Author Topic: Help with Noppoo Choc Mini (Read 8785 times)

dns · « **on:** Sat, 30 March 2013, 05:53:22 »

Hey everyone, I recently purchased a Noppoo Choc Mini White with Cherry MX red switches. Upon receiving it, the first thing I noticed is that it has a detachable USB cable. I've never seen a Noppoo Choc Mini that comes with this feature and can't find any vendor that advertises it. Another thing is that the layout is slightly different from the ones I have seen from pictures as the left Ctrl, Win, and Alt keys are all the same size. It also feels on the lighter side at 651.1g or about 1.43lbs, but the seller tells me that it should weigh 1.7lbs, which is about the same weight I saw in a review of the choc mini. Does anyone have any insight on this particular model? Is this a new model that Noppoo is releasing with the detachable USB cable? I'm a new member and any help is appreciated, thanks!

ksm123 · « **Reply #1 on:** Sat, 30 March 2013, 11:09:30 »

The layout is "new" Noppoo Choc Mini. I wish mine Noppoo had detachable, side routable cable.

calavera · « **Reply #2 on:** Sat, 30 March 2013, 16:18:12 »

Yeah that's the revised version. The bottom 1.25 mods should make it easier for you to source key caps actually.

viowastaken · « **Reply #3 on:** Sat, 30 March 2013, 17:07:41 »

Quote from: calavera on Sat, 30 March 2013, 16:18:12

Yeah that's the revised version. The bottom 1.25 mods should make it easier for you to source key caps actually.

I thought the main issue with the old keycaps was the spacebar which was literally unique to noppoo?

calavera · « **Reply #4 on:** Sat, 30 March 2013, 17:17:47 »

The spacebar is impossible to replace. It's just that 1.25 mod key cap sets are widely more available compared to 1.5 mods.

viowastaken · « **Reply #5 on:** Sat, 30 March 2013, 17:22:56 »

Quote from: calavera on Sat, 30 March 2013, 17:17:47

The spacebar is impossible to replace. It's just that 1.25 mod key cap sets are widely more available compared to 1.5 mods.

gotcha

dns · « **Reply #6 on:** Sat, 30 March 2013, 19:28:08 »

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately I'll probably have to send this back because I prefer the old layout with larger alt key and I can do without the detachable cable.

davkol · « **Reply #7 on:** Tue, 02 April 2013, 01:58:02 »

Wow, detachable cable! I wish my choc mini had one; I'm afraid the current cable will be one of the first things to break, I carry the keyboard to school few times a week.

ksm123 · « **Reply #8 on:** Tue, 02 April 2013, 06:08:21 »

Quote from: dns on Sat, 30 March 2013, 19:28:08

Unfortunately I'll probably have to send this back.

Where exactly are You from?

dns · « **Reply #9 on:** Fri, 05 April 2013, 04:39:30 »

Quote from: ksm123 on Tue, 02 April 2013, 06:08:21

Quote from: dns on Sat, 30 March 2013, 19:28:08
Unfortunately I'll probably have to send this back.

Where exactly are You from?

I'm from California. Is there a demand for this revised version? Maybe I should try selling it.

ksm123 · « **Reply #10 on:** Fri, 05 April 2013, 05:16:00 »

A week ago I would have thought about buying this keyboard from someone from EU, but on Tuesday massdrop for ErgoDox reopened, and my mind is set on ErgoDox.

Surnia · « **Reply #11 on:** Thu, 18 April 2013, 00:41:25 »

Sorry for reviving this thread... but I just noticed. What's that little latch on the underside by the right foot? Or at least, what's it covering?

Lunartuna · « **Reply #12 on:** Thu, 18 April 2013, 00:46:18 »

dns where did you purchase this new style Choc Mini?

Surnia · « **Reply #13 on:** Thu, 18 April 2013, 00:56:55 »

Quote from: Lunartuna on Thu, 18 April 2013, 00:46:18

dns where did you purchase this new style Choc Mini?

Qtan's rolling them out right now, not sure what other vendors carry it. He's having a bit of a supply issue though..

Lunartuna · « **Reply #14 on:** Thu, 18 April 2013, 08:47:43 »

I'm curious to see if it is still costar style plate mounted stabilizers.

Emmiya · « **Reply #15 on:** Thu, 18 April 2013, 11:19:28 »

Damn... I could only wish my choc mini had a detachable cable. Slipped off my desk and was "hung". It stopped working[i presume a wire was pulled loose] and has been stuck at the back of a cupboard collecting all sorts of **** between the keys for the past year and a bit
As you can now see is a sight of tech-gore. Don't look if you don't want to cringe.

