geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: irad on Sun, 23 July 2017, 20:40:39
-
Hello, I created a layout based on the Apple Wireless Keyboard that is more suitable for mechanical keyboard...
Is there a keyboard on the market with the same PCB layout? no need for the same kind of keys, I will buy custom keycaps anyway.
This is the layout-
http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/##@_name=Apple%20Wireless%20Mechanical%20Keyboard%20White&author=Irad%20Aharoni&css=%2F@import%20url(http%2F:%2F%2F%2F%2Ffonts.googleapis.com%2F%2Fcss%3Ffamily%2F=Varela+Round)%2F%3B%0A%0A.keylabel%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20font-family%2F:%20'volkswagen%2F_serialregular'%2F%3B%0A%7D%0A%0A%2F%2F*%20Strangely,%20%22Volkswagen%20Serial%22%20doesn't%20have%20a%20tilde%20character%20*%2F%2F%0A.varela%20%7B%20%0A%20%20%20%20font-family%2F:%20'Varela%20Round'%2F%3B%20%0A%20%20%20%20display%2F:%20inline-block%2F%3B%20%0A%20%20%20%20font-size%2F:%20inherit%2F%3B%20%0A%20%20%20%20text-rendering%2F:%20auto%2F%3B%20%0A%20%20%20%20-webkit-font-smoothing%2F:%20antialiased%2F%3B%20%0A%20%20%20%20-moz-osx-font-smoothing%2F:%20grayscale%2F%3B%0A%20%20%20%20transform%2F:%20translate(0,%200)%2F%3B%0A%7D%0A.varela-tilde%2F:after%20%7B%20content%2F:%20%22%5C07e%22%2F%3B%20%7D%3B&@_sm=cherry&sb=cherry&st=MX1A-G1xx&f:2&w:1.5%3B&=%0Aesc&_a:5&f2:1%3B&=%0AF1&=%0AF2&=%0AF3&=%0AF4&=%0AF5&=%0AF6&=%0AF7&=%0AF8&=%0AF9&=%0AF10&=%0AF11&=%0AF12&_a:7&f:3%3B&=%E2%8F%8F%3B&@_a:5&f:4%3B&=%3Ci%20class%2F=%22varela%20varela-tilde%22%3E%3C%2F%2Fi%3E%0A%60&=!%0A1&=%2F@%0A2&=%23%0A3&=$%0A4&=%25%0A5&=%E2%8C%83%0A6&=%2F&%0A7&=*%0A8&=(%0A9&=)%0A0&=%2F_%0A-&=+%0A%2F=&_a:4&f:2&w:1.5%3B&=%0A%0A%0Adelete%3B&@_w:1.5%3B&=%0Atab&_a:7&f:4%3B&=Q&=W&=E&=R&=T&=Y&=U&=I&=O&=P&_a:5%3B&=%7B%0A%5B&=%7D%0A%5D&=%7C%0A%5C%3B&@_a:4&f:2&w:1.75%3B&=%0Acaps%20lock&_a:7&f:4%3B&=A&=S&=D&_n:true%3B&=F&=G&=H&_n:true%3B&=J&=K&=L&_a:5%3B&=%2F:%0A%2F%3B&=%22%0A'&_a:4&f:2&w:1.75%3B&=%0A%0A%0Areturn%3B&@_w:2.25%3B&=%0Ashift&_a:7&f:4%3B&=Z&=X&=C&=V&=B&=N&=M&_a:5%3B&=%3C%0A,&=%3E%0A.