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cr0n1c
144
Oct 9, 2016
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I own an Azio MGK-1, which appears to be the exact same keyboard as this one, but without bluetooth. Does this keyboard have normal stabilizers for the modifiers keys? This is important to ask because my Azio has proprietary stabilizers that are not compatible with Cherry or Co-star stabilizers. This means 100% incompatibility with any third party keysets (in regards to the modifiers).
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145
Oct 13, 2016
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cr0n1cI was looking for photos of Azio's proprietary stabilizers and finally found a few here:
http://imgur.com/a/iVGOh (linked to from https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/2qy2wj/photos_azio_mgk1_keyboard/)
The inserts look very similar to those found in Costar stabilizers. Do you know if the proprietary wire could simply be replaced with a Costar wire? Or are the inserts actually quite different, such that a standard wire wouldn't fit?
http://imgur.com/a/iVGOh (linked to from https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/2qy2wj/photos_azio_mgk1_keyboard/)
The inserts look very similar to those found in Costar stabilizers. Do you know if the proprietary wire could simply be replaced with a Costar wire? Or are the inserts actually quite different, such that a standard wire wouldn't fit?
cr0n1c
144
Oct 13, 2016
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emojiI'm not sure if the wire components are swappable, but even if they were I'm not sure that would work. Here's why: The bulk of the Azio wire is attached to the spacebar (similar to a Cherry ML stabilizer) and the bulk of the co-star wire is attached to the stabilizer clips on the keyboard.
So in the case of the Azio spacebar, the bulk of the wire lifts up with the key, whereas if you have a co-star wire, only the wire "arms" lift up with the key. Because Azio's wire has an upside-down orientation, the 2 stabilizer clips on the outer edge don't have the standard MX "+" stem to accept a typical Cherry spacebar. See picture.
So in the case of the Azio spacebar, the bulk of the wire lifts up with the key, whereas if you have a co-star wire, only the wire "arms" lift up with the key. Because Azio's wire has an upside-down orientation, the 2 stabilizer clips on the outer edge don't have the standard MX "+" stem to accept a typical Cherry spacebar. See picture.
mike-y
59
Oct 13, 2016
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emojiI have the PC version of this keyboard bought about 4 months ago. The stabilizers are not like in your pictures. The ones on my board are some type of PCB mounted below the top plate, and the keycaps have tabs that extend down to them and snap in place. (excuse the dust)
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145
Oct 13, 2016
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cr0n1cAh, that's right, stabilizer clips. I was using the term "inserts" incorrectly.
Anyway, wow, even the size of the slots in the plate are a non-standard. It's almost like Azio went out of their way to design stabilizers that aren't compatible with aftermarket keycaps. Kind of defeats the benefit of having a standard bottom row.
I was interested in this product when I first saw it—at last a mech actually designed for Mac by a company that seems to have decent design chops and care about the things that make mechanical keyboards great. But if I can't change out the caps and end up getting stuck with stock pad-printed ABS, that just doesn't feel right. Kind of a deal breaker for me.
Thanks for the info!
Anyway, wow, even the size of the slots in the plate are a non-standard. It's almost like Azio went out of their way to design stabilizers that aren't compatible with aftermarket keycaps. Kind of defeats the benefit of having a standard bottom row.
I was interested in this product when I first saw it—at last a mech actually designed for Mac by a company that seems to have decent design chops and care about the things that make mechanical keyboards great. But if I can't change out the caps and end up getting stuck with stock pad-printed ABS, that just doesn't feel right. Kind of a deal breaker for me.
Thanks for the info!
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145
Oct 13, 2016
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mike-ySo perhaps Azio's stabilizer design has changed recently. Good to know! The question is, is the new design compatible with standard aftermarket caps? Looking at the picture I can't quite tell what I'm seeing—almost looks like some kind of Cherry-Costar hybrid or something.
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