What about the Glove80?
Show HN: Bayleaf – Building a low-profile wireless split keyboard
231–240 of 259 posts
Re: Show HN: Bayleaf – Building a low-profile wireless split keyboard
#232Earlier quoted context omitted.
Maybe stupid question, but can split keyboard work as two separate keyboards connecting independently to the operating system? That way you don't have to synchronise anything.
There’s no issue with a computer recognizing two keyboards, but smaller keyboards often lack all the keys found on a standard one. So, you’ll need to use modifiers to create the keystroke and then send it to the computer. If you press a modifier on one half, the other half needs to be aware of it to send the final keystroke. Creating a layout with these modifier-based key combinations is just a small part of the many…
Wouldn't operating system take care of that?
Re: Show HN: Bayleaf – Building a low-profile wireless split keyboard
#233Personal opinion, but I really don’t get low-profile keyboards. I always need a foam cushion for my palms, which means that a normal profile always feels best for me. Low feels too low with a cushion, and yet still feels too high without one.
I've tried numerous keyboards and the conclusion I've come to is that there's low profile and then there's low profile. The bulk of the low profiles I've tried (NuPhy, Keychron K8, the mechanical Logitech, a few others) are definitely low profile compared to the Logitech Pro X TKL I use for my gaming PC. However, they're still tall. Most of the gains are from a shorter switch and keycap, but the body is still quite high.
If you compare it to the Apple Magic Keyboard I'm typing on now – and that seems like a definite inspiration for the Bayleaf – it's a stark contrast. The K3, for example, is more than twice as tall (10.9mm vs 22mm backrow). The Magic Keyboard feels fine to type on without any sort of wrist support and I never feel any strain. But on the K3, even with a support (tried both their wooden support and a similarly sized foam one), I would feel strain after an hour or two.
Most low-profiles are really just a middle ground between the two sides. And, at least in my experience, you get the downsides of both without any of the positives of either.
Re: Show HN: Bayleaf – Building a low-profile wireless split keyboard
#234For next iteration, consider integrating trackpads? Moving to the mouse and back is pain enough that people go all-in on keyboard-only interfaces. I velcroed a trackpad to the middle of a Kinesis Advantage. Now I use either hand for the mouse, and even stretch a finger or thumb to the pad without leaving the keys. The movement is little different from using the keyboard. But for split keyboard, you'd need one trackpa…
So happy to read this because I don't see it mentioned often enough. I have a ErgoDox EZ, and I still prefer using my Framework 13 (with Kanata![0]) because having my thumbs navigate the trackpad is so convenient even with a keyboard-driven setup. [0] https://github.com/jtroo/kanata
I have a touchpad in between the halves of my Ergodox EZ. It's not exactly as easy to reach as a laptop touchpad, but it's worlds better than moving your shoulder to reach a mouse.
Re: Show HN: Bayleaf – Building a low-profile wireless split keyboard
#235Earlier quoted context omitted.
you are right, i always considered the front of the keyboard what you considered the back, sorry for this (and by the way, i changed the link to a more generic one citing the variation of 90° -> 120° i typed of one easily finding by surfing the internet) on the 2° paper, > Among the five tested mice, the 25° or 30° slanted mice caused lower muscle activity and more neutral working postures for ECU, Trap and PT muscle…
No worries! Just trying to save people from wrist pain. :) And yes -- slanting the keyboard that way is usually called keyboard tenting . Also highly recommended, but difficult to implement in practice because it requires an even lower base for the keyboard, and there aren't many good accessories out there for it, sadly... I'm still waiting for someone to sell a cheap kit for angling keyboards downwards and implement…
Ergodox has a design where the keyboard can sit on 3 adjustable legs, and you can get both a downward angle and tenting out of that.
The downside is that you really need to get your desk way low for your arms to naturally "droop" down over that. I have a motorized sit-stand desk I bought specifically after comparing specs on how low the desk surface can go, and the position that's low enough while seated is basically as low as my knees will let it go. A separate keyboard tray would be great but they rarely have room for the footprint and height of a tented keyboard with a touchpad in the middle.
Standing up, it's a lot easier to find a good height.
