Ducky keyboards for sale at overclock.net

[AMW1011]

Welcome to Geekhack!

Thanks Rip.  I've been reading up on these forums since you suggested it a few months ago and I'm really glad you did.  The amount of excellent information on this site is really refreshing and nice to see.

Finally made an account today.

Check out the reviews in our review section. They have various crooked plastic pieces, among other issues. It's not a terrible keyboard really...just slightly sub-par. Not good enough to be "GeekHack recommended". We're elitists, it's true.

From what I've read, most of that seems to be true with the 1087, while the 9008 seems like a much more solid board.  I've read enough to know that there won't be a 1087 in my future.  Am I mistaken about the difference between the models?

Also, your talking to someone with $600 worth of earphones and $400 in amps/cabling, I know elitism.

[keyboardlover]

I'm not sure...you may be correct. I'm honestly not well-versed enough in Ducky to tell you. Just know that they were tested pretty thoroughly here and overall opinions were not overly positive.

Also, hope you didn't take much offense to my OCN comments as they are in jest. I was mainly annoyed at folks saying "OCN pwned GH" since we have plans to possibly offer a custom keyboard. But it will be something really unique.

Itlnstln jumped on one as an impulse buy, and said he was doing it to spite me. He hasn't posted here in a few days, so I assume he's hanging his head in shame after realizing spending $140 on a Ducky from OCN really in no way spites me.

[TheRedComet]

What quality check issues might there be?

Broken key stems, short lives (dead in 2 or 3 months), spacebar metal bar colliding with near by keys, shift key issues, and F-Keys not working.

[keyboardlover]

I wouldn't have very high hopes for Filco.

[AMW1011]

I'm not sure...you may be correct. I'm honestly not well-versed enough in Ducky to tell you. Just know that they were tested pretty thoroughly here and overall opinions were not overly positive.

Also, hope you didn't take much offense to my OCN comments as they are in jest. I was mainly annoyed at folks saying "OCN pwned GH" since we have plans to possibly offer a custom keyboard. But it will be something really unique.

Ah I see.  More reading to do then. :/

Yeah I realized that most comments where. and yours in particular didn't bother me.  

I'm really happy that OCN has done this to help get the word about Mech. keyboards out to those who would otherwise be ignorant of or apathetic towards.  OCN is a very large medium with a lot of different people with different interests, so its nice to think that it will really help.  Hell if it wasn't for OCN I would have never even known about Mech. Keyboards in the first place.  And it was Ripster and Phaedrus that convinced me to buy my first Mech. Keyboard despite my doubts.  Now I'm shopping for my second after loving my XArmor U9BL, but realizing that the noise levels don't fit my lifestyle very well (late night gaming and not be single).

I would agree though, in the context of what I have read this seems to be completely different from the proposed GH keyboard.  

I suppose that I should not have gotten as defensive as I was.  OCN may not be my most frequented forum, but I enjoy it there and I enjoy the community (what I truly judge a forum on).  I can easily say that the community on GH has impressed me, however.

Let's break it down and put aside the quality issues to startup problems (although if you look at our Classifieds you see a LOT of Duckys get sold).

The Ducky keyboards are at the wrong pricepoint.    At the over $100 level it's time to be picky.

You can get a Rosewill for $80-$100.

You can get a Razer with more features for about the same or the non-illuminated for $80.

You can get a Das with student discount for $100 or if you are not a student you get more features for slightly more.

Or you can wait for a $120 Leopold or a $130 Filco (assuming they get a North American distributor in March  or Q2).

You make a good point.  I seem to keep re-learning everything I thought I knew about Mech. Keyboards.  Now I'm debating about Otaku too...

The only thing the struck me about the classified section was the prevalence of Cherry MX Blue keyboards.  I suppose that says a lot.

I might have to post a thread for some help after all.

[keyboardlover]

If your source is the Leopold dude then I'd say the source could be a bit biased.

Seeing as he used to work at Filco, I would say he's a pretty un-biased source.

[keyboardlover]

I fail to see the relevance.

[cyberphine]

You don't think Mr. Archiss doesn't have any ill feelings towards Filco?  Especially the words he said to you?  Sounds like ill will to me.

[keyboardlover]

I guess it's possible. Just don't see why someone would say something like that out of spite. But believe what you want.

[cyberphine]

It's business.

Just like Diatec dropping Elitekeyboards.  Nothing personal.

Crap - I lost the OCN contest to win a free one.  They probably didn't even put me in the hat.  1009 posts - boy, picking on OCN is like picking on an elephant.

I smell jealousy in this comment.

[slowfreight]

My OCN Ducky is being shipped today.  I got impatient after the Rosewill RK-9000 went out of stock.

[ch_123]

You don't think Mr. Archiss doesn't have any ill feelings towards Filco?  Especially the words he said to you?  Sounds like ill will to me.

Sure, but that doesn't mean that anything he says should be automatically discounted as being bitter rage.

[itlnstln]

Itlnstln jumped on one as an impulse buy, and said he was doing it to spite me. He hasn't posted here in a few days, so I assume he's hanging his head in shame after realizing spending $140 on a Ducky from OCN really in no way spites me.

