Compaq MX-11800 Exposed

[rdjack21]

Over in the discussion section of this article I said I would take my Compaq MX-11800 apart to take some pictures of the inside to see how it differed from both the TVS Gold and the Filco keyboards. The main point of contention was how the switches are mounted so that is really all I'm going to show here. For more pictures see the discussion section.

The keyboard in question:


Top removed and as you can see the switches are mounted directly to the PCB unlike the Filco that is plate mounted. Also unlike the TVS that
wellington1869 has no plastic plate either. Ah Ha now I understand why that space bar has not been working they way it should looks like the stabiliser has come out.


Close up of some switches mounted directly to the PCB.


And another that is not quite as good but you do not see the plate that is on a Filco.


So in the case of the Compaq MX-11800 what we have are switches mounted directly to the PCB. Also I have to say now that I've adjusted to lighter keyboards I really like the Cherry Brown switches. When I first came off a IBM Model M keyboard I did not really like them that much but now that I've developed a lighter touch I really like them.

[itlnstln]

Oops.  I might have not put the stabilizer back in the spacebar correctly after exchanging the switch with the Scroll Lock.  Sorry about that.

[rdjack21]

I have to say if you are going to open the Compaq up be ready it has 11 screws in it. Every one of those holes below except the little ones have a screw in it.


Whats in that trackball? Well it is a Logitech optical trackball cool did not know that.


I did not take this keyboard all the way apart because I did not want to deal with this little problem:


To get the PCB out of the case you also have to remove the trackball as well because they soldered the darn thing to the main PCB.

[rdjack21]

Oops.  I might have not put the stabilizer back in the spacebar correctly after exchanging the switch with the Scroll Lock.  Sorry about that.

LOL no big deal fixed it while I had it open

[rdjack21]

After taking this apart I'm starting to wonder if you could hack the numpad off the board because this looks like a simple two layer board. I may have to get another one and try it out to see. If you could hack it off and get rid of the trackball it would make a nice small keyboard. Yea I know I would have to make a case as well but that is part of the fun.

[timw4mail]

Now you make me want to take apart my Cherry MX8100... Even between the keys you can see that the PCB has the Cherry logo on it.

Edit:
It also looks like the MX8100 aka G80-8963 has a snap-together case... I don't actually see any screws.

[JBert]

I did not take this keyboard all the way apart because I did not want to deal with this little problem:

Show Image

To get the PCB out of the case you also have to remove the trackball as well because they soldered the darn thing to the main PCB.

Well, you already have to remove the trackball just to get around the copper ground plate.

The keyboard controller sits even on a third PCB. It can be found beneath the matrix PCB and is also secured with a couple of screws (that's the only part I haven't unmounted).
All in all, it's an interesting thing, especially with the Logitech trackball.

[patrickgeekhack]

How good is this keyboard? How easy is it to use the trackball with one button on either side of the trackball? Like I said in another thread, I just don't need yet another keyboard, but there is one on eBay for $10. It's so tempting LOL.

[timw4mail]

How good is this keyboard? How easy is it to use the trackball with one button on either side of the trackball? Like I said in another thread, I just don't need yet another keyboard, but there is one on eBay for $10. It's so tempting LOL.

I think the trackball's a little goofy. I guess if you don't want to have to deal with another pointing device, it's a lot like a laptop's trackpad: it works, but it really isn't ideal. It tracks well, and is responsive, but I don't think it's really that special.

The lower profile keys on the keyboard make for an interesting typing experience.

Also, lasered keys only look good when they are white.

[patrickgeekhack]

I think the trackball's a little goofy. I guess if you don't want to have to deal with another pointing device, it's a lot like a laptop's trackpad: it works, but it really isn't ideal. It tracks well, and is responsive, but I don't think it's really that special.

The lower profile keys on the keyboard make for an interesting typing experience.

Also, lasered keys only look good when they are white.

Thanks. I'll decide tomorrow. If no one bids on it, I may get it. If someone bids, I will not get it. I don't want to pay more than $10 for it. Just an excuse to buy or not to buy it. I asked the guy what kind of switch it uses. He replied that the keyboard uses Compaq switches :-)

[clickclack]

How good is this keyboard? How easy is it to use the trackball with one button on either side of the trackball? Like I said in another thread, I just don't need yet another keyboard, but there is one on eBay for $10. It's so tempting LOL.

I know you already got an answer but, I will give my opinion anyway...

I love the Compaq MX 11800 and I will list the reasons why-

1)brown cherry switches
2)smaller than many keyboards yet has everything
3) great sound
4) soft landing on bottoming out
5)track ball is useful and fun (though perhaps not the best)
6) for some reason its easier for me to glide to each key press (my fingers do not have to lift as much)
7) you can avoid bottoming out somewhat easily (at least for me)
8)has great F and J nubs!
9)is usually found for very cheap
10) Arrow cluster is closer to your right hand quick to use
11) the lasered keys look really nice for lasered keys
and my most favorite...
12) My hand/wrist position is really great on this board. It seems to sit a little lower than some in the front and has a slightly sloped down front lip. So my hands and wrists are a bit straighter and more comfortable.

