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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Magna224 on Sat, 27 August 2011, 00:35:53

Title: ALPS Backlit Keyboard
Post by: Magna224 on Sat, 27 August 2011, 00:35:53
Are there any keyboards that are backlit with ALPS switches?
Title: ALPS Backlit Keyboard
Post by: SmallFry on Sat, 27 August 2011, 00:38:18
We can only wish... Too bad they don't have real genies.


I don't think they do. That would be AWESOME though...
Title: ALPS Backlit Keyboard
Post by: Magna224 on Sat, 27 August 2011, 01:24:51
I have never heard of one. I was mostly wondering if anyone has ever modded one though that seems very impractical.
Title: ALPS Backlit Keyboard
Post by: The Solutor on Sat, 27 August 2011, 06:26:28
Quote from: Magna224;405859
I have never heard of one. I was mostly wondering if anyone has ever modded one though that seems very impractical.

 
ALPS switches with led are available but the led steal the room for the click/tactile leaf.

So only linear board could be theoretically made backlit.

Given the almost complete lack of clear keycaps (a mackally transparent board was available) the only viable solution is the UV frontlit

http://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=979
Title: ALPS Backlit Keyboard
Post by: SmallFry on Sat, 27 August 2011, 10:14:58
I'm thinking if you were to come up with an actual one you would have everyone in serious board envy. I don't mind linears so the theoretical "modded" board would be fine for me. Although someone needs to come up with such then...
Title: ALPS Backlit Keyboard
Post by: The Solutor on Sat, 27 August 2011, 10:37:04
Quote from: SmallFry;405960
I'm thinking if you were to come up with an actual one you would have everyone in serious board envy. I don't mind linears so the theoretical "modded" board would be fine for me. Although someone needs to come up with such then...


BTW you should also consider that there isn't too much difference between a linear cherry and a linear alps, the most appreciable differences between alps and cherry are on tactility.

So I'm not sure that a linear backlit apls would be a big success...
Title: ALPS Backlit Keyboard
Post by: The Solutor on Sat, 27 August 2011, 10:50:41
Quote from: ripster;405972
That and the force diagrams being COMPLETELY different.


Oh surely a linearly compressed spring have very curly diagrams...:pound:

Quote
You really are on a roll today.  Telling people to uses Teflon sprays with acetone in them at Deskthority.net and messing up here royally. Luckily you can't destroy a keyboard with bad keyboard purchasing advice.


Yes I suggest it, try to learn something before writing bull**** on the forums.


An ignorant unable to learn something in 40000 messages is still an ignorant.
Title: ALPS Backlit Keyboard
Post by: The Solutor on Sat, 27 August 2011, 11:17:23
Quote from: ripster;405984

You can check this for yourself by pulling the click/tactile leaf on any ALPS.


Those diagrams are clearly wrong, w/o the leaf there isn't any bump during the key stroke.

The stem goes down like a knife in the butter exactly as happens on black and red cherrys.
Title: ALPS Backlit Keyboard
Post by: False_Dmitry_II on Sat, 27 August 2011, 14:49:44
Actually there is that thing on the switch plate for alps that makes contact. It does sit under the slider, so I can see how that would put something there. Something is more than nothing.
Title: ALPS Backlit Keyboard
Post by: Pylon on Sun, 28 August 2011, 14:20:25
Quote from: The Solutor;405987
Those diagrams are clearly wrong, w/o the leaf there isn't any bump during the key stroke.

The stem goes down like a knife in the butter exactly as happens on black and red cherrys.

Have you done what ripster asked you to do? On simplified Alps you still get a very slight tactile bump with the tactile/clicky leaf removed since the little bump on the actuation leaves provide a teensy bit of a tactile bump.
Title: ALPS Backlit Keyboard
Post by: The Solutor on Sun, 28 August 2011, 14:27:00
Quote from: Pylon;406492
Have you done what ripster asked you to do?


Yes two months before he asked.

Quote
On simplified Alps you still get a very slight tactile bump with the tactile/clicky leaf removed since the little bump on the actuation leaves provide a teensy bit of a tactile bump.


On the graphs that supposed residual tactile bump is shown as 5g, not exactly tiny.

I don't know if the native linear alps have any major difference, but on the "getto linear" I cant notice anything bigger than the normal alps friction.
Title: ALPS Backlit Keyboard
Post by: Pylon on Sun, 28 August 2011, 20:00:41
Actually I just got out my Alps board and there is a very slight and hard to feel tactile bump at the very bottom of the stroke. Very hard to detect though.
Title: ALPS Backlit Keyboard
Post by: SmallFry on Sun, 28 August 2011, 22:10:29
My ALPs ring for a long time...Too lazy to time it but it seems quite lengthy. Just FYI ripster.
Title: ALPS Backlit Keyboard
Post by: SmallFry on Sun, 28 August 2011, 22:19:53
GAHH! SO WANT FILCO ZERO...SmallFry must aquire a job capable of molding to his busy teenage schedule...