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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Belfong on Sat, 07 December 2013, 20:08:10

Title: Keyboard with both Brown and Clear switch
Post by: Belfong on Sat, 07 December 2013, 20:08:10

I remember reading a review of a stock keyboard that was built with both clear and brown switch. The browns were on the alphas while the clears were on the mods.

And there was photos of box. On the box was a sticker that outlines which key caps have browns and which have clears.

I just can't recall what is the name of this board and googling just returned too much result to sift through. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

Title: Re: Keyboard with both Brown and Clear switch
Post by: SpAmRaY on Sat, 07 December 2013, 20:12:35

Ducky, you can see it at mechanicalkeyboards.com I think, search for hybrid cherry tactile.

But I also have a cherry G80-3000 similar to that.

Title: Re: Keyboard with both Brown and Clear switch
Post by: Belfong on Sat, 07 December 2013, 20:30:40

Thanks to your tip SpamRay and I found the review. I wouldn't have thought that it was a Ducky.
http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/27657-ducky-shine-dk-9087-g2-pro-limited-edition-mx-clear-brown-hybrid-hands-on-with-high-res-pics/

Title: Re: Keyboard with both Brown and Clear switch
Post by: SpAmRaY on Sat, 07 December 2013, 20:32:54

Ducky made a few different hybrids!

Title: Re: Keyboard with both Brown and Clear switch
Post by: Belfong on Sat, 07 December 2013, 21:41:20

Do you mind sharing with me how it feels to have an hybrid. I'm going to mod the modifiers of my Brown KBT ONI with clears (well, engaging someone to do it for me). The reason I'm doing it is because I find that the browns feel very mushy on the higher profile R4 SPH keys. The alphas are ok but the mod is too mushy. I'm not sure if modding to Clears will really help or if it's just my assumption. If you could share your experience with the Ducky hybrid, I'd appreciate it!

Title: Re: Keyboard with both Brown and Clear switch
Post by: SpAmRaY on Sat, 07 December 2013, 21:42:32

Personally I have not used the one I have, also I do not have a ducky hybrid.

Title: Re: Keyboard with both Brown and Clear switch
Post by: ideus on Sat, 07 December 2013, 22:24:07

Interesting. Does someone has extensive experience with hybrid that can actually report on his/her thoughts on that?

Title: Re: Keyboard with both Brown and Clear switch
Post by: Belfong on Sat, 07 December 2013, 22:24:12

Ha ha! You have just too many keyboards!

Title: Re: Keyboard with both Brown and Clear switch
Post by: swill on Sat, 07 December 2013, 22:26:51

wouldn't you want it the other way.  all the mods (other than space bar) are at the edge of your reach.  Wouldn't you want browns on the mods (mins space bar) and clears on the alphas?  Your hands are right over the alphas all the time...

am i crazy in thinking this?

Title: Re: Keyboard with both Brown and Clear switch
Post by: Belfong on Sat, 07 December 2013, 22:45:40

You are not but my intention is to put the heavier and higher profiles R4, R5 SPH and Penumbra. In this case the Browns are too soft to withstand them. Furthermore, I don't touch type so my pinky is not doing any work at all. I don't mind this experiment.

Title: Re: Keyboard with both Brown and Clear switch
Post by: mooswa on Mon, 09 December 2013, 01:10:43

Hmm, I've been curios about that - how much does a thick SA key actually weight?  Is it relly too heavy for a brown sping?

Title: Re: Keyboard with both Brown and Clear switch
Post by: reziak on Mon, 09 December 2013, 01:12:14

Quote from: swill on Sat, 07 December 2013, 22:26:51

wouldn't you want it the other way.  all the mods (other than space bar) are at the edge of your reach.  Wouldn't you want browns on the mods (mins space bar) and clears on the alphas?  Your hands are right over the alphas all the time...

am i crazy in thinking this?

Was thinking this exact same thing

Title: Re: Keyboard with both Brown and Clear switch
Post by: Larken on Mon, 09 December 2013, 05:17:32

I don't think that kind of a distribution would be a good thing at all, especially if those are stock clears.

I've been on the following hybrid combination of switches for the last six months using clears and browns, but the clears have been modded to ergoclears.

original distribution:
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8100/8621178575_c229ee5904.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/89364707@N02/8621178575/)

current distribution:
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7377/10924017186_6018c06e11.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/89364707@N02/10924017186/)

As you can see, the clears are on the alphas, and everything else mod related has been done with browns instead. I find that mods with ergo-clears aren't optimal, given that such keys do not benefit from additional tactility, and in some cases, can be a little jarring to use; these are keys that you hold down and release, while the alphas are the ones you strike. the additional tactility is mostly beneficial for keys you strike and release rapidly, ie. in typing. a huge tactile bump is a little jarring for button that you press and hold from my personal experience.

swill is spot on with the distribution for browns and clears imo.

