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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: velociraptor on Mon, 19 July 2010, 19:32:41

Title: Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
Post by: velociraptor on Mon, 19 July 2010, 19:32:41
Do any of you keyboard gurus know which Cherry key switches the Mac Mini Compact Keyboard (http://www.datacal.com/p-837-mac-mini-compact-keyboard.aspx) has?  I searched but didn't find much on the compact Datacals.  I've put in an info request, but am impatient.  :-)  I'm trying to decide between it and the Filco Tenkeyless w/Cherry blues.

I have been a long-time mechanical key switch fan, but my Matias Tactile Pro (original) is not good for my shoulder RSI (evil mouse), so I am going tenkeyless.  I have a Siig Mini Touch, too, but it's dedicated to my home file server.  I'm not sure how the Mac or the USB KVM would handle AT->PS/2->USB, either.

My other daily driver (work) is an Apple aluminum tenkeyless--scissor key switches are my second choice behind mechanicals.  I wish it felt more like the keys on the Powerbook Aluminum laptops, though, they were much better, IMO.

Thanks--
=V=
Title: Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
Post by: Superfluous Parentheses on Mon, 19 July 2010, 20:15:51
Dunno, but that's an interesting layout. I quite like it from here.
Title: Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
Post by: Oqsy on Mon, 19 July 2010, 21:14:02
Wow, I actually LOVE that layout.  Depending on the type of MX switches, I might have found the first NIB board I'm interested in buying since joining this forum!  Does it come in black? :D
Title: Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
Post by: hyperlinked on Mon, 19 July 2010, 21:20:21
Wow. I like it! I can't believe that one hasn't come up around here before.

I don't have a tenkeyless yet either. I'd like to know what kind of switches it has too.
Title: Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
Post by: Oqsy on Mon, 19 July 2010, 21:31:05
I sure hope they're not Cherry ML switches...  decent switches for what they are, but they're no Cherry MX.  I realized after my last post that ML's could be a reason this board may not have been brought to light before.  Maybe someone researched and found that switch type and abandoned further inquiry...  I'll do some googling and report back :D

This link (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=354709) seems to point to cherry blues!  Yay!
Title: Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
Post by: hyperlinked on Mon, 19 July 2010, 21:56:26
Quote from: Oqsy;204361
This link (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=354709) seems to point to cherry blues!  Yay!

Walk your credit card back into your wallet man! You may notice the user is none other than the Mav himself and this board was discussed here:
http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=3869 (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=3869)

The current editions are actually Cherry Blacks. :(
Title: Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
Post by: vyshane on Mon, 19 July 2010, 22:16:08
I've got two of these with Cherry blues.
Title: Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
Post by: gr1m on Mon, 19 July 2010, 23:35:33
"Due to customer complaints about noise, the new version now comes with the BLACK stem Cherry keyswitches"

Wouldn't browns have made more sense than going immediately to a gamer switch?
Title: Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
Post by: Oqsy on Mon, 19 July 2010, 23:59:40
Doh, would love to have gotten my hands on a blue version...  I still haven't used blues, and what a nice form factor for trying them out :D

I should have known this would have been a covered board... smk-88, duh.
Title: Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
Post by: velociraptor on Tue, 20 July 2010, 15:21:36
Going from the last two posts by iMav here: http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=3869&page=2, and the Datacal website's picture, these might have blues, since the aux keys are on either side (assuming the pictured stock is what they actually have).

Thanks for all the responses.  I got an email stating they have "Cherry MX switches" and asked if they could either tell me which ones or give the actual model/rev from the back of the keyboard.  I'll update with whatever info they send.

=V=
Title: Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
Post by: JBert on Tue, 20 July 2010, 16:47:45
Quote from: gr1m;204400
"Due to customer complaints about noise, the new version now comes with the BLACK stem Cherry keyswitches"

Wouldn't browns have made more sense than going immediately to a gamer switch?
Browns are easy to bottom out and in doing so, the keycap "clatters" (Ebay sellers would say it "clicks").

Blacks are stiffer, but they are pretty much silent.
Title: Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
Post by: microsoft windows on Tue, 20 July 2010, 17:14:56
Now that site actually has a useful and meaningful description of their product.
Title: Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
Post by: kriminal on Tue, 20 July 2010, 17:38:28
yeah these have been bouncing around on ebay for a while...
Title: Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
Post by: gr1m on Tue, 20 July 2010, 17:39:11
Quote from: JBert;204643
Browns are easy to bottom out and in doing so, the keycap "clatters" (Ebay sellers would say it "clicks").

Blacks are stiffer, but they are pretty much silent.


I understand, I use black switches myself. Still, aren't there quiet switches out there better for typing than blacks?
Title: Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
Post by: velociraptor on Tue, 20 July 2010, 17:48:59
Update: Cathleen @ Datacal said the key switches were black or brown, so that goes against what was posted in the thread I mentioned previously.  Obviously different production models or revs.  No model # was given.

Looks like I'll be getting a Filco w/blues.