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geekhack Community => New Members => Topic started by: zaranox on Wed, 23 July 2014, 02:09:50

Title: Introducing: Mechanical Keyboard Newby
Post by: zaranox on Wed, 23 July 2014, 02:09:50

Hi All!

Got very interested and enthousiastic about mechanical keyboards by my cousin. He has a various keyboards with various switches, and so in my work as a QA manager for an open source collaberation platform I no longer wish to be typing on anything :).

Just ordered a Filco Minila Air (MX Blue) and started with a Razor Blackwidow Tournament Edition 2014 (Stealth). This isnt the keyboard for me though, I've noticed.

Hope to learn a lot here!

Thanks guys.

Luc

Title: Re: Introducing: Mechanical Keyboard Newby
Post by: rowdy on Wed, 23 July 2014, 05:41:21

Welcome to Geekhack!

As your cousin has various different switches, you are one step ahead of many people, myself included when I started.  You can at least try a few switches to see which one you prefer.

Filco is a good choice to start with :)

Title: Re: Introducing: Mechanical Keyboard Newby
Post by: zaranox on Wed, 23 July 2014, 06:21:59

Thanks! I have tried, Blue, Red, Brown and the custom ones Razer uses. At work a colleague had Black switches. I have to say the Blue ones immediately made me fall in love with typing again.
Though I also would like a mechanical that I can modify easily and for whom are a lot of key caps etc. available. Which one would you recommend? I've heard about the Poker 2 and the CM Storm QFR who are supposedly good candidates.

Title: Re: Introducing: Mechanical Keyboard Newby
Post by: rowdy on Wed, 23 July 2014, 21:02:00

The QFR, definitely, if you can still get one.

The stock keycaps are crap, but easily replaced as it has a completely standard layout.

Title: Re: Introducing: Mechanical Keyboard Newby
Post by: zaranox on Thu, 24 July 2014, 02:53:25

Cool! I'm getting in this one today: http://gaming.coolermaster.com/en/products/keyboards/tk_stealth/
Now the hunt for caps can begin ;)

Title: Re: Introducing: Mechanical Keyboard Newby
Post by: rowdy on Thu, 24 July 2014, 06:10:17

Quote from: zaranox on Thu, 24 July 2014, 02:53:25

Cool! I'm getting in this one today: http://gaming.coolermaster.com/en/products/keyboards/tk_stealth/
Now the hunt for caps can begin ;)

Ah - that is a Quickfire TK - different to the QFR.

Different keycaps too - a less standard bottom row.  Notice that the Windows and menu keys are only 1x ... makes it a bit more difficult to find replacement keycap sets.

Title: Re: Introducing: Mechanical Keyboard Newby
Post by: zaranox on Thu, 24 July 2014, 06:26:17

So I see, thought it shouldn't be impossible right? I don't think I want to change every single bit. Just some nice customizations.

Title: Re: Introducing: Mechanical Keyboard Newby
Post by: rowdy on Thu, 24 July 2014, 06:40:29

Quote from: zaranox on Thu, 24 July 2014, 06:26:17

So I see, thought it shouldn't be impossible right? I don't think I want to change every single bit. Just some nice customizations.

Not impossible, but a lot more difficult than a QuickFire Rapid.

Title: Re: Introducing: Mechanical Keyboard Newby
Post by: zaranox on Thu, 24 July 2014, 07:50:24

Would you be willing to push me in the right direction for compatible keycaps?

Title: Re: Introducing: Mechanical Keyboard Newby
Post by: rowdy on Thu, 24 July 2014, 17:10:35

After a brief search, it seems that this particular keyboard has a completely non-standard space bar.  Thus you will not be able to completely rep;ace the keycaps.

A little bit of reading for you ...

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=52169.0
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=53728.0
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=36137.0
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=36602.0

Title: Re: Introducing: Mechanical Keyboard Newby
Post by: zaranox on Fri, 25 July 2014, 04:01:12

Thanks for the information! Might keep this one for the office than and get a QFR for home later on, to be customized :)