Great vid, Caloy! That plastic is called PET. It is meant to reflect more of the mid and high-pitched switch sound back, essentially like PE. Together with normal PE foam, it makes the marbly sound crisper and more pronounced.
That plastic film looks like a manufacturer's way of doing the HipyoTech press and seal mod. And that would explain why the tape mod didn't do much, the plastic film is doing a lot of the same as the tape mod would.
After some research I found that the Cidoo Mints seem to be manufactured by Keygeek, which is also another relatively new manufacturer (they have the same shape for the bottom housing LED spot and they have those "teeth" like protrusions around the top housing.
I have a pretty silent keyboard and I like the sounds with this even better. I really don't want the loud keys. I have a split Kinesis keyboard so already am used to the 6 key being on the right hand and now reach for it with my right even when on a standard inline keyboard. I have that same problem of the pipe key being mistaken by my pinky for the backspace on another of my split keyboards and with the ABM it looks like the distance is that similar distance. I love your idea of reassigning the pipe as a backspace. Programming pipe and backslash could be mapped to that second "b" or maybe the actually backspace. I was interested if you tested the NKRO which they advertise it as. My Kenesis is only 6KRO and I need more Keypresses to do steno. I think this would work well as a steno mod board if it truly has full NKRO.
Those are fabric stickers on some PBT blanks. They were sent to me for review by a company that eventually disappeared off the face of the earth. I have a video about it on my channel lol
Late to this 'hobby' but not sure what the fuss is about key sound. I'd been under impression it was all about the switch activation for typists. And I was just looking for a smaller 'ergo' style keyboard. But I start to understand why they ship mushy silent switches as first choice. They know someone coming from a non-mechanical keyboard would understand how they feel and not freak out. I ended up with an Ajazz and glad I didn't end up with one of these because that mode key would have bothered me. But it does make finding key cap packages with two 2.75U spacebars hard. Switch making seems like a good gig these days with hobby builders wanting to try bunches of flavors.
@@Skwashy0 so alice should be 3 modifiers on the left of the left spacebar and arisu should be 2 on the left and 1 on the right? i want more alice but they all seem to be arisu. but in reality, most of the reason i get alice is because of the split space bar.. can’t find split spacebar that is wireless and via compatible.. but at least i have 2 already. everything else is extra. thanks for the knowledge.
Sorry for the late reply. Just got around to trying this and yes, it does work wired with the battery disconnected. Typing this on it right now. The stock stabs are perfectly fine. I didn't do any sort of tuning or re-lubing to them throughout the sound tests in this video. But I've also become so much less sensitive to stabilizer noises nowadays. I think most folks would probably need to re-lube them at least.
About adaptability: With enough practice, you will learn to switch layouts on the fly with no issues. There is at least one typist on TH-cam (NoThisisJohn) that I've seen who can switch between Colemak, Dvorak and Qwerty on the fly without his wpm suffering at all. And those layouts require significantly more adaptation than an Alice layout.
There's no win key mapped by default. You can assign it yourself using VIA. RGB hue, by default, can be changed with function plus left arrow and function plus right arrow, but again, you can change this using VIA.
This part is poorly explained in the video and if you werent paying attention you wouldnt hear what to do. You will put that json file in the VIA app, the via app is a website that works as a keyboard software.
First, check if you are not plugging 2.4Ghz and USB (just use ONE USB). Then, click in authorize device. If it doesn´t solve, go to settings and show design tab and then you upload the JSON file.
great board but my shift key randomly turns on and stays on i think its either the plastic creating a short or the hotswap socket, cant get the json to load in either so im kinda stuck with a broken board at the moment until i can be bothered to resolder a switch in
First, check if you are not plugging 2.4Ghz and USB (just use ONE USB). Then, click in authorize device. If it doesn´t solve, go to settings and show design tab and then you upload the JSON file.
Did you remove that plastic before installing switches? I found odd this plastic and shiny foam without holes at the top of it. You need to press really hard to install switch.
This looks like an interesting entry point to Alice keyboard layouts, but the lack of a windows key is a complete dealbreaker for me. I navigate multiple virtual workspaces on my PC hundreds of times in a day. Not having that key would completely destroy my workflow.
First, check if you are not plugging 2.4Ghz and USB (just use ONE USB). Then, click in authorize device. If it doesn´t solve, go to settings and show design tab and then you upload the JSON file.
