geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Morning Song on Wed, 18 August 2010, 21:22:02
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Since i got my GHSS keyboard, i've found that i like the switches quite a lot... unfortunately, i'm not so fond of the layout. While compact layouts do have their uses, they're just not for me.
So, i was wondering, does anyone know of any full-size-with-tenkey keyboards that use these switches? The only other that the Wiki names is one of the Filco Zeros, which is both tenkeyless and not easily available :( Preferrably one that's gettable in the US.
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Dell AT101W should do it, and if you don't need Windows keys, there was a Granite SGI keyboard that had an almost identical layout to the Dell AT101.
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Dell AT101W should do it, and if you don't need Windows keys, there was a Granite SGI keyboard that had an almost identical layout to the Dell AT101.
The AT101W uses black alps whereas the GHSS uses white alps. Big difference.
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Want my Focus FK-2001 (PS/2, Windows and power keys)? White XMs.
The keys can feel a bit inconsistent, and the casing may feel cheap, but it's got mechanical keyswitches on a metal plate, which already puts it above a lot of keyboards.
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Since you did say clicky ALPS, something I am personally very fond of, I think you would enjoy trying out the Solidtek DSI ASK-6600 keyboard. You can find it on eBay Buy-it-Now from Solidtek's eBay identities. That is if you can accept an inverted L-shaped Enter key and miniature backspace keys, and an oddly shallow spacebar. It's a great entry into the "other" clicky mechanical goodness for under $60.
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The FK-2001 is XM? Pictures i'd seen around here looked like original complicated white ALPS. If it is actually XM, i'm interested, NamelessPFG. Have pictures of the board/switches? :D
The XMs in the GHSS feel like they have a harsher, earlier click than either my busted Fukka board, or my AT101w with Fukka leaves modded in. I'd assumed this was because of the XM's halfwidth clickleaf, while it looked like both complicated alps and fukkas had a fullwidth leaf. That's why I was specifically hunting for XM switches.
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I haven't taken pictures yet, but I definitely have taken some of the switches apart. They're clearly white ALPS Simplified Type IIs (in short, XMs) according to the wiki here. The contacts and dual slots on the housings make it unlikely to be anything else, along with the half-width click leaves. I had to open some up anyway since the F9 key originally wasn't clicky like the rest (misaligned click leaf) and the H key didn't respond reliably (had to bend the contacts a bit).
By "inconsistent feeling", I'm mostly referring to the overtravel and general resistance feel. Some of the keys may not feel quite as smooth when traveling past click leaf actuation, or they may have a different level of resistance. Some of them don't have quite as positive a click leaf response, either, though you can still faintly feel it.
That said, I have personally tested it and verified that every single keyswitch does work (including Wake/Sleep/Power), and you should be able to type on it with no trouble at all.
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This one isn't pad-printed. Probably laser-etched and then filled with some sort of paint that wears off over time, which is slightly better, but no dye sublimation and definitely no double-shot.
I can tell because the letters have a very slight engraved feel to them in addition to being faded. On the often-used letter keys, it's mostly all smooth, but on less-used keys like Page Down, they definitely feel distinctly rough.