geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: oTurtlez on Sat, 11 August 2012, 12:02:28
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So are PBT keys on a backlit board just a completely lost cause, or what? I mean, I know the letters wont have the LED shine through but if it were up to you would you even bother with it?
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Here is a ducky which shows some backlit engraved PBT caps. Lost cause depends on what you want to achieve. Lasered legends would be visible both when lit and unlit, but the legends would not be the part which is lit.
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-0XaO01_F96U/UBw_dOKE_RI/AAAAAAAAACw/d3KtR8Hfz7s/s1024/20120804_001141.jpg)
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Are PBT's worth the feeling of them? What are the full advantages and disadvantages of them?
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They don't tend to wear down and get shiny with use. The only downside is that they can't be double shot.
Edit: I don't think there is much of a difference in feel, thickness would be the bigger factor there.
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The difference in feel between ducky PBT and Filco ABS is noticeable. Filco ABS have a smooth face which depending on your fingertip moisture is either sticky or slippery. The Ducky PBT has a textured face and a completely different feel, they're grippy no matter the moisture level that I've experienced, though I don't drip on my KB. I also have imsto's thick dark grey PBTs and the primary difference in feel is the sharper edges/corners.
PBT also alters the switch sound, thick PBT far more so. I really like the sound of PBT as I type, but I'm not going to complain if I have to use ABS.
I've never used DS caps of any make, so nothing to compare there.
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feeling has more to do with texture, ie the surface characteristics of the mold, than the material. the major difference between pbt and and ABS is wear characteristics, and density and hardness. basically, if you are a very fast and hard typer, PBT will feel slightly different than ABS as you type very quickly with high force, but for most people, the major difference is in the texture imparted on the key by the mold and not the material used for the cap.
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It is not a lost cause, it just depends on your preference, with a dark set of PBTs the LEDs just look like an underglow and most likely will not shine through, but with white pbs keycaps as you can see, you can see the LED circle under each keycap.
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Aren't Decks (except for the spacebar) backlit PBT?
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Another example of KBC PBT :D
[attach=1]
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The white PBT's look nice but I don't quite like them. An underglow effect sounds virtually pointless unless you're showing the thing off. I guess it's white PBT's :D Now does anyone know of a set for the Pures?