geekhack
geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: elbowglue on Wed, 08 December 2010, 18:29:06
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From ebay:
Cherry blues (http://cgi.ebay.com/DSI-Modular-Mac-Mechanical-Switch-Loud-Click-Keyboard-/310264157380?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item483d2f54c4#ht_5693wt_898) - 6 left, $79 shipped BIN
Cherry Browns (http://cgi.ebay.com/DSI-Modular-Mac-Mechanical-Switch-Loud-Click-Keyboard-/310264157380?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item483d2f54c4#ht_5693wt_898) - 7 left, $79 shipped BIN
Modular Mac Keypads (http://shop.ebay.com/especialphonesale/m.html?_nkw=keypad+dsi+mac&_sacat=0&_odkw=keypad+dsi&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3911.c0.m270.l1313) $29 shipped
Foot switches (http://shop.ebay.com/especialphonesale/m.html?_nkw=kinesis+ergonomic&_sacat=0&_odkw=ergonomic&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3911.c0.m270.l1313) from $92
Clicky Alps Keyboard ASK6600 (http://cgi.ebay.com/Alps-Mechanical-Switch-keyboard-USB-PS-2-ASK6600_W0QQitemZ350330186898QQcategoryZ33963QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3911.m7QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D3%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D5514935405057734715#ht_5904wt_902) $51 shipped, 19 sold 6 left. Suffers from the scourage of the small backspace.
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DSI keypad is slick. Mac only though, even with the USB connector?
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Tempting. That is potentially a good deal. What do we know about these? Does this have pad printed or lasered legends? How substantial are the key caps? I hope that power brick is optional.
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...I'm tempted, even though it costs almost $109 with one of those keypads (which I didn't know were out, by the way).
Why? I've always wanted to try having the numpad on the left side for once. More room for the mouse on the right, and it moves the main alphanumeric block closer to center. If it's still too much room, I just take it off-instant tenkeyless! Ideal for portable use with my E-295C for when the integrated keyboard doesn't do it for me. (Especially since its rollover can be atrocious. I've found that it can't do E+S+Space, making me unable to jump while moving diagonally forward-left in FPSs. Come to think of it, how DOES the rollover on the DSI board fare? Probably no higher than 6KRO, but if it's any possible 6-key combination...)
Still a high price to pay, though, especially considering that I'm just fine with my IBM Model Ms for the most part and don't see myself liking non-buckling spring switch types all that much. (Cherry MX Browns don't do it for me, and linear black ALPS or Cherry MX is just plain out of the question. The last bastion is the Cherry MX Blue, from the looks of it.)
(Also, those footswitches are crazy expensive for what amount to digital controls...that's the kind of money I expect for high-end racing or flight rudder pedals.)
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Sirclickalot reviewed one. You could ask him
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In regards to the NKRO - I cannot speak for this keyboard as I do not own it, it is 99% certainly 2kro. I use a different DSI board the SMK-88 as my daily driver and I have never had any roll-over blocking problems in my daily use (mostly starcraft 2, left 4 dead 2)
Re: the power adapter, I think it is to power the powered USB hub. The KB should work without the power adapter, but the USB hub may not.
This keyboard is mac-layouted. That means if you use it on a PC you will run into the alt key being where you expect the windows key to be, and vice versa. I use Autohotkey to correctly map these keys for me.
The layout is very nice. I found the left most media keys to be quite distracting to me as to where I should put my fingers but I removed these keycaps (on the media keys) and now my fingers end up in the right location.
There is extra bezel on the left and right sides of the keyboard making this keyboard bigger than it should be.
These should be plate mounted keyboards. (most keyboards are nowadays) If i'm not mistaken they are made by Strongman. I don't know what these keycaps are made of, I suspect they are lasered.
My Cherry blue smk-88 feels and sounds very much like a filco.
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Detail specs:
http://www.notestation.com/specs/kb-modmac-u.pdf
Claims it is NKRO
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Detail specs:
http://www.notestation.com/specs/kb-modmac-u.pdf
Claims it is NKRO
WOW...USB with NKRO!?
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Another a-hole that doesn't ship intl.
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never was popular
that bezel is huge :-/
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that bezel is huge :-/
uhh... thats what she said?
Good news is maybe they will refine it for next year, make it better :)
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My Review (http://www.mrinterface.com/reviews/Keyboard%20%3A%20DSI%20Modular%20Mac%20Quiet%20Click)
Regards.
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that bezel is huge :-/
Bigger than it needs to be, for certain. The midline (between G and H keys) is still closer to the right-hand side of this guy than on a Filco tenkeyless, looks like. That's not bad.
Did I read somewhere that these don't have feet to tilt the board up?
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Did I read somewhere that these don't have feet to tilt the board up?
Found it. (http://"http://geekhack.org/showpost.php?p=65978&postcount=1)
That could be a dealbreaker. It's already a little weird to me that it lacks some PC keys. The weirdness factor increases further if it doesn't tilt up. Maybe better to wait and get a Leopold from EK.
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Looks like they make another mechanical board with a more standard layout, except that the arrow keys and tenkeys are to the left of the alphanumeric block. (http://cgi.ebay.com/DSI-USB-Black-Left-Hand-Mechanical-Switch-Keyboard-/310235694620?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item483b7d061c#ht_5095wt_905) They even sell some cheaper refurbs. (http://cgi.ebay.com/Refurbished-DSI-USB-Black-Left-Hand-Mechanical-Keyboard-/400138237829?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item5d2a18f785)
Windows labeling instead of Mac labeling, for a start. Don't know exactly what switches are used, though, and that reverse-L Enter key is a big fat NO in my book.
Guess I'll still have to think the Modular Mac board + detachable numpad over a bit.