Author Topic: Dell USB Enhanced Slim Keyboard Appreciation Thread (Read 12155 times)

jdcarpe · « **on:** Wed, 29 July 2015, 15:12:30 »

This thread is for anyone who loves using the Dell USB Enhanced Slim Keyboard, aka SK-8115, L100, DJ331, etc.

Post your stories, anecdotes, love notes, photos, or whatever here.

jdcarpe · « **Reply #1 on:** Wed, 29 July 2015, 15:12:41 »

I am using this keyboard both at home and at work. I think they are pretty darn good for a rubber dome over membrane. I disassembled one for painting, and learned why I like these Dells. Slider (attached to keycap) in a channel over the rubber dome sheet. Under the domes are a pair of membranes, very much like what are in an IBM Model M.

I painted the one I use at home white. Now I just need to swap those green LEDs for blue ones.

[PLACEHOLDER FOR PICS]

In fact, I like them so much that I bought an entire lot of 11 of them on eBay.

That poor eBay seller. I only paid $40 shipped for the whole lot, and he paid $35 to ship them to me. Hope he enjoys his $5 as much as I will enjoy the keyboards.

SpAmRaY · « **Reply #2 on:** Wed, 29 July 2015, 15:16:08 »

I am a fan.

digi · « **Reply #3 on:** Wed, 29 July 2015, 15:16:44 »

What about appreciation for the Dell quiet key w/ sliders (Thailand ver.)? Is that acceptable or is this appreciation thread specifically geared towards the hidious SK-8115?

jdcarpe · « **Reply #4 on:** Wed, 29 July 2015, 15:18:46 »

Quote from: digi on Wed, 29 July 2015, 15:16:44

What about appreciation for the Dell quiet key w/ sliders (Thailand ver.)? Is that acceptable or is this appreciation thread specifically geared towards the hidious SK-8115?

I have one of those BNIB, but I never use it. But feel free to post about them here. Thread needs some love, and it seems appropriate anyhow.

Lurch · « **Reply #5 on:** Wed, 29 July 2015, 15:19:47 »

I used one when I first started working at my current job, until I was brave enough to bring in a proper keyboard.

digi · « **Reply #6 on:** Wed, 29 July 2015, 15:35:22 »

Here she is, the best stock Dell crapper rubber domer $18 can buy, the Dell RT7D5JTW Quietkey w/ sliders - aka the ratchet version of Topre.

She was used quite a bit at work until I replaced her with a Leeku 1800:

jdcarpe · « **Reply #7 on:** Wed, 29 July 2015, 15:37:24 »

Quote from: digi on Wed, 29 July 2015, 15:35:22

Here she is, the best stock Dell crapper rubber domer $18 can buy, the Dell RT7D5JTW Quietkey w/ sliders - aka the ratchet version of Topre.

She was used quite a bit at work until I replaced her with a Leeku 1800:

Show Image

Yep, that's a beaut. You can hardly get a non-black keyboard nowadays.

azhdar · « **Reply #8 on:** Wed, 29 July 2015, 15:45:15 »

Still using it at work:

CPTBadAss · « **Reply #9 on:** Wed, 29 July 2015, 15:58:06 »

These keyboards make me sad when I use them. I wish I could at least use a DT35...

digi · « **Reply #10 on:** Wed, 29 July 2015, 15:59:10 »

Quote from: CPTBadAss on Wed, 29 July 2015, 15:58:06

These keyboards make me sad when I use them. I wish I could at least use a DT35...

APM not high enough

CPTBadAss · « **Reply #11 on:** Wed, 29 July 2015, 15:59:41 »

One day I'll reach Grandmaster APM

HoffmanMyster · « **Reply #12 on:** Wed, 29 July 2015, 16:09:55 »

What is this thread doing here

jdcarpe · « **Reply #13 on:** Wed, 29 July 2015, 16:11:53 »

Quote from: HoffmanMyster on Wed, 29 July 2015, 16:09:55

What is this thread doing here

You're jealous of my SK-8115?

HoffmanMyster · « **Reply #14 on:** Wed, 29 July 2015, 16:15:12 »

Quote from: jdcarpe on Wed, 29 July 2015, 16:11:53

Quote from: HoffmanMyster on Wed, 29 July 2015, 16:09:55
What is this thread doing here

You're jealous of my SK-8115?

