geekhack

geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: nads93uk on Sun, 21 February 2010, 13:33:56

Title: Linear with a Click?
Post by: nads93uk on Sun, 21 February 2010, 13:33:56

Is there such thing as a Clicky Linear switch? Are they even possible? Like the click of a blue and the linearness(?) or a black?

Title: Linear with a Click?
Post by: ch_123 on Sun, 21 February 2010, 13:56:59

No. They are by definition complete opposites.

In mechanical switches like Alps or Cherry, the clicking is provided by some sort of click leaf located on the travel of the key. Because the click mechanism is something that the slider has to overcome in order to actuate, it adds to the tactility of the mechanism (this is why Blue and Brown Cherry switches feel quite different). A switch isn't linear if it has a tactile element in it. In buckling springs or beam springs, you don't have an artificial element, but rather, the tactile element is designed deliberately to be noisy when actuated.

The best you can hope for are linear switches that are loud, which is what the black ones are.

There are some linear keyboards (particularly Zenith ones with yellow Alps) that beep when the key is actuated, but I'd imagine that this would be more annoying than useful.

Title: Linear with a Click?
Post by: Rajagra on Sun, 21 February 2010, 13:58:19

A pedant would argue that it is impossible. Energy must be provided for the click, and that has to be reflected in the force curve. (Either the downstroke or the upstroke needs to be non-linear in order to create the gap between lines that represents the energy expended.)

Having said that, the Cherry browns are remarkably linear. Check the force graphs on page 3 here (http://docs-europe.electrocomponents.com/webdocs/0146/0900766b8014611b.pdf). The "MX with tactile feel (ergonomic)" has very straight lines compared to "MX with click tactile feel" and "MX with tactile feel".

Although the browns aren't clicky, this does at least show the possibility for a mostly linear switch with click.

Title: Linear with a Click?
Post by: ch_123 on Sun, 21 February 2010, 14:01:43

Yeah, but none of them are click switches...

Title: Linear with a Click?
Post by: In Stereo! on Sun, 21 February 2010, 15:43:34

Well actually it shouldn't be that hard to incorporate a speaker in the keyboard, that would play some prerecorded sounds at the point of actuation.

Title: Linear with a Click?
Post by: JBert on Sun, 21 February 2010, 15:55:32

That, or you'd have to add a solenoid giving a bump when you actuated a key. This might even give more of the "Selectric feel" if you model it right.

Title: Linear with a Click?
Post by: HaaTa on Sun, 21 February 2010, 16:20:43

And that way when your coworkers are about to kill you, you can turn it off :P

Title: Linear with a Click?
Post by: spolia optima on Mon, 22 February 2010, 01:20:55

Quote from: ripster;159886

Nobody is going to point out that incorporating the sound of a Blue Cherry with the feel of a Black Cherry is like putting Annakin in a Lolcatz?

i lol'd