&=%3F%0A%2F%2F&_a:4&f:2&w:2.25%3B&=%0A%0A%0Ashift%3B&@=%0Afn&_fa@:0&:0&:3%3B%3B&=%0A%0A%E2%8C%83%0Acontrol&=%0A%0A%E2%8C%A5%0Aoption&_w:1.25%3B&=%0A%0A%E2%8C%98%0Acommand&_a:7&w:5%3B&=&_a:4&fa@:3%3B&w:1.25%3B&=%E2%8C%98%0Acommand&=%E2%8C%A5%0Aoption&_a:7&f:2%3B&=%E2%97%84&_a:5&f:1%3B&=%E2%96%B2%0A%E2%96%BC%0A%0A%0A%0A%0A%3Chr%3E&_a:7&f:2%3B&=%E2%96%BA (http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/##@_name=Apple%20Wireless%20Mechanical%20Keyboard%20White&author=Irad%20Aharoni&css=%2F@import%20url(http%2F:%2F%2F%2F%2Ffonts.googleapis.com%2F%2Fcss%3Ffamily%2F=Varela+Round)%2F%3B%0A%0A.keylabel%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20font-family%2F:%20'volkswagen%2F_serialregular'%2F%3B%0A%7D%0A%0A%2F%2F*%20Strangely,%20%22Volkswagen%20Serial%22%20doesn't%20have%20a%20tilde%20character%20*%2F%2F%0A.varela%20%7B%20%0A%20%20%20%20font-family%2F:%20'Varela%20Round'%2F%3B%20%0A%20%20%20%20display%2F:%20inline-block%2F%3B%20%0A%20%20%20%20font-size%2F:%20inherit%2F%3B%20%0A%20%20%20%20text-rendering%2F:%20auto%2F%3B%20%0A%20%20%20%20-webkit-font-smoothing%2F:%20antialiased%2F%3B%20%0A%20%20%20%20-moz-osx-font-smoothing%2F:%20grayscale%2F%3B%0A%20%20%20%20transform%2F:%20translate(0,%200)%2F%3B%0A%7D%0A.varela-tilde%2F:after%20%7B%20content%2F:%20%22%5C07e%22%2F%3B%20%7D%3B&@_sm=cherry&sb=cherry&st=MX1A-G1xx&f:2&w:1.5%3B&=%0Aesc&_a:5&f2:1%3B&=%0AF1&=%0AF2&=%0AF3&=%0AF4&=%0AF5&=%0AF6&=%0AF7&=%0AF8&=%0AF9&=%0AF10&=%0AF11&=%0AF12&_a:7&f:3%3B&=%E2%8F%8F%3B&@_a:5&f:4%3B&=%3Ci%20class%2F=%22varela%20varela-tilde%22%3E%3C%2F%2Fi%3E%0A%60&=!%0A1&=%2F@%0A2&=%23%0A3&=$%0A4&=%25%0A5&=%E2%8C%83%0A6&=%2F&%0A7&=*%0A8&=(%0A9&=)%0A0&=%2F_%0A-&=+%0A%2F=&_a:4&f:2&w:1.5%3B&=%0A%0A%0Adelete%3B&@_w:1.5%3B&=%0Atab&_a:7&f:4%3B&=Q&=W&=E&=R&=T&=Y&=U&=I&=O&=P&_a:5%3B&=%7B%0A%5B&=%7D%0A%5D&=%7C%0A%5C%3B&@_a:4&f:2&w:1.75%3B&=%0Acaps%20lock&_a:7&f:4%3B&=A&=S&=D&_n:true%3B&=F&=G&=H&_n:true%3B&=J&=K&=L&_a:5%3B&=%2F:%0A%2F%3B&=%22%0A'&_a:4&f:2&w:1.75%3B&=%0A%0A%0Areturn%3B&@_w:2.25%3B&=%0Ashift&_a:7&f:4%3B&=Z&=X&=C&=V&=B&=N&=M&_a:5%3B&=%3C%0A,&=%3E%0A.&=%3F%0A%2F%2F&_a:4&f:2&w:2.25%3B&=%0A%0A%0Ashift%3B&@=%0Afn&_fa@:0&:0&:3%3B%3B&=%0A%0A%E2%8C%83%0Acontrol&=%0A%0A%E2%8C%A5%0Aoption&_w:1.25%3B&=%0A%0A%E2%8C%98%0Acommand&_a:7&w:5%3B&=&_a:4&fa@:3%3B&w:1.25%3B&=%E2%8C%98%0Acommand&=%E2%8C%A5%0Aoption&_a:7&f:2%3B&=%E2%97%84&_a:5&f:1%3B&=%E2%96%B2%0A%E2%96%BC%0A%0A%0A%0A%0A%3Chr%3E&_a:7&f:2%3B&=%E2%96%BA)
(Picture is attached)
-
if you're looking for a mechanical keyboard with that exact layout, you won't find it because of the small up/down arrow
the closest thing to that I can think of is a 75% layout (eg the noppoo choc mini)
-
Cherry MX switches are too big for half-height switches.
