Cheap, portable, tactile. Pipedream ?

[GGLucas]

.

[msiegel]

hmm, i occasionally need a decent portable board too...

the filco with browns is neither as small, light, or inexpensive as i'd like, to be a portable...

i'll be watching the responses with interest

[hyperlinked]

the filco with browns is neither as small, light, or inexpensive as i'd like, to be a portable...

They might be quieter than blues, but I wouldn't tow my Filco with browns into classroom unless I hated everyone in the room.

i'll be watching the responses with interest

Me too, but I'm not holding my breath. As the old saying about the quality triangle goes, it can be done fast, it can be done well, and it can be done cheaply. Pick any two.

I know the HHKB Lites are rubber domes, but are they pretty decent for rubber domes?

[rdjack21]

Quite, small, light, not a rubber dome and cheap is going to be a very hard combination to find. Personally I haul around a HHKB Pro but that fails the cheap part But it is quite, small and light but in a sense is a rubber dome but not a rubber dome at the same time

I have not tried one of the Cherry 4100 boards but they are supposed to be decent. They have the cherry MY switches in them and they can be had for reasonable cost. For instance here is one with a BIN price of $39 with free shipping check out the picture on that one to see what it looks like. If you look around you can find them cheaper but you have to pay shipping.

Like someone else stated the HHKB Light may work as well but again I'm not to sure how it feels and it is a rubber dome. But a auction just showed up with one with a starting bid of $19 at that price it may be worth trying.

It should also be noted that all of these keyboards are PS/2 not usb but you can use a converter on them.

I'm interested in what you end up getting in the end because there are so few options out there for small and quite no matter the price.

[skriefal]

If you're referring to the Cherry G84-4100, it uses ML keyswitches... not MY.  The ML switch is a short-throw mechanical switch; the MY is a sort of hybrid with a mechanical spring unit over a membrane (IIRC).

And you can buy an HHKB Lite for $12 + shipping here.  Shipping doubles the cost, but at $24 it's still likely the cheapest you'll find.

[iMav]

Cheap, portable, tactile. Pick any two...

IMHO, the HHKB Pro is perfect.  Not cheap at all...but I have yet to hear of anyone regretting purchasing one.  xsphat expressed some dissatisfaction with his, sold it, tried several other keyboards, and then returned to a HHKB Pro 2 as his primary 'board.

[ch_123]

Buy a Thinkpad, and get a usable keyboard built into your laptop for free!

Oh wait, you wanted cheap solutions...


Jokes aside, Compaq MX11800?

[Rajagra]

cheap, silent and portable keyboard that types acceptably

I think you just described the HHKB Lite. It doesn't feel great, but IMO it is acceptable. At least you don't have to mash the keys onto the board to make them register like you need to with some other rubber dome boards.

The Cherry ML4100 is close too, depends which you can find cheapest. Both can be found at a bargain price if you are patient. Personally I prefer the simple layout of the HHKBLite. It's a great concept even for a desktop keyboard, but for a travel board it's ideally suited.

One other idea - TypeMatrix boards. Scissor-switch based, but pretty good. Would require adjustment, but I'm sure anyone who gets used to them absolutely loves them.

[Rajagra]

Could also consider a BTC 5100C. Haven't tried these myself.

[JBert]

Could also consider a BTC 5100C. Haven't tried these myself.

Well, it is a rubber dome so not that tactile, yet a new example be bearable.

I've got one of those lying around somewhere and they're still crisp. At least it doesn't feel like some generic mush.

[PRISONER 24601]

I'm sorry... I'm really, really sorry

[PRISONER 24601]

a gui? steal my rams will you?

dip switches are half the fun ;_;

[msiegel]

a gui? steal my rams will you?

dip switches are half the fun ;_;

you're just lucky you have any rams left

[PRISONER 24601]

you're just lucky you have any rams left

I gave most of them to banzai buddy. he's my internet pal!

[rdjack21]

I'd wait for the HHKB clone that MsKeyboard hinted at and just use one of the rubber domes mentioned earlier.  I mean, $250 to take notes in class?  

