[HN Gopher] GitHub - tzarc/djinn: Djinn Split Keyboard
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GitHub - tzarc/djinn: Djinn Split Keyboard
Author : rolph
Score : 88 points
Date : 2021-11-22 20:28 UTC (2 hours ago)
(HTM) web link (github.com)
(TXT) w3m dump (github.com)
| alanfranz wrote:
| I would love something like the old SK-6000 keyboard (
| https://www.ebay.com/itm/264750292234 ), maybe without the
| numpad, but with all other keys, and possibly mechanical (silent)
| switches.
|
| It seems that nowadays we get either extremely peculiar split
| keyboards (without F-Keys, PgUp/PgDown) or something just doesn't
| feel right (PgUp/PgDown keys aligned vertically instead of
| horizontally, cursor keys with strange alignments and
| positioning, et cetera). I think that a "normal keyboard just
| with a certain angle in the middle" would be simple enough and
| great.
| Zitrax wrote:
| I have the same issue, earlier I was using a Logitech Comfort
| keyboard:
| https://c1.neweggimages.com/ProductImageCompressAll1280/23-1...
|
| which I loved, but have not found a good replacement, they are
| either split with a smaller angle or are those peculiar fully
| split ones as you mention.
| aasasd wrote:
| What you describe is just MS Natural 4000.
|
| There's also MS Sculpt, with better keys: still rubberdomed,
| but less jiggly and way less clacky. The crowded home--pagedown
| column is actually alright once you get used to it, and I
| really don't use 'delete' and 'insert' much. However, the
| function-or-media switch is atrocious, pure disgrace as a
| design decision. I'm using 'USB Overdrive' to map 'calculator'
| to Fn instead, but it's still not the same. Might map the
| separate numpad, once I find batteries for it.
| db65edfc7996 wrote:
| My white whale is a split ortho linear with F-row. Evidently
| the market has spoken that if you want something non-
| traditional, it must go for minimal key count, because
| chording.
| frio wrote:
| I'm RSI-adjacent (never diagnosed, but flat keyboards give me
| pangs after a while) and have a ~6 year old home-made Ergodox
| currently, and really like it (though I have to admit, there's a
| definite cognitive overhead switching between QWERTY on my
| laptop, productivity-focussed split, and gaming-focussed split
| that gets annoying sometimes). At the time I built it, it seemed
| like a cheaper way of checking if one of these things would help
| than grabbing a Kinesis.
|
| I've been kind of thinking about upgrading for a while though,
| and there's an accretion of new features building up that are
| starting to make the idea seem a little less wasteful. The new
| generation designs like this that have an integrated screen for
| extra data _really_ appeal (my Ergodox is pre-RGB/backlighting,
| so you can't tell the keyboard's state at a glance); that,
| combined with hot-swappable key sockets, novel input mechanisms
| (rotary encoders for volume/Lightroom control!), the sort of
| tenting support the ZSA Moonlander supports etc. are all pretty
| exciting.
|
| I've never quite managed to convince myself to spend time on
| keyboards as a hobby, but I'm so grateful others love it.
| farnsworth wrote:
| I have the Moonlander split keyboard, and absolutely love it. But
| the problem I constantly have with split keyboards is keeping
| them aligned the right way. Each half is constantly being pushed
| and shifted or rotated slightly on my desk so it feels like the
| alignment is a little off every time I sit down to use it. The
| infinite adjustability is definitely a perk but I feel like I
| should be taping them down once I get them set up
| dpapavas wrote:
| I know what you mean. I solved the issue with a specially
| designed adjustable linkage on the Lagrange
| (https://github.com/dpapavas/lagrange-keyboard). It took a
| while to finetune the relative position anf attitude (which,
| turned out to be what one'd expect: 0deg toe, separation at
| about shoulder width), but now it's finally consistently
| aligned every time. (The palm keys also help by doubling as
| guides to keep your hands in the right place.)