Re: Show HN: Bayleaf – Building a low-profile wireless split keyboard
#236Earlier quoted context omitted.
No worries! Just trying to save people from wrist pain. :) And yes -- slanting the keyboard that way is usually called keyboard tenting . Also highly recommended, but difficult to implement in practice because it requires an even lower base for the keyboard, and there aren't many good accessories out there for it, sadly... I'm still waiting for someone to sell a cheap kit for angling keyboards downwards and implement…
Ergodox has a design where the keyboard can sit on 3 adjustable legs, and you can get both a downward angle and tenting out of that. The downside is that you really need to get your desk way low for your arms to naturally "droop" down over that. I have a motorized sit-stand desk I bought specifically after comparing specs on how low the desk surface can go, and the position that's low enough while seated is basically…
Those legs look amazing.
I want to be able to buy them as an adhesive add-on for any (split) keyboard!
Re: Show HN: Bayleaf – Building a low-profile wireless split keyboard
#237Earlier quoted context omitted.
Ergodox has a design where the keyboard can sit on 3 adjustable legs, and you can get both a downward angle and tenting out of that. The downside is that you really need to get your desk way low for your arms to naturally "droop" down over that. I have a motorized sit-stand desk I bought specifically after comparing specs on how low the desk surface can go, and the position that's low enough while seated is basically…
Those legs look amazing. I want to be able to buy them as an adhesive add-on for any (split) keyboard!
I don't think glue will hold them well enough. There's a metal thread in the keyboard for a reason. The angle is adjustable and tightening the nut locks the foot at that angle.
Re: Show HN: Bayleaf – Building a low-profile wireless split keyboard
#238Earlier quoted context omitted.
I have the ultimate hackers keyboard (silly name, I know) It's a really good split keyboard with symbols printed (optional). https://ultimatehackingkeyboard.com/
Their UKH 80 looks incredible. Software is as critical as hardware: The UHK supports holding a key down to select a different keymap layer, then using the other hand to tap a key in that layer. While few people learn many-key chording, "one finger each hand" is every bit as easy as ordinary typing, with practice. This supports an n^2 expansion in effective keyboard reach. I'm surprised this isn't the norm for selecti…
You can modify the uhk firmware quite extensively with the included Agent application. I typically stick to holding a keys to access different layers, but you can also double tap them to make it stick to a new layer. I only rarely use that functionality myself tho.
Being able to modify each button, in each layer has it's downsides tho: if I'm ever on a keyboard other than my own, I can barely type anymore!
I've edited away my most common typos on my keyboard layout, eg the key that's normally caps lock is just another shift key in my keyboard, since I find only ever use that key by mistake.
Now when I'm on another keyboard I hit it all the time, since I'm so used to it not being a problem
Re: Show HN: Bayleaf – Building a low-profile wireless split keyboard
#239The part of my brain that never stopped playing Tetris notices that if you had striped the color variations left to right instead of top to bottom you’d have a more uniform color variation. And if you’s put half the dark and half the light on each side then the gradient would look more purposeful. But you also probably should have printed 2x as many keys and split them up for making two copies.
Keen eye, initially I did sort the right split from left-to-right. But also over time the fat from the fingers affected the color as well, so I figured it's a loosing battle anyway. I'm waiting for a white colored MJF print, which should eliminate these color woes once I figure out the proper dimensions.
I’m really good at helping pack vehicles for moves. My kid got to take three extra boxes and the driver got use of the rear view mirror back because I repacked the car.
So you need some sort of sealant on the keys? Or maybe just a flame polish?
Re: Show HN: Bayleaf – Building a low-profile wireless split keyboard
#240Earlier quoted context omitted.
Eh, Choc switches have less travel than MX switches but I wouldn't say they have very little travel. Chocs main selling point is the form factor which allows the keyboard chassis to be much thinner. MX switches usually have 4mm of travel, Choc switches have 3mm, while the PG1316S switches used in OPs keyboard only have 1.8mm. I think Apples current switches are even shallower at ~1mm.
Yeah. The travel on the Apple Magic Keyboard, which I can't seem to pry myself away from, is around 1.15mm.
I'm convinced the Macbook keys are different from the Magic Keyboard (my joints say so) and have significantly lower travel.