No. I have one sitting right next to me.

jdcarpe · « **Reply #15 on:** Wed, 29 July 2015, 16:15:44 »

Quote from: HoffmanMyster on Wed, 29 July 2015, 16:15:12

Quote from: jdcarpe on Wed, 29 July 2015, 16:11:53
Quote from: HoffmanMyster on Wed, 29 July 2015, 16:09:55
What is this thread doing here

You're jealous of my SK-8115?

No. I have one sitting right next to me.

Then you found the correct thread, of course!

jerue · « **Reply #16 on:** Wed, 29 July 2015, 19:02:57 »

Oddly enough this exact one of these is sitting at my local Goodwill...I just saw it today! Didn't think twice of it (one of my coworkers has a similar model w/USB passthrough, it's kind of nice). Do I need to obtain this since it has the jdcarpe seal of approval? And would make EscapeVelocity post more about rubber domes??

Not to mention I have the excuse of telling myself I will get a WRT54g v2 I found there as well later this week (great for flashing dd-wrt if you're into that).

romevi · « **Reply #17 on:** Thu, 30 July 2015, 00:11:45 »

I got this keyboard at work. I freaking love it. I also found a Quiet Key in the IT's keyboard stash. It's caked with dust, but it types wonderfully.

strict · « **Reply #18 on:** Thu, 30 July 2015, 11:23:42 »

I really like the SK-8135, I used one for years before picking up my first Filco. I actually still have one sitting somewhere just in case I ever decide to get out of the expensive keyboard game some day.

romevi · « **Reply #19 on:** Fri, 31 July 2015, 15:51:46 »

Looks like I salvaged those boards just in time. The building's gonna do some cleaning over the weekend and the IT guy had to clear out some stuff. The box of keyboards from which I took the QuietKey and SK-8115 was recycled last night.

What timing.

jdcarpe · « **Reply #20 on:** Fri, 31 July 2015, 15:55:25 »

Quote from: jerue on Wed, 29 July 2015, 19:02:57

Oddly enough this exact one of these is sitting at my local Goodwill...I just saw it today! Didn't think twice of it (one of my coworkers has a similar model w/USB passthrough, it's kind of nice). Do I need to obtain this since it has the jdcarpe seal of approval?

If you can pick it up for a few dollars, I say go for it! You have nothing to lose.

)

BrewCaps · « **Reply #21 on:** Fri, 31 July 2015, 16:37:29 »

You can lose a few dollars.

jdcarpe · « **Reply #22 on:** Fri, 31 July 2015, 16:39:08 »

Quote from: BrewCaps on Fri, 31 July 2015, 16:37:29

You can lose a few dollars.

But you stand to gain so much!

user 18 · « **Reply #23 on:** Mon, 10 August 2015, 07:43:04 »

Quote from: strict on Thu, 30 July 2015, 11:23:42

I really like the SK-8135, I used one for years before picking up my first Filco. I actually still have one sitting somewhere just in case I ever decide to get out of the expensive keyboard game some day.

Show Image

I still have mine in my closet too. A very nice board for a rubber dome.

dante · « **Reply #24 on:** Mon, 10 August 2015, 08:51:09 »

Using this at work right now, a Dell 07kkph:

Feels really nice! Nice volume knob and media controls.

jdcarpe · « **Reply #25 on:** Mon, 10 August 2015, 08:53:13 »

Quote from: dante on Mon, 10 August 2015, 08:51:09

Using this at work right now, a Dell 07kkph:

Show Image

Feels really nice! Nice volume knob and media controls.

It has the full throw domes, right? Not the low travel chiclet style keys?

dante · « **Reply #26 on:** Mon, 10 August 2015, 09:05:06 »

Quote from: jdcarpe on Mon, 10 August 2015, 08:53:13

Quote from: dante on Mon, 10 August 2015, 08:51:09
Using this at work right now, a Dell 07kkph:

Show Image

Feels really nice! Nice volume knob and media controls.

It has the full throw domes, right? Not the low travel chiclet style keys?

I'd say it's 50/50 between chiclet and domes and seems like the perfect balance.

It does have single profile keys (ala chiclet/DSA) but I am really starting to see the benefits. It doesn't seem like I am climbing/descending mountains anymore if that makes any sense.

