Here's a more Pandora-like variant in which all the keys have the same size, except for space which is 2 wide. It's also staggered using only half-key offsets, like on the Pandora.
Yes, Esc is Fn modified. This is intentional, even though I admit that Esc is probably more frequently used than backtick. The reason is that I want to avoid accidental presses of Esc. This can be a problem in dpad intensive gaming situations, since pressing Esc will typically exit the game. So it's a feature to make it relatively hard to accidentally press Esc. Most games will just ignore backtick.
I like this (I don't look at what the keys mean, I'm remapping them anyway if I don't like the default layout).But please, please, split the space button in two normal sizes buttons. Making it bigger destroys the whole "Remap it like you want" thought. I'm sure dvorak fans are agreeing.Here's a more Pandora-like variant in which all the keys have the same size, except for space which is 2 wide. It's also staggered using only half-key offsets, like on the Pandora.
http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/layouts/9af77f3bb84b0b5683884ed674853079
{backcolor:"#ddddddd"},
[{w:1.5,h:0.75,w2:1,h2:1},"L1\n\n\nRShift",{w:1.5,h:0.75},"L2\n\n\nRMeta",{x:8,w:1.5,h:0.75},"R2\n\n\nRAlt",{w:1.5,h:0.75},"R1\n\n\nRCtrl"],
[{x:3.5,c:"#aa0000",h:0.75},"",{x:0.20000000000000018,c:"#00aa00",h:0.75},"",{x:0.20000000000000018,c:"#0000ff",h:0.75},"",{x:0.20000000000000018,c:"#aaaa00",h:0.75},"",{x:0.1999999999999993,c:"#00aaaa",h:0.75},"",{x:0.1999999999999993,c:"#aa00aa",h:0.75},""],
[{y:-0.5,c:"#cccccc",a:5,f:9,w:3,h:3,w2:1,h2:1},"\n\n\n\n\n\nDPAD",{x:9,a:4,f:3},"Y\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPgUp"],
[{y:-0.8999999999999999,x:11.1,w:0.8,h:0.8,w2:0.5},"\n\n\nIns",{x:1.1999999999999993,w:0.8,h:0.8},"\n\n\n<--"],
[{y:-0.6000000000000001,x:6.25,w:1.5,h:0.75},"START\n\n\nLALT"],
[{y:-0.75,x:3.6,a:5,f:7,w:2,h:2},"\n\n\n\n\n\nLeft nub",{x:2.8000000000000007,w:2,h:2},"\n\n\n\n\n\nRight nub"],
[{y:-0.75,x:11,a:4,f:3},"A\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHome",{x:1},"B\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEnd"],
[{y:-0.625,x:6.25,w:1.5,h:0.75},"SELECT\n\n\nLCTRL"],
[{y:-0.375,x:12},"X\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPgDn"],
[{y:-0.8999999999999999,x:11.1,a:0,w:0.8,h:0.8},"\n\n\nDel",{x:1.1999999999999993,a:4,w:0.8,h:0.8},"\n\n\nKPEnter"],
[{y:-0.8499999999999996,x:6.25,w:1.5,h:0.75},"PYRA\n\n\nMENU"],
[{y:0.25},"~\n`\n\n\n\n\n\nEsc","!\n1\n\n\n\n\n\nF1","@\n2\n\n\n\n\n\nF2","#\n3\n\n\n\n\n\nF3","$\n4\n\n\n\n\n\nF4","%\n5\n\n\n\n\n\nF5","^\n6\n\n\n\n\n\nF6","&\n7\n\n\n\n\n\nF7","*\n8\n\n\n\n\n\nF8","(\n9\n\n\n\n\n\nF9",")\n0\n\n\n\n\n\nF10","_\n-\n\n\n\n\n\nF11","+\n=\n\n\n\n\n\nF12","?\n/"],
[{c:"#99bb77",w:0.5},"",{c:"#cccccc"},"Tab","Q","W","E","R","T","Y","U","I","O","P","{\n[","}\n]",{c:"#99bb77",w:0.5},""],
[{c:"#cccccc"},"LShift\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCaps","|\n\\","A","S","D","F","G","H","J","K","L",":\n;","\"\n'","\n\n\n\n\n\nEnter"],
[{c:"#99bb77",w:0.5},"",{c:"#cccccc"},"Fn","LMeta","Z","X","C","V","B","N","M","<\n,",">\n.","","",{c:"#99bb77",w:0.5},""]
The pandora keyboard uses half steps. A normal keyboard uses a 1/4 key offset between the QWE and the ASD row, and a 1/2 key offset between ASD and ZXC. It's a bit weird if you think about it, but that's how it is.
Why 13 max? The number of keys per row dictates the width of the buttons, but is there any reason why 13 works but 14 doesn't?
He does calculations based on a switch which he would like to be used for the Pandoras keyboard. But actually it seems doing so would raise the Pandora's price by about $100.
It's not primarily because of the switches but because of the principle. Large part count, lot's of manual assembly. Did you actually read any of the posts in your thread?
Dummy testing PCBs are cheap, and that sort of thing is easy to change.
I think you first need to give more solid evidence that individual switches are a viable option (instead of a keymat like we have now), before we can let keyboard layout proposals be guided by requirements that follow from that.
I think all combination keys should be in the lower rows. So I don’t like ctrl and alt above the rest of the keys. That is just not comfortable and not intuitive.
Setup like this. Link
