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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: cribbit on Mon, 17 October 2016, 19:35:45

Title: Noppoo Choc Mini RGB take-apart
Post by: cribbit on Mon, 17 October 2016, 19:35:45: I'm in the process of building a custom keyboard (hopefully) with RGB backlighting, so I bought this choc mini rgb so I could take a look at how they did it. I've been a fan of the choc mini for a long time (approx 2/3rds of my keyboard hours are spent on my mx black one) and their RGB version intrigued me.

Doing this requires some credit cards and/or knives to pry apart the case. No screws at all.

(http://i.imgur.com/0fqnKmB.png)

Took apart the back first

(http://i.imgur.com/Fbpqqj5.jpg)

Starting to have some trouble with the front

(http://i.imgur.com/ovMFXKC.jpg)

After much prying (had to switch to a pretty sharp knife instead of a credit card/butter knife) managed to get one corner of the back unhinged. Other corner ended up taking me almost half an hour to get. There's no way to press the latch stem from the inside, and the stem is held from the back by the lip of the case so it doesn't just slide out. The angle of the rest of the case being unhinged ends up tightening the last corner a ton. May have been better to do front corners first, not sure.

(http://i.imgur.com/jkO2NCB.jpg)

Took some caps off for safety along the way. In-switch RGB LEDs look pretty cool. Won't blind you, unlike some SMD styles, and gives better light than under/through switch.

(http://i.imgur.com/c89Flw1.jpg)

Got it open. The USB is handled by a second board, which makes the case design much simpler. The PCB/plate isn't held in by anything, just the case being shut around it.

(http://i.imgur.com/gZSRc7Q.jpg)

Have to be careful removing this, as scratching the PCB can ruin the board.

(http://i.imgur.com/95mY6g2.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/vvXBN4l.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/LvLpdAd.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/dchnOOS.jpg)

Some interesting circuitry on the board. Quite a few multiplexers being used for LED control, rather than placing a slave controller.

Time to see what I can find out about the firmware. Not hopeful though.
Title: Re: Noppoo Choc Mini RGB take-apart
Post by: menuhin on Fri, 21 October 2016, 07:23:51: Glad that I found your post. I have quite a few question about this new board for you new owner:

1. Is the USD cable detachable? Do they use the mini-b USB or their stupid 'lightning' style connector as in Nano 75s?
2. Does it work wireless? (e.g. Bluetooth or 2.4GHz)
3. Are the default layer customizable through some of their firmware updating software package? Or do they claim so?
4. Is that any macro key definition capability?
5. Is that height difference between the number row and the function keys row?
Because I just found yesterday that my PLUM 84 (obviously from the same company) interestingly replaced just the function key row's key caps to OEM profile while the remaining board is Cherry profile, so that this top function key row can have a bit more height to stand taller and more reachable than the number key row. Quite a bit of a design consideration here to improve this very similar but new product. PLUM 84 can be customized and have macros by the way.
More
(http://i.imgur.com/qYfr8zq.jpg)

I'm a bit fan of the 75% form factor, and I think this Noppoo / PLUM company should update every year this flagship model (Choc mini IMHO because this is how their company got suddenly more famous).
Title: Re: Noppoo Choc Mini RGB take-apart
Post by: cribbit on Fri, 21 October 2016, 10:30:51: Quote from: menuhin on Fri, 21 October 2016, 07:23:51
Glad that I found your post. I have quite a few question about this new board for you new owner:

1. Is the USD cable detachable? Do they use the mini-b USB or their stupid 'lightning' style connector as in Nano 75s?
2. Does it work wireless? (e.g. Bluetooth or 2.4GHz)
3. Are the default layer customizable through some of their firmware updating software package? Or do they claim so?
4. Is that any macro key definition capability?
5. Is that height difference between the number row and the function keys row?
Because I just found yesterday that my PLUM 84 (obviously from the same company) interestingly replaced just the function key row's key caps to OEM profile while the remaining board is Cherry profile, so that this top function key row can have a bit more height to stand taller and more reachable than the number key row. Quite a bit of a design consideration here to improve this very similar but new product. PLUM 84 can be customized and have macros by the way.
More
Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/qYfr8zq.jpg)

I'm a bit fan of the 75% form factor, and I think this Noppoo / PLUM company should update every year this flagship model (Choc mini IMHO because this is how their company got suddenly more famous).

