geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Defect on Wed, 18 March 2015, 15:10:15
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I recently made my 60% SKCM Blue ALPS keyboard (pics soon).
Still have a bunch more switches and was wondering if there are any split boards that are ALPS compatible?
I have an unassembled Ergodox... Apparently MX only. Can I make it work with ALPS?
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The plate is the only thing that you need to replace.
The actual PCB does have the holes required for ALPS.
Maybe someone here has the files for an ergodox alps plate.
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Ergodox's Alps compatibility was discovered by chance... They pin holes are not perfect but having a plate (which you would need for Alps anyway) would force the switches to be oriented correctly.
There are lots of vintage ergonomic keyboards with Alps, but I don't know of any that is truly split.
Filco Stealth, Datadesk Smartboard, Omnikey Evolution, Chicony/Addison KB-7001. Then there are some Japanese M-system (M-Shiki) keyboards with Alps, but they are very rare outside Japan, and I don't know how to make any of them work with a modern computer.
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The actual [Ergodox] PCB does have the holes required for ALPS.
This is incorrect. The PCB is only designed for MX, but with a double-sided design (where the same PCB is used for right and left halves, flipped, so it has all the holes for MX switches mirrored horizontally). By slightly turning the switches and/or bending the leads a bit, you can sorta cram Alps switches into 2 of the holes in the double-sided MX PCB. I wouldn’t personally recommend it, though.
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Guess I gotta wait for some creative GHers to make some stuff :(