Author Topic: Alternatives for Ergodox (Cheaper Price)  (Read 10124 times)

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Offline DuckNorris

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Alternatives for Ergodox (Cheaper Price)
« on: Fri, 27 January 2017, 10:55:11 »
Hello Guys,

A current coworker of mine needs a split keyboard that is mechanical like the Ergodox but cannot spend the money for an Ergo atm. I was wondering, are there any other good options for a split ergonomic keyboard at a good price? Thank you for your time.

Regards

Offline tp4tissue

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Re: Alternatives for Ergodox (Cheaper Price)
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 27 January 2017, 11:03:42 »
The most important aspect of the ergodox is its placement of screw holes..

WHich allows it to be tented up to 55 degrees using long m3 bolts..



But overall,   you can find ANY split keyboard, they make regular membrane keyboards that are split,   and just drill some holes for tenting screws..

Offline fnurl

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Re: Alternatives for Ergodox (Cheaper Price)
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 27 January 2017, 11:14:16 »
What about the Diverge 3? https://unikeyboard.io/product/diverge/

Offline DuckNorris

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Re: Alternatives for Ergodox (Cheaper Price)
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 27 January 2017, 11:22:56 »
The most important aspect of the ergodox is its placement of screw holes..

WHich allows it to be tented up to 55 degrees using long m3 bolts..



But overall,   you can find ANY split keyboard, they make regular membrane keyboards that are split,   and just drill some holes for tenting screws..

Thank you , but he wants a mechanical keyboard why I was wondering if any one knows of other options as they are called different by manufacturers

Offline DuckNorris

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Re: Alternatives for Ergodox (Cheaper Price)
« Reply #4 on: Fri, 27 January 2017, 11:26:30 »
What about the Diverge 3? https://unikeyboard.io/product/diverge/

Looking into it atm but that is an usual key placement for some of these keys in an ergodox? In their example I see the a 5 to like the very left of the keyboard O_O

Regards

Offline fnurl

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Re: Alternatives for Ergodox (Cheaper Price)
« Reply #5 on: Fri, 27 January 2017, 11:30:04 »
Looking into it atm but that is an usual key placement for some of these keys in an ergodox? In their example I see the a 5 to like the very left of the keyboard O_O

It's not really a 5, the Diverge is made to be compatible with standard keycap sets, so you don't have to buy special kits. You can map otto whatever you want.

Offline DuckNorris

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Re: Alternatives for Ergodox (Cheaper Price)
« Reply #6 on: Fri, 27 January 2017, 11:31:22 »
Looking into it atm but that is an usual key placement for some of these keys in an ergodox? In their example I see the a 5 to like the very left of the keyboard O_O

It's not really a 5, the Diverge is made to be compatible with standard keycap sets, so you don't have to buy special kits. You can map otto whatever you want.

Ah, but they provide default mappings right or recommended etc?

Offline fnurl

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Re: Alternatives for Ergodox (Cheaper Price)
« Reply #7 on: Fri, 27 January 2017, 11:44:40 »
Yup. I have a Terminus Mini 2 and it and the Diverge 3 come with default mappings.

Offline davkol

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Re: Alternatives for Ergodox (Cheaper Price)
« Reply #8 on: Fri, 27 January 2017, 13:06:09 »
Where are you? Thats influences the price of your options a lot.

For example, if you're in Europe, you can get a pair of second-hand Tipro keypads and turn them into a split keyboard fairly cheaply. It's also possible to build an ErgoDox for less than €150.

Offline Phenix

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Re: Alternatives for Ergodox (Cheaper Price)
« Reply #9 on: Sat, 28 January 2017, 11:08:10 »
Where are you? Thats influences the price of your options a lot.

For example, if you're in Europe, you can get a pair of second-hand Tipro keypads and turn them into a split keyboard fairly cheaply. It's also possible to build an ErgoDox for less than €150.
Where is an good place to get Tipros
Winter is coming.

Offline 3K

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Re: Alternatives for Ergodox (Cheaper Price)
« Reply #10 on: Sat, 28 January 2017, 11:30:28 »
Where are you? Thats influences the price of your options a lot.

For example, if you're in Europe, you can get a pair of second-hand Tipro keypads and turn them into a split keyboard fairly cheaply. It's also possible to build an ErgoDox for less than €150.
Where is an good place to get Tipros
Usually there are a bunch on ebay. For example: http://www.ebay.de/itm/Toshiba-TEC-Kassentastatur-PKBST-50-3/162343622564
Keywords to look for would be 'kassentastatur' (or the english equivalent) or right away tipro. Of course not every keyboard used at a checkout is mechanical, but all the tipros share the same modular build, and the same 1u, 2x1u, 1x2u, 2x2u cap sizes, relegendable caps etc.

                   Model M '88    | Model M SSK '87 | HHKB P2  | Zowie FK1

Offline Phenix

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Re: Alternatives for Ergodox (Cheaper Price)
« Reply #11 on: Sat, 28 January 2017, 11:33:27 »
Where are you? Thats influences the price of your options a lot.

For example, if you're in Europe, you can get a pair of second-hand Tipro keypads and turn them into a split keyboard fairly cheaply. It's also possible to build an ErgoDox for less than €150.
Where is an good place to get Tipros
Usually there are a bunch on ebay. For example: http://www.ebay.de/itm/Toshiba-TEC-Kassentastatur-PKBST-50-3/162343622564
Keywords to look for would be 'kassentastatur' (or the english equivalent) or right away tipro. Of course not every keyboard used at a checkout is mechanical, but all the tipros share the same modular build, and the same 1u, 2x1u, 1x2u, 2x2u cap sizes, relegendable caps etc.
also eg these toshiba PoS boards are 'made by tipro' - meaning full programmable, and most likely mechanical mx blacks
Winter is coming.

Offline need

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Re: Alternatives for Ergodox (Cheaper Price)
« Reply #12 on: Sat, 28 January 2017, 11:44:56 »
The ErgoDone kit (case+pcb+cable) only costs $36, but it is only sold in China so if you are US based you'll have to proxy one.
It is basically a Chinese version of the ErgoDox, and with some slight improvements. It's really limited right now (sold out in a matter of 1-2 seconds...), but their aim is to make it readily available in the near future. It can be programmed really easily with a keymapping GUI called TKG.

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z0k.7386009.0.0.7HDf4C&id=534570622972&_u=p21u7brh73ce

Offline DuckNorris

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Re: Alternatives for Ergodox (Cheaper Price)
« Reply #13 on: Mon, 30 January 2017, 02:33:01 »
The ErgoDone kit (case+pcb+cable) only costs $36, but it is only sold in China so if you are US based you'll have to proxy one.
It is basically a Chinese version of the ErgoDox, and with some slight improvements. It's really limited right now (sold out in a matter of 1-2 seconds...), but their aim is to make it readily available in the near future. It can be programmed really easily with a keymapping GUI called TKG.

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z0k.7386009.0.0.7HDf4C&id=534570622972&_u=p21u7brh73ce

Thank you but even with google translate I cannot read that webpage ;_;.