What do you want to see in version 2 of the ErgoDox? USB-C, Zip Diskette port, RGB?

What do you want to see in version 2 of the ErgoDox? USB-C, Zip Diskette port, RGB?

I'm working on a sub 100$ 50% ErgoDox (with caps and switches) at the moment and want to know what you goofs would like to see.

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Pic related of the current layout. It's a little small, but only 45$ for the board and components.

That and it fits in your bag super easy.

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Silkscreens look dank tho

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Thanks for the feedback guys :(

I'd just want it to be a lot cheaper and a lot more portable.

The hard part I've found with the ErgoDox is using it with a case. Once the height of a case is involved you need wrist risers and tenting kits, not really something for throwing in the bag. The current design is meant to be caseless to lower it, make it lighter and reduce the overallsize of it (little risers keep it off a desk). Downside is exposed PCB, which may more may not be a dealbreaker.

But it only has 50 keys, and can be fitted with Gaterons/Cheap PBT caps online. What would you consider a good price?

Yep, I'm currently using a Thinkpad USB keyboard because it's very light, portable and it's very short in height. The height is a pretty big deal.
Trackpoint and mouse buttons are a pretty nice plus.

I'd say I'd give about $150-$200 for a new keyboard if I found it perfect for me.

If anything, I'd want a function row, not less keys

In theory I could get this thing lower by using Kailh Chocs on her, ups the prices for switches but would be good to have as an option.

One of the keys right above the mcu there has seven through holes meant to attach a 1u trackball. Half the reason I went with that design is so that other pointer devices can be supported in the same footprint. And QMK allows binding keys to mouse clicks and whatnot :)

I'll have to see if I can source some trackpoints to add to her, would be good to have a few extra pointing types

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As the owner of an ErgoDox EZ, my biggest issue is probably the planar layout, and I would probably be happier with something like the ManuForm's recessed and tilted thumb banks.

As for an improved ErgoDox, it would be nice if the USB connector to the host could be on either hand. Not sure what the best way to accomplish that would be, but maybe if each side had two port USB hub with one hardwired as upstream and one downstream, then you could plug in your mouse into the half not connected to your computer.

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hi germ

Hey mr Cubic, I'm still around just been busy and life's been a little screwy. :) I got a blog on blog.gboards.ca if you want to add that to your reader

In order to do the swappable USB you would need a seperate micro on each side or alternatively, more wires then TRRS can support (not really an issue, but all them shiny TRRS cables). As far as passthrough for devices, that wouldn't be too hard to rig up. What you would need is a thicker cable that terminates in two male USB and then break everything out on the board. In theory you could do that with just hotswap cables, but to save space you'd need to directly solder them to the board (and have a female plug for the passthrough).

You know, now that I think about it, you could get some basic tenting going with bare PCB. By taking the thumbcluster and adding some short flexible jumpers and hardware to hold it up. Then the board is supporting the whole arm, which may not be a good idear for the integrity of the thing.

Also hot damn manuforms are sexy!

probably intentional, but the gap between the keyboards and the cord loop kind of looks like a chub

You know, with the SMD design I can actually put a function row on there and still keep it compatible with existing cases.

Might have to get a run of bigger ErgoDox's going.

pic related is what I always wondered if it was possible - split columnar flexible pcb for mounting to printed parts with variable concavity/column stagger, i.e., a single printed circuit that would work with basically any flat or concave columnar variant with even variable tilt on the thumb cluster.

not sure what complications might exist in securely mounting the keyswitches (to the backing hard plastic?) might present though.

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It's totally doable, but getting it actually run off on flexible PCB might be expensive as shit. And I have zero idea about durability on that type of material.

But, instead of 3d printing a base, thin laser cut aluminum might do the trick (maybe with a cross brace or two) and would be repositionable without reprinting the whole thing.

