  • Posts: 30
  • Location: Latvia
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #1 on: Mon, 10 January 2022, 07:52:53 »
Thats a sexy side profile. Visually its a very appealing design.

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk


Offline dingusxmcgee

  • Posts: 214
  • Location: West MI
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #2 on: Mon, 10 January 2022, 08:09:25 »
Happy to finally see this posted! GLWIC :)

Offline endl

  • Posts: 12
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #3 on: Mon, 10 January 2022, 08:18:02 »
This is the layout Ive been waiting for!!!!

Hotswap? Rgb?

Offline BloremBipsum

  • Posts: 73
  • Location: Philippines
  • Yes, I am a Dumb Ass Boi
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #4 on: Mon, 10 January 2022, 08:32:33 »
thats hot

Offline QWER|key

  • Posts: 67
  • Location: Blackpool, UK
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #5 on: Mon, 10 January 2022, 09:13:34 »
I hope this makes it into GB. I like this a lot.

Offline SDKCAMPING

  • Posts: 183
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #6 on: Mon, 10 January 2022, 09:52:22 »
The angles don't really flow together for me, like the copper mid accent is just barely not parallel. Also the bottom piece looks painfully sharp. GLWIC
Blue Gray Ciel 60 with BCPs | E-white 7V (plateless) with Aqua Kings

Offline gotgoodiez

  • Posts: 59
  • Location: USA
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #7 on: Mon, 10 January 2022, 10:16:49 »
Nice board and I like the mid accent but IMO I think extending the accent to the bottom instead of the little gap. Also I think the feet placement could be better, kind of ugly and takes away from your bottom design.

Offline stewfayew

  • Posts: 87
  • Location: US
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #8 on: Mon, 10 January 2022, 11:52:58 »
Looks cool. internal pics? feedback form?

Offline Nurseh

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Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #9 on: Mon, 10 January 2022, 12:15:24 »
Visuals look great, love that mid accent!

Offline xmchna

  • Posts: 4
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #10 on: Mon, 10 January 2022, 12:46:20 »
The design is pretty interesting. Is there an IC form and/or discord server for the board?

Offline karubaru

  • Posts: 1
  • Location: United States
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #11 on: Mon, 10 January 2022, 14:10:28 »
I will watch this board with great interest.

Offline namidettje

  • Posts: 43
  • Location: ÑEurope
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #12 on: Mon, 10 January 2022, 15:37:25 »
No Knob
Edgy side view
Simple Front view

Looks at wallet

Oh Fack here we go again.

Joking aside, hope to see some proto / Sound test / Internals and some IC Form. Also the layouts supported. This IC is lacking some content. GLWIC
 

Offline godofdeath

  • Posts: 406
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #13 on: Mon, 10 January 2022, 17:15:10 »
This was sooooooooo close to being my want if you kept it all .25u. Sadge it's .5u next to arrows.

Offline C_L | Soup

  • Posts: 47
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #14 on: Mon, 10 January 2022, 17:24:52 »
Ditto on the layout/KLE, internal structure, etc. Have any prototypes been ordered? Would also like to see estimated price, MOQ/limit as well.

Offline Ashen_21

  • Posts: 56
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #15 on: Mon, 10 January 2022, 19:16:12 »
Looks absolutely gorgeous! Hoping to see protos soon and wondering what kind of price range and MOQ there will be.

Offline Anjheos

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 5
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #16 on: Mon, 10 January 2022, 19:27:53 »
Thank you everyone for visiting this IC thread! I really do appreciate you leaving your thoughts and opinions.

I've gone through all your replies and edited the OP to add some things you guys asked for (exploded views, KLE layout, some additional specs).

Ditto on the layout/KLE, internal structure, etc. Have any prototypes been ordered? Would also like to see estimated price, MOQ/limit as well.
Prototypes are in progress, as for the MOQs and the like, since this is the first design I'm putting out to the public I would like to see how this IC goes, if there's enough interest then I can for sure iron things out and I will promptly update everyone regarding that when I can.
I don't like throwing out numbers especially if I have no other ICs/GBs of my own to base them off on. Hope that makes sense.

This was sooooooooo close to being my want if you kept it all .25u. Sadge it's .5u next to arrows.
I stuck with some basic bottom row layouts so the .5u had to stay. I do like that uniform blocker look though.  :thumb:

No Knob
Edgy side view
Simple Front view

Looks at wallet

Oh Fack here we go again.