I'm good with my purchase.  From the accounts here, the PBT version was pretty good.

Never did I say I was purchasing the keyboard to spite you, specifically.  It was in spite of the site as a whole, including myself.  We have been the "premier" North American keyboard site for over three years, and after OCN jumps on our keyboard bandwagon, they have a keyboard with their logo on it. We don't even have a re-branded keyboard, let alone a fully customized one.

I am willing to help out a GeekHack keyboard if you want to collaborate on something, I'm just a busy person and haven't had the time or desire to work on something by myself.

Besides that, everyone knows that iMav lets me out of the dungeon on the weekends.  I never post after about 4 p.m. on Friday.  This was a three day weekend, too.

[keyboardlover]

Still, my idea is to offer something unique. What Ocn did wouldn't make sense here. It's a different community.

Well, agree to disagree I suppose

iMav, let this guy out of the closet...err...cage more often!

[itlnstln]

Shhh... don't tell anybody that I like to play with dongles.

[isp]

whats so special about these, just look like all the other black generic mechanicals that have been out for years...slap a tiny little forum logo on the bottom of a spacebar and it's a special edition? maybe I wokeup on the wrong side of the bed today or somethig, shrug.

[manfaux]

whats so special about these, just look like all the other black generic mechanicals that have been out for years...slap a tiny little forum logo on the bottom of a spacebar and it's a special edition? maybe I wokeup on the wrong side of the bed today or somethig, shrug.

ya except every other black generic mechanical is not readily available.

[iMav]

=.=|||  where is our geekhack keyboard?

I think there will be a few this year.  The community has been bouncing ideas around.  I also have something I am working on that may come to fruition this spring.

[itlnstln]

iMav, if you need some help with anything, I would be more than willing to lend a hand.

[manfaux]

I think there will be a few this year.  The community has been bouncing ideas around.  I also have something I am working on that may come to fruition this spring.

oooh, secret project:eek:

[iMav]

iMav, if you need some help with anything, I would be more than willing to lend a hand.

It will not compete with anything Archsis comes up with...so I hope we can continue to pursue that as well.


Just to make things clear.  It has never been a goal of geekhack to make money nor to pimp product.  Things like the cafepress store, the GH key group buys, etc are born out of member requests.  So, I don't see another forum coming out with a rebranded keyboard as a poor reflection on GH whatsoever.  More power to them!

My main goal in the keyboard deal I am working on is to get something I want (but I believe others will like quite a bit as well).  They will be offered for sale to GHers because I will have lots left over due to the minimum order quantity.  

Profits will go into the geekhack maintenance fund.

[DanGWanG]

They will be offered for sale to GHers because I will have lots left over due to the minimum order quantity.  

Define "lots" lol...

[TheRedComet]

It seems like that one complaint about spacebars being crooked is just a cranky ripster



I wonder why he's so angry all the time.

[keyboardlover]

I wonder why he's so angry all the time.

It's from the cherry blues. Typing on them makes you angry, yet is satisfying at the same time.

Much like binge drinking.

[bakageta]

KL - Are you SURE Filco is going out of business?

Show Image

I need this...

[laden3]

KL - Are you SURE Filco is going out of business?

Show Image

If I am not mistaken, it is a limited edition that is only available in China... ....... .........

[laden3]

http://www.filcochina.com/87pwc.htm

[bakageta]

Hmm, I wonder if OBook could get that for me...

[keyboardlover]

Basically, I predict they won't be back to the US. Hope folks looking to get one like obook =)

[itlnstln]

F'shizzle:

PCB got all renewed!

I'm glad they put some of those R&D funds into improving the key caps.

BTW, the pink 'board is hot.  If they did something like that in, say, something a little more masculine, I would be all over it.

[Pylon]

Hmm, I wonder if OBook could get that for me...

Blank white key and a sharpie.

[bakageta]

Blank white key and a sharpie.

I don't mean the escape key... I don't see the new pink boards up on taobao yet, so I don't know if I'll be able to track down a store that obook can order from for me.

[laden3]

"filco 中国莲"

[digitalleftovers]

NO!  I knew it would come eventually, but why so soon?  I just bought I white keyboard!

I think I could masculine-ize it.  Just put different caps on.  Orange keys on a pink board? hmm?

That heart key is ghetto... err, um... "Shabby Chic."

[bakageta]

"filco 中国莲"

Thanks!

NO!  I knew it would come eventually, but why so soon?  I just bought I white keyboard!

I think I could masculine-ize it.  Just put different caps on.  Orange keys on a pink board? hmm?

That heart key is ghetto... err, um... "Shabby Chic."

I actually think it'd look good with black keys too, but I don't think you could pull off orange.

[digitalleftovers]

I actually think it'd look good with black keys too, but I don't think you could pull off orange.

I'm actually colorblind, so it would look fine to me.  I would just get strange stares from others (more than I already get by using a blank keyboard at work).

I looked them up on Taobao (thanks to that translation above!) and it looks like most are around 950 to 1000 Yuan... So, about $145 to 150 US.  Not astronomical for a filco, but a lot for something still in it's home country.  I hope PCHome or Armygroup pick them up.

