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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: jeffgran on Wed, 26 June 2013, 00:15:44

Title: Topre on ErgoDox?
Post by: jeffgran on Wed, 26 June 2013, 00:15:44

Not knowing too much about keyboards (yet) but being prone to bouts of extreme customization (yay for emacs), I wonder if it would be possible to harvest some Topre switches from a HHKB or some such board, and mount them to the ErgoDox PCB? Are the switches similar enough to Cherry MX that you could just solder it on there and it would work?

Has anybody tried such a thing as replacing the switches on any keyboard with a different type (i.e. different brand) of switch?

Title: Re: Topre on ErgoDox?
Post by: ___q on Wed, 26 June 2013, 00:21:48

This can't be done (without difficult custom PCB and plate &c. design) :(

Topre switches rely on capacitive circuitry on the pcb, which is very different from MX.

There's no enclosed "switch" to harvest.

Title: Re: Topre on ErgoDox?
Post by: jwaz on Wed, 26 June 2013, 00:41:00

This isn't possible but you can always just get a mootron :) (if you want a split hand topre board)

Title: Re: Topre on ErgoDox?
Post by: blueSmoke on Wed, 26 June 2013, 04:19:57

What is mootron or mootron :)  ?

Title: Re: Topre on ErgoDox?
Post by: amzee on Wed, 26 June 2013, 07:35:47

Quote from: blueSmoke on Wed, 26 June 2013, 04:19:57

What is mootron or mootron :)  ?

http://www.personal-media.co.jp/utronkb/

Title: Re: Topre on ErgoDox?
Post by: agodinhost on Wed, 26 June 2013, 07:49:06

I know this guy as uTron ...
I'm kinda in the mood to design an pcb with this layout ...

Title: Re: Topre on ErgoDox?
Post by: CommunistWitchDr on Wed, 26 June 2013, 07:54:34

I should note the utron is not a matrix design. It is split hand, but still staggered. Staggered differently (and almost certainly better) than a standard staggered layout, but I can't say how it compares to matrix.

Title: Re: Topre on ErgoDox?
Post by: jeffgran on Wed, 26 June 2013, 08:56:13

Thanks for the responses guys.

I did see the μTRON in my searches. It looks pretty cool. But not enough thumb buttons for me. I've been using the Kinesis Advantage and really got used to using all of the thumb buttons for all the modifier keys, space, enter, backspace, etc.

I think I'm just going to experiment with clear switches and maybe try to make some "jailhouse blues" to see if I like that.

Title: Re: Topre on ErgoDox?
Post by: davkol on Wed, 26 June 2013, 09:23:52

Quote from: agodinhost on Wed, 26 June 2013, 07:49:06

I know this guy as uTron ...

The letter is 'µ', not 'u'.

Quote from: CommunistWitchDr on Wed, 26 June 2013, 07:54:34

I should note the utron is not a matrix design. It is split hand, but still staggered. Staggered differently (and almost certainly better) than a standard staggered layout, but I can't say how it compares to matrix.

The important part is that it's symmetric. I'd say it's superior to ordinary matrix layout, unless done terribly wrong.

Title: Re: Topre on ErgoDox?
Post by: khaangaaroo on Wed, 26 June 2013, 11:37:01

I wonder if tp4 threw up a little bit when he saw this thread

Title: Re: Topre on ErgoDox?
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 26 June 2013, 11:40:48

Quote from: khaangaaroo on Wed, 26 June 2013, 11:37:01

I wonder if tp4 threw up a little bit when he saw this thread

I'm ok... thanks for your concern...  I'd be ok with the person getting a utron, since the LEGIT MAX POWER ERGODOX is not yet available with rubber dome switches.

Title: Re: Topre on ErgoDox?
Post by: daerid on Wed, 26 June 2013, 11:52:18

I would be all over this. However, I have neither the time nor the patience to see a project of this magnitude through.

So for now, I'll just stick with my ergo clear 'dox, and longingly gaze at my Topre boards wishing for things that can never be, and cursing their staggered layout.