geekhack
geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: Laggy-gaga on Mon, 08 November 2010, 08:34:51
-
Vivanco kpt-84 alps keyboard (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290472443803&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT)
seller doesn't provide switches images but I find one reference on GH (http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:4402)
EURO 16
14 available in new condition
and it is us layout!
will be a good deal for European union
-
Some jerk bought all 14 that were left. Oh wait, that was me.
-
Will post for sure, I am not sure what switches they will be exactly... I just hope they click :)
-
misslemike - can I have dibs on one of these when it comes in? Thanks :)
-
Sure I will probably sell off a few... I am excited to get them. Black color scheme, compact mechanical, (hopefully) clicky alps, NIB...
-
Hey MissileMike, could i get second dibs on one? Too bad i didn't notice the thread earlier.
-
I have a few of these. There was a cheaper source earlier for EUR 4,00 each.
They are strongman 1 grey switches or Xm switches. Both feel terrible.
Keycaps are pad printed and lose their letters about 2 month in.
Switches are plate mounted on a plastic plate that flexes and bends like crazy.
Stabilizers are terribly cheap and flex too. Backspace, Shift don't even have stabilizers so you have to hit them in the dead center.
Overall this is a terrible keyboard.
-
But it's a mini mechanical, Surely it must be made of awesome?
Stop breaking my reality!
-
I have a few of these. There was a cheaper source earlier for EUR 4,00 each.
They are strongman 1 grey switches or Xm switches. Both feel terrible.
Keycaps are pad printed and lose their letters about 2 month in.
Switches are plate mounted on a plastic plate that flexes and bends like crazy.
Stabilizers are terribly cheap and flex too. Backspace, Shift don't even have stabilizers so you have to hit them in the dead center.
Overall this is a terrible keyboard.
Don't hold back Sixty, tell us how you really feel about the keyboard. :)
-
We'll see how it goes- I will post a mini review. Will be nice to have a batch here in the US regardless.
-
all sold...
-
These arrived today, and they're not nearly as poor as I would have thought. Most of what sixty said was accurate, except it appears that mine have white XM switches and feel nice to type on. See the photo: those are XMs, right?
(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=14003&stc=1&d=1292256420)
(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=14004&stc=1&d=1292256420)
(edit: changed to reflect that they're xm switches, i think)
-
According to the wiki, if four tabs are visible around the switch they're XMs.
http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=ALPS+switches#Simplified+ALPS (http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=ALPS+switches#Simplified+ALPS), a bit down
edit: ninjad#4%
-
I realized it at the same time as you. You owe me a coke :)
-
I realized it at the same time as you. You owe me a coke :)
In fairness, the Alps wiki is kind of confusing. :)
How do the XM's compare to buckling springs? Does it feel like they require more force to actuate or about the same (according to the wiki, they're both ~70g)? The Keyboard Co has got a couple of those Filco Zeros with XM's left, which cost about half as much as their Cherry equivalents. Can't decide which one to get. :/
-
I like Cherry blues more than I do XM alps. I also like Buckling Spring more than XM alps.
However, I still like clicky alps too- they take a little less force than a BS and a little more than a Cherry blue. These keyboards in particular definitely take less force than my IBM Space Saver I am typing this on right now.
-
You should have seen the Wiki BEFORE I tackled it.
It doesn't help that the ALPS users tend to be a secretive clan unwilling to reveal the ancient ways of Pink/Orange/Blue and whatever.
Well, it's not so much the presentation of the information (which is great), it's just that the information itself is kind of hard to get a grip on. The coloring and internals appears to be kind of semi-randomly assigned and put together.
I think the reason they don't want to share their mystical wisdom is simply that they have no idea. If switches were assembled in accordance with what parts were currently in stock (which doesn't seem entirely unlikely), the logic of color-coding kind of breaks. :)
-
In fairness, the Alps wiki is kind of confusing. :)
The wiki is 100% member created and maintained. If something about it is lacking, feel free to step up. ;)