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Found a manufacturer in Germany that can do this type of stuff, for a 20cmx12cm board you're looking at 300 Euro :(

Might be easier to just jumper the fuck out of every connection, like a chain.

if the mechanical load is born by whatever is sitting flush beneath the flexible PCB, there should not be any repeated motion stress. hell, you could just epoxy the PCB down if you had to.

what do you consider "expensive as shit" for this though, and do you have any idea what the original ErgoDox PCB stand-up costs were?

for like the first board, or for the first 100 with a min-size lot that big?
the entire point is that the flexible board could be used by nearly any columnar kb design or project.

For the first 10 boards, after that I don't know as it requires talking to a rep and whatnot. Found another site that brings it down to about 120US/side, but even with volume discounts that would be expensive to manufacture. Flexible ribbon cable between key-sized links would be much more economical and serve the same purpose.

Considering bphiphany was at university at the time, I'm guessing not terribly much. It seems like much of it was created piecewise. Now the EZ is another story :(

>Now the EZ is another story :(
what, since they started a whole operation including assembly and got custom molds made for the casing, or is it some drama that I'm unaware of?

Yeah, that’s a entirely different ballgame then some uni kinds mucking with micro controllers and cheap PCBs from China with laser cut cases.

F-keys above like on normal keyboard, media / programable keys
Don't buy into this minimalism 40% hipster bullshit

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Jow Forums has spoken. A full sized ergodox will be made to go alongside the Gregory.

Now what do we name this beast and what images are we chucking on the backside?

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Detachable numpad?

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I'm making a 3D model for a keyboard and I don't think it could work universally for any layout. The thing is the PCB plane and key top plane are far apart so the PCB would need to stretch depending on the concavity in the column or you would get awkward spacing between keys. But maybe you could get a ready-made flexible connectors and put them between keys? So you'd have a small PCB for each key with connectors to neighbouring keys in column. I have no idea how expensive flexible connectors could be.

nah, permanent attachment is okay

Pretty much concave layout. I'm designing a keyboard myself and I got that cool idea for a thumb cluster which I won't share so I can be a special snowflake when I'll have the keyboard and you won't. I mean, I would share the schematics and shit if I made it but I kinda want the credit.

But man, isn't that stupid. Here is my idea which most people will probably consider pointless anyway: thumb keys have to be around a cone because that seems to be a good approximation of how a thumb works. Considering a second cone being offset for the second row. Gotta experiment with positioning of the whole thumb cluster.

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Are you saying that vertical key separation would change too much with particularly tight vertical curvature radii? Like how much more curved than, say, a kinesis are you talking about? I see what you're saying geometrically what you are saying, but I am not sure how far off things can be before they would start to feel off.

19 mm spacing with ~12 mm of plane height difference would make a keytop difference of ~2 mm with a 100 mm curve radius, but I am not sure if that would be enough to be awkward or not.

I'm not sure when it gets awkward, but 3mm would definitely trigger my autism. And more importantly: I wouldn't let my keyboard be anything but perfect. Pic related is just a rough sketch, I know it could be designed many other ways.

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Did anyone see a dick when first looking at the thumbnail?

Function row and a trackpoint.

The dactyl manuform exists
If you're making a group but kind of production run thingy, what would be great would be a flex pcb for a dactyl.

On the other hand if you are aiming for something portable (which would be cool too) I think the Atreus is a good starting point, but can be improved. For one you can make the case waste less space, then probably add some more keys (maybe another row wouldn't even be too hard), and the thumb clusters could probably be reworked completely.
But I don't see the point of "portable" split boards, since they're a huge hassle - unless you go the route of mistel barocco (or whatever it's called) or ultimate hacking keyboard and make it splittable. Then you could keep it in one piece in the bag, and if you wanted to use it in an awkward place keep it as one, but if you get settled on a proper table you could split it into to really easily. Now that (with a proper layout, meaning matrix keys and thumb clusters, not the staggered shit that the UHK and Mistel are) would be something.

yes