Hey Friends,
Very excited for the launch of the ALT to followup the CTRL launch. 65% keyboards have always been one of my favorite form factors. It allows me to take advantage of the smaller footprint on a compact keyboard and still give me to easily access the arrow cluster and navigation cluster which I use daily - from spreadsheets to video games.
The ALT will ship with the same features that made the CTRL awesome - the firmware will be based on QMK and we will be adding it to our keyboard configurator for easy reprogramming. The same RGB lighting and customization. The keyboard also has dual USB C connections that functions as an USB hub and the PCB will ship with Kaihua hotswap sockets to allow for easy switch swapping.
This keyboard is another step in our eventual goal to make custom keyboard design more accessible to the community. We will continue to work on this line and add more offerings in the future - for example a matching numpad - since there were a lot of request for those in the CTRL drop.
For community members, this simplifies the experience of owning a custom keyboard, for community designers, this solves the hardest parts of your technical back end. This solution for designers means more projects will make the leap from concept to production, increasing the diversity of designs available to the community at large.
Thanks for your interest and support, none of this would be possible without you and the continued support of the mech keys community at large.
Last, a few administrative notes on this drop:
The drop is set to end on May 24th. However, we will be doing a payment capture on April 30 so we can initiate tooling for some of the components in the ALT.
YanboWuI like em and will collect them.
Copies or not, I think if they are copies (aren't so many keyboards?) they're improved designs.
Just give us a hint at what the DEL will be please? :)
YanboWuCurious if there is an incentive for people who contribute early as the payment will be captured on April 30th and likely they cannot have the flexibility as late contributors (who can change their options or change their mind). Thank you very much!
YanboWuWill you guys only have a QWERTY layout? I'd really like to get into this but I'm using the german QWERTZ layout and you can't just switch the keycaps since it's quite different.
Luna55> Just give us a hint at what the DEL will be please? :)
Based on the trend, smaller version of CTRL and ALT, so likely a 40% keyboard layout. Same design, dual USB-C, aluminum case, RGB, hot swap, etc.
YanboWuNice to see that you put in for a 65%. Will be nice to see the DEL, which I assume would be a 40%? I really dig the layout and picked up the CTRL since it really hit the nail on the head with about 95% of everything I wanted in a keyboard.
In an ideal world for me, I would have liked to see a 75% with a similar layout to the Magicforce82, as I like my F1-F12 for gaming and don't really like the cramped nature of a true 75%. Plus, with nav keys, I don't really need a pause, scroll, insert key, so getting rid of those isn't that big of a deal anyway and I can just throw them on a sub layer if I do need them. But really those keyboards are only 2 columns wider than a TKL. Why I was OK with picking up a CTRL.
YanboWuSooo I know I'm weird but is there any chance of a 100%+ size at some point? I really like the 128%(or larger) size battle cruiser/terminal size boards.
OldCatIf I wasn't a gamer and used F keys often, I would agree 65% is the best. I like the 65% with 10 macro/F keys on the left personally as my favorite layout but have yet to find one with the features if CTRL/ALT.
calmor15014Keycaps that move between rows would be the wrong profile for their new row. For example, C and Q swap between the top and bottom rows. Lots of keys would be on the wrong row and would be a pain to type on.
@pepelephew You'll want to either buy a replacement set of caps with a Dvorak kit or buy a set of DSA/XDA caps that have the same profile across all rows to allow you to move caps around as needed. I've never seen a set of Dvorak-compatible PBT backlit caps so you may need to forego the shine-through lettering if you want the keycap legends to match your Dvorak layout.
aergonautYeah, I was tempted by the CTRL but had no idea what I would do with the extra keys. Even this will end up with unused keys... But so much more tempting.
OldCatI am sure for a lot of people the Alt is the perfect layout and I can see why it was the next one in the Massdrop lineup.