Joking aside, hope to see some proto / Sound test / Internals and some IC Form. Also the layouts supported. This IC is lacking some content. GLWIC
 
Added a few of the things you pointed out as well, just no actual sound test yet, internals would probably be better with the live proto as well. Added a pic of the layouts! And yes I know it is lacking some content but I will be adding as I go! :)

Nice board and I like the mid accent but IMO I think extending the accent to the bottom instead of the little gap. Also I think the feet placement could be better, kind of ugly and takes away from your bottom design.
Maybe the bumpons I can try adjusting, I'll look into it. As for the mid accent I opted for that look to preserve the proportions of the shape, stretching it lower threw off some proportions and added some structural annoyances. Also just not having copper not show on the bottom appealed to me, keeping the accent strictly only on the side. Really appreciate your feedback though!




Offline godofdeath

  • Posts: 406
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #17 on: Mon, 10 January 2022, 19:45:01 »
Can you make the bottom row .25u longer

Offline C_L | Soup

  • Posts: 47
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #18 on: Mon, 10 January 2022, 20:21:21 »
Thank you everyone for visiting this IC thread! I really do appreciate you leaving your thoughts and opinions.

I've gone through all your replies and edited the OP to add some things you guys asked for (exploded views, KLE layout, some additional specs).

Ditto on the layout/KLE, internal structure, etc. Have any prototypes been ordered? Would also like to see estimated price, MOQ/limit as well.
Prototypes are in progress, as for the MOQs and the like, since this is the first design I'm putting out to the public I would like to see how this IC goes, if there's enough interest then I can for sure iron things out and I will promptly update everyone regarding that when I can.
I don't like throwing out numbers especially if I have no other ICs/GBs of my own to base them off on. Hope that makes sense.

This was sooooooooo close to being my want if you kept it all .25u. Sadge it's .5u next to arrows.
I stuck with some basic bottom row layouts so the .5u had to stay. I do like that uniform blocker look though.  :thumb:

No Knob
Edgy side view
Simple Front view

Looks at wallet

Oh Fack here we go again.

Joking aside, hope to see some proto / Sound test / Internals and some IC Form. Also the layouts supported. This IC is lacking some content. GLWIC
 
Added a few of the things you pointed out as well, just no actual sound test yet, internals would probably be better with the live proto as well. Added a pic of the layouts! And yes I know it is lacking some content but I will be adding as I go! :)

Nice board and I like the mid accent but IMO I think extending the accent to the bottom instead of the little gap. Also I think the feet placement could be better, kind of ugly and takes away from your bottom design.
Maybe the bumpons I can try adjusting, I'll look into it. As for the mid accent I opted for that look to preserve the proportions of the shape, stretching it lower threw off some proportions and added some structural annoyances. Also just not having copper not show on the bottom appealed to me, keeping the accent strictly only on the side. Really appreciate your feedback though!

Thanks for the small update! GLWIC, can't wait to see protos

Offline ardor

  • Posts: 2
  • Location: Russia
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #19 on: Tue, 11 January 2022, 05:44:18 »
Looks nice overall, but 1.5u rshift with non-uniform blockers is a rather odd choice.
« Last Edit: Tue, 11 January 2022, 06:09:50 by ardor »

Offline xmchna

  • Posts: 4
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #20 on: Tue, 11 January 2022, 06:58:46 »
Some personal thoughts about this keyboard:
The more I look at the board, the more conflicted I get. The profile is very interesting, and makes the board pretty unique in its own right. The face, on the other hand, seems very plain by comparison, especially the arrow cluster and the nav rows. I love the exploded but I can't shake off the crowded look of a compressed layout. The thick blocker next to L-arrow skews the perceived weight of the bottom row. Additionally, that blocker is of different dimensions than the one next to R-arrow, kinda making it asymmetrical. Perhaps moving the entire arrow and nav row cluster a bit outward could be considered. And maybe dropping a key or two from that row. But that is purely your design choice.

Is it a design choice to not have any visual design on the face?