I'm getting towards the end of my keyboard journey [been saying that for years?!] but the one constant is I like comfortably typing on a keyboard without the assistance of a wrist rest (I don't use the one in the above photo.) The Dell is just thin enough. This is why I cut a little slack for keyboards like the Cherry G80-3850 3.0 and DAS 4/4c. These are the thinnest boards on the market. Upcoming KBTalking Next looks to be even thinner than those!

katushkin · « **Reply #27 on:** Mon, 10 August 2015, 10:04:17 »

Damn. Thought this was a Group Buy. I'm disappointed.

jdcarpe · « **Reply #28 on:** Mon, 10 August 2015, 10:05:51 »

Quote from: katushkin on Mon, 10 August 2015, 10:04:17

Damn. Thought this was a Group Buy. I'm disappointed.

Do you want a group buy? Because this is how you get group buys.

Herothereu · « **Reply #29 on:** Mon, 10 August 2015, 10:07:24 »

Is this a circle jerk thread?

azhdar · « **Reply #30 on:** Mon, 10 August 2015, 10:08:49 »

Quote from: Herothereu on Mon, 10 August 2015, 10:07:24

Is this a circle jerk thread?

one of many.

dante · « **Reply #31 on:** Mon, 10 August 2015, 10:09:04 »

Quote from: Herothereu on Mon, 10 August 2015, 10:07:24

Is this a circle jerk thread?

No more than a Topre or Korean custom circle jerk thread.

keshley · « **Reply #32 on:** Mon, 10 August 2015, 13:21:11 »

One of these beauties is sitting 10 feet away from me right now! I gave mine away here at work. The guys here don't mind me typing on a mechanical.

jerue · « **Reply #33 on:** Wed, 12 August 2015, 17:32:40 »

I forgot to update this. So I found the SK-8135, but it was worn as all get out. I mean, half of the keycaps were worn down to oblivion and the board was just nasty. I don't mind a cleanup, but didn't really want to spend the effort to wear down the remaining caps so it'd be blank. Also, no USB pass through like the ones at my work. So, no go. I do keep a couple of rubber domes around, but they aren't Dells, so more about that elsewhere on GH.

I did find a Thailand-made Quietkey though. Much nicer than the other Quietkey I saw a while back. I'll let someone else enjoy that one.

Zorox · « **Reply #34 on:** Thu, 13 August 2015, 21:40:59 »

still using it in my campus PC Pool and it brings really good typing felling imho

ander · « **Reply #35 on:** Fri, 04 September 2015, 03:08:12 »

[never mind—answered my own question]

Findecanor · « **Reply #36 on:** Fri, 04 September 2015, 04:31:23 »

I used a black Dell in the top post at work. It felt relatively good, I'd say... but the key action was too hard and straining: I got RSI.
Because of that I switched to mechanical keyboard, and also vertical mice. I brought a keyboard to work that had Cherry MX Brown switches.

bigDave · « **Reply #37 on:** Fri, 04 September 2015, 04:42:20 »

We used to have these at school but they where replace with:

spectre · « **Reply #38 on:** Fri, 04 September 2015, 11:27:25 »

Quote from: azhdar on Wed, 29 July 2015, 15:45:15

Still using it at work:

Show Image

I'm using this exact keyboard right now at work.

digi · « **Reply #39 on:** Fri, 04 September 2015, 12:57:26 »

It's like we've come full circle. Tried every switch/mech combo out there, ended up back at the Dell $10 crapper boards. lmfao

)

jdcarpe · « **Reply #40 on:** Fri, 04 September 2015, 13:21:12 »

Quote from: digi on Fri, 04 September 2015, 12:57:26

It's like we've come full circle. Tried every switch/mech combo out there, ended up back at the Dell $10 crapper boards. lmfao )

It's like...dante was right all along.

dante · « **Reply #41 on:** Sat, 05 September 2015, 18:40:23 »

Quote from: jdcarpe on Fri, 04 September 2015, 13:21:12

Quote from: digi on Fri, 04 September 2015, 12:57:26
It's like we've come full circle. Tried every switch/mech combo out there, ended up back at the Dell $10 crapper boards. lmfao )

It's like...dante was right all along.

I've become wiser. For instance, I no longer drink the "50 million keypress" kool-aid; nor do I automatically accept that something is quality just because it's heavy.

Bromono · « **Reply #42 on:** Fri, 20 November 2015, 14:21:36 »

I used to use the smart card version of these. Now that we got the HP ku-1156, we avoid them like the plague o.o

partly the reason being that they are all nasty as **** from all the years of use.

stand alone cac readers work better anyways.

News:

Author Topic: Dell USB Enhanced Slim Keyboard Appreciation Thread (Read 12155 times)