What is wrong with keyboard manufacturers

[tw33ter]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16823126012

that's the one i use

 

[ew915]

IBM clicky FTW

 

[davidrees]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16823126087

I got the new Logitech G110

It's not for everyone, but I like the red illumination (easy to read at night) I like how you can plug head phones right into the KB and Windows (Vista 64) just switched right to that sound source and I like the powered (250mA) USB 2.0 port and the over all feel of the keys.

I don't need the LCD on the other models and I really hate blue LEDs.

Also - this is the first illuminated KB I have seen (except maybe Deck) that has NO - I mean ABSOLUTELY NO light bleeding out from under the keys. Only the keys light up, not the inside of they casing, etc.

 

[Lovely World]

Actually what I hate is how most keyboards don't use a L shaped enter, instead they make the backspace huge, or I've even seen some make the \ key huge instead of the enter. WTF is up with that? I actually don't mind ergo keyboards now that I have one but it took me a good month or two to get used to but it is better in the end. This is the one I use:

 

[DigitalJack]

Actually what I hate is how most keyboards don't use a L shapped enter, instead they make the backspace huge, or I've even seen some make the \ key huge instead of the enter. WTF is up with that? I actually don't mind ergo keyboards now that I have one but it took me a good month or two to get used to but it is better in the end. This is the one I use:

One thing I found hard though is the F keys are all stuck together. Really sucks for game macros, as I used to use the "slot" to know what key I'm pressing without looking. I ended up putting a dab of hot glue as a guide lol.

I hope you paid the extra $20 bucks or so and got the retail version the OEM edition is not as well made and there are multiple complaints about stuck keys &/or wobbly/stiff space bars.

I got both versions the retail on my main workstation & the oem on a secondary system that doesn't get that much use.

I do love this keyboard the built in gel pad keeps my hands much warmer than resting on the cold plastic of my older model MS ergonomic keyboards.

 

[AlucardX]

i use a 10 year old MS internet keyboard pro. USB+PS/2 connector, and 2 usb ports in the back for my mouse.

someone commented about not being able to press more than 2 buttons at the same time, i've noticed if i'm using a keyboard connecting through the PS/2 port I see this, but if I use a keyboard with USB input I don't get that negative affect.

 

[smackababy]

I am thinking of picking up the Microsoft Arc Keyboard. I am tired of my G15. It doesn't offer anything I actually use. The function keys are annoying and I always have the LED turned off. The screen doesn't do much for me either.

 

[Googer]

why in the hell are all keyboards either the cheapest things ever made or they cost $100+ and have a million useless media/macro buttons that no one wants.

Its fing impossible to find a standard keyboard with a minimal amount of function keys (volume and play/stop/adv/back as they are the only important ones) that does not either have useless F keys or is a stupid ergonomic shape

the last time i had to buy a new keyboard i actually found one, and now its no longer made and not available.


gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Unicomp (old IBM Clicky, Made in USA), CVT (Old Northgate OmniKey, Made in Taiwan), and Cherry (German Company, whos popular in retail enviroments) still make high quality old fashioned rugged, mechanically switched, keyboards that are customizable and can be special ordered (E.G. No win key, DVORAK) to meed unique user needs. These keyboards are built to take a pounding and may last you a life time.

 

[Googer]

i use a 10 year old MS internet keyboard pro. USB+PS/2 connector, and 2 usb ports in the back for my mouse.

someone commented about not being able to press more than 2 buttons at the same time, i've noticed if i'm using a keyboard connecting through the PS/2 port I see this, but if I use a keyboard with USB input I don't get that negative affect.

Many of those USB adapters, if not all cause high amounts of measurable input latency.

 

[bigboxes]

geekhack.org

Yeah, I still have that place bookmarked. I was trying to find info on available mechanical switch keyboards when my rubber domed Intel board failed after eight years. After much research I found a Cherry keyboard (Cherry G80-3000) online. I can't believe how hard it is to find such a board in the states. It uses Cherry MX blue key switches and has no multi-media or function keys. I thought that the clicking sound would drive me nuts, but I type better than ever. I would never think of going back. I need a board that can take my pounding. It's been almost two years and I am very happy. Keys are laser etched (no fading or rubbing off). Only issue was that half the keys had chinese symbols. I complained and sent it back to the e-tailer. The replacement was exactly the same! Decided to keep it when they offered it to me at half price.