1. Detachable! Standard USB B.
2. No wireless
3. Supposedly there's software for the board. The ebay seller I got this from did not include the CD.
4. No idea, as I don't have the software :(
5. Function is taller than number

Do you have the software for your PLUM? Because I would love to get my hands on it and see if it works for this board. From what I can tell (https://deskthority.net/vendors-f52/plum-mini-84-electrastatic-capacitive-35g-keyboard-pbt-keycap-t12673.html) they are the same manufacturer, just different branding.
Title: Re: Noppoo Choc Mini RGB take-apart
Post by: menuhin on Fri, 21 October 2016, 11:23:05: Quote from: cribbit on Fri, 21 October 2016, 10:30:51
Quote from: menuhin on Fri, 21 October 2016, 07:23:51
Glad that I found your post. I have quite a few question about this new board for you new owner:

1. Is the USD cable detachable? Do they use the mini-b USB or their stupid 'lightning' style connector as in Nano 75s?
2. Does it work wireless? (e.g. Bluetooth or 2.4GHz)
3. Are the default layer customizable through some of their firmware updating software package? Or do they claim so?
4. Is that any macro key definition capability?
5. Is that height difference between the number row and the function keys row?
Because I just found yesterday that my PLUM 84 (obviously from the same company) interestingly replaced just the function key row's key caps to OEM profile while the remaining board is Cherry profile, so that this top function key row can have a bit more height to stand taller and more reachable than the number key row. Quite a bit of a design consideration here to improve this very similar but new product. PLUM 84 can be customized and have macros by the way.
More
Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/qYfr8zq.jpg)

I'm a bit fan of the 75% form factor, and I think this Noppoo / PLUM company should update every year this flagship model (Choc mini IMHO because this is how their company got suddenly more famous).

1. Detachable! Standard USB B.
2. No wireless
3. Supposedly there's software for the board. The ebay seller I got this from did not include the CD.
4. No idea, as I don't have the software :(
5. Function is taller than number

Do you have the software for your PLUM? Because I would love to get my hands on it and see if it works for this board. From what I can tell (https://deskthority.net/vendors-f52/plum-mini-84-electrastatic-capacitive-35g-keyboard-pbt-keycap-t12673.html) they are the same manufacturer, just different branding.

Thanks!
3. --> Can you ask your eBay seller if you have time? I've asked my Aliexpress seller. I want to see if my later model can be programmed as well.
5. --> :thumb: and PC plastic won't shine like ABS, I have some OCD against keycap shine. (I think these 'cap-shine' looks more gross than the face oil of some ugly fat unhygienic constant snackers)

If mein can't be customized, I may try to get your model, or the next generation. Hope I can still have Gateron black instead of the 'Noppoo black' because I haven't heard of them though Gateron's and Noppoo are developed by the same company.
Title: Re: Noppoo Choc Mini RGB take-apart
Post by: cribbit on Fri, 21 October 2016, 11:45:27: Quote from: menuhin on Fri, 21 October 2016, 11:23:05
Quote from: cribbit on Fri, 21 October 2016, 10:30:51
Quote from: menuhin on Fri, 21 October 2016, 07:23:51
Glad that I found your post. I have quite a few question about this new board for you new owner:

1. Is the USD cable detachable? Do they use the mini-b USB or their stupid 'lightning' style connector as in Nano 75s?
2. Does it work wireless? (e.g. Bluetooth or 2.4GHz)
3. Are the default layer customizable through some of their firmware updating software package? Or do they claim so?
4. Is that any macro key definition capability?
5. Is that height difference between the number row and the function keys row?
Because I just found yesterday that my PLUM 84 (obviously from the same company) interestingly replaced just the function key row's key caps to OEM profile while the remaining board is Cherry profile, so that this top function key row can have a bit more height to stand taller and more reachable than the number key row. Quite a bit of a design consideration here to improve this very similar but new product. PLUM 84 can be customized and have macros by the way.
More
Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/qYfr8zq.jpg)

I'm a bit fan of the 75% form factor, and I think this Noppoo / PLUM company should update every year this flagship model (Choc mini IMHO because this is how their company got suddenly more famous).

1. Detachable! Standard USB B.
2. No wireless
3. Supposedly there's software for the board. The ebay seller I got this from did not include the CD.
4. No idea, as I don't have the software :(
5. Function is taller than number

Do you have the software for your PLUM? Because I would love to get my hands on it and see if it works for this board. From what I can tell (https://deskthority.net/vendors-f52/plum-mini-84-electrastatic-capacitive-35g-keyboard-pbt-keycap-t12673.html) they are the same manufacturer, just different branding.

Thanks!
3. --> Can you ask your eBay seller if you have time? I've asked my Aliexpress seller. I want to see if my later model can be programmed as well.
5. --> :thumb: and PC plastic won't shine like ABS, I have some OCD against keycap shine. (I think these 'cap-shine' looks more gross than the face oil of some ugly fat unhygienic constant snackers)

If mein can't be customized, I may try to get your model, or the next generation. Hope I can still have Gateron black instead of the 'Noppoo black' because I haven't heard of them though Gateron's and Noppoo are developed by the same company.

3. Already asked, they don't have the disc. According to everything I read the software exists, just hard to find if you didn't purchase it new for the disc. From what I've read you can program the board and the LEDs, I just don't know how well or whether that includes macros.

Unfortunately these RGB minis seem to only come in noppoo blue. The switch looks identical to an SMD style gateron blue; not sure if it's actually the same OEM and rebranded or what.
Title: Re: Noppoo Choc Mini RGB take-apart
Post by: menuhin on Sun, 23 October 2016, 13:57:34: Sorry to have misinformed you about the switches. I am really curious now about the origin of the switches on your board now and how they compare to the other switches.
I wish they can offer Gateron (like mine).

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=65140.msg1523834#msg1523834