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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: FoxWolf1 on Sat, 06 October 2012, 20:16:43

Title: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: FoxWolf1 on Sat, 06 October 2012, 20:16:43
Found an unboxing (http://kbtalkingusa.com/unwrapping-the-first-retail-ready-kbt-pro-in-the-usa/) and one on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/KBtalKing-Wireless-Bluetooth-Mechanical-Keyboard/dp/B008QH1YPE/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1349572558&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=kbtalking)...

So, anyone feel like buying one and writing a review?
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: alaricljs on Sat, 06 October 2012, 20:28:56
Been wanting a nice wireless for the couch.
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: laffindude on Sat, 06 October 2012, 21:09:41
The keyboard is shipping next week.
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: Sinzz on Sat, 06 October 2012, 21:20:47
Hrm, would much rather a TKL or a 84 imo, but it's off to a right start!
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Sat, 06 October 2012, 21:26:54
What a nice font. Not that interested in full size boards though.
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: laffindude on Sat, 06 October 2012, 21:35:13
smaller board will not happen unless this board sells enough.
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: daerid on Sat, 06 October 2012, 22:59:16
That is a nice lookin board. A bluetooth 87 key would be absolutely perfect.
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: laffindude on Sat, 13 October 2012, 02:10:28
HA. Delayed by 2 weeks. Got stuck behind some other large orders @ manufacturer.
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: The_Beast on Sat, 13 October 2012, 02:17:46
I'd rather have a poker sized wireless with programmable layers. A boy can dream can't he?
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: newtrekemotion on Sat, 13 October 2012, 03:09:21
I really can't believe it has taken so long for something like this to surface. I'm agreed that a TKL or 84 key would be an almost instant purchase.

I'd rather have a poker sized wireless with programmable layers. A boy can dream can't he?

Dream on.
Title: Re: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: GMC on Sat, 13 October 2012, 03:19:53
What a nice font. Not that interested in full size boards though.
That was my first thought as well!
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: laffindude on Sat, 13 October 2012, 20:29:10
KBT Pro is one of those projects that KBT only customize an existing design. He does know enthusiasts want 87k, but people buying smaller boards are the vocal minority. Most people buy full sized boards. From what I am told, a new mold and setup manufacturing cost tens of thousands. Unless he sells like a few thousand(ya right.), he will never recoup the cost. The market isn't there. Of course, if you put down the money for a few thousand boards, he can make it happen. Good luck selling it though.
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: furosuto81 on Sat, 13 October 2012, 20:42:24
Wierd that they would use the LED version of the switch, but without the LEDs. You wouldn't see it under the keycap of course, so I suppose it doesn't really matter.

(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41d%2BOffWPyL._SS350_.jpg)
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Sat, 13 October 2012, 20:52:40
All MX switch have had insert for led since they began making them in 1985. I even have a keyboard from 1986 that has full backlight support on the pcb.
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: Neo.X on Sat, 13 October 2012, 21:13:09
wireless keyboard for me is more for the laptop. A wireless compact keyboard makes more sense,  a pure or poker , or hhkb!
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: Carefoot on Tue, 16 October 2012, 05:35:53
I'd try it.   My keyboard fetish is pretty bad.
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: Binge on Tue, 16 October 2012, 12:38:55
I pulled the trigger on the preorder to get this keyboard.  I will be able to swap the keyboard control between multiple pieces of equipment via bluetooth.  The feature list on this board is really so intense... I need a new board with blues anyway  :p
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: laffindude on Tue, 23 October 2012, 12:14:02
They've shipped.
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: Binge on Tue, 23 October 2012, 12:20:14
I'm soon to be a happy owner then.  Will post results.
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: pli on Wed, 24 October 2012, 04:05:57
I'd rather have a poker sized wireless with programmable layers. A boy can dream can't he?

Every keyboard has programmable layers. Keyboards send out keycodes and the layout you use on your computer is the "programming". Translating keycodes is a software task rather than a hardware issue. Keyboard layouts support multiple layers without a problem, and you are not limited to just existing mode switches like Shift or AltGr. when making one.

So unless you need to carry your keyboard around from computer to computer which don't let you touch settings but do let you use USB devices and all of them use something like US Qwerty so your hardware mappings translate correctly to what you want, you should look at creating a keyboard layout for your needs.

While I don't use http://neo-layout.org/ (http://neo-layout.org/), I think the front page with the interactive layers (hover over the Ebene buttons... probably german for layer) shows off possibilities pretty well.
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: laffindude on Wed, 24 October 2012, 04:54:18
RJ-king's unboxing photos https://plus.google.com/photos/117753397948752598351/albums/5802530897466537025
Mesak (it is a reposted by head honcho of KBT): http://kbtalking.cool3c.com/article/63295
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: BucklingSpring on Wed, 24 October 2012, 20:36:38
Wierd that they would use the LED version of the switch, but without the LEDs. You wouldn't see it under the keycap of course, so I suppose it doesn't really matter.

Show Image
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41d%2BOffWPyL._SS350_.jpg)


MX RED = beurk.
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: Rumudiez on Thu, 25 October 2012, 22:07:11
What is that, a modern lithos font? The media icons aren't exactly attractive, either. I WAS looking forward to this board opening up the wireless potential a little bit more...
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: soulctcher on Tue, 20 November 2012, 09:08:01
I figured that rather than creating another topic, I'd bring this one to the top.  I'm new here, but I did just recently pick up one of these, so I figured it wouldn't hurt anyone to post about it.

So, my machine is an ASUS G75VW-NS72 (with an Intel 6235 card swapped in so I can have dual band on 5GHz + Bluetooth 4).  When I'm at home, I set the machine across the room from me and use a Bluetooth keyboard/mouse combo from the couch.  (It's connected to a 46" Samsung across the room.)  I already have 2 different dongle-required accessories; the Logitech G930 headset and the Logitech F710 gamepad.  For me, minimizing the amount of additional stuff soaking up USB and sitting on 2.4GHz bands is good.  Prior to this keyboard, I was using the Logitech MX5500 keyboard/mouse combo.

So I ordered a KBT Pro with red switches and a few days later, it arrived.  Now, in the first picture, you can see that the box is marked as red, however as you can see in the 3rd picture, it actually had brown.  (I did share this with KBT and they confirmed that this was an error from the manufacturer in packages when it was in Taiwan.)  It actually didn't bother me too much, so I'm keeping this model.

The day I ordered it, after making sure I liked it, I ordered a blank set of black keys with light blue for WASD.  See pictures 4 and 5; (sorry about the poor lighting.)

Here's the link: http://imgur.com/a/OErjf (http://imgur.com/a/OErjf)

I've been using it for a few days for both typing and gaming and it's been fantastic.  There's little to no key wobble.  The keys register at the tactile actuation point as they're supposed to.  I'm quite happy with it, and for anyone else who needs this kind of device, I recommend it.
Title: Re: KBT Pro is starting to appear...
Post by: Binge on Tue, 20 November 2012, 10:13:00
I love my KBT pro so much I'm going to buy another :D