Alps switches (or Matias' clones) are a bit more narrow. Alps switches were used in vintage Mac keyboards from the late '80s and early '90s.
The only keyboard with an almost similar arrow key layout would be the Matias 60% (http://matias.ca/60/pc/), specifically in the Mac version, but it does not have a function key row. That one offers a choice between Matias Alps and Cherry MX on most keys, but the narrow ones must be Matias'.
I am not sure about the status of that one though. You might want to look around on Geekhack for more info.
Do look also at their Laptop Pro (http://matias.ca/laptoppro/mac/) and similar keyboards which have Matias' Alps clone switches. Wider but with a function key row and designed for Mac in the first place.
-
Thanks for the fast responses,
Yes, I am aware that Cherry keycaps can't be half hight...
That is why i used 1x1 key for both the up arrow and the down arrow with a horizontal line between them (look closely).
Then [Shift + Key] will be "up arrow" and [Key] will be "down arrow".
Problem Solved! :D
-
Then [Shift + Key] will be "up arrow" and [Key] will be "down arrow".
personally i don't think that shrinking the layout by just one column is worth it when you have to have the up arrow on a different function layer than the down arrow
but if that's your use case, then that's all fine
-
Then [Shift + Key] will be "up arrow" and [Key] will be "down arrow".
personally i don't think that shrinking the layout by just one column is worth it when you have to have the up arrow on a different function layer than the down arrow
but if that's your use case, then that's all fine
I think that will be fine considering I'm not going to game on this keyboard- mostly programming.
-
So Any ideas? Maybe a unique 60% keyboard with 4 keys on the left of the spacebar and 5 keys on the right of the spacebar (5.5u spacebar) or like my design with a 5u spacebar.
I can give up the function row if that's a problem...
-
New question- If I will buy a 60% PCB... I could solder the switches like the first row in my layout right?
-
Different 60% keyboards are different. Some do support more keys on the bottom than the Windows PC norm, but far from all.
It is also difficult to find a space bar that is less than 6 units wide, and therefore I don't think there is a PCB for Cherry MX that supports a smaller space bar. The exception would be keyboards that split it - and use large Shift key-sized keys for Space (and whatever else anyone would want to map on them).
BTW. Is a large right Shift key important for you? There have been a few custom keyboards that have reduced the size of the right Shift key to allow the Up arrow key to be on the row above the others.
-
Different 60% keyboards are different. Some do support more keys on the bottom than the Windows PC norm, but far from all.
It is also difficult to find a space bar that is less than 6 units wide, and therefore I don't think there is a PCB for Cherry MX that supports a smaller space bar. The exception would be keyboards that split it - and use large Shift key-sized keys for Space (and whatever else anyone would want to map on them).
BTW. Is a large right Shift key important for you? There have been a few custom keyboards that have reduced the size of the right Shift key to allow the Up arrow key to be on the row above the others.
3 new Sketches... What do you think is the best?
-
Different 60% keyboards are different. Some do support more keys on the bottom than the Windows PC norm, but far from all.
It is also difficult to find a space bar that is less than 6 units wide, and therefore I don't think there is a PCB for Cherry MX that supports a smaller space bar. The exception would be keyboards that split it - and use large Shift key-sized keys for Space (and whatever else anyone would want to map on them).
BTW. Is a large right Shift key important for you? There have been a few custom keyboards that have reduced the size of the right Shift key to allow the Up arrow key to be on the row above the others.
3 new Sketches... What do you think is the best?
Or this ^-^... I'm just spitballing a few ideas