A common misconception. The USB HID Keyboard Boot Protocol, aka the lowest-common-denominator mode, is very limited and is where this belief comes from. 6KRO + modifiers, limited refresh rate, etc.
This mode is only required for compatibility with certain BIOSes and pre-USB operating systems, though some "gaming" keyboards start in this mode and only switch when they've been twiddled by their driver because a subset of those certain BIOSes won't even boot properly with a keyboard that goes beyond the boot protocol connected.
When booted to a remotely modern OS that has a full featured HID Keyboard driver it can support NKRO, up to 1000Hz refresh rates, etc. and as far as I'm aware is able to match or beat PS/2 in all ways.
In cases where there is no PCB with PS/2, do you know if the adapter when connected to PS/2 has the exact same behavior or are is it a lesser/compatibility mode without the full benefits?
Anytime I sit at a machine where the USB chip happens to reset, I wish it would use PS/2. It's just not the same, and I'm not even using n-key-rollover.
IBM used to make tenkeyless Model M's, wish Unicomp would offer the same since I'm very used to having the mouse closer to my hands. Then I could give a Model M a serious try, having used Cherry MXes for two decades, with the occasional one day excursion on a Sun or HP workstation keyboard.
I got the Unicomp with the trackstick mouse for quick mouse actions, then I reach over for the real mouse for longer uses of it, but I'm with you on wishing for a tenkeyless. Toshiba and Lenovo sold me on the mouse stick in the 90s, so it still feels natural for some things & my hand doesn't have to travel far, but nothing beats a real mouse.
I took the dive on an ergodox ez a couple of months ago. It took me nearly a month to get fully comfortable with it, but now typing on a regular keyboard just feels less than ideal. I just ordered a second one for my home computer.
I can't type on a horrible staggered keyboard anymore. Once you get used to it (about a week for me), it just feels so natural. I can never go back. Staggered keys are perverse, all the contortions necessary just to locate the keys with your fingers.
The only problem is that now I look like a total retard when trying to use anyone else's keyboard, which is a pretty regular occurrence unfortunately as I'm in IT.
Question - did you go with the default blank keys? And how do you like them? I'm trying to figure out which keys to get, but I have yet to see one in person.
I'd say you should have a little practice on a board that you don't care about first, just get a protoboard and some resistors and have a go. Check youtube for basic soldering beginner videos, if only to see how long you should be heating the pads for. If you leave the soldering iron on the pads for more than, say, 7 seconds, you can lift the tracks off the board and that'll be a problem.
I'm pretty sure the surface-mount parts are already done for you on the Infinity Ergodox, switches are just about the easiest things to solder because they're quite large and the pins are far apart.
So yeah, shouldn't be too hard, and you'll have a sense of achievement when it's done! I love using a keyboard that I've assembled myself.
