Compact Keyboard line (75HE, 96HE) +Knob +65 +64

[stiff echo]

Wooting currently has released keyboards with
-- 100% (Wooting Two HE),
-- 80% a.k.a. “TKL” (Wooting One) and
-- 60% (Wooting 60 HE).
Those are keyboard variants (crops) of the standard layout.

I suggest you could release a compact line of keyboards with a non-standard layout.
IMHO it should be as compact as possible, which could also mean that there are third party cases available.

It could be a
-- 75HE and a
-- 96HE
as shown in the images.

The fn key row is grouped such that the keys form a stylized “W”.

A knob a.k.a. rotary dial should be an option. It could have the form factor of a 1U switch and the signal could be created by the hall effect sensor. The dial could move the magnet in a particular fashion such that the keyboard software can interpret it as rotary movement. That way the knob could be placed in any place where a 1U keyswitch can be placed, e.g. on the left hand side or right to the space bar.

Some of these ideas have already been mentioned here: https://discord.com/channels/167181566978555904/1149710943127867493

[waxen zephyr]

why the knob

[stiff echo]

It should be an option. To quickly change the volume for example. Or use multiple knobs for various purposes, like brush sizes or things like that. Or don’t use any knobs and have only keys.

But I have the impression that knobs are pretty popular currently.

[waxen zephyr]

i personally havent seen knobs ot change brush sizes yet

interesting idea though

[stiff echo]

There is a company that sells a complete set of knobs and sliders for creative professionals. Pretty expensive though. https://monogramcc.com/how-it-works/

You could use the knob to switch weapon in games... 😉

[jovial latch]

I wouldn't mind a wooting 40he 😮

[stiff echo]

I just saw this proposal for a lekker knob: https://discord.com/channels/167181566978555904/1145106399358103633

But I think an eventual knob should be a freely rotating one, i.e. a knob without lower and upper stop.

There are basically two ways to design a knob (rotating dial) based on a Hall effect switch:

The first one is that the knob is used to move the magnet from the topmost position to the lowest position (as described in the linked post). This would be a knob with a lower stop and an upper stop.

This has some disadvantages as there are basically only 40 steps (4mm / 0.1mm) available.

The second way is to have the knob rotate freely. The signal is produced by pushing the magnet up or down – depending on the direction of rotation –, thus generating an up-tick or down-tick.

The magnet thus basically stays in four different positions:
pos 1 - up-tick (gets pushed back to pos 2)
pos 2 - up resting position
pos 3 - down resting position
pos 4 - down-tick (get pushed back to pos3).
Changing from pos 2 to 3 can count as down-tick. Changing from pos 3 to 2 can count as up-tick. (Depending on the implementation.)

That way rotating the knob just produces up or down ticks and the software can then interpret these signals arbitrarily.

Compact Keyboard line (75HE, 96HE) +Knob

[icy berry]

I have a non-standard keyboard layout on a Moonlander. I want a Wooting for gaming / rapid trigger, but I can't justify the space on my desk / price of even the compact model. Would love if Wooting made a columnar pad to complement other keyboards that folks use for non-gaming use, maybe even just 4x3 or 5x4 or something.

[stiff echo]

Maybe a standalone numpad (would go together well with a 75 HE)...

[waxen zephyr]

why do all keyboards and keypads need a knob nowadays? im genuinly curious

[stiff echo]

Maybe it is just a fad. But I think it is practical. Also in the way described above it would just be an option. The keyboard could be designed without the knob and an eventual knob added later.

A knob basically is two buttons in one (up, down) that can be pressed very very quickly.

If you look at some electronic devices, like cameras for example, they have dials and wheels (so basically things equivalent to a knob) to dial in settings quickly.

[wary sentinel]

Yes i would love a 75 with knob in wooting

[dense spruce]

I just switched from a Corsair K100 that has a knob and it's very handy for adjusting volume quickly without clicking anything or having to use any on screen controls in meetings, or when someone comes up to your desk to ask you something and something is playing in the background, etc.

I use it as a quick volume adjustment and/or mute/unmute. I may set up some key binds to do the same with my Wooting, but the dial is just very quick, easy, and fairly precise to operate even blind.

[stiff echo]

Wooting 82HE “W“ layout 😎

But, honestly, I have got to hand it to the Wooting team, with the 80 HE they designed the most compact keyboard with standard key caps. Definitely a buy!

