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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: ShakeR on Tue, 31 January 2012, 12:23:09

Title: Lists of Mechanical Keyboard features. Am I missing anything?
Post by: ShakeR on Tue, 31 January 2012, 12:23:09
Here's what I've got so far, anything you can add to the list(s) is very much appreciated!

Layouts:
US ANSI 87
US ANSI 104
US ANSI 104+4

Key Plastics:
ABS
PBT

Switches:
Black Cherry
Brown Cherry
Blue Cherry
Red Cherry
Clear Cherry
Black Alps
Green Alps
White Alps (anyone know actuation force for white alps?)
Buckling Spring
Topre Key

Print Type:
Pad Printed
Laser Etched
Dye Set
Injection Molded

Thanks!
Title: Lists of Mechanical Keyboard features. Am I missing anything?
Post by: bbbbqq on Tue, 31 January 2012, 12:30:33
ISO layouts
Japanese layouts

Painted keys

Alpa of way more colors

See ripsters wiki
Title: Lists of Mechanical Keyboard features. Am I missing anything?
Post by: Roguemaster8 on Tue, 31 January 2012, 12:31:05
Isn't the actuation force for white alps between 60g and 70g? I read it varied if they were complicated or not.
Title: Lists of Mechanical Keyboard features. Am I missing anything?
Post by: hazeluff on Tue, 31 January 2012, 12:32:00
Layouts:

Tons of variations:

ISO and 7Bit layouts

Plastics:

POM
Resin (DYI keycaps).

Switches:

Green Cherry
Dark Blue Cherry,
Grey Cherry.

Printing:

Lazer Engraved

Also, INB4 Ripster.
Title: Lists of Mechanical Keyboard features. Am I missing anything?
Post by: alaricljs on Tue, 31 January 2012, 12:36:09
105 key, 109 key,
POM keycaps
think you mean dye sub where you have dye set
double shot would be more recognizable than injection molded
blank keycaps too
also front printed keycaps

presence of peripherals like USB hubs, trackpoints, trackpads, smartcard readers, mag-stripe readers,

matrix layout, stagger layout

backlighting, where the standard signal LEDs are (in key or near the numpad area)
Title: Lists of Mechanical Keyboard features. Am I missing anything?
Post by: trax on Tue, 31 January 2012, 12:37:51
Depends if you want a list of currently used switches or also older switches which are out of production.
Title: Lists of Mechanical Keyboard features. Am I missing anything?
Post by: ShakeR on Tue, 31 January 2012, 13:23:13
Wow, you guys are amazing.  I had a feeling I was missing quite a bit...

Quote from: trax;504335
Depends if you want a list of currently used switches or also older switches which are out of production.


Looking for switches currently in production. Thanks!
Title: Lists of Mechanical Keyboard features. Am I missing anything?
Post by: jkercado on Tue, 31 January 2012, 15:44:26
Cherry ML switches!
Title: Lists of Mechanical Keyboard features. Am I missing anything?
Post by: enoy21 on Tue, 31 January 2012, 15:46:36
Are you trying to reinvent the wheel that Ripster has already built ?
Title: Lists of Mechanical Keyboard features. Am I missing anything?
Post by: ShakeR on Tue, 31 January 2012, 16:16:11
Quote from: enoy21;504604
Are you trying to reinvent the wheel that Ripster has already built ?

I tried delving through his wiki, most of the information that I can find is either over my head or not what I'm looking for.  

I've gotten more out of the posts above than I did looking through it; HOWEVER, I know this is likely my fault as I'm not looking in the right place in his documentation.
Title: Lists of Mechanical Keyboard features. Am I missing anything?
Post by: ShakeR on Tue, 31 January 2012, 16:48:36
Is there a difference between Laser Etched and Laser Engraved caps?
Title: Lists of Mechanical Keyboard features. Am I missing anything?
Post by: Armando Penblade on Tue, 31 January 2012, 17:41:23
Quote from: ShakeR;504652
Is there a difference between Laser Etched and Laser Engraved caps?


Well, there are keycaps (like some available from WASDKeyboards) that have the letters "carved out" of the plastic via laser. The area is left empty.

Then there are keycaps where a thinner letter "shape" is lasered into the key, and then the resulting "bed" is filled with ink. AFAIK, this is how the keys are printed on the SteelSeries 6Gv2. It tends to result in both a more evident feeling where the "printing" is than pad-printed keys and results in legend wear that has the letters discoloring rather than rubbing off. You can eventually wear away all the ink in the hollowed out spaces, but it might take a good long while for a decently made key.
Title: Lists of Mechanical Keyboard features. Am I missing anything?
Post by: alaricljs on Tue, 31 January 2012, 19:20:24
To add to what Armando said, there is a method whereby the color of the keycap is changed with a laser which is WASD's laser etching process.  The other process WASD uses is called laser engraved, there is no contrast just the letter carved out of the key surface.
Title: Lists of Mechanical Keyboard features. Am I missing anything?
Post by: enoy21 on Wed, 01 February 2012, 07:15:03
Quote from: ShakeR;504633
I tried delving through his wiki, most of the information that I can find is either over my head or not what I'm looking for.  

I've gotten more out of the posts above than I did looking through it; HOWEVER, I know this is likely my fault as I'm not looking in the right place in his documentation.


I will admit that the organization could be managed better to allow a more fluid flow of information.