So I bought two!

[CX23882]

I think that the MX-11800 is very nice to type on. The trackball isn't exactly ergonomic (I'd prefer to have the buttons at bottom-left and top-right rather than top and bottom) but it gets the job done. I use this keyboard with my servers in the loft, and the built-in trackball is a million times better than the mouse I was struggling with before. The keyboard is just the right size to put out of the way on top of one of the computers when I'm finished.

The only negatives I have on this keyboard are
1) The lack of Windows keys - with the awkwardness of the right-mouse button on the trackball, I miss the menu key sometimes.
2) The fact that the Ins/Del/Home/End/PgUp/PgDwn has been merged with Scroll Lock - many times I go for Page Down and hit Scroll Lock instead. Not a big deal, but it makes my KVM switch computers.

The positives way outweigh the negatives though. It's a very nice keyboard.

[patrickgeekhack]

Must Resist! Must Resist!

[itlnstln]

8)has great F and J nubs!

The F and J nubs on the 11800 are boss.  There are none better than this 'board.  I wish Cherry used these nubs on all their keyboards.

[patrickgeekhack]

The F and J nubs on the 11800 are boss.  There are none better than this 'board.  I wish Cherry used these nubs on all their keyboards.

They are really bad for my wallet though :-)

[itlnstln]

If you can snag one for $10, do it. I paid almost $40 for mine (there was a dearth of them at the time). If you don't like it or can't find a use for it, you can easily get that money back. If anything, you can use it for a switch swap (like trading the blues in one of your G80s for the browns in the 11800). Since the 11800 has PCB-mounted switches, a swap would be easy.

[patrickgeekhack]

If you can snag one for $10, do it.

This is what a colleague/friend told me. He said $10 is not much to add another keyboard to the pile :-) But, he also thinks he's preventing me from buying a more expensive keyboard. This year, keyboards have made a big big big hole in my bank account, did I say big?

[timw4mail]

This is what a colleague/friend told me. He said $10 is not much to add another keyboard to the pile :-) But, he also thinks he's preventing me from buying a more expensive keyboard. This year, keyboards have made a big big big hole in my bank account, did I say big?

Same here. But at $10-20, I'd say go for it. It's a great keyboard worth much more than that.

[patrickgeekhack]

Same here. But at $10-20, I'd say go for it. It's a great keyboard worth much more than that.

I got it. My only concern is that it is sold as is although it says "Excellent , Little Scratch."

[patrickgeekhack]

You realize asking another Geekhacker whether to buy another keyboard is like asking a fellow alcoholic whether to have another drink?

Show Image

Unfortunately I do. It's more like a self-verification question :-)

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

I am going to be getting one of these keyboards for christmas, they seem like my kind of keyboard.

[rdjack21]

Sounds like a good Christmas present to me. They are nice boards and you can find them for a reasonable amounts of money.

You'll need to let us know how you like it when you get it.

[EverythingIBM]

I am going to be getting one of these keyboards for christmas, they seem like my kind of keyboard.

I remember when I got a keyboard for christmas: it was a crappy rubber dome that I used for parts for my KB-8923.

[Phaedrus2129]

I'm bidding on an MX11800 right now, guess I don't have to do a dissection on it like I did the G84 and KB-0108, eh?

[Tony]

I had a Compaq keyboard for my first mech keyboard and it's a great keyboard. The most bang for the bucks I spent.

I left my Filco at work and use the Compaq exclusively at home.

Pros:
- Very cheap, but the Cherry switches is still good after 20 years of typing.
- What I like most about this keyboard is the thin key profile, make your typing feel a bit different.
- As someone already told, the F and J nub in home keyrow is very big, makes easy for touch typing.
- Laser burned keycaps looks nice and never old or removed.

Cons:
- The F1-F12 function keys are splitted which is not good.
- I do not use the trackball, find it very unpleasant to click.
- The numpad is awkward to use too.

[REVENGE]

I had a Compaq keyboard for my first mech keyboard and it's a great keyboard. The most bang for the bucks I spent.

I left my Filco at work and use the Compaq exclusively at home.

Pros:
- Very cheap, but the Cherry switches is still good after 20 years of typing.
- What I like most about this keyboard is the thin key profile, make your typing feel a bit different.
- As someone already told, the F and J nub in home keyrow is very big, makes easy for touch typing.
- Laser burned keycaps looks nice and never old or removed.

Cons:
- The F1-F12 function keys are splitted which is not good.
- I do not use the trackball, find it very unpleasant to click.
- The numpad is awkward to use too.

If you liked this guy, you'll love the classic Compaq G80-1838.

[hoggy]

If you liked this guy, you'll love the classic Compaq G80-1838.

 
Do you have a picture?  I haven't come across one of those yet.