geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: VoteForDavid on Thu, 29 September 2016, 12:04:57
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Here is yet another board I rescued from the recycle stream. This one is a yuuuuge 144-key monster, with 40 function keys over a regular 104-key layout. Originally this was going to be a post about all the unusual caps on this board but I got carried away. I guess this may have blown up into a full-on review so I hope y'all enjoy it as much as I did!
This board apparently doesn't exist according to Mr. Googles. It appears to be very similar to the KMX-144, from Devlin's Broadcast control Rapid Access keyboard line: http://www.devlin.co.uk/products/input-devices/broadcast/kmx-144.html
Highlights:
- Navy blue, very attractive in person
- "Devlin" keys - most of the caps are ribbed on the back but NOT doubleshot. The legends are engraved-and-filled.
- Blue LEDs in a BUNCH of windowed keys
- Mostly Cherry MX brown, with an odd assortment of Black
- Brushed aluminum bottom panel
- Sweet "PixelPower broadcast graphics solution" thick badge on the front over the 10key area
- LOTS of unusual caps
Lowlights:
- PS2 connection
- Minor (very minor) rub marks in several places
- Possibly-rivited metal plate construction
Overall shot:
(http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q377/StockersPics/key01.jpg) (http://s349.photobucket.com/user/StockersPics/media/key01.jpg.html)
Couple of bigger pics to show the caps in a little better detail. The top 40 extra keys insert 000 through 039 when typing on a notepad text document.
(http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q377/StockersPics/key02.jpg) (http://s349.photobucket.com/user/StockersPics/media/key02.jpg.html)
(http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q377/StockersPics/key03.jpg) (http://s349.photobucket.com/user/StockersPics/media/key03.jpg.html)
Note: these caps are pretty nice, to me. The legends are all engraved and filled (nearly or completely flush with the surface) with paint. That includes the white legends on all key tops AND the light blue legends on some tops and fronts! The tops have a matte finish on top with glossy sides.
(http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q377/StockersPics/key04.jpg) (http://s349.photobucket.com/user/StockersPics/media/key04.jpg.html)
The profile is nicely curved I think, thanks to a fairly regular-looking set of staggered-shaped keys. I haven't had the board apart to know if there is one or many mounting plates hiding inside.
(http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q377/StockersPics/key05.jpg) (http://s349.photobucket.com/user/StockersPics/media/key05.jpg.html)
This board took a hit at some point. There are rub marks in a few of the bottom keys and on the space bar. They look bad in a close-up but are barely noticeable in person and they can't be felt by a (my) fingertip. A fingernail can baaarely feel the ugliest marks on (e.g.) the M key.
(http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q377/StockersPics/key06.jpg) (http://s349.photobucket.com/user/StockersPics/media/key06.jpg.html)
Several caps have slight wear/shine on them, and a few have light yellowing on the legends, and a random few have minor dings
(http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q377/StockersPics/key07.jpg) (http://s349.photobucket.com/user/StockersPics/media/key07.jpg.html)
1U cap detail: thick, with ridges on non-windowed keys
(http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q377/StockersPics/key08.jpg) (http://s349.photobucket.com/user/StockersPics/media/key08.jpg.html)
Almost all the switches are Cherry MX brown but the illuminated ones are all blacks.
(http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q377/StockersPics/key09.jpg) (http://s349.photobucket.com/user/StockersPics/media/key09.jpg.html)
Blue board, blue LEDs. They look much better in person than shown here, but this picture was more effort to take than I thought would be worth the effort.
(http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q377/StockersPics/key10.jpg) (http://s349.photobucket.com/user/StockersPics/media/key10.jpg.html)
SOME of the longer keys have ribs like the 1U non-LED caps. Some are smooth with reinforcements. The right-most 2 long keys are stabilized and held up with two switches. They are pretty firm. The stabilizers on the other long keys are an odd 4-piece type I haven't seen before, so please feel free to tell me if you know what these are called. Note that there are a mix of brown and blue switches under the longer keys on this board.
(http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q377/StockersPics/key11.jpg) (http://s349.photobucket.com/user/StockersPics/media/key11.jpg.html)
Flip-out stabilizers
(http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q377/StockersPics/key12.jpg) (http://s349.photobucket.com/user/StockersPics/media/key12.jpg.html)
the nameplate
(http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q377/StockersPics/key13.jpg) (http://s349.photobucket.com/user/StockersPics/media/key13.jpg.html)
Brushed aluminum bottom plate and probably-metal switch mounting plate(s?) and all those extra switches add up. Total weight is about 4lbs! Shipping this would be moderately expensive, I think. Dual filters on the cable.
(http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q377/StockersPics/key14.jpg) (http://s349.photobucket.com/user/StockersPics/media/key14.jpg.html)