EDIT: I just realized that someone should probably move this to its own thread...  Since we are no longer talking about Ducky boards.

[bakageta]

Since when do we ever stay on topic here? I'll be ordering one as a birthday present for myself, I think. I may sell off one of my current keyboards to help put a dent in the price, or maybe some other misc stuff.

[digitalleftovers]

Since when do we ever stay on topic here? I'll be ordering one as a birthday present for myself, I think. I may sell off one of my current keyboards to help put a dent in the price, or maybe some other misc stuff.

I bought my first mechanical for my birthday last year.  Its an excellent choice 1) because its awesome 2) because most people won't believe that you actually want a keyboard for your birthday.

[itlnstln]

Got mine today.  Nice keyboard.  I bought the uber-deluxe, PBT, $140 version with the wrist rest and extra keys.  No crooked spacebar and everything works like it should.  I'm not sure if they are manufactured by Filco or not, but if not, they did a great job knocking them off.   Without measuring, it feels about as heavy as the Filcos I used to have.  The only disappointing part about it is that the keycaps are pad-printed, and not in the Filco sense, either.  These are more like the old IBM white-on-black pad-printed style, so we'll have to see how long they stand the test of time.  Otherwise, I am very impressed.  The keycaps have a nice feel to them, but they are about as thick as the Filco caps, and you can definitely tell they are of a different plastic than the Filcos.  I kinda like the Filco stabilizers better, but the Cherry-style stabilizers in the Ducky are pretty nice.  Depending on what the Leopolds are like in a full-layout, I might get a Tiger/Keyboard of the Year/whatever edition for work and move the OCN version to the crib.  Overall, I have to give this a thumbs-up.

The wrist rest is pretty nice, too, but it makes my palms sweaty.  It could be a little taller, too.

[itlnstln]

Pad printed PBT?

That sounds like a recipe for disaster.

It's definitely a surprising choice.  It's like a "Buy One, Get One Free" offer.  Buy the PBT, and get an Otaku version free (once you wear the printing off).  I contacted imsto to see if there were any 108-key, engraved sets available.  Otherwise, it's a great keyboard so far.  We'll see how I like it after a week's worth of use.

[Alfwich]

Pad printed PBT?

That sounds like a recipe for disaster.

IBM M13 - Pad Printed PBT - lasts as long as Justin Beiber's musical career.

Haha. Well TBH if you care enough to buy a mechanical keyboard I would imagine you would care enough to learn how to type. :nerd:

[itlnstln]

Haha. Well TBH if you care enough to buy a mechanical keyboard I would imagine you would care enough to learn how to type. :nerd:

True, but I would make a couple of points about this:

• The way they did the pad-printing sucks.  It's not even as durable (in theory, I just got the 'board) as the method used by MS and Logitech, let alone Filco.
• Why go out of your way to include premium key caps and use non-premium legending?
• Myself and others do not mind the "Otaku" look to an extent, but sometimes it's handy when things like needing to type in (good) passwords since there is no on-screen confirmation of keystrokes.

All that said, minus the legending of the key caps, I have absolutely no problem recommending the DK-9008.  It's a solid 'board that, in my mind, is every bit as good as a Filco and, in some ways, better.  Perhaps some of the other models have QA issues, but I am very happy typing on the one I have.

[itlnstln]

While I can't speak to the overall quality of the Ducky tenkeyless 'boards, I will say the key legends are a disaster.  I wish I had a scale to weigh the 9008, but just by lifting, it feels roughly the same as a Filco.

[itlnstln]

Here are a couple of (bad) pics:

[TheRedComet]

I thought the OCN Keyboards (special edition) was supposed to be Lazered.

You sure you're not making a mistake on the printing method.

[kip69]

There is a new give away thread on OCN, but you needs to find it yourselves to prove your worthy.

[itlnstln]

I can spot that low contrast lettering a mile off.

The printing is intentionally beige on this 'board.  It's not "dirty white."

[itlnstln]

I thought the OCN Keyboards (special edition) was supposed to be Lazered.

You sure you're not making a mistake on the printing method.

It's a laser-burned legend with pad-printing over it.  You can scratch off most of the printing with your fingernail, but some of the printing will remain in the etched part so it won't disappear completely, but it still looks pretty sad.

Technically, you could call it "lasered with infill," but it's not like the Cherrys that are more "engraved" and filled in.

[TheRedComet]

It's a laser-burned legend with pad-printing over it.  You can scratch off most of the printing with your fingernail, but some of the printing will remain in the etched part so it won't disappear completely, but it still looks pretty sad.

Technically, you could call it "lasered with infill," but it's not like the Cherrys that are more "engraved" and filled in.

Thank you for clarifying that

[itlnstln]

I was a little shocked at how easy the printing came off the Esc key.  So far, I haven't seen any evidence of more wear; I'm hoping it stays that way, I actually like the khaki/black look.  If I were to do a double-shot order, I would consider a khaki/black combo.  If I wasn't so swamped at work these days, I would show these whipper-snappers how to set up a GO and get it shipped.