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If You Can't Buy the Keyboard You Want, Build It Instead

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Re: If You Can't Buy the Keyboard You Want, Build It Instead

#21

I want a keyboard with an extra row of keys (I could use for additional characters in a custom layout) between the letters and the numbers. Is this possible?

you could get a keyboard with the standard function keys and create a custom keymap where the function keys did the numbers and the numbers did whatever you wanted

Re: If You Can't Buy the Keyboard You Want, Build It Instead

#22

I want a keyboard with an extra row of keys (I could use for additional characters in a custom layout) between the letters and the numbers. Is this possible?

I use ms natural keyboard 4000 just because of that - extra row of keys that can be programmed to the liking. It's a shame that it does not have a USB hub (previous version had it) and that newer versions lack this row.

Re: If You Can't Buy the Keyboard You Want, Build It Instead

#23

I'm simply a mechanical keyboard user, I have a few trusty Filcos that I use and I will sometimes buy a keycap set and wait 1 year for it[1]; I don't have the courage to build custom keyboards. However I do derive a vicarious pleasure looking at the build logs and end results shared by others, this post included. The two best places I've found to follow are the /r/mechanicalkeyboards[2] subreddit and the geekhack.org…

The last time I dropped by /r/mechanicalkeyboards it was full of people that thought Cherry MX was the be-all end-all rather than just a brand name and a poor substitute for something like a proper buckling spring switch. Is that still the case?

Have you been following the 'new Model F' keyboards? https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/ - it's cool to see how much interest there is in them.

Re: If You Can't Buy the Keyboard You Want, Build It Instead

#25
One day I'll likely be faced with making my own keyboard layout or losing the wonderful Home/End/PgUp/PgDn/Delete layout I've been used to for years now on a long discontinued keyboard model (I seriously have a box of spares under the bed that I bought when they stopped being made).

I've found myself adaptable to the action of many keyboards, but there's some layout features I'm very particular about.

Re: If You Can't Buy the Keyboard You Want, Build It Instead

#26

I want a keyboard with an extra row of keys (I could use for additional characters in a custom layout) between the letters and the numbers. Is this possible?

Do you still want the F1-F12 keys?

If you don't, choose a keyboard with an appropriate physical arrangement (I happen to have [1], which would work for this), and program it accordingly -- any mechanical keyboard lets you move the key mapping around. Optionally swap the plastic key caps around. (You could also achieve this OS-side on any cheap keyboard.)

If you want an additional row, you'll probably need to make the keyboard yourself. The fashion seems to be to reduce the number of available keys rather than increase it.

Depending what you want it for, an alternative is to add an extra modifier key and use that modifier to get your extra characters, "FN+1" etc.

Programming the keyboard to send arbitrary characters depends on the OS and the keyboard firmware. See [2].

[1] https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33006060286.html

[2] https://beta.docs.qmk.fm/features/feature_unicode

Re: If You Can't Buy the Keyboard You Want, Build It Instead

#27
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, no, no. It's written "CapsLock" but pronounced "Control".

I think you spelled "escape" wrong. Yes, I'm a vim user. On the keyboards that support it I've had it remap to another layer if I hold it, but I'm thinking of using it for escape/ctrl, as I do use some emacs commands from time to time (mostly evil mode, but not everything). But I haven't decided where to put my layer switch key yet.

Dual esc/ctrl is the way to go. I still get phantom esc presses when I decide half-way that I don't need to ctrl+anything, but it's worth it.

Re: If You Can't Buy the Keyboard You Want, Build It Instead

#28

I want a keyboard with an extra row of keys (I could use for additional characters in a custom layout) between the letters and the numbers. Is this possible?

Many keyboards have built-in shortcut keys (whether system or not) so yes. Not sure whether they leverage mostly unused codes from the Keyboard Page of USB HID, use non-keyboard pages, or use something else entirely.

I'd expect many if not most "gaming" keyboards to provide "macro key" though their layout may not be what you want. Productivity keyboards also provide such keys sometimes e.g. Microsoft's Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 has a number of programmable shortcut keys sitting above the function keys.

Re: If You Can't Buy the Keyboard You Want, Build It Instead

#29
I've been fascinated with mechanical keyboards for a while. Have been thinking of setting up a Slack channel to build a little community of enthusiast to share their builds / questions / stuff that's for sale etc. Anyone interested in joining such channel? Would love to set it up and connect with MK builders. Send me an email if interested.
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