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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

#21

Post by znpy »

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

The unicomp endurapro Is a waste of money.

The keyboard is meh and the trackpoint is a delusion. For example, the trackpoint on my endurapro moves at different speeds depending on the direction you're moving to. That makes no sense.

Re: Adding a Trackpoint to an Inexpensive Mechanical Keyboard

#22

Post by jdhawk »

tincholio wrote: post #20
arkh wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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)

And the TrackPoint and Trackball modules are still "Under Development"

I know they claim that orders are shipping immediately, but a co-worker waited over a year for his.

Re: Adding a Trackpoint to an Inexpensive Mechanical Keyboard

#24

Post by lhball »

acomjean wrote: post #16
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..!?

"When I was a[t] IBM I had a mouse with a nub.."

I'ver never wanted anything so badly! Link to Alibaba?

Re: Adding a Trackpoint to an Inexpensive Mechanical Keyboard

#25

Post by mtreis86 »

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...

IBM made one of their buckling spring keyboards with a trackpoint, the M13

Re: Adding a Trackpoint to an Inexpensive Mechanical Keyboard

#26

Post by Symmetry »

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?

The major patents just ran out so in theory other companies should be able to make decent ones now.

Re: Adding a Trackpoint to an Inexpensive Mechanical Keyboard

#28

Post by baybal2 »

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,…

> 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).

Make an own keyboard controller.

It also be very nice if it can actually handle trackpoint as an actual joystick (real trackpoint is a tensometer, not a position sensor.)

Re: Adding a Trackpoint to an Inexpensive Mechanical Keyboard

#29

Post by raaxe »

jbb999 wrote: post #27

That annoying ugly "button" in the middle of the keyboard is the main thing that makes me rule out lenovo laptops in general before I even look at them. I find it very hard to understand why anyone would want to add one!

Instead of dismissing the trackpoint because of how it looks, try using it exclusively for a week to understand why people really like them.

Re: Adding a Trackpoint to an Inexpensive Mechanical Keyboard

#30

Post by acomjean »

lhball wrote: post #24
acomjean wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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..!?

"When I was a[t] IBM I had a mouse with a nub.." I'ver never wanted anything so badly! Link to Alibaba?

The mouse doesn’t exist sadly.

I mentioned alibaba because have trackpoint keyboards though (seemingly in lots of 5). my reply wasn’t clear and lamentably too late to edit.

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