Overall, pretty neat board that I'll keep an eye on. GLWIC

Offline Stilou Studio

  • Formerly Seo
  • Posts: 70
  • Location: Denmark
  • Danish Designed Keyboards
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #21 on: Tue, 11 January 2022, 13:36:40 »
Looks super cool and unique!
Not a very big fan of the feet though :/
GLWIC!

Offline Ustinj

  • Posts: 390
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #22 on: Tue, 11 January 2022, 13:44:08 »


Personally could not keep my 7V due to corners like this, it looks unpleasant to handle that piece knowing that it could hurt if you grab it wrong!
« Last Edit: Tue, 11 January 2022, 14:59:27 by Ustinj »

Offline namidettje

  • Posts: 43
  • Location: ÑEurope
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #23 on: Tue, 11 January 2022, 15:42:27 »
Thanks for adding those bits!

Depending on the price may aswell get one :)

Did ever cross your mind using a PC mid piece and adding RGB to the pcb?

Regardless, goodjob!

Offline Anjheos

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 5
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #24 on: Tue, 11 January 2022, 16:57:38 »
Some personal thoughts about this keyboard:
The more I look at the board, the more conflicted I get. The profile is very interesting, and makes the board pretty unique in its own right. The face, on the other hand, seems very plain by comparison, especially the arrow cluster and the nav rows. I love the exploded but I can't shake off the crowded look of a compressed layout. The thick blocker next to L-arrow skews the perceived weight of the bottom row. Additionally, that blocker is of different dimensions than the one next to R-arrow, kinda making it asymmetrical. Perhaps moving the entire arrow and nav row cluster a bit outward could be considered. And maybe dropping a key or two from that row. But that is purely your design choice.

Is it a design choice to not have any visual design on the face?

Overall, pretty neat board that I'll keep an eye on. GLWIC

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I appreciate the comprehensive analysis as well!

As for the blockers, yes they're asymmetrical, I might toy around with the extra uniform blockers in the future on another design. I am a big fan of the blocked 75's so I might cook up another one later on. And I also wanted to fit as many keys in as possible. That's why it's a 4-key nav cluster on the side instead of the usual 3 on others.

Also, yes it was a design choice to make the face simple. I'm a fan of simplicity but I also do like a dash of complexity. I wanted flair, which was the mid accent, but I didn't want it to be too over the top. Hence the simple face. :)

Show Image


Personally could not keep my 7V due to corners like this, it looks unpleasant to handle that piece knowing that it could hurt if you grab it wrong!

On the V1 proto that I got the corners on those specific pieces weren't as sharp as they appeared to be in the renders, possibly because of the sandblasting and de-burring done post machining. I'll have to check again. Otherwise, I'll try to add some small fillets or chamfers to make sure they're more blunt in person. :thumb:

Thanks for adding those bits!

Depending on the price may aswell get one :)

Did ever cross your mind using a PC mid piece and adding RGB to the pcb?

Regardless, goodjob!

Thank you!

I actually thought about a PC mid piece earlier in the design process, with the RGB, but looking at how the mid piece is constructed in its current iteration, I felt a PC mid piece would be too fragile. So I decided to save the idea for a future design instead where I can make full use of the RGB and PC mid piece.

Offline alper_maestro

  • Posts: 265
  • Location: Netherlands
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #25 on: Thu, 13 January 2022, 16:12:54 »
I like the design.

Goodluck with the project.

Maybe if you will provide an hotswap option in the future, I will be checking it again.
« Last Edit: Thu, 13 January 2022, 16:15:50 by alper_maestro »

Offline ALL CAPS

  • Posts: 5
  • Location: Melbourne, Australia
  • ALLCAPS
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard
« Reply #26 on: Thu, 13 January 2022, 19:26:59 »
That side profile! GLWIC!

Offline Anjheos

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 5
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard (Updated 01-27-2022)
« Reply #27 on: Fri, 28 January 2022, 07:37:35 »
After going through a lot of the feedback on the IC form, and from members in my discord and friends and other peers in the community, I've updated some key points in the Mugen's design.

Detailed list of updates to the design:

Blocker:

The most important change on the face of the keyboard is the blocker by the left arrow. After looking at the layouts in KLE I was able to get a decent configuration for the other optional bottom row layouts.