[stiff echo]

Moving keys in the top-most row from their original position creates compatibility problems with existing cases. So I guess a “W” layout would have to be created just by using differently coloured keycaps. (P.s. which also makes it completely optional for people who don’t like the look.) P.p.s. the separator keycaps could also be blank and made from the same material as the case.

This is my idea for a 75% type 84 (iso 85) layout:

This would be a simplified “W” version of a 96% layout (100 keys ANSI, 101 keys ISO):

[stiff echo]

The vanilla type 84 layout is potentially compatible with a lot of cases. The layout is basically the same for all cases. It is a 16u x 6u keyboard (not exploded). There may be some variations with the modifier keys, but they shouldn’t limit compatibility. The main factors for compatibility AFAICS are the mount points (screw holes) and the position of the USB plug.

With a HE knob switch (as described above) every user could play around with the layout. E.g.:

[stiff echo]

This is a visualisation of a vanilla 84 layout with Wooting keycaps (sculpted keycaps rows ignored and with 1u mod keycaps):

Same with separator keycaps (W layout):

For comparison the 80 HE:

[stiff echo]

The keycaps for the compact layout would be compatible with a compact 65% layout:

And also with a “64%” layout, i.e. a layout with arrow keys that fits into the 60% case:

Compact Keyboard line (75HE, 96HE) +Knob +65 +64

[terse grove]

⏬

[stiff echo]

The space bar is rather non-standard, is it not? A 6.25u space bar is very common.

[terse grove]

yeah, but also they said they won't care as much about standard stuff with future kbs. It's fine anyway, just also include a different style spacebar, so you swap if you prefer. Also it's not like super expensive to order some custom 4.25 spacebar, and they're also available in vanilla, and you can paint them etc.
(also it's easy to make this into **exploded **75% as well, would kind of prefer exploded instead of compact, since better justified and looking F-keys row, and faster use)

[stiff echo]

One major point of the compact (non-exploded) standard 84 keys layout is that it is compatible with a lot of stuff out there. There are cases and plates and keycaps that share this layout.
P.s.: Compatible cases have been mentioned here #1193941977083953193 message and here #1193941977083953193 message .

It is even a preset in the online Keyboard Layout Editor (“Keycool84”).

[terse grove]

⏬ exploded ⏬
(this 4.25u spacebar also fits perfectly on the 80HEaven special edition (that has more unique spacebar(s), both default and extra incl. in order), so if you buy both of them, or buy some 80HEaven keycap set, you have more spacebars to use)

[stiff echo]

I guess for a compact 65% layout the Esc key could be placed on the left of a complete number row. This is of course still compatible with the compact layout keycaps. Skyloong uses this layout, I think. The number row is thus moved 1 key to the right though, so one might need to get used to this. (P.s. I prefer the 75% layout #1166665944920236072 message anyway, which of course gives a complete number row in the right place and an escape key.)

[terse grove]

is it really worth tho to go through that hassle moving number keys when 60HE already worked fine? but I have ISO, so maybe that top left key is less used than on ANSI.
updated my compact version, with 1.0 OS key since it's less important (also keeping the important keys same 1.25 size on both sides) and also increasing Spacebar size to 4.50 and centering it better with G | H, and a Knob-switch-key top right, etc.
you can easily apply same changes to the exploded version too tho (what I prefer).

[stiff echo]

I like that there are 1.25u modifiers.

I am not a fan of the small 1u “OS” key since it is the “Alt” on MacOS which is very important on that OS.

The space bar is 4.5u which is not found anywhere, so I would prefer a split space bar in this case, just to be able to get the caps and stabilizers.

The “W” logo in the bottom right requires a custom case with a notch. But the PCB could still be compatible with other compact 16u x 6u cases if there is an empty switch space under the notch.

Regarding the 80HE update on gasket mounting and module:
I really like the idea of the replaceable sandwich pad between plate and PCB. And also the friction mount option. Such a solution seems to make such a module likely very compatible with other cases.

[stiff echo]

We are brainstorming, right. So, regarding a smaller spacebar, how about having some sort of split module for the 6.25u spacebar?
There are various ways to split up the spacebar that would give additional full-size modifier keys:

[clever kernel]

i would very much like a 96 keyboard. I always use the numpad and the extra space below the fn keys is annoying.

The XD96 PCB supports a lot of layouts so perhaps some inspiration can be taken from them.

[stiff echo]

That is a very interesting concept. But, I am not sure, but I don’t think one can pack a PCB with per-key LEDs and with Hall effect sensors in such a way. Also one would need a plate for every specific layout anyway.