Here is a Filco that they may still sell (anybody know?) that was actually programmable WITHOUT DIP switches (what a concept).

Show Image

Link here.

Nope not for sale any more. I keep an eye out for that one when I'm on Yahoo Japan and I have never seen it listed. But I have seen the non programable version for sale (actually there is one for sale right now) but it has white Alps so it is a little loud :)

[zwmalone]

Isn't it just an SMK-85?  I know Filco used to OEM their stuff to StrongMan as DSI does, so it's quite the possibility...

[quadibloc]

Here is a Filco that they may still sell (anybody know?) that was actually programmable WITHOUT DIP switches (what a concept).

It's too bad that this keyboard, the FKB-82PRO, apparently is not still available.

Nope not for sale any more.

It looks like it would have been very interesting to me - I would be strongly tempted to say it's almost the "perfect" keyboard.

As for "cheap, portable, tactile"... while "cheap, portable, mechanical-switch" is indeed, for the moment, a pipedream, there are some rubber-dome keyboards that have a significant amount of tactile feel.

That black one from DELL that a post somewhere here (I can't find it at the moment; I wouldn't be surprised that it was one of yours) criticized as an evil abomination seems to me to be an example of that. (The SK-8115 or RT7D50... or maybe just the L100.)

Of course, this page:

http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000327.html

indicates that that keyboard can do horrible things to your mind. Switching to (an ordinary) rubber dome from a Topre?

[PRISONER 24601]

I saw a few really sweet looking compact keyboards during my trip to recycled computers a few days ago. they were all rubber domes, though. Maybe it's time to break out ye olde dremel tool and work on my first real mod.

I'm in a similar predicament as OP... Need a good keyboard for my netbook at school, and don't wanna pay 250 clams for a HHKB

[d2v]

The DSI SMK-88 looks good. It has cherry linear black switches. Makes no typing noise but has higher actuation force.

[d2v]

I'm a little confused as to whether those are still sold or not.  The DSI rep said they were obsoleted yet the website shows them in stock.

But yeah, in terms of newly shipping compact mechanical switch boards that's it.  I hope it really doesn't weigh 2lbs like their website says - that's pretty hefty for a laptop board.

I bought one about three weeks ago, from amazon.com. It was delivered in a week's time, to an address within USA.

DSI store wants to charge more for the board, compared to price on amazon.  :smile:

[itlnstln]

Are the Cherry switches in the SMK-88 plate mounted or PCB?  It they're PCB, I might pick one up for a little mod action.  Some Cherry browns from a Compaq and a set of blank keys from Elite. Mmm...

[d2v]

I don't have it yet.. it will be reaching here in early December with my globe-trotting (drunken?) friend. (with apologies to welly and you) :smile:

EDIT : Here's the last review on GH

[lowpoly]

Plate and upper case look like two separate parts.

[itlnstln]

Dammit.  Oh well.  I would I have loved to do this mod.  I don't have the time or patience for that much soldering.

[itlnstln]

True, but I think it would be a mod worth doing (and I don't say that often).  The total cost would be ofset by having a keyboard and layout that would be both unique and something you would be happy with over the long-haul.  One of the things I really like about the SMK-88 is that DSI (or whatever OEM) made a compact layout that isn't completely bastardized or too minimal (like the HHKB Pro, IMO, the Lite 2 looks great, however).

[itlnstln]

iRocks does a blue cherry but makes it full size and priced too high

If we are thinking about the same 'board, it's brown Cherry. It's smaller than full-size (not compact, though), with a jacked-up layout.  While not cheap, it is priced well below the competition (around $80-90).

[AndrewZorn]

according to a very helpful amazon review, the smk-88 is the same as the filco FKB91JU (EDIT okay not really but close)




but even more importantly, look at this http://www.notestation.com/kb-modmac-umodularmackeyboard.htm

[itlnstln]

The modular keyboard is nice, but very expensive ($150, although it's not as pricey as the HHKB).  I am not sure if they have the black, Windows version out yet, and I am not sure if they have any of the addons for it either.

