All The Different Arrangements of SA Profiles

[Hyde]

So I think I've tried most of the common profiles (OEM, Leopold, Cherry, Topre, DSA) though I haven't really try DCS yet nor SA profiles.

I bought a Topre HiPro a while back and thought it was very very similar to SA profile, except I didn't like it that much thought it was overly sculpted.

Since I didn't like the profile so I didn't look too much into it but I recently found out that the Filco Doubleshot is also SA profile but it's more uniform.

This is when I realize there are many ways to arrange SA profiles.

First let's look at SA profile and its rows.



I think most of the recent group buys went with 3-1-2-3-4-3, Topre HiPro also uses the same profile even though their keycaps are not made by SP.

I think traditionally a few of the group buy run with 1-1-2-3-4-4 (similar to DCS/OEM/Cherry type of arrangements where they double up the top and bottom rows to save cost.

Now I know some people do all uniform such as 3-3-3-3-3-3 so they can use it on Erogodox or any keyboard with irregular key arrangements.

Filco on the other hand is the ONLY one that I know that use 2-2-3-3-3-3, so the top 2 row are slightly angled while the rest is uniform.

Source:



Text reads "Top 2 Row" and follow by "Bottom 4 Row".

Now the question is, I'm actually quite interested in the Filco arrangements 2-2-3-3-3-3, or even 3-3-3-3-3-3 is not bad either.

Anyone know if there's any way to get this aside from the Filco Doubleshot?

Is there any group buy that runs either of those 2 arrangements?

[Oobly]

Penumbra, Commando and Calm Depths were 123334 and they're really nice to use. There are also a number of GB's in the past that used all Row 3 (Nuclear Data, 1976, etc.). I think one or two of 7bit's GB's used rows 1234 for numbers and alpha keys and all Row 3 for mods.

Pulse and Hack'd by Geeks are 312343 with Row 3 Shifts.

There actually hasn't yet been a 112344 SA profile GB yet, but the new Retro SA set may run like that. Also, BunnyLake hasn't finalised the profile of the 2nd run of Penumbra yet. One problem with most of the "full sculpt" SA sets is that SP doesn't yet have Row 4 Shift molds.

The Filco set is the only one with 223333.

If you like "flat" sets like all Row 3 SA, perhaps you'd like DSA profile? For some (myself included) the smaller keycap tops make it a little difficult to get used to, but at least they're spherical tops like SA and there are more sets in DSA than uniform Row 3 SA and you can even buy full blank sets straight from SP.

[Hyde]

Oh man, so many different ways of doing SA. 

But I can see 123334 might actually be the closest to 223333 in terms of actual usability.  Since the typing area will be 2333 on both and the only different area is the F row and spacebar.

I also do own a blank PBT DSA from Signature Plastics.  Pictures can be found here.

It's not too bad but as you said the smaller typing area do take some getting used to.

I still kind of want to try SA though I think it gives a different sound based from the youtube video I see. 

I'm going to Taiwan/Japan in September anyway I'll browse around until then, if I don't find anything I'll just pick up a Filco doubleshot over there.

Thanks for advice and explanation of all the different SA sets.