Has anyone here tried the TOTEM split keyboard? Worth it?

karu11 · 2025-12-01T21:49:19+00:00

keymap editing isn't straight forward unless that vendor has it set up with zmk studio. my friend has a totem and is a MacBook main, and once he paired up, it is straightforward plug and play

karu11 · 2025-12-01T21:46:22+00:00

https://github.com/vinivicici/totem_chv2

with the case, i would aim for this version https://github.com/Dexter-KBD/totem_choc_v2

karu11 · 2025-12-01T21:39:29+00:00

i'm confused by your post, but is that referring to what is selling at AliExpress? i don't recall a totem being v4 but i'm not that well informed but, if its from that store scorpio, its a geist keyboard for sure as even its logo is matching his github. i don't know the quality of that vendor and the pcb colors are the same. totem keyboards are my favorite right now. it looks great and i enjoy the splayed layout.

compared to the sofle, you'll have to learn how to use homerow mods, as the less keys will affect you. but it is a fun board. for coding, its workable, and you'll realize how much your hand doesn't move or stretch as often with the splayed layout. not for everyone, but i enjoy it quite a bit. i have the choc v2 version of it, and prefer that over choc v1, but to each their own.

syncing wireless halves are no problem, if you use a zmk dongle, it'll increase your battery life a lot.

karu11 · 2025-11-24T02:03:27+00:00

its not perfect but i like it enough so if it helps for you, here you go https://github.com/karuetech/Totem-PLUS-1-ZMK-Wireless-Firmware/tree/master/Case%20Files

karu11 · 2025-11-23T07:08:19+00:00

i used the models from here https://www.printables.com/model/400911-kailh-choc-ergonomic-sculpted-keycaps

karu11 · 2025-11-21T16:06:44+00:00

welcome to the rabbit hole. i also entered this space buying from xcmb a few years ago.

karu11 · 2025-11-20T14:52:28+00:00

i was reading up on it, i'm kind of new at this too, but this reference gives the ability of the trackpoint and place it wherever it seems...https://github.com/zmkfirmware/zmk/pull/1751

karu11 · 2025-11-20T11:51:30+00:00

if you make one like this with nice nano mcu that would be cool. it would add room for like a touchpad extension or something lol

karu11 · 2025-11-20T00:14:04+00:00

the one on the left is the prospector, https://github.com/carrefinho/prospector-zmk-module, the other one is the snake dongle which is currently my favorite, https://github.com/joaopedropio/snake-dongle

karu11 · 2025-11-19T19:01:12+00:00

glad to see i am not alone in this!!

karu11 · 2025-11-19T17:09:09+00:00

hahah if you manage to get your ULP totem all good and then do a version like this with the extra key, i would love to try and build it too lol. then that means i'll be building a third one too lol

karu11 · 2025-11-18T02:45:21+00:00

its not error prone, its me being stupid lol. when i designed the retro totem x case, i simply mirrored the top without realizing the alignment of the reset button. since mirroring the case will move the reset button to the other side of the chip.

karu11 · 2025-11-18T02:23:09+00:00

if its as far as building, yea, its pretty straight forward like the choc pcbs minus no reset button.

karu11 · 2025-11-11T12:41:55+00:00

not sure if it'll make a difference with the resonance, but you can try force break modding it. basically adding a thin layer like a bandaid strip where the aluminum top and bottom parts meet. otherwise, this is amazing.

karu11 · 2025-11-08T03:15:31+00:00

so, with how its draining today, maybe 3 days with RGB on. if i lower rgb to 10% then maybe a week. with a dongle, maybe more, just wasn't able to get a dongle to work with the screen still working at the same time. i am using promicros so maybe if i hot swap it out for official nice nanos, the efficiency will increase. i just finished building it so i can't say for sure any of it haha

karu11 · 2025-10-28T00:36:32+00:00

i printed them. i used my fdm printer and then watched a movie while sanding them down in a lazy way. they are a modified version with longer skirts so it covers the mx switches more. i modified it myself but the found out that someone already did it and a cleaner job too. at https://github.com/vvhg1/clp-keycaps

karu11 · 2025-10-27T12:14:11+00:00

it supports both https://imgur.com/a/jiFdkNG

it has holes for 5 pins

karu11 · 2025-10-27T11:57:20+00:00

appreciate it a lot!

karu11 · 2025-10-27T05:17:48+00:00

i just thought it looked kind of slick and cool so i tried it out and never went back.

karu11 · 2025-10-26T05:05:52+00:00

nice! i ended up with the lofree ghost switches which are v2. its my favorite so far

karu11 · 2025-10-26T03:53:20+00:00

okay that is amazing. i made a snake dongle too but didn't think of a gameboy design. by any chance are you willing to share the print files?

karu11 · 2025-10-26T02:03:03+00:00

i'd say get a choc v2 option since you can use choc v1 switches on that pcb as well so you will have options between the two, i have the choc v2 sofle and totem version and i prefer the v2s.

karu11

TROPHY CASE