| fleaaaa wrote:
| Add a deskmat or 3m sticky foot, it helps a lot.
| rayshan wrote:
| Can you share a link? Are you referring to rubber feets that
| stick on or feet made of sticky material?
| spindle wrote:
| Right, or blu tac, or anything else sticky (well maybe not
| _anything_ else sticky).
| boomskats wrote:
| I've got a bunch of ergo tented boards with very little desk
| contact area - I actually spent all of last week typing on a
| borrowed Moonlander.
|
| To solve the problem you describe I use a non-slip material by
| a company called Dycem[0], which I understand is primarily used
| by amputees and people with limited use of their limbs.
|
| I've always gotten that niggly 'slight misalignment' feeling,
| ever since my first Ergodox 7-8 years ago. I know exactly what
| you're talking about and Dycem almost completely eliminates
| this for me. I lay my wrist rests and my board on it, and can
| make intentional microadjustments as I type, but those stay in
| place for weeks as long as I don't accidentally knock them out
| of place.
|
| It's not cheap and there may be other similar alternatives, but
| I can say this one works.
|
| [0] https://dycem-ns.com
| stevage wrote:
| Anyone know what the use case is for the little LED display on
| each side?
| tzarc wrote:
| Right now, none really -- it's a hardware enablement testbed,
| and really only shows a handful of information, such as
| Caps/Num/Scroll and what layer you're using.
|
| With QMK we get a lot of requests for "how do I display this",
| "how do I show that", so it's more a case of making sure it
| supports most of those scenarios.
|
| Sadly with the silicon shortages, not a lot of people are
| getting the chance to build them... I'm sure we'd see some
| interesting usages if/when this display stuff becomes a bit
| more mainstream.
| Symbiote wrote:
| I have a gallery of split keyboards, including this one. It's
| useful if you need an overview of what's available.
|
| I have an ErgoDash with a Dvorak layout and a 3D printed
| adjustable tenting stand. The Djinn is fairly similar, though the
| additions are features I don't care for (encoders, screens,
| LEDs).
|
| I've bought most of the parts to make a Lagrange, but still need
| to order the PCBs. I expect this to be an improvement on the
| ErgoDash, since I can include the missing keys (F1-F12 etc).
|
| Just buying a Kinesis Advantage2 would probably have been a whole
| lot less effort.
|
| https://aposymbiont.github.io/split-keyboards/
|
| (And a discussion from nine months ago:
| https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26179311 )
| tzarc wrote:
| Oh hey, that's me!
| gfody wrote:
| I wonder can you use the the two knobs to control the mouse etch-
| a-sketch style?
| LeoPanthera wrote:
| Left knob for bearing, right knob for speed.
| aasasd wrote:
| Now I gotta somehow try that with a gamepad. Driving
| simulation, coming to your desktop. Traverse the lands of
| hyperlinks, deliver files from window to window.
| 3np wrote:
| This made me chuckle. And reminded me of
| https://uxdesign.cc/the-worst-volume-control-ui-in-the-
| world...
| sleepybrett wrote:
| QMK supports that.
| twalla wrote:
| QMK does have mouse support so you could map each encoder to an
| axis for the mouse I think.
|
| https://docs.qmk.fm/#/feature_pointing_device
| js8 wrote:
| I am considering properly learning an ergonomic keyboard, but I
| like the minimalist ones - like the GergoPlex. They are more
| affordable and there is something appealing in minimizing the
| finger movement.
| EliasWatson wrote:
| I used a Levinson[0] for about a year and then switched to a
| Kyria[1] in August. My Kyria is fully wireless by using two
| nice!nano microcontrollers and ZMK firmware. I absolutely love
| small keyboards like this. It takes a couple days/weeks to get
| used to the positions of everything, but once you do it's
| amazing. Not having to move your hands/wrists constantly is a
| game changer. I've ordered PCB's for a Ferris Sweep[2] and plan
| on building it soon.