Now the inner blockers are uniform! In all honesty I think it's a good change, It completes the simple front look that I wanted and is more visually pleasing.
I did follow how some other 75's did it, namely the ones that use a 1.5U shift (Evolv75, Box75). I really appreciate everyone who pushed me to make the change.

Plate:

The old plate looked like a mess and honestly didn't make sense, to the point it made someone forget if it was a gasket mount or a top mount.
I simplified it and adjusted mounting points, along with applying the changes brought about by the adjustments in the bottom row.
Top row mounting points now hide right under the junctions of the blockers which hides them adequately from a user's perspective.
Bottom row mounting points were adjusted to be far enough from the spacebar + stabs.
I've also looked into getting more materials available from the get go. Aluminum and POM along with the initially mentioned FR4.

Uneven angles on the side profile:

Specifically on the mid accent and concurrently with the top case, I adjusted the angle of the mid accent on the front side (right side in the picture) to be less aggressive and parallel to the back angle.
This gives a better and cleaner look to the shape, I also added chamfers that run along the edges that meet other layers of the case as a nice transition between layers.
Also the gap where the top and bottom case meet has been fixed, that was my bad.

Bottom profile and bumpons:

I received a lot of comments regarding the bumpons, so I changed them. I'm now using Blackpaw bumpons designed by AKB, all credit to him! They're really nice bumpons.
After doing some reading and research I've also changed they're placement to be more appropriate to what I'm after, this placement does make more sense.
Because of the change in the bumpons I've also changed the back corners of the base to look more normal and aesthetically pleasing. This brings the edgey factor of the board down by a bit, and the base looks more normal.
I like how it turned out and again I appreciate everyone who pushed me to make some changes!

PCB Options:
Previously I said that I wouldn't be offering a Hotswap option for the PCB, but that has changed with the feedback I've received. I'm considering designing a hotswap PCB, but I won't be decided until after I get the prototype built and tested.
I'd also like to gauge how many people would opt for the hotswap option if it was available, so please drop your thoughts in the updated IC form!

Color options:
Initially the colors weren't set in stone since I was working out the logistics, but that has since changed and I've now decided on final color options for the Mugen, as well as material options for the mid accent.
At first the Grey color was locked to having a copper mid accent, I felt uncomfortable with that idea as well so I decided to make the base kit all aluminum for all 3 parts of the case.
I've also added one more color to the mix and made sure all the mid accents are the highlight of the design, an accent as it should be.
There will be an option to replace the mid with brass for all available colors, with copper currently only for the grey color since it's the most expensive option and also for the (dumb) reason being that it's my favorite combination.
I'm going with this structure because I don't want to force anyone to pay more for a certain color and there's more choice.
The mid accent colors are not mix-and-matchable though, so do please take note of that.

Internal modifications:

I've modified the internals of the design based on feedback and research.

I've made the mid accent thicker to increase surface contact between the 3 layers, and there's overlap along the case walls to serve as alignment between case parts and also to add some sealing along the seams of the design.
This change also adds rigidity to the mid accent.

I've fixed some features on the bottom case internals, namely the huge rectangular recess under the alphas. I opted for a more uniform internal bottom since there was a high chance that leaving the recess would cause a sound discrepancy on certain parts of the keyboard whilst typing.
This was also an attempt to adjust the internal space of the case for the sake of sound.
I've also changed where the JST header is placed on the PCB and reflected that on the bottom case, there's now a cable routing channel from the UDB area to the JST header on the PCB, this runs along the space between the F-Row and Number Row.

Not too much change for the top case really, other than reflecting the changes in the plate mounting points and adding plate and case alignment features mentioned above in the mid accent changes.
I am going to be testing an optional o-ring burger mount feature on the prototype to add option for mounting, an easy enough addition to a top mount design.

Status for the new prototype:
Thankfully I got the all the feedback and applied the changes to the design promptly. All the changes mentioned will be reflected in the prototype that I'll be building in the future.

Vendors, pricing and numbers will be more in reach after I get the prototype as well.

The original post has been updated to reflect all the changes in the design. I've also updated the IC form! I really appreciate everyone for giving me feedback and for helping me make the Mugen better than its initial state.


« Last Edit: Fri, 04 February 2022, 15:39:57 by Anjheos »

Offline godofdeath

  • Posts: 406
Wait, so now the colors are locked in as black/red, white/pink, purple/aqua or teal, and grey with some brass color?

