Cherry ML Ortholinear Keyboard (PLUM layout) $30(was $21) OBO + $16 shipping

[quietobserver]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Custom-Orthogonal-Pattern-PLUM-Layout-USB-Keyboard-/191886670015

This was on a "sale" price of $20.99 OBO until not too long ago, so it should be no problem getting at least that price.

I bought a couple of them to try out both Cherry ML switches and matrix layouts.  Have not been very impressed by the feel of the ML switches, but I'm comparing them to F's.

However, it is a pretty flexible configuration for trying different layouts, especially with the split spacebar. (I am remapping via software with Karabiner).
Although it is limited by the fact that the blank keys do not send keycodes, and so cannot be remapped even though they have an actual switch under them.

From https://forum.colemak.com/topic/49-plum-keyboard/#p2160 it sounds like the blank keys are actually connected on the PCB and replacing the controller (possibly with a Teensy?) should be work for allowing the blank keys to be used as well.

[SpAmRaY]

[ed_avis]

Price back down to $21.

[xmagusx]

Down to $15 now. Plus shipping, which is currently rather steep. $12 from Manassas, Virginia to Manassas, Virginia. $16 to California.

[adevriesc]

They accepted my offer of $12.93 + shipping. It was well packaged and essentially new (no dust on the PCB) when it arrived, so you're sort of paying for something with that heinous shipping price.

[streetwizzur]

When someone gets one of these they need to do a teardown!

[adevriesc]

Someone did a teardown over at Deskthority.

[xmagusx]

Accepted @ $9

[ed_avis]

Thanks adevriesc, FTR the teardown is at https://deskthority.net/photos-f62/plum-keyboard-usb-t14640.html

[streetwizzur]

I wonder how difficult it would be to replace the controller with a teensy.

[cribbit]

Also accepted my offer of $9 but they seem to have upped the price again.

Mine just came in. About to try to take it apart to see if I can teensify it. For $25 it'll be a nice way to try out ortho typing without going for a $100-200 planck.

As the pictures in the teardown show, all the pins go through wiring before they reach the board with the chips. The blank caps are still accounted for on the PCB as previously mentioned. The board is super easy to take apart, just 3 screws and you're in. Looks like a little bit of good tracing should let me wire in a teensy really easily.  Plenty of room in the case for one. I might try to flash the firmware first. There doesn't appear to be any diodes on the board, not sure how it's handling rollover etc (it's probably not).

These ML switches seem to be worse than the ones in my other ML board but that's probably just this thing being ancient.

I can post more pictures if anyone wants to see something specific.

[cribbit]

Understanding cherry ML switches:

http://imgur.com/a/EY5vo (someone else taking apart a different ML board)



Cherry ML switches have four rather than 2 pins. This allows for rows to be continued through the switch if desired. Three pins on the top, one on the bottom. The left and right on the top connect to each other (b pins), the top middle and bottom pin (a pins) are only connected by the switch itself. Still trying to figure out if the a and b pins connect to each other at all. The important distinction is with vs without jumper. The copper bar seen going across the top in the three switches on the 2nd to bottom row, on the left, is the jumper. This connects the b pins. Certain boards don't have this; luckily, after slightly prying open a switch I confirmed that this board does have the jumpers. Critical information for tracing the PCB.

Tracing this is actually proving really annoying. There's what you would expect the matrix to be (which is what the imgur album above shows in a different board), and then there's what this board does.

[menuhin]

...This allows for rows to be continued through the switch if desired...

Pretty neat. What's the common use for this function?

Doesn't ship to Europe though. 

[cribbit]

...This allows for rows to be continued through the switch if desired...

Pretty neat. What's the common use for this function?

Doesn't ship to Europe though. 

Makes for much easier single-layer PCB routing, as it essentially adds another layer. You can see the columns going through the gaps given by this in the rows.

Wondering if anyone wants to try their hand at tracing this PCB.

[Quinmanthra]

was about to order one then saw that atrocious shipping. :/

[dripdry]

I just got mine in the mail yesterday. They took my offer of 7 dollars. So it could be yours, including shipping, for 20 bucks!


Given enough time and motivation I would also like to try to use an ATmega32U4 to make it qwerty. I know I could use AHK but that seems like less fun.


I have another ML keyboard - the only other popular one (see sig), and it is my daily driver at work. I had to modify the original DIN connector to PS2 (and I made the lights RGB - hecks yeah). It sees many, many hours of use. I think it is quite alright, just have to get used to it/wear it in if you bought it newish, so I expect the same from the Plum Ortho.


Really need to find enough people to group buy some ML caps!

[xmagusx]

Yes, this uses (somewhat awkward) columns and rows which can be wired to a teensy, pro micro, whatever other atmega. However, it lacks diodes, so you may have issues, fair warning.

That said, it's a pretty easy board to desolder with just an iron and a sucker.