May have to invest in the revised version. Love my poker/pure, but having to toggle arrow keys and PgUp/Dwn on and off is a bit of a chore.

edit: here's the desk using a potato-cam and terrible phone-lighting-modification to regulate the levels. Just to show you how easily it slipped off.

Lunartuna · « **Reply #16 on:** Thu, 18 April 2013, 11:37:31 »

Is your desk sitting on massive skittles boxes?

Emmiya · « **Reply #17 on:** Thu, 18 April 2013, 12:33:59 »

Indeed it is

the desk as you can imagine is quite small, painful to be leaning over for umpteen hours at a time.
This way I can be comfortable in my chair.

Lunartuna · « **Reply #18 on:** Thu, 18 April 2013, 12:43:04 »

Mmmmmm... Skiiiiiittlllllles

Emmiya · « **Reply #19 on:** Thu, 18 April 2013, 21:28:53 »

aaaand new version ordered:
QTan FTW

Cant wait to get it and deck it out in my klaxon/raindrop keysets which are also on the way.

Lunartuna · « **Reply #20 on:** Fri, 19 April 2013, 11:57:32 »

AH! I was planning on getting a Choc mini. Then saw mechanicalkeyboards.com started stocking keycools and changed my mind due to the detachable usb cable.

Now this new choc mini has a detachable usb cable and standard size bottom row modifiers. If I get the white PBT version I shouldn't have to worry to much about replacing the space bar. (I hope)

I can't decide....

Lunartuna · « **Reply #21 on:** Fri, 19 April 2013, 12:19:24 »

Welp! I ordered the 2013 Choc Mini White w/ red switches.

davkol · « **Reply #22 on:** Fri, 19 April 2013, 12:29:55 »

I'm on the fence too. I'd get the noppoo because of its default keycaps, but I want to try OEM profile PBT as well.

Skull_Angel · « **Reply #23 on:** Sat, 20 April 2013, 01:19:34 »

Does anyone know if the new revised Noppoo Choc Minis have the same stupid NKRO implementation that the older ones did?

DamienG · « **Reply #24 on:** Sat, 20 April 2013, 01:33:24 »

Grab a Keycool 84. Same layout, detachable usb but with standard space bar, Mac compatible and 9 extra caps thrown in. Also easier to get hold of.

[)amien

Surnia · « **Reply #25 on:** Sat, 20 April 2013, 01:34:07 »

Quote from: Skull_Angel on Sat, 20 April 2013, 01:19:34

Does anyone know if the new revised Noppoo Choc Minis have the same stupid NKRO implementation that the older ones did?

Probably does, which is why I want to know what that door under the keyboard is hiding... looks wide enough for a dip switch, or some batteries >_>

If anything, holds the cable when not in use?

Lunartuna · « **Reply #26 on:** Sat, 20 April 2013, 08:05:39 »

Quote from: Surnia on Sat, 20 April 2013, 01:34:07

Quote from: Skull_Angel on Sat, 20 April 2013, 01:19:34
Does anyone know if the new revised Noppoo Choc Minis have the same stupid NKRO implementation that the older ones did?

Probably does, which is why I want to know what that door under the keyboard is hiding... looks wide enough for a dip switch, or some batteries >_>

If anything, holds the cable when not in use?

Never even noticed that. Looks too small for a cable holder but too big for DIP switches. Battery? I really don't know but I will find out!

DrakeMegrim · « **Reply #27 on:** Sat, 20 April 2013, 10:32:01 »

I've got the older model but I don't care for the layout. Thinking about trading/selling it but they are blue switches, so probably not much help to you.

Surnia · « **Reply #28 on:** Sat, 20 April 2013, 10:47:52 »

Quote from: Lunartuna on Sat, 20 April 2013, 08:05:39

Never even noticed that. Looks too small for a cable holder but too big for DIP switches. Battery? I really don't know but I will find out!

Well we'll have to see who gets their board first... Mine should be coming in on DHL and paid on the 15th..

Surnia · « **Reply #29 on:** Tue, 23 April 2013, 12:28:45 »

Mine arrived! I love DHL.

...I was right, it IS a battery compartment for two AAA batteries.

HOWEVER! There's no contacts built into it. There's also a small cutout for a power switch just above the USB plug, which is also NOT built in. The case looks like its made for a wireless model... but the Choc Mini is NOT.

couple of things so far: The stabilizers are not greased, and are quite noisy. The plate seems thin, the keys wobble slightly when i'm going with them and I"m getting that ping chorus people used to comment about on Filcos (my ninja doesn't seem to get that). The keys are a bit more gritty than my Ninja, but that's probably due to how new they are, so I'll look into that after a bit of use.