And only grey can be upgraded to brass or copper?



Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk


Offline Anjheos

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 5
Wait, so now the colors are locked in as black/red, white/pink, purple/aqua or teal, and grey with some brass color?

And only grey can be upgraded to brass or copper?



Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

I read what I said again and saw the misunderstanding from my poor wording. My apologies. The base colors are locked to to those mid accent colors, yes, Grey is going to have a rose gold mid accent, not some brass. All colors can be upgraded to brass mid only if one wishes to upgrade. For now I'm keeping copper only for grey, for the dumb reason that grey and copper is my favorite combination.

Thanks for pointing that out. I will edit that post.
« Last Edit: Fri, 04 February 2022, 16:19:41 by Anjheos »

Offline Nurseh

  • Posts: 74
  • Location: Maple Syrup Land
  • Sorry for always apologizing
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard (Updated 01-27-2022)
« Reply #30 on: Fri, 04 February 2022, 15:47:35 »
That solitary looks sweet, looking forward to a sound test! glwic  :thumb:

Offline gwopkindle

  • Posts: 1
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard (Updated 01-27-2022)
« Reply #31 on: Fri, 18 February 2022, 06:50:43 »
Didn't there existed some sort of black and white combo that I saw on someone's VOD? What happened to those?

Why are the color options so limited? Why can't it be mix and match? I'd like a black or white board but not with some gaudy accent piece nor brass, I would like to replace it with another color.

Also, that red and black feels like an old Asus ROG theme. Can we get finger print magnet stainless steel accent piece instead?

What exactly are the color combos now? Is that white + pink or silver + pink? Can you list out the colors instead of stupid fancy names?

And why is there no comment box in an IC form?

Offline Briaireous

  • Posts: 12
This has me real interested as my first 75%. I really do hope for a hotswap PCB.

Definitely going to pull the trigger on the Fantasy color way!!!

Sent from my LYA-L09 using Tapatalk


Offline TheIcyKoala

  • Posts: 38
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard (Updated 01-27-2022)
« Reply #33 on: Fri, 18 February 2022, 21:01:12 »
The design works really nicely with the two tone colors, very nice. :thumb:

Offline Jarhead

  • Posts: 7
  • Location: Norcal
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard (Updated 01-27-2022)
« Reply #34 on: Sat, 19 February 2022, 01:41:26 »
Looks very nice. Personally really like Serenity a lot.

Offline fairypenguin

  • Posts: 44
  • Location: New York, US
  • zzz
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard (Updated 01-27-2022)
« Reply #35 on: Sat, 19 February 2022, 02:45:06 »
Excited to see where this goes. Seeing a lot of potential, and definitely interested. Really liking the design so far.

Offline luiG0929

  • Posts: 2
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard (Updated 01-27-2022)
« Reply #36 on: Sat, 19 February 2022, 16:25:59 »
Instant join for the Serenity
[Glacier80][Angle from VERTEX]

Offline VaporKeebs

  • Posts: 58
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard (Updated 01-27-2022)
« Reply #37 on: Tue, 22 February 2022, 20:27:20 »
This in the Fantasy colorway plus Analog Dream Digitqal Nightmare would be fire.

Offline .jan

  • Posts: 29
  • Location: DFW
    • keebsta
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard (Updated 01-27-2022)
« Reply #38 on: Sat, 26 February 2022, 05:15:45 »
Such a unique and interesting design. Count me in!

Offline Xury46

  • Posts: 70
Re: [IC] Anjheos Unit-00 -"Mugen" | 75% Top Mount Keyboard (Updated 01-27-2022)
« Reply #39 on: Mon, 28 February 2022, 00:22:04 »
This board is beautiful.
Is there any chance we could get rotary encoder support for the top right corner?

Offline nullmango

  • Posts: 2
i like this a LOT

Offline FitLabb

  • Posts: 54
    • FitLabb
Beautiful board! Couldn’t tell from the photos exactly what a couple of the colors were, but they looked very nice and great design overall. Not sure if I missed it or not, but any ballpark estimate on the price?
Founder of FitLabb.com - an online fitness & nutrition platform
YouTube - FitLabb

Offline Gerzerker

  • Posts: 9
A interesting looking board. Really looking forward in snatching up one  :)