i-Rocks keyboard update video (i-Rocks "v2" Clicky)

[Chyros]

Ermagherd, a new video type :p . Pretty surprising update from i-Rocks to their K76M Fun keyboard - a few small changes resulting in a massive difference in quality. Hope you enjoy the video!

[joebeazelman]

Awesome video! I am very excited about the progress switch manufacturers are making. They seem to be slowly getting it. While these newfangled Alpoids are perhaps at best as good as Alps clones or Alps simplified, it's still a strong shift in the right direction. In lieu of something as good or better than the genuine SKCM article, I hope there will be some interesting mods and hybridization to close the gap.

[Hak Foo]

The thing I was curious about is, while the keycap mount is MX-compatible, what does the bottom pinout look like? If we can source some of them, can we solder them into an old Northgate or the like?

TBH, I'm very fond of the layout on my current build, which makes me less willing to experiment with new switches that won't fit into the spare PCBs I have.

[Chyros]

The thing I was curious about is, while the keycap mount is MX-compatible, what does the bottom pinout look like? If we can source some of them, can we solder them into an old Northgate or the like?

TBH, I'm very fond of the layout on my current build, which makes me less willing to experiment with new switches that won't fit into the spare PCBs I have.

I'm not certain about the exact pinout, but the switch has a peg in the middle of the bottom housing, just like Cherry MX, so it will definitely not fit anything stock Alps.

[NathanA]

I'm not certain about the exact pinout, but the switch has a peg in the middle of the bottom housing, just like Cherry MX, so it will definitely not fit anything stock Alps.

Based on the teardown pictures and description in the review of the keyboard over at this site, it looks like it may also not be compatible with Cherry MX PCBs, either...

[Elrick]

Pretty surprising update from i-Rocks to their K76M Fun keyboard

My youngest Grand Kiddie, loves her mini lego figures sitting in the upper section of that keyboard. She spends a lot of time looking and playing with them, instead of typing on the keyboard.

Hope that eventually iRocks delivers another rather conservative model of keyboard because that's what DTer's love most here on this forum site.

Another decent review of a unique/possible keyboard, coming soon......

[SK-8K]

I was almost worried they abandoned this switch design since they had no blue ones in stock when I contacted them almost a year ago, just brown and red. I picked up the brown ones since they were the most interesting of the two.

These switches fit in a MX/Alps hybrid PCB footprint as evidenced here:



Edit: This keyboard plate builder has added i-Rocks as an option per my request: https://kbplate.ai03.com/

[NathanA]

These switches fit in a MX/Alps hybrid PCB footprint as evidenced here:

Hah, okay, so they have the center plastic peg of the MX but the contact pin arrangement of Alps.

Hope that eventually iRocks delivers another rather conservative model of keyboard because that's what DTer's love most here on this forum site.

I know that Chyros wasn't the biggest fan of the LEGO-compatible top cover, but...honestly, I kinda dig it. (I might not dig it as much once I get one to try out, and find that the LEGO pegs at the bottom of the keyboard "dig" into my hands while I'm typing; heh.) And the fact that the switches are supposedly pretty decent also has me putting that version on my short list of collectibles.

But, here's the problem: as SK-8K mentioned, blue-switch variants (the only one I'd care to own) are nowhere to be found in the U.S. Not only that, but the "Fun" model (the one that comes with the LEGO faceplate) for all intents and purposes doesn't exist out here, either. So the only readily-available options are non-LEGO brown- and red-switch ones. And finally, I'd most definitely prefer a blue-switch keyboard without those "ORS" dampeners installed on them...the sound of this second i-rocks keyboard that Chyros posted is vastly superior to the first.

But a "K76M Fun" keyboard in black with blue-switches without the ORS system basically doesn't exist.

[SK-8K]

The brown switches weren't exactly easy to come by either, I had to buy 700 pieces and pay directly through bank transfer.

[Versa]

Kinda want to buy a keyboard to try. I wonder if when they will start selling

[Elrick]

But a "K76M Fun" keyboard in black with blue-switches without the ORS system basically doesn't exist.

The funny thing was that all you could buy a few years back were those "Blue" like switches, the click are sublime.

Not many liked the sound of Clicks back then, how things change during 2022.......

[Hak Foo]

I got one of the blue ones, I could tell it felt more Alpsy than the available alternatives at the time (which was basically click-jacket MX derivatives, sort of predates Box clickbar designs), but I couldn't get over the dampers. Part of me wanted to pull it apart to de-damp them, but someone commented that they're a nightmare to disassemble.

They sold them through Indiegogo IIRC, which seemed odd, but I suspect it was designed as some elaborate way to insulate them against sales failure, since I think about 12 people bought boards through the channel.