[itlnstln]

You're ruining the joke.

Oops.  Maybe I was just too stupid to figure it out.

[itlnstln]

Some real love for Deck in the Amazon reviews section for the SMK-88.

I would figure they would feel the same, or, at least, close (unless they got one of the old SMK-88s with the blue switches). I wonder what the real beef was against Deck.

[AndrewZorn]

The modular keyboard is nice, but very expensive ($150, although it's not as pricey as the HHKB).  I am not sure if they have the black, Windows version out yet, and I am not sure if they have any of the addons for it either.

That thing is wider than a Model M Space Saving.  Not exactly laptop.

Keyboard with a power supply.  That still cracks me up.

yeah, only new to me i found out.  tried to edit, internet went down.

the power is only for the usb hub... people ask for it, then laugh when they get it.  lowpoly's board has it too.

but yeah, $$$$$...

[itlnstln]

That i-Rocks 'board is full of "almost."  While I disagree on the blue switches, I certainly agree on the rest as long as it had a virtual numpad.

[AndrewZorn]

actually, i think its numpad is its BEST feature.  better than the arrow and home cluster that the compact filco gets.

but yeah, they screw up the main cluster's layout really bad, but then again, so does deck.

[itlnstln]

actually, i think its numpad is its BEST feature. better than the arrow and home cluster that the compact filco gets.
 
but yeah, they screw up the main cluster's layout really bad, but then again, so does deck.

Pretty much. They almost got a compact, fullsize layout right. The Cherry G8x-1800 is perfect, IMO.

[quadibloc]

A pity that both the FKB-86E and the FKB-91JU have the Enter key too far to the left, while the FKB-82PRO had an Enter key that had only two keys between it and the L.

Apparently, what led to this problem with the layout was the need to provide space for the Windows keys, since they are present on the latter two designs, but absent on the FKB-82PRO. Thus, we have another tragic casualty of the Windows keys.

[itlnstln]

Basically clone the HHKB lite with decent switches. Price it less than $100. Done.

This.
 
The guy holding the brown switch looks vaguely like me all the way down to the angry eyebrows and sunglasses. Must be something with Cherry brown-lovers.

[msiegel]

Have you ever noticed the Buckling Spring guys don't have much of a sense of humor?

D:

[AndrewZorn]

no, the perfect keyboard for him would be a hhkb pro2 and a lighter wallet

[GGLucas]

.

[GGLucas]

.

[AndrewZorn]

just say it... WINDOWS KEY

[rdjack21]

according to a very helpful amazon review, the smk-88 is the same as the filco FKB91JU (EDIT okay not really but close)

Show Image

The filco FKB91JP ( note not a U) has brown cherries in it. I have my eye on one that I may get so that little Topre I just got can have a shipping companion also here is a better picture of it:

[rdjack21]

Hey, no fair.  They give the Japanese a better looking box.  Discrimination I say!

The newer Japanese boxes look just like the US boxes. This is just an older board that was only sold in Japan.

[msiegel]

good thing we're not crazy enough to start a forum on keyboard boxes

XD

[PRISONER 24601]

the model m box is the box to end all boxes, the don't make em like that anymore

8 gauge doublefold corrugated goodness i tell ya!

[msiegel]

the model m box is the box to end all boxes, the don't make em like that anymore

8 gauge doublefold corrugated goodness i tell ya!

some of us prefer the old style model f boxes, with their crisper edges and tab a / slot b construction (instead of hot-melt glue that pops off).

of course the packing foam tends to degrade, but i digress...

[GGLucas]

.

[microsoft windows]

The M4-1 ($34 on US Ebay) ain't bad but the stupid cable/dongle arrangement weighs almost as much as the keyboard so it wouldn't be my first choice in a laptop bag.

Here's a discussion of other alternatives.

M4-1's are quite noisy when you use them though.

[microsoft windows]

They are funny keyboards and they actually fel pretty good for rubber domes.

[Rajagra]

And the award for biggest gap between Ctrl and Alt goes to...