 

[WelshBloke]

 

[allthatisman]

I just ruined one of these... spilled a half a glass of Moylan's Kilt-lifter right on the most useful part of the board... the left side. I cleaned it up the best I could but at least 8 keys were very sticky and the left shift kept sticking completly... now looking for a replacement for a great keyboard

 

[Dorkenstein]

Are the blue switch keys bad for gaming?

 

[bigboxes]

Are the blue switch keys bad for gaming?

I can't answer for other people, but to me it's just a superior keyboard. There may be better keyboards for gaming that have programmable hotkeys and the like. It depends on what you are looking for in a keyboard. I just like a solid keyboard that doesn't feel spongy. You push a key and you know it's been pushed. The audible click may be annoying to some. It doesn't bother me in the least.

 

[motsm]

I was just recently looking for a simple wired keyboard, with the only feature I wanted being scissor switch keys. Nearly everything I could find that used scissor switch keys was either exuberantly expensive, had a non standard layout, was wireless, or was a miniature form factor. I finally found a KeyTronic keyboard that seemed to fit the bill exactly. I nabbed one for just $25 and have been very happy with it, has a tactile response more similar to mechanical keyboard, but with the low travel distance, and low noise of scissor switches. Great stuff IMO.

http://www.keytronic.com/Home/products/specs/k9.3.htm

 

[nitromullet]

I'm surprised this thread made it to page 3 without a mention of Deck keyboards.

http://www.deckkeyboards.com/

Cherry MX switches, black, with illuminated keys.

I have a Legend (blue LEDs), and it's terrific. It has a high quality feel that you really don't generally find these days anymore.

I have one of Dells posted on the first page of this thread at work, and I opted to bring in my own keyboard I hated that thing so much. I know it's a matter of personal preference, but that kb does not do it for me.

 

[Throckmorton]

You know what's really wrong with keyboards? The staggered keys. That design was required for typewriters, and stuck around for keyboards, and we STILL have them.

It's completely anti-ergonomic, making your fingers move unnaturally.

There is currently ONE practical alternative, the Typematrix

 

[WelshBloke]

I just ruined one of these... spilled a half a glass of Moylan's Kilt-lifter right on the most useful part of the board... the left side. I cleaned it up the best I could but at least 8 keys were very sticky and the left shift kept sticking completly... now looking for a replacement for a great keyboard

Rinse it off under the shower and stick it on a radiator for a few days to dry out.

 

[fffblackmage]

winnar:

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?LH_BIN=..._sc=1&_sop=15&_sticky=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m301

I love my Dell multimedia keyboard... yes, it has 8 unwanted function buttons above the F-Key row, but they are miniature buttons instead of full-sized keys and therefore easily ignored. The volume & music keys are large and easily accessed, and the keyboard itself is rock-solid.

Good luck!

I'm using the same keyboard and I generally like it - except that you can't push more than 2 arrow keys + 2 more keys at the same time (pushing 3 arrow keys at the same time will result in only 2 being sent to the pc) which kinda sucks for fps games. I use arrow keys for movement =p.

Ooo, I have that keyboard too and I love it. It's not exactly the best keyboard for fps for sure, but it's good enough. I especially love the knob for volume control, instead of the usual buttons., and the only special function button I occasionally use is the calculator one.

I've also seen the newer "laptop style" dell keyboard, it's ok and looks cool, I guess, and surprisingly, it kinda types like a normal keyboard. Kind of... IIRC, the stroke weren't quite as shallow as my laptop's keyboard. I certainly prefer the normal keyboard formfactor.

 

[Googer]

Ooo, I have that keyboard too and I love it. It's not exactly the best keyboard for fps for sure, but it's good enough. I especially love the knob for volume control, instead of the usual buttons., and the only special function button I occasionally use is the calculator one.

