Is there a keyboard outthere for me?

[Mads]

Here's what I (ideally) want:

Danish layout and lettering:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyboard_layout#Danish

Cherry MX Blue switches. Browns and clears could work as well, though clears are probably better since browns are more sensitive, and that's not really a quality I want.

PS2 connection, N-key rollover. Don't know if that first one comes at the expense of the windows key, don't much care if it does.

Keycaps that aren't pad-printed. Don't really care what other type is used, though obviously doubleshot would be best. I wouldn't mine backlightning, but I really couldn't care less about it - I touch-type anyway, but I fumble fairly often and need the lettering...but in 3 years, I don't want some of the keys to look or feel more worn than the others.

The board needs to be able to survive the various things I gorge myself on while I'm typing or gaming, be it frenchfries, bisquits, or chocolates. I need to be able to clean dirt and hair out of it without the board dying on me.

So far, the board that comes closest is Das Keyboard european version
http://www.getdigital.de/products/Das_Keyboard_Model_S/lng/en

The mechanical layout of the keys is correct, they don't say anything wrong, and they arent pad-printet. It appears to support ps2 and usb simultaneously, which means n-key rollover and zero lag (right?), the cherry mx blues which will likely be the best choice of switch is used, and it has a 2meter cable (absolute minimum...I only run long cables in my setup, but I'm loathe to use extenders if I can help it)

The only keyboard that actually has a danish layout and the cherry blues appears to be the blackwidow from razer...but it looks like there's myrriads of little things up with that board.

I realize that the perfect board may not be available to me at all. I have been using dome-style keyboards for 8 years now, but I grew up on IBM model M's. That was long before I became a touch-typist, and I made the switch to domes after getting used to them on my first laptop...but my current board is my second dinovo edge to wear out in 4 years, and this one only lasted 1½ before the scissors have begun acting up. Mechanical is clearly the way to go; in particular, I'm also not as fast a typist as I would like to be, so I might be fortunate enough to get a boost there as well.

I'll both be gaming and typing on the blues, but I can just button out on them for almost all the games I usually enjoy; my sense is that I type quite hard. And if I can't, I can just whip one of my warn dinovo's out and use it for any particular game that requires faster button mashing; they've proven very good for that.

Oh, also perhaps of note, my motherboard is tricked out with 2 usb3.0 controllers and 3 usb 2.0, each of the 3.0's probably getting a pci-e lane, and the 2.0's probably a std. pci lane. So I can easily dedicate one controller to the keyboard and one to the mouse, if that would help reduce latency (which is a nasty evil and I can't stand it).

So yeah, thoughts? suggestions?

[noodles256]

wlcm 2 gh.

errr

[sixty]

G80-3000 are 2key rollover.

[Mads]

Thanks for the help so far

So, my best bets are either a 2-key rollover danish layout keyboard, or a das without a layout at all.

What if I snatched up the das ultimate, and then I went to group buy
http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?13664-Double-shot-replacements-ROUND-THREE-Vote-for-Kits-amp-Quantities!

and got the nordic kit, that would give me double-shot versions of all the das keys that are unique to the danish layout. Then I'd need a standard kit as well, and I guess I that would be that?

There's still 3 nordic kits left, dunno if any standard ones are left but I'll pull the trigger if everything checks out (and by that I mean, if you guys think it'll work out)

The filco majestouch thats ripsters current favorite also appears to be a good fit since it's available with a UK layout and apparently has n-key rollover (which is a tad better, yes?).

Thanks again!

[gilgam]

there won't be any standard set left ...
but with the nordic set you can mix them with a standard set/
It'll be awful but at least you'll get some printed keycaps for the danish layout

There is a danish Ibm model m for sale on deskthority.net by ascaii
2KRO and clicky clicky not as blues, but imho better than blues

[Mads]

I wouldn't need to buy a model m :-) - Pretty sure my dad has a stock of them from the 80'es...It's not for me. They're really big and heavy, and it would look like an anachronism rather than a retro typing and gaming board. Noise, travel distance and force are also elements where the blues seem more likely to suit my tastes.

I guess I could go with a non-blank set for now, rig it so I have a danish layout with the nordic layout, replace the rest at a later date...surely, another batch is bound to be ordered at some points, probably in a matching colour, right?

[Mads]

well, Danish keyboard layouts are often insanely idiosyncratic; people here really prefer the kind of board they grew up with, and if the owners of steelseries grew up with the BigAss enter key and personally use those? that's gonna be what they put on their boards.

As ridiculous as it is, it's not so different from my pursuit of a "proper" danish layout. In fact, for a long time, I went with a 104 hardware US board coupled with a 105 danish software board. As you can imagine, I was missing a button, so I had to constantly switch back and forth, and keep the special locations of letters memorized...the button missing is one containing these three " \ "...hence a 105 is an obvious requirement, and the danish layout is really my prefered one due to all the built up muscle memory.