Obligatory not my groupbuy, but I did get to test out a prototype at the recent SC meetup and it was very high quality. Would recommend for anyone looking for a heavy, premium sub-60%.
https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/pfvkpf/gb_oceanographer_premium_45_keyboard_live_now/
Where to purchase this keyboard:
SEPTEMBER 1st at 10AM CDT!!
North America (US, Canada, Mexico) - https://store.aeternus.co/products/oceanographer-keyboard
Everywhere Else - https://prototypist.net/collections/live-group-buys/products/group-buy-oceanographer-keyboard-kit
Video of Jae from TopClack building his prototype and the wonderful things he has said about this board!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9sT63EV9qQ
Oceanographer is a Premium, 45% layout keyboard that is heavily influenced by 2 of my favorite boards; The Pearl and The Minivan.
Oceanographers Feature List:
Minivan Inspired Layout with Multiple Bottom Row Options (1.75U Backspace)
2 Piece Aluminum Case with 4 mounting points and alignment pills
3 Degree Typing Angle
.5U Blocker to separate arrow keys
Top Mount
Brass Plate and FR4 Plate with 6 mounting points
Large Brass Weight with artwork by Brooke aka Meatsmoothies
Ship Wheel Engraving on Top Backside
STM32 Diode-Less PCB with ESD protection designed by Taylor
Center Mount USB-C
Rotary Encoder
OLED Screen
Speaker
Indicator LEDS between Q, W, and E similar to the Minivan
Layout Options:
https://i.imgur.com/LKgc2oh.png
COLORS AVAILABLE - Jet Black, Ocean Blue, Rose Gold, Forest Green, and Ursula Purple
Here is the album of prototypes:
Oceanographer - Album on Imgur
Custom Resin Knobs will be available for $10USD Each
FAQ
How much will this board cost? - A full base kit will be $350 USD. Any add-ons such as extra PCBs, or plates will be available at an additional cost.
What is the expected lead time? - Expected Ship Date is Q2 2022
What is included in the Base kit? - Case in your color choice, Brass and FR4 Plates, Brass Weight, PCB, Rotary Encoder, Rotary Knob in Silver Metal, OLED and additional case hardware.
How much does this board weigh? - Fully built just over 5lbs with switches and keycaps. With GMK Keycaps multiple prototypes weighed in at 5.05lbs or 2290.65g
Will this board have RGB? - No. I wanted this board to be more “elegant” and as such we left RGB off this version.
Will Ortho be available? - No. The 1.75U backspace makes this a little more difficult and we don’t plan on this being available at this time.
Will there be custom knobs available in the GB? - Yes, they will be $10 USD each and colors are finalized above as they will match the case colors of the boards.
What colors will be available? - Jet Black, Ocean Blue, Rose Gold, Forest Green, and Ursula Purple
What Plate Options are available? - Brass and FR4 will be the only options during GB. After the GB ships to the buyers we will post the plate files for you to have * other options available to source on your own such as aluminum, copper, etc…
What Keycap Compatibility will I need for this? - Any Base + 40’s kit that includes a 1.75U backspace will fit this board.
Will there be any limited editions or founders editions? - No. I hate the idea of falsely inflating supply/demand due to special editions. The only “Founders Editions” are those that were in the prototype run and they have a small designation on the weight to signify that.
What Vendors are you using? - Aeternus Decorum and Prototypist
Thank you for looking at this and I am excited to finally bring this board to reality with all of you!
-Hedgey
3 Likes
skepp
September 1, 2021, 7:49pm
2
I love the look and would get on board instantly it it was ortho 🥲
1 Like
ggggggg
September 1, 2021, 8:57pm
3
Just shout loud enough, I’m sure someone will make one eventually - be it minibaen style or with a col of wider keys stuffed into the middle.
1 Like
I’ve been in love with this thing since it was announced, but my faith was distracted by the Matrix SE ME and thus my funds are kaput.
1 Like