Kinda shocking to find that the switch use the haimu/wuque cut out silent mechanism but i think this type of silencing mechanism should be more embrace by manufacturer
There are multiple silent switches with this kind of silencing tech - Haimu, Epomaker, Skyloong Glacier and Wuque Studio silents, for example. I'm not aware of any such switch that is that light on the press as the ones on ABM, though, and their look is not familiar to me... That design reduces mushiness a lot but has its drawbacks - unlike some standard silent switches with rubber inserts like Bobas, Shrimps or Outemus, these down't have silenced bounceback so they can be louder on upstroke.
Guys who´s having an issue to open the JSON fiile, I found out how to solve. (pls fix this comment) First, check if you are not plugging 2.4Ghz and USB (just use ONE USB). Then, click in authorize device. If it doesn´t solve, go to settings and show design tab and then you upload the JSON file.
Alice is such a relief on the wrists. Helped me get rid of tennis/golf elbow issues too.
Great vid, Caloy! That plastic is called PET. It is meant to reflect more of the mid and high-pitched switch sound back, essentially like PE. Together with normal PE foam, it makes the marbly sound crisper and more pronounced.
i see the community gif, good to see :)
That plastic film looks like a manufacturer's way of doing the HipyoTech press and seal mod. And that would explain why the tape mod didn't do much, the plastic film is doing a lot of the same as the tape mod would.
Ohhh interesting. I really should look that up lol. Any other notable mods I should know about? Hehe
for the price and me personally liking the silent switches, that for 100$, its a steal.
After some research I found that the Cidoo Mints seem to be manufactured by Keygeek, which is also another relatively new manufacturer (they have the same shape for the bottom housing LED spot and they have those "teeth" like protrusions around the top housing.
thank god for ur directions to open this board, i cant for the life of me open this pandoras box
Thanks so much for the disassembly. One of my switches wasn’t working and I had to repair the pad 😢
I have a pretty silent keyboard and I like the sounds with this even better. I really don't want the loud keys. I have a split Kinesis keyboard so already am used to the 6 key being on the right hand and now reach for it with my right even when on a standard inline keyboard. I have that same problem of the pipe key being mistaken by my pinky for the backspace on another of my split keyboards and with the ABM it looks like the distance is that similar distance. I love your idea of reassigning the pipe as a backspace. Programming pipe and backslash could be mapped to that second "b" or maybe the actually backspace. I was interested if you tested the NKRO which they advertise it as. My Kenesis is only 6KRO and I need more Keypresses to do steno. I think this would work well as a steno mod board if it truly has full NKRO.
Best review out there!
This is very detailed thanks for the video!
Hi! What are those keycaps at 10:31 ? They look so interesting
Those are fabric stickers on some PBT blanks. They were sent to me for review by a company that eventually disappeared off the face of the earth. I have a video about it on my channel lol
I think the plastic film also provides protection to the PCB from shorting due to the PE foam sheet
May i know whats the keycaps at 17.27? Thank you
Late to this 'hobby' but not sure what the fuss is about key sound. I'd been under impression it was all about the switch activation for typists. And I was just looking for a smaller 'ergo' style keyboard. But I start to understand why they ship mushy silent switches as first choice. They know someone coming from a non-mechanical keyboard would understand how they feel and not freak out. I ended up with an Ajazz and glad I didn't end up with one of these because that mode key would have bothered me. But it does make finding key cap packages with two 2.75U spacebars hard. Switch making seems like a good gig these days with hobby builders wanting to try bunches of flavors.
this thing was close for me. i don't understand why some alice kbs drop the win/opt key on the left.
its the layout that's called "ARISU" (japanese pronouncing of ALICE) that makes it that way haha its like a mix of alice and hhkb haha
@@Skwashy0 so alice should be 3 modifiers on the left of the left spacebar and arisu should be 2 on the left and 1 on the right? i want more alice but they all seem to be arisu. but in reality, most of the reason i get alice is because of the split space bar.. can’t find split spacebar that is wireless and via compatible.. but at least i have 2 already. everything else is extra. thanks for the knowledge.
@@tubeboi2802 yes arisu is 2 on the left one on the right.
Great video! Two questions: does this keyboard work wired with the battery completely disconnected? And how good are the stock stabs? Thanks!
Sorry for the late reply. Just got around to trying this and yes, it does work wired with the battery disconnected. Typing this on it right now. The stock stabs are perfectly fine. I didn't do any sort of tuning or re-lubing to them throughout the sound tests in this video. But I've also become so much less sensitive to stabilizer noises nowadays. I think most folks would probably need to re-lube them at least.
@@CaloysKeyboardsThanks for trying it out and letting me know! :)
About adaptability: With enough practice, you will learn to switch layouts on the fly with no issues. There is at least one typist on TH-cam (NoThisisJohn) that I've seen who can switch between Colemak, Dvorak and Qwerty on the fly without his wpm suffering at all. And those layouts require significantly more adaptation than an Alice layout.