I'm on Pok3rs setup with the Yoda layout so anything more than a 60% is left unused for me. I also added a Yoda Fn layer to my laptop Kb so no matter where I type, it's the same layout. So:
Fn + r = backspace
Fn + f = delete
Fn + t = home
Fn + g = end
Fn + y = page up
Fn + h = page down
Arrows on Fn + w/a/s/d and Fn + i/j/k/l
So that whole strip up the side and the arrows would be extra.
I do like the Alt for the hot swap switches and the case though, so I'm having a little trouble holding back.
hyperspriteJust started using the pok3r in the last few months and it's probably just me but the FN key is in the most awkward spot, really want to love it but seems to break my flow every time.
BlueCrownedYep, i could swing a 65% for work though. I don't use F keys much at all outside of alt-F4 a program, F6 to focus on browser link bar, F1 to bring up help, F11 full screen browser. I'd be fine with those on a lower layer.
When you play RPGs and MMOs you get crazy into keyboard binds. Then stuff like PUBG has crazy amounts of binds as well. I've got individual grenade selections, consumables, car seat selection, shadow play macros, push to talk, mark the map, etc bound to F keys and q w e r a s d f g z x c b m g t y tab shift ctrl alt space pgup pgdown del ins.
BlueCrownedPlay it all the time on my HHKB ... just change the key binds. Things like your 1-5 being Q E R Shift+Q Shift+E, becomes second nature really quickly and much more comfortable.
KnackeredDadDid you try remapping it to Caps Lock with the dip switch and using that? I'll agree that the lower right one is a bit out of the way.
Then the only time I find it awkward is when I need to press something like Ctrl + Shift + CapsLock + 5
YanboWuWish there was a way to opt out of being charged early. I just had to cancel so I can re order after the 30th. I don't want the funds being removed till next the 24th not only for changes but just I have more funds added. I am glad I caught that otherwise i been very upset. It should be made more clear on the drop page and checkout.
YanboWuThanks Yanbo; the Keyboard look great. I ordered a CTRL and I have joined this drop one as well.
Just wanted to ask you about the Quality Control and I asked the same question in the CTRL Drop. Can you please verify with the development/engineering team if they will pay attention to the Coil Whine, which the K-Type suffers from.
Thanks and really looking forward to the keyboards :)
MoeeedWe've been looking into coil whine (quite common when LED drivers are running at high refresh rates), and have made some changes to the circuit to suppress it.
YanboWuWhich switches have the light pipe casing? All 5 options? Only a specific Kaihua? Halos?
I am not well-versed in the technical details of mechanical keyboards but from what I understand, the RGB LEDs are on the board itself and shine through the switch casings. Light pipe is some diffuser casing built into certain Kaihua switches but do not carry over from switch to switch.
MoeeedI mean, you can, but it's still a good question, since if the PCB has the holes for mounting pins, I don't have to clip them and ruin the switches for PCB mounting. That said, I kinda doubt they thought about this.
dinosaur_meatI don't like the 1u right shift on the GK64, so I am getting this, but I too would be at least curious to see if they are supporting PCB switches without making any modifications to them which would make them incompatible for future PCB usage.
HerpDerpenbergWhich games do you use the F row for? I have some things mapped to them but theyre the things I never need. I’m getting the Alt and intend to use it for gaming as well as everything else. Would have loved a CTRL abut missed that drop.
jortzDepends on the game. Buy what I have my F keys bound to are typically less used buttons but something I don't want to have some sort of alt/ctrl/fn + button press to do. More of a "heat of the moment" type bind that is a reactive skill/macro to use that I don't want to stretch my hand to use and figure out am I pressing G or H on my keyboard. F10-F12 are things typically reserved for Shadowplay/Share macros (record, save last 15 minutes, screenshot capture), I use F9 for push to talk that is bound to a USB foot pedal, so that's really the only F key I do not need. So that leaves me with 8 macro/bind buttons. Other things like MMOs are similar long cooldown abilities/buffs/potions/skills. Sure, I could get one of those 20 thumb button mice, but I really dislike how those feel and they're just too clunky for me.