The indicator LEDs are a lot brighter than I thought they'd be. Switch lock is fun to play with, as resistant as I was to it in a previous thread I actually like it a bit... As I expected, I do like the numpad where it is. Also due to that, I think it retains numpad completely, holding shift + hitting a key while the numpad is active does activate the standard numpad layer functions. Not all the keys were seated properly, had to push a few down.

*edit*
USB cable seems to lock in place. Having extreme difficulty in removing my USB cable from the socket...

tp4tissue · « **Reply #30 on:** Tue, 23 April 2013, 13:13:54 »

Quote from: Emmiya on Thu, 18 April 2013, 11:19:28

Damn... I could only wish my choc mini had a detachable cable. Slipped off my desk and was "hung". It stopped working[i presume a wire was pulled loose] and has been stuck at the back of a cupboard collecting all sorts of **** between the keys for the past year and a bit
As you can now see is a sight of tech-gore. Don't look if you don't want to cringe.

May have to invest in the revised version. Love my poker/pure, but having to toggle arrow keys and PgUp/Dwn on and off is a bit of a chore.

edit: here's the desk using a potato-cam and terrible phone-lighting-modification to regulate the levels. Just to show you how easily it slipped off.

easy fix resolder, unless it pulls the traces out.

tp4tissue · « **Reply #31 on:** Tue, 23 April 2013, 13:14:56 »

Quote from: Surnia on Tue, 23 April 2013, 12:28:45

Mine arrived! I love DHL.

...I was right, it IS a battery compartment for two AAA batteries.

HOWEVER! There's no contacts built into it. There's also a small cutout for a power switch just above the USB plug, which is also NOT built in. The case looks like its made for a wireless model... but the Choc Mini is NOT.

couple of things so far: The stabilizers are not greased, and are quite noisy. The plate seems thin, the keys wobble slightly when i'm going with them and I"m getting that ping chorus people used to comment about on Filcos (my ninja doesn't seem to get that). The keys are a bit more gritty than my Ninja, but that's probably due to how new they are, so I'll look into that after a bit of use.

The indicator LEDs are a lot brighter than I thought they'd be. Switch lock is fun to play with, as resistant as I was to it in a previous thread I actually like it a bit... As I expected, I do like the numpad where it is. Also due to that, I think it retains numpad completely, holding shift + hitting a key while the numpad is active does activate the standard numpad layer functions. Not all the keys were seated properly, had to push a few down.

*edit*
USB cable seems to lock in place. Having extreme difficulty in removing my USB cable from the socket...

did the board come with the wireless chip though? like is it wireless unlockable?

Lunartuna · « **Reply #32 on:** Tue, 23 April 2013, 13:40:14 »

Wow so this board could potentially be modded to be wireless and already has the battery slot and knock out for an on/off swtich?

I wouldnt worry about gritty switches. They just need breaking in.

Surnia · « **Reply #33 on:** Tue, 23 April 2013, 13:56:41 »

Due to how tight that USB is held in, I'd say treat it as a non-detachable cable. Had to use pliers to pull the first USB cable out (just one I have coming off the home PC). Maybe if you played with it a lot it would loosen up, but from initial buy I wouldn't really consider it detachable.

Quote from: tp4tissue on Tue, 23 April 2013, 13:14:56

did the board come with the wireless chip though? like is it wireless unlockable?

I have absolutely no idea. I have not broken into it yet, I want to at least use it at work for a bit before I start really diving into it. There appears to be a soldered point just above one of the contact holes though, so I'm not sure if the PCB itself has a location for a wireless controller. The power switch cutout also does not have any solder points under it, its just a red PCB there.

Quote from: Lunartuna on Tue, 23 April 2013, 13:40:14

Wow so this board could potentially be modded to be wireless and already has the battery slot and knock out for an on/off swtich?

I wouldnt worry about gritty switches. They just need breaking in.

Agreed, I'm not holding judgement on that. Blacks on the Filco are smoother right now, but I've been on this thing for a while already.

Lunartuna · « **Reply #34 on:** Tue, 23 April 2013, 15:06:26 »

Blacks on my Ducky were really gritty when i first got it compared to the well broken in Blacks on my zibal 60. So bad you could actually hear the grittyness on each keypress.

The Ducky is almost broken in now. Takes a bit but it does improve.

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Author Topic: Help with Noppoo Choc Mini (Read 8785 times)