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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Bluemercury on Fri, 21 December 2007, 21:30:19

Title: SMK-85
Post by: Bluemercury on Fri, 21 December 2007, 21:30:19

I've found this SMK-85 on ebay canada and i was wondering what kind of switches does it use. I've read that the SMK-85 uses ALPS or strongman switches but that they vary.....does anyone knows......

Title: SMK-85
Post by: xsphat on Sat, 22 December 2007, 00:01:57

The SMK85 is a craps-shoot. What you need to do is contact the seller. Mine, black case, black keys, absolutely rocks with it's black Alps sliders. Other people have different color schemes and their's came with Strongman Alps clones that sucked so bad they sent them back.

Title: SMK-85
Post by: Bluemercury on Sat, 22 December 2007, 12:17:20

Damn, so strongman alps arent made by alps?Arent they even more clicky than black alps ones?
I was considering buying one but im not familiar with the switch info....

Found this black one at http://www.cbbstore.com/retail/shop/productdetails.asp?pid=3877&ad=1003

I wonder if they sell to Europe.

Title: SMK-85
Post by: xsphat on Sat, 22 December 2007, 13:16:52

ccbstore ripped off iMav, not a good choice for you to order from.

And Strongman may make clicky switches, but they are a bastard product of the real Alps.

Title: SMK-85
Post by: iMav on Sat, 22 December 2007, 13:47:13

Quote from: xsphat;2032

ccbstore ripped off iMav, not a good choice for you to order from.

Yep.  Don't order from CCBStore.  You'll receive nothing.  Thankfully, Paypal is great at sucking money back from sellers who don't deliver.  ;)

Title: SMK-85
Post by: mr_sf_applet on Sat, 22 December 2007, 13:58:01

www.cbbstore.com (http://www.cbbstore.com) was the only site to list an all-black SMK-85, like the one xsphat has, which should've made me suspicious right off. I tried ordering it, and, without going into details, it was just about the worst online consumer experience I've ever had.

Avoid, avoid, avoid.

Title: SMK-85
Post by: Bluemercury on Sat, 22 December 2007, 18:00:00

Quote from: mr_sf_applet;2036

www.cbbstore.com (http://www.cbbstore.com) was the only site to list an all-black SMK-85, like the one xsphat has, which should've made me suspicious right off. I tried ordering it, and, without going into details, it was just about the worst online consumer experience I've ever had.

Avoid, avoid, avoid.

Yeah they have it in the site for sale and its black too, so i assume its not like xphat one....

So if i want to buy one like xphat which place should i go :P

Title: SMK-85
Post by: mr_sf_applet on Sat, 22 December 2007, 19:01:42

Quote from: Bluemercury;2037

So if i want to buy one like xphat which place should i go :P

You know, if you've been reading this forum over the past few weeks, then I'm not sure why you're asking this, because so much has already been said about the fruitless efforts to find any version of the SMK-85 with black Alps sliders, let alone the all-black version that xsphat has. If you do find a source, let us know. elmomax would be most grateful.

Title: SMK-85
Post by: mr_sf_applet on Sat, 22 December 2007, 19:24:58

Quote from: Bluemercury;2037

Yeah they have it in the site for sale and its black too, so i assume its not like xphat one....

The black version on the site is probably *exactly* like the one xsphat has. The only problem is that they almost certainly do not have it in stock. They're a rip-off site.

Title: SMK-85
Post by: Bluemercury on Sat, 22 December 2007, 19:46:44

Quote from: mr_sf_applet;2039

The black version on the site is probably *exactly* like the one xsphat has. The only problem is that they almost certainly do not have it in stock. They're a rip-off site.

Yea, sorry, about asking all this stuff again, but i was favouring at the first the cherry threads :P, now i want to try all the type of switches....

Title: SMK-85
Post by: xsphat on Sat, 22 December 2007, 23:33:12

Yeah, I got pretty damned lucky to get this particular SMK85 [that I am typing on right now], I know that.

Title: SMK-85
Post by: xsphat on Sat, 22 December 2007, 23:38:36

Mine came from DSI, ordered from Karl. Other people have called him asking if they had anymore, but it's like this one was the last one or something.

Title: elmomax waits
Post by: elmomax on Sun, 23 December 2007, 11:06:36

Yes elmomax waits for the moment that someone will locate the ellusive SMK-85 with black
alps switches... in any color case including flourescent orange. I have given up hope.

Title: SMK-85
Post by: Bluemercury on Fri, 28 December 2007, 07:20:11

Quote from: elmomax;2061

Yes elmomax waits for the moment that someone will locate the ellusive SMK-85 with black
alps switches... in any color case including flourescent orange. I have given up hope.

Elmomax, so you're not satisfied with the other two you bought?I was considering trying an SMK-85, but with true white ALPS switches, not strongman as it seems the consensus here is that the strongman switches are inferior.....

Title: SMK-85
Post by: Bluemercury on Fri, 28 December 2007, 10:07:55

im trying to get in contacto with the DSI ebay mail acount but they're not responding to my emails.....:s, wanted to know if they still have ones with true white alps switches....

Title: tolerable but not great
Post by: elmomax on Fri, 28 December 2007, 10:08:13

Good luck on getting the SMK 85 with white alps. My two silver monstrosities came from DSI via Ebay.  They have strongman switches.  They are clicky, but the feel is not the same or nearly as good as my SMK 85 with ALPS switches.  Better than a membrame keyboard, but not great... just tolerable.

Title: SMK-85
Post by: Bluemercury on Fri, 28 December 2007, 11:51:43

Quote from: elmomax;2166

Good luck on getting the SMK 85 with white alps. My two silver monstrosities came from DSI via Ebay.  They have strongman switches.  They are clicky, but the feel is not the same or nearly as good as my SMK 85 with ALPS switches.  Better than a membrame keyboard, but not great... just tolerable.

Yep i already have a DAS keyboard for mx switches, but i was interesting in getting one with alps switches....

Title: SMK-85
Post by: Bluemercury on Fri, 28 December 2007, 15:57:13

The dsi guy just answered me and said they had white alps switches........i wonder if they're really alps or strongman....

Title: SMK-85
Post by: xsphat on Fri, 28 December 2007, 16:17:42

I have a feeling we should all stop trusting "the [company] guy," whomever he or she may be. No one seems to be getting product which matches the information.

Title: SMK-85
Post by: iMav on Fri, 28 December 2007, 17:53:40

Quote from: xsphat;2172

I have a feeling we should all stop trusting "the [company] guy," whomever he or she may be. No one seems to be getting product which matches the information.

Well, I've always gotten correct information from both Karl [Kipp] from DSI and Jim [Owens] from Unicomp. I have no basis to doubt information from them whatsoever.

And, as far as I know, Justin from DSI never mis-represented the SMK-85's available on Ebay.

I do think, however, we have been getting some conflicting information lately...but it has yet to be clarified one way or the other.  

Who knew the keyboard world was so fully of drama and mystery???  ;)

Title: SMK-85
Post by: xsphat on Fri, 28 December 2007, 22:16:19

Agreed. Maybe three or so of us talked to a few wackos or something and now nothing about Cherry makes sense anymore.

One thing is for sure - I am very skeptical about buying keyboards on eBay.

Title: SMK-85
Post by: Bluemercury on Sun, 30 December 2007, 11:51:39

Just got a response from the national ergnomics store this is their reply:

"The SMK-85 comes in silver with black keys.  This is the newest version of the SMK-85 and does have a firmer key force than the original."

so its probably strongman......