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Adding a Trackpoint to an Inexpensive Mechanical Keyboard

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Re: Adding a Trackpoint to an Inexpensive Mechanical Keyboard

#11

Post by Hasknewbie »

diggernet wrote: post #4
westmeal wrote: post #2

Nice build! Thanks for the xinput trick. I'm actually surprised it went so well. If you're not a fan of putting this whole thing together yourself these guys in Taiwan make a really nice mechancial keyboard called the Tex Yoda 2. Kinda hard to get though...

Or for half the price, the Unicomp EnduraPro. http://www.pckeyboard.com/page/FeaturedProducts/UB40PGA

Customer review: I bought one of those a few years ago and found the simili-trackpoint completely unusable. Very very stiff and nowhere near a laptop one, let alone a Thinkpad one. Unicomp are nice Model M substitutes, but don't buy one for the trackpoint, unless you're nostalic also for how trackpoints operated in the 1990s.

Re: Adding a Trackpoint to an Inexpensive Mechanical Keyboard

#12

Post by leoc »

amiga-workbench wrote: post #7
gedy wrote: post #3

I did a more exotic/weird approach a while back and hid a Trackpoint under a keycap on a mechanical keyboard: https://imgur.com/a/0VHce

https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/j/jmouse.htm

IIRC that was actually also the concept that Ted Selker started with before settling on the familiar nub design for the pointing stick.

Re: Adding a Trackpoint to an Inexpensive Mechanical Keyboard

#13

Post by tjoff »

This is not good for me. So... where do one buy a trackpoint? If the folklore is to be believed ibm/lenovo are the only ones worthy.

But ebay only wanted to sell me complete keyboards, which I wouldn't mind but prices were in the ~$100 range and is a bit much for this morning itch.

Perhaps one can buy spares somewhere?

Re: Adding a Trackpoint to an Inexpensive Mechanical Keyboard

#14

Post by spectaclepiece »

amiga-workbench wrote: post #7
gedy wrote: post #3

I did a more exotic/weird approach a while back and hid a Trackpoint under a keycap on a mechanical keyboard: https://imgur.com/a/0VHce

https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/j/jmouse.htm

Exactly this has been on my mind for the past year except as a stand-alone key cap that can be placed on any keyboard. If anybody want to makes this a reality I would completely back that Kickstarter.

Re: Adding a Trackpoint to an Inexpensive Mechanical Keyboard

#16

Post by acomjean »

tjoff wrote: post #13

This is not good for me. So... where do one buy a trackpoint? If the folklore is to be believed ibm/lenovo are the only ones worthy. But ebay only wanted to sell me complete keyboards, which I wouldn't mind but prices were in the ~$100 range and is a bit much for this morning itch. Perhaps one can buy spares somewhere?

They’re essentially strain gauges, with a nub. But I don’t think you can just convert one.

IBM invented them (I worked a tj Watson research where they had a display case dedicated to its development).

When I was a IBM I had a mouse with a nub, it was much better than the wheel for scrolling, but the concept didn’t take off...

They’re seem to be some on alibaba..!?

Re: Adding a Trackpoint to an Inexpensive Mechanical Keyboard

#17

Post by germ »

spectaclepiece wrote: post #14
amiga-workbench wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/j/jmouse.htm

Exactly this has been on my mind for the past year except as a stand-alone key cap that can be placed on any keyboard. If anybody want to makes this a reality I would completely back that Kickstarter.

Power is a major issue for something like that, and you need to find a way to bodge it into the existing key matrix, or have it as it's own HID device (which I believe ruins combos). That and you don't have much space to work with either, especially if you still want to retain the full travel of the switch.

With Gergo [2] I took a different approach, and opted for every key to have pads for connection to the i2c bus, as well as a custom footprint for mounting devices (Needed as I2C is slow and that footprint is connected to a interrupt-able bus). That allows me to create stuff like PCBs cast in resin, vibrating keys and whatnot and whack them around the board, but there is a single slot for anything that needs quick feedback. When a board is 1x1.2cm, you only have so many options, and burying it in resin is valid.

But if you want to have a unified device, you pretty much need a firmware that can handle it. QMK is an amazing project if you've never seen it. It powers Gergo, drives the Trackball and communicates with my boards. And it's open source! Feels weird to be writing and flashing keyboard firmware, but it's crazy useful.

Threw a few more images here if you want to take a look at the module [1]

[1] https://blog.gboards.ca/2018/12/photodump.html

[2] https://www.gboards.ca/

Re: Adding a Trackpoint to an Inexpensive Mechanical Keyboard

#18

Post by gedy »

germ wrote: post #17
spectaclepiece wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly this has been on my mind for the past year except as a stand-alone key cap that can be placed on any keyboard. If anybody want to makes this a reality I would completely back that Kickstarter.

Power is a major issue for something like that, and you need to find a way to bodge it into the existing key matrix, or have it as it's own HID device (which I believe ruins combos). That and you don't have much space to work with either, especially if you still want to retain the full travel of the switch. With Gergo [2] I took a different approach, and opted for every key to have pads for connection to the i2c bus,…

Nice work, that 1u Trackball is awesome. Does it work with any keyboard or does it require your PCB?

Re: Adding a Trackpoint to an Inexpensive Mechanical Keyboard

#19

Post by SuperPaintMan »

gedy wrote: post #18
germ wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Power is a major issue for something like that, and you need to find a way to bodge it into the existing key matrix, or have it as it's own HID device (which I believe ruins combos). That and you don't have much space to work with either, especially if you still want to retain the full travel of the switch. With Gergo [2] I took a different approach, and opted for every key to have pads for connection to the i2c bus,…

Nice work, that 1u Trackball is awesome. Does it work with any keyboard or does it require your PCB?

It requires a Gergo at the moment. If you know your way around interrupts and QMK you could probably get it into a handwired setup :)

Re: Adding a Trackpoint to an Inexpensive Mechanical Keyboard

#20

Post by tincholio »

arkh wrote: post #9
th0ma5 wrote: post #8

I wish more keyboards had the trackpoint, ideally a brown switch or clear switches.

Trackball under one thumb would be awesome. Then split the keyboard to have two independent parts so you can type with your arms parallel (even better, add a half-keyboard holder at the end of each of your chair armrests).

Sounds like you want this: https://ultimatehackingkeyboard.com/

(I want it, too, but it's kinda pricey)

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