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got my SMK-85 from EBAY today

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elmomax:
I actually wrote to the fellow at Northgate Repair this morning. When I was on their site I saw a mini keyboard and I wondered what sliders/switches it used.  My keyboard is still usable just odd on a few keys such as comma and period -- I need to find something to type on if I send it for repairs.  Does anyone know about the mini keyboards shown on the Northgate repair website -- he indicated he had refurbished and new mini boards.

Whiskey in the Jar-o:
I think they are boards with Alps switches, but not made by Northgate.

elmomax:
Thanks Whisky -- I will let you know when I hear back from the fllow at Northgate.

White ALPS with a beige case, while not Black ALPSwith any color case,  is better than looking at this god aswful silver monster with strongman keys. So if this mystery board has whilte ALPS what will that feel like -- I seem to recall someone saying that it is likely to be similar to the strongman keys on this silver monster I am typing on now.  Is that the case.  I do not want to get too ennthused at this point.

This keyboard is growing on me... not ideal, but better than membrane crap.  How we learn to compromise in the face of defeat.

elmomax:
I am so confused... I went through my email again... the mini from northgate is allegedly with whilte ALPS in a beige case so it looks like the silver monsters from DSI but with a beige case (which is how my beloved SMK 85E looks)  Sso the ultimate question is  -

....  will the mini with white ALPS from northgate feel like the Strongman switches in this butt awful silver keyboard from DSI?
....  what is the quality of a refurbished keyboard from Northgate?  
....  for the money,, $75 plus shipping, would I be better off looking for a cherry with blue sliders or something else?.

Sorry to be making everyone nuts....  I thought keyboards were simple matters till last week when I learned otherwise.

thanks all.
e

mr_sf_applet:

--- Quote from: elmomax ---....  will the mini with white ALPS from northgate feel like the Strongman switches in this butt awful silver keyboard from DSI?
--- End quote ---

My guess is yes, because the Strongman switches in the silver-with-beige-and-gray-keys SMK-85 that I got from DSI's eBay store (the clicking one with the stuck keys) feels jusk like the genuine white Alps sliders in the silver-with-black-keys SMK-85 that I had purchased previously.


--- Quote from: elmomax ---I....  what is the quality of a refurbished keyboard from Northgate?
--- End quote ---

I believe you're referring to the SIIG Minitouch shown on that site, so it's not really from Northgate. Don't know about the quality.


--- Quote from: elmomax ---....  for the money,, $75 plus shipping, would I be better off looking for a cherry with blue sliders or something else?.
--- End quote ---

Very possibly. I'm thinking you might like the blue Cherry MX's because you thought the Strongman switches were too stiff. The blue Cherry MX switches have a lighter touch than the white Strongman switches or the white Alps switches. Trouble is that we don't know of any compact keyboards with blue Cherry MX's switches. The SMK-88's from DSI, designed specifically for the Mac but workable on Windows machines as well, used to come with blue Cherry MX's but now ship with linear black Cherry MX's.

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