Amazing vid! But which key is win key and key to change the rgb colors
There's no win key mapped by default. You can assign it yourself using VIA. RGB hue, by default, can be changed with function plus left arrow and function plus right arrow, but again, you can change this using VIA.
Dont unserstand whatto do with JSON file. Installed program at 8:47, but not one at 7:10. Is that JSON?
This part is poorly explained in the video and if you werent paying attention you wouldnt hear what to do.
You will put that json file in the VIA app, the via app is a website that works as a keyboard software.
First, check if you are not plugging 2.4Ghz and USB (just use ONE USB). Then, click in authorize device. If it doesn´t solve, go to settings and show design tab and then you upload the JSON file.
great board but my shift key randomly turns on and stays on
i think its either the plastic creating a short or the hotswap socket, cant get the json to load in either so im kinda stuck with a broken board at the moment until i can be bothered to resolder a switch in
First, check if you are not plugging 2.4Ghz and USB (just use ONE USB). Then, click in authorize device. If it doesn´t solve, go to settings and show design tab and then you upload the JSON file.
When pressing caps lock button. Is it shown on OLED screen or Is there any part of the LED light that is on?
Sorry for the late reply. It does display a little A symbol on the default screen when caps lock is on. The RGB does not do caps lock indicators.
How the heck do I map keys on this thing? shoot!
Hi, do you know how to change clock, date & time on the screen? I can't figure out! Thank you
I think it syncs automatically when you open the image tool.
@@CaloysKeyboards thank you so much!! I’ll try it
Name keycaps in the thumbnail please😭
NP Crayon from KBDFans. Pretty old set not sure if you'll still be able to find it, unfortunately.
Did you remove that plastic before installing switches? I found odd this plastic and shiny foam without holes at the top of it. You need to press really hard to install switch.
No, I left it on. Yeah, it's weird.
@@CaloysKeyboards Had to reinstall almost every second switch
I bent about 7 pins, what a great option for a first mechanical keyboard i chose 😅thankfully i could straighten it back
12:23 name of keycap set?
KBDFans NP Crayon
This looks like an interesting entry point to Alice keyboard layouts, but the lack of a windows key is a complete dealbreaker for me. I navigate multiple virtual workspaces on my PC hundreds of times in a day. Not having that key would completely destroy my workflow.
You can map it to a different key using VIA but then you'd have to get used to the new location 😊
I ran the custom tool download to virustotal and it detects malware on it. Are you aware of this?
How do you sync its time and date screen with the computer's correct time and date?
I believe it'll sync when you open the image tool.
hello sir, can i remap the Fn key below the keyboard to another key using VIA?
Yes, you should be able to.
Hey i need help ;c when i want to load the json file, this message appears: "object should not have additional properties"
First, check if you are not plugging 2.4Ghz and USB (just use ONE USB). Then, click in authorize device. If it doesn´t solve, go to settings and show design tab and then you upload the JSON file.
Please help- How do I set left ALT key to Windows key? I'm in VIA and having trouble locate Windows key from left side menu but other keys I can find.
It should be under BASIC, near the end of the list. It's Left Win, Right Win, Left Alt, Right Alt, and so on.
@@CaloysKeyboards hey thanks so much! My eyes was looking for “Win” but I found it like you said, “Left Win” and “Right Win”. 💕💕💕
Kinda shocking to find that the switch use the haimu/wuque cut out silent mechanism but i think this type of silencing mechanism should be more embrace by manufacturer
There are multiple silent switches with this kind of silencing tech - Haimu, Epomaker, Skyloong Glacier and Wuque Studio silents, for example. I'm not aware of any such switch that is that light on the press as the ones on ABM, though, and their look is not familiar to me...
That design reduces mushiness a lot but has its drawbacks - unlike some standard silent switches with rubber inserts like Bobas, Shrimps or Outemus, these down't have silenced bounceback so they can be louder on upstroke.
Even in barebone version doesn’t have the screw to open the case??
Yes the cases are the same.
oh baby oh baby
Does it work on Mac ?
Yes, it has a Mac mode.
maraming thank you for this!! you gained a subscriber in me. :)
Guys who´s having an issue to open the JSON fiile, I found out how to solve. (pls fix this comment)
First, check if you are not plugging 2.4Ghz and USB (just use ONE USB). Then, click in authorize device. If it doesn´t solve, go to settings and show design tab and then you upload the JSON file.