The other benefit is that I have a better "homing" with them as F1, F4, F5, F8 are easy to find the edges of the function keys, so those are my most used. I'll do something like F1-F4 as grenade selections in a game, F5-F8 would be consumables. That's why I really liked the Sentraq S65-Plus and had been 99% on getting it. Sure, I lose 2 F keys (3 if I end up using one of them as a dedicated ESC) but I have a homing to each row and it gives me 10 buttons within reach of my hand and I have an easy way to home row find them. I was actually considering it over buying the CTRL, but when I started pricing it out I was getting a hot swap switch and RGB backlit keyboard for a lower cost than the S65 Plus.
YanboWuAre these the box white retooled switches or before retooling? As I ordered the box white one and I’ve got another set of switches I’ll put in if it’s not retooled.
Peopopwitzexactly what i was thinking.. but then why bother we have the tada68 to fill that gap.. only thing i miss is having high quality cherry profile double shot pbt keycaps that are led compatible ..
YanboWuI really want to buy this keyboard but I don't know when it will come back in stock. Please please make more. It is so requested and it would make a lot of people very happy
YanboWuThank you for getting back to me.
I double checked. the email showed a picture of the regular alt, must have been sent in error.
thanks for getting back to me.
poadyi would say no just cause it seems as if they never really offer that many of Cherry switches. Luckily it’s hot swappable so you can just throw any switch ya want in it.
YanboWuYanboWu, i want to order one keyboard (without kaycaps & switches). Which Cheryy switches should I buy, normal or RGB model? Want Cherry MX Silent Black and have no clue if normal version or RGB.
YanboWuHey, for real though, any chance of a restock update? My Sr Dev got one and I found out pretty much all of DevOps is using mechanical boards and holy crap do I have the bug. I'mma grab a Cherry MX Brown board as soon as they're back in. Will that be soon?
lolskilledI believe the MX Blacks have only been produced in their none-RGB form, though I could be wrong.
While none RGB cherry switches will work, you are going to get less shinethrough
GrinninBarrettAlso, in the meantime, any chance of a barebones with keycaps? I've got a lead on some comparable switches and could always upgrade those in the future, but damn those keycaps are nice. Having trouble finding some good double shot PBT with shinethrough that doesn't use a windows symbol for the meta key or come in bright pastels or otherwise offend my finnicky sensibilities... (edited to apologize for replying to GrinninBarrett, I meant to reply to @YanboWu)
(Edited)
Jun 7, 2019
A community member
Jun 17, 2019
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YanboWuare you planning to drop this next year? please let me know I dont want to keep waiting for nothing:(
Very excited for the launch of the ALT to followup the CTRL launch. 65% keyboards have always been one of my favorite form factors. It allows me to take advantage of the smaller footprint on a compact keyboard and still give me to easily access the arrow cluster and navigation cluster which I use daily - from spreadsheets to video games.
The ALT will ship with the same features that made the CTRL awesome - the firmware will be based on QMK and we will be adding it to our keyboard configurator for easy reprogramming. The same RGB lighting and customization. The keyboard also has dual USB C connections that functions as an USB hub and the PCB will ship with Kaihua hotswap sockets to allow for easy switch swapping.
This keyboard is another step in our eventual goal to make custom keyboard design more accessible to the community. We will continue to work on this line and add more offerings in the future - for example a matching numpad - since there were a lot of request for those in the CTRL drop.
For community members, this simplifies the experience of owning a custom keyboard, for community designers, this solves the hardest parts of your technical back end. This solution for designers means more projects will make the leap from concept to production, increasing the diversity of designs available to the community at large.
Thanks for your interest and support, none of this would be possible without you and the continued support of the mech keys community at large.
Last, a few administrative notes on this drop: The drop is set to end on May 24th. However, we will be doing a payment capture on April 30 so we can initiate tooling for some of the components in the ALT.