You do not want a huge variation in the force requirements on the same board. either go ergo clears, or use clear springs in brown switches.

Title: Re: Keyboard with both Brown and Clear switch
Post by: Oobly on Mon, 09 December 2013, 05:49:58

I believe you're talking about the Ducky G2 Pro Special Tactile Mix. Browns on alphas, stock Clears on spacebar, mods, edit keys and functions IIRC.

I bought one and chopped it up to make my ergo board (was on sale for under 100€).

The stock clear on the spacebar felt nice, but all the others felt wrong. Especially since you use your pinkies for most of the keys surrounding the alphas. I didn't like it and would prefer a uniform board or one with softer keys on the mods and edits.

They also make a Special Click mix with Blues and Greens.

I modded the clears to Ergoclears and use them for thumb buttons, with browns on alphas. For my second board I am considering using Ergoclears on the index, middle and ring finger home row buttons (and thumb keys) and browns on all the surrounding alphas.

Title: Re: Keyboard with both Brown and Clear switch
Post by: Belfong on Tue, 10 December 2013, 07:54:58

So I finally got it modded:
(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/10/jynuqepy.jpg)
The R4 SA SPH space bar works great with clear. It didn't bounce as much as I wanted and I now suspect that it's the Cherry stabs as the culprit, but it definitely is much bouncier than when it was on Browns.

As to the other mods, it didn't bother me one bit. I already have a all-Clears CODE keyboard and this ONI is supposed to be my experience with browns so it doesn't make sense for me to mod the alpha as Clears.

All in all, it was a fun experiment and I can now fully enjoy the R4 SPH!

Title: Re: Keyboard with both Brown and Clear switch
Post by: swill on Tue, 10 December 2013, 12:28:12

Quote from: Belfong on Tue, 10 December 2013, 07:54:58

So I finally got it modded:

Show Image

(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/10/jynuqepy.jpg)

The R4 SA SPH space bar works great with clear. It didn't bounce as much as I wanted and I now suspect that it's the Cherry stabs as the culprit, but it definitely is much bouncier than when it was on Browns.

As to the other mods, it didn't bother me one bit. I already have a all-Clears CODE keyboard and this ONI is supposed to be my experience with browns so it doesn't make sense for me to mod the alpha as Clears.

All in all, it was a fun experiment and I can now fully enjoy the R4 SPH!

Sweet!!!  Thanks for posting back.  So R4 SPH are ok on browns?  Keycap is not too heavy?  Currently my favorite switch is MX browns and I have a bunch of R5 SPH caps coming.  :)

Title: Re: Keyboard with both Brown and Clear switch
Post by: Melvang on Tue, 10 December 2013, 12:44:50

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=50827.0

I believe this qualifies as a hybrid board.  It is what I am currently typing on right now.

Title: Re: Keyboard with both Brown and Clear switch
Post by: Belfong on Tue, 10 December 2013, 13:56:57

Quote from: swill on Tue, 10 December 2013, 12:28:12

Quote from: Belfong on Tue, 10 December 2013, 07:54:58

So I finally got it modded:

Show Image

(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/10/jynuqepy.jpg)

The R4 SA SPH space bar works great with clear. It didn't bounce as much as I wanted and I now suspect that it's the Cherry stabs as the culprit, but it definitely is much bouncier than when it was on Browns.

As to the other mods, it didn't bother me one bit. I already have a all-Clears CODE keyboard and this ONI is supposed to be my experience with browns so it doesn't make sense for me to mod the alpha as Clears.

All in all, it was a fun experiment and I can now fully enjoy the R4 SPH!

Sweet!!!  Thanks for posting back.  So R4 SPH are ok on browns?  Keycap is not too heavy?  Currently my favorite switch is MX browns and I have a bunch of R5 SPH caps coming.  :)

The alphas of the R4 SPH are ok with browns but the space bar is too heavy for browns.

Title: Re: Keyboard with both Brown and Clear switch
Post by: swill on Tue, 10 December 2013, 16:32:44

Quote from: Belfong on Tue, 10 December 2013, 13:56:57

The alphas of the R4 SPH are ok with browns but the space bar is too heavy for browns.

Thank you.  That is good to know...