geekhack

geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Tiramisuu on Wed, 17 September 2014, 16:49:12

Title: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: Tiramisuu on Wed, 17 September 2014, 16:49:12
I want to pick ONE and settle down.

60%,  travels well, quiet at the office,  comfortable for qwerty or colemak, Bluetooth,   programmable for Colemak (can't install software in a managed environment),  black and pretty.

Unobtainable?
Title: Re: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: Bill_565 on Wed, 17 September 2014, 16:57:32
Poker II with Reds, Browns or Blacks. 60%, with a removable miniUSB cable, fully programmable (stored on board), comes in black and apart from the 'Enjoy your feeling' spacebar looks pretty darn good. No idea about Bluetooth though.
Title: Re: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: Puddsy on Wed, 17 September 2014, 17:01:04
KUL ES-87. You'll never need another keyboard.

MJ2 bluetooth is probably the best option on that front.
Title: Re: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: mreverything on Wed, 17 September 2014, 17:01:23
Massdrop has had a Bluetooth adapter a couple times. Something like that might be your best bet with a Poker II. Maybe there are other Bluetooth options I don't know of though.
Title: Re: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: esoomenona on Wed, 17 September 2014, 17:54:23
The BT is the kicker here. I'd suggest the Filco MINILA in Browns, Reds, or Blacks.

If you're willing to give that up, or get the said converter, the HHKB was perfect for my needs in all that criteria.

edit: NVM on the Filco, due to the programmability you're looking for... Hasu has mentioned possibly making a BT programmable controller for the HHKB. I look forward to that.
Title: Re: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: ConscienceDrop on Wed, 17 September 2014, 17:58:49
I'd suggest keyboard polygamy; few enough that you can give them the love and respect that they all need, but enough that your needs are met.  :thumb:
Title: Re: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: mreverything on Wed, 17 September 2014, 17:59:45
If you're willing to give that up, or get the said converter, the HHKB was perfect for my needs in all that criteria.

+1 for HHKB. Travels well (though I don't travel with mine often) and fits nicely on top of my laptop when needed.
Title: Re: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: FrostyToast on Wed, 17 September 2014, 18:16:27
Bluetooth hhkb
Title: Re: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: Hypersphere on Wed, 17 September 2014, 18:24:44
HHKB Pro 2 is the only 60% worthy of consideration (in my book). Whereas I don't care about Bluetooth, you do, so you will have to look elsewhere. Unfortunately, any ~60% keyboard with BT will fall short of the other excellent characteristics of the HHKB. The Minila Air is reportedly a solid keyboard, but the layout suffers from many drawbacks.

You also wanted to be able to switch to the Colemak layout. Apparently, the WASD keyboards CODE keyboard can change to the Colemak layout via DIP switch settings.
Title: Re: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: snoopy on Wed, 17 September 2014, 18:27:15
pick ONE and settle down? impossible... you always want more...
Title: Re: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: remdell on Thu, 18 September 2014, 00:21:24
Varmilo vb660m.  Nearly 60%, dedicated arrow keys, backlit, BT, PBT dyesubs. Buy it in MX reds or blacks -- lube for extra silence and smoothness.
Title: Re: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: deci on Thu, 18 September 2014, 00:41:02
Wait for the new bluetooth 60% GON that will be revealed in a few months.
Title: Re: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: Oobly on Thu, 18 September 2014, 00:46:12
Poker II with the switch of your choice, but I recommend Clears, since they're great for typing on and are quiet. Not sure if the Massdrop for the Poker II with Clears is still ongoing, but if it is, that's a good option.

It's black, programmable, portable and has a removable cable. Other benefits are that it's got a completely standard physical layout so any aftermarket keycaps fit, it's compatible with almost all aftermarket 60% cases, the Fn key can be switched to 3 different positions, BOTH layers can be fully programmed and the programming is stored in the keyboard itself, it comes with great thick PBT keycaps, it's backlight compatible if you simply add the LED's, it's plate mounted and you can get it in almost any switch type.

If you NEED Bluetooth then you could look at the Filco MiniLa with BT. It's not programmable, though, so it doesn't meet your other criteria. Another option is an external Bluetooth adapter, but I'd rather just use the removable cable and have one cable at home, one at work, both plugged into the machines permanently. It's what I do with my KBT Pure 60%. BT isn't worth the hassle unless you need it for typing on a device that doesn't have any USB ports.
Title: Re: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: HebrewHammer on Thu, 18 September 2014, 01:29:20
If I was going for a 60% I'd probably get the HHKB, but if I could only have one keyboard I would get a TKL and add a numpad. Also, if the board wasn't going to be custom, I would grab a KUL or Realforce

For a 60%, some people don't care for the HHKB layout, in that case, take a look at the Poker 60%. Pokers go on massdrop all of the time.
Title: Re: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: katushkin on Thu, 18 September 2014, 03:07:02
The KBT V60 mini is lovely. Not sure on the programmability though.
Title: Re: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: esoomenona on Thu, 18 September 2014, 06:17:39
For a 60%, some people don't care for the HHKB layout, in that case, take a look at the Poker 60%. Pokers go on massdrop all of the time.

He's right about this, though the opposite is true as well. When I wanted to try 60%, I bought a Poker first. And I didnt like the layout of it or how it did what it did. At that point, I liked full size keyboards, and thought I could never use anything else, and this small keyboard felt like proof of that to me.

Then, once I got my HHKB, I felt completely differently about it. Mostly, it was in the Function layer and the placement of certain keys. Just felt more natural to me. It became my favorite keyboard very quickly, and I even had to go as far as changing all my other keyboards to try to match the layout because it was weird to go back, even after a small amount of time with it.

My point is not to convince you to get a HHKB, but to tell you that everyone is different. What one person may like or find perfect, another may hate. Thus, be careful not to narrow yourself down to just one person's or small group of people's experience.

With that being said, IF GON is truly coming out with a BT keyboard that is 60%, programmable, and has different choices for layout options, that sounds pretty significant to me.
Title: Re: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: Sent on Thu, 18 September 2014, 06:34:03
With that being said, IF GON is truly coming out with a BT keyboard that is 60%, programmable, and has different choices for layout options, that sounds pretty significant to me.

I believe GON confirmed it in his NerD Ver2.0 thread that this was happening.  Probably will be a definite buy for a lot of people.

Edit:  Here's the quote :)

Ooooh.  This is very interesting.  :D

Will there be a new 60% design in the future to go along with this?


Yes it's on my schedule ;)
Title: Re: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: Grim Fandango on Thu, 18 September 2014, 07:10:23
I did something similar when I opted for the realforce keyboards. They combined characteristics I value, and perhaps most importantly, they allowed me to use them anywhere. Most other keyboards people use here would not be accepted at work or even at home in the living room due to the noise.
Title: Re: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: GL1TCH3D on Thu, 18 September 2014, 07:47:40
Gon?
I think his TKL has wireless now too
Title: Re: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: FrostyToast on Thu, 18 September 2014, 08:31:50
Gon?
I think his TKL has wireless now too

The got 2.0 is going to have wireless.  I think I did remember seeing it on his site
Title: Re: Keyboard Monogamy
Post by: GL1TCH3D on Thu, 18 September 2014, 08:45:03
Gon?
I think his TKL has wireless now too

The got 2.0 is going to have wireless.  I think I did remember seeing it on his site

Yup, the new wireless option with the new PCBs when he released the  Crystal it seems. Not sure if that works on the 60% version? Didn't check