I've also seen the newer "laptop style" dell keyboard, it's ok and looks cool, I guess, and surprisingly, it kinda types like a normal keyboard. Kind of... IIRC, the stroke weren't quite as shallow as my laptop's keyboard. I certainly prefer the normal keyboard formfactor.

I had one of those too and it pales in comparison to the stuff made in yesteryear when a good solid MECHANICALLY SWITCHED keyboards were standard issue from companies Like IBM or Northgate (gateway had a few notibly good ones too) and keyboards were touted as selling points rather than just an secondary low cost after thought.

 

[konakona]

I came close to ordering a green one from deck, but they were adamant (make no mistake, I got a very friendly and courteous reply to my inquiry) about not using brown-axis cherry switches. In the end it worked out better that they didn't since I prefer general looks and layout ('tenkeyless') of my diatec keyboard.
http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=filco_keyboards,majestouch_87key&pid=fkbn87meb

Back when these guys were not in business, the only place you could get these from was benippon. Pricing back then was a bit hefty to be worthy of immediate approval, but the lowered pricing is very fair in my view. I paid somewhat less than what they want, but that was outside of US.

I have not seen anything as elegant looking, and brown-axis cherries are PERFECT for what I do - doujin 2d fighters like MBR, IaMP, SWR and Vanguard Princess. Admittedly, I am not a great player by any stretch, but I can tell how much easier it is to do complex combos on these than all other keyboard I came across.

The more expensive Topre offerings didn't look quite as good IMO, didn't feel 'right' when I messed around with them briefly.

Oh, and did I say anything about build quality? These things are built like tanks. I have owned buckle spring IBMs back in the days, and the diatec feels equally as robust

I'm surprised this thread made it to page 3 without a mention of Deck keyboards.

http://www.deckkeyboards.com/

Cherry MX switches, black, with illuminated keys.

I have a Legend (blue LEDs), and it's terrific. It has a high quality feel that you really don't generally find these days anymore.

I have one of Dells posted on the first page of this thread at work, and I opted to bring in my own keyboard I hated that thing so much. I know it's a matter of personal preference, but that kb does not do it for me.

 

[nitromullet]

I came close to ordering a green one from deck, but they were adamant (make no mistake, I got a very friendly and courteous reply to my inquiry) about not using brown-axis cherry switches. In the end it worked out better that they didn't since I prefer general looks and layout ('tenkeyless') of my diatec keyboard.
http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=filco_keyboards,majestouch_87key&pid=fkbn87meb

My Deck was gift, so I actually didn't know much about it. I did check out geekhack.org from the suggestion in this thread, and did learn a bit. I'll probably stick with the Deck for a while, although it does help to know this stuff for future purposes.

What is the tactile difference between blue and brown Cherry switches? What about the Alps switches like on the Matias Tactile Pro 3?

 

[konakona]

I never had a pleasure of trying the Alps, though but some prefer them to cherry lines. More like a personal taste sorta thing.

Brown cherries have a light 'click' at the end of the stroke, blues are much harder and need significantly more force - closer to what buckle springs were like IMO. Sorry for lack of better word, but I get a feeling brown is the most popular one among gamers

 

[Googer]

I never had a pleasure of trying the Alps, though but some prefer them to cherry lines. More like a personal taste sorta thing.

Brown cherries have a light 'click' at the end of the stroke, blues are much harder and need significantly more force - closer to what buckle springs were like IMO. Sorry for lack of better word, but I get a feeling brown is the most popular one among gamers

What about the black?

 

[konakona]

What about the black?

Blacks are on the opposite end of spectrum, sometimes dubbed "linear". As the name suggests, there isn't any tactileness at all to them.

Steelkeys 6g/7g have black-axis switches in them, and the reviews on those are mixed. Some weren't happy with bottoming out while typing, since it is hard to tell when exactly each stroke is getting registered. Actually, most cherry switches used in north america seem to be black-axis for some reason for that matter.