I’m typing this on the world’s largest keyboard, a 178-key best designed to make you more productive

[Admin]

The Hyper7 R4 is a macro lover’s dream, but its unique layout poses challenges.

I’m typing this on the world’s largest keyboard, a 178-key best designed to make you more productive : Read more

 

[das_stig]

Replacement keys, for example WIN, Co-Pilot etc.

Also the top keys, would have been even better if space for a custom display.

 

[why_wolf]

Seems like design that would have been better suited if the default keys had been setup around hotkeys for video/audio editing. For normal user, totally pointless.

 

[BillyBuerger]

Chyrosran did a video review of this thing a few months back. He's a big fan of large keyboards with lots of macro keys so no surprise he's been on top of this keyboard. Definitely not my thing but it is still cool.

I would point out that while their classic layout is very much symmetrical, it accomplishes this by uses a non-standard 0.5u offset between all rows. The modern layout that matches the standard row offsets that normal keyboards use is not symmetrical and is offset to the left with the right hand having one more column then the left hand. Most ortholinear and ergonomic keyboards are symmetrical such as Planck/Preonic, Ergodox, Kinesis Advantage, etc...

 

[edzieba]

Reminds me of WEY keyboards (e.g. the Mk.06) without the screens.

 

[Giroro]

It could use a clock, and maybe a CPU monitor.
Might as well throw in a dozen streamdeck/loupedeck style keys too, while they're at it. And a couple of those spinny wheel things, even though I don't know what they're for. Really it's a pretty incomplete keyboard, if you think about it.

 

[TerryLaze]

a 178-key best

Still not enough keys to save you from typos.

 

[MisterZ]

I like the resume key. Is that for job applications?

 

[halfcharlie]

Reminds me of my old gen 1 Logitech G15

 

[WonkoTheSaneUK]

Still not enough keys for all of Star Citizen's keybinds! 🙃

 

[voyteck]

A keyboard has to have a numpad detached (or mounted, for example, over the main section), otherwise sooner or later it ends up with back pain and the productivity goes kaboom. Unless, of course, you don't use your mouse much.

 

[Rob1C]

We laugh at your puny keyboard:

But seriously, the Hyper7 R4 is really great; don't think I've seen a new keyboard that I've liked more.

 

[gorbag]

Thanks for the review! Now do the Keymacs... which is even more like the Space Cadet since it imitates the actual Symbolics keyboard!

 

[bit_user]

Might as well throw in a dozen streamdeck/loupedeck style keys too, while they're at it. And a couple of those spinny wheel things, even though I don't know what they're for. Really it's a pretty incomplete keyboard, if you think about it.

I'm pretty sure the knobs were used for rotating objects or the viewing angle, in early CAD and 3D design programs. I first saw pictures of them in old 3D graphics text books, in photos featuring early 3D graphics and CAD workstations.

Here's one:

https://www.reddit.com/r/retrobattlestations/comments/gnbzqq/exotic_peripherals_week_silicon_graphics_dial/

About 20 years ago, I was so taken with the idea of using analog controls for interactive parameter tuning that I added support for a MIDI control surface to a computer vision system we were developing at my job. You could link up different runtime parameters to the sliders and interactively tweak multiple of them at once (i.e. as opposed to using the mouse to tweak them one-at-a-time by the normal method of click-and-drag).

Also, I ran across an old Integraph (CAD workstation) keyboard, which seems like the inspiration for this model:

​

P.S. To this day, I still love a good jog/shuttle wheel.

Jog Dial on Sony BVE-600 UMatic edit controller (cropped)
​

 

[BFG-9000]

Somehow from the title, I was expecting something a bit different


or

 

[beyondlogic]

We laugh at your puny keyboard:

But seriously, the Hyper7 R4 is really great; don't think I've seen a new keyboard that I've liked more.

that keyboard looks incredibly painful.

 

[beyondlogic]

Somehow from the title, I was expecting something a bit different

imagine getting stuck in between the keys lol