|
| [0] https://keeb.io/collections/levinson-keyboard
|
| [1] https://splitkb.com/collections/keyboard-
| kits/products/kyria...
|
| [2] https://github.com/davidphilipbarr/sweep
| jedimind wrote:
| Beautiful keyboard, I have never heard of GergoPlex before. I
| would buy it in a heartbeat if wireless versions were
| available.
| yoavm wrote:
| Search for the Corne-ish Zen, I think you'd like it.
| Fetiorin wrote:
| You can build your own given soldering skills/willingness to
| learn.
|
| Ferris Sweep (PCB is open source) with nice!nano controller.
| __mharrison__ wrote:
| Long time ergodox user here. I was considering getting a
| GergoPlex before Covid as I was travelling a bit for work. I
| even put a "GergoPlex" layer on my ergodox to practice.
|
| However, it looks like they no longer sell the "heavy" and with
| Covid I haven't been travelling, no practicing the Gergo
| chords.
| aasasd wrote:
| I hoped that someone finally got the right idea, and those djinn-
| pads are _touch_ -pads. Alas, no such luck.
| ddlutz wrote:
| I would love something like that, either touch trackpad or some
| trackball with easy way to left click and right click. No more
| switching between "two different input devices".
| tzarc wrote:
| In a week or so, QMK will pick up a whole bunch of new support
| for pointing devices -- Djinn's open-source, so if you're keen
| you can swap a display out for a Cirque touchpad for instance.
| [deleted]
| Separo wrote:
| I've found that the annoying thing with these floating split
| keyboards is that you don't develop the muscle memory because the
| keys are always in a slightly different position each time it
| moves around.
|
| You need a bracket to keep the halves in exactly the same spot
| every time when you're in split mode in order to get that muscle
| memory.
| __mharrison__ wrote:
| That hasn't been my experience. (Sample size one).
|
| I also use the Norman layout on my ErgoDox, but Qwerty on
| normal keyboards. Hasn't really been an issue (other than
| learning Norman).
| fleaaaa wrote:
| There's homing h/j key for it, though I rarely need it.
| toxik wrote:
| I partially agree, if you've moved your hands away it can be
| difficult to "relocalize". It's not that big a deal though, I
| find.
|
| My main problem now is that I want Apple level low travel (and
| low profile) but also split. Guess I'll wind up building my own
| eventually.
| bee_rider wrote:
| The position is not a huge issue for me, but I have to get the
| rotation just right to avoid missing keys.
| hossbeast wrote:
| I don't have a problem with it. The muscle memory takes wrist
| orientation into account possibly?
| StephenJGL wrote:
| I would recommend a Microsoft Sculpt if you want the split
| without the hassle.
| Agingcoder wrote:
| I have a kinesis edge for the same reason.
| stunt wrote:
| I tried building custom keyboards! It was a lot of fun waiting
| for parts, assembling and customizing them. And if nothing it was
| the best soldering training ever cos I got really good at
| soldering in the end.
| sleepybrett wrote:
| YAIC (yet another iris clone)
| opan wrote:
| The Djinn layout is a bit different, closer to a Pinky4.
| tzarc wrote:
| Full disclosure: I started my foray into split keyboards with
| an Iris.
|
| ...but it didn't have all the keys I wanted, thus the Djinn.
| drudoo wrote:
| Reminds me of my Lily58. Looks pretty cool but those screens are
| huge.
| __mharrison__ wrote:
| I realize that the positioning of the ErgoDox thumb clusters
| aren't for everyone (I only use the two big keys), but I use the
| thumb keys a lot. In combination with QMK, my thumbs work a lot
| harder, but I feel it is much more efficient. This design lacks
| the "thumb power".
| spindle wrote:
| In case anyone wants to program this (or any other keyboard)
| without QMK, there's kmonad: https://github.com/kmonad/kmonad
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(page generated 2021-11-22 23:00 UTC)