geekhack

geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: uprock7 on Wed, 01 October 2014, 16:04:56

Title: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: uprock7 on Wed, 01 October 2014, 16:04:56: Do some people prefer tilting the keyboard or not? I see some keyboards that dont come with the fold out legs. Are there any options for tilting keyboards with out the back legs?
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: notsonerd on Wed, 01 October 2014, 16:28:03: Old fashioned door stoppers.

I like the tilt.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: hwood34 on Wed, 01 October 2014, 17:52:55: Most people seem to prefer the legs down, more ergonomic, keeps your wrists from being at too much of an angle
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: epzy on Wed, 01 October 2014, 17:59:42: i'm fine with whatever
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: Hyde on Wed, 01 October 2014, 18:04:33: I fold a towel into half first, then fold again 1/2 way in, so half of the towel are 2 layer thickness and half are 4 layer thickness resulting in a slant.

That's my ghetto tilt.

That being said, it depends on your typing style. If you hover type then leg down is better, if you're used to typing with wrist resting on table/wrist rest then you might want leg up.

:)
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: Grim Fandango on Wed, 01 October 2014, 18:15:04: I think it also depends on your setup. Height of your desk and so on. For me, if I keep my arms close to my body and bend my elbows at a 90 degree angle, then my hands are at about desk height (at home and at work). I prefer not to use the feet. Using them make me have to bend my wrist upward. Not using the feet and having the keyboard flat is a tiny bit more comfortable.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: Hypersphere on Wed, 01 October 2014, 18:20:47: I always extend the keyboard legs if they have them. For the ones that don't, such as the Poker II, I have added "feet" such as self-adhesive silicone rubber "bumpers".
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: RED-404 on Wed, 01 October 2014, 18:23:41: I use stick-on feet for negative/reverse tilt, making the space-bar the high side.
Edit: I found pic and I actually have bigger feet on the way.
(http://red.dazoe.net/stuff/WIN_20140908_160722.JPG)
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: Puddsy on Wed, 01 October 2014, 19:47:44: Depends on the board/what you're used to

I do it with my RF only
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: Smasher816 on Wed, 01 October 2014, 20:14:04: Quote from: RED-404 on Wed, 01 October 2014, 18:23:41
I use stick-on feet for negative/reverse tilt, making the space-bar the high side.
Edit: I found pic and I actually have bigger feet on the way.
Show Image
(http://red.dazoe.net/stuff/WIN_20140908_160722.JPG)

Interesting. I'v never heard of negative tilting before.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: notsonerd on Wed, 01 October 2014, 21:59:17: Quote from: Smasher816 on Wed, 01 October 2014, 20:14:04
Quote from: RED-404 on Wed, 01 October 2014, 18:23:41
I use stick-on feet for negative/reverse tilt, making the space-bar the high side.
Edit: I found pic and I actually have bigger feet on the way.
Show Image
(http://red.dazoe.net/stuff/WIN_20140908_160722.JPG)

Interesting. I'v never heard of negative tilting before.

I assume your positioning would have to be pretty high over the keyboard itself to make that comfortable.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: ComradeSniper on Wed, 01 October 2014, 22:08:24: Quote from: RED-404 on Wed, 01 October 2014, 18:23:41
I use stick-on feet for negative/reverse tilt, making the space-bar the high side.
Edit: I found pic and I actually have bigger feet on the way.
Show Image
(http://red.dazoe.net/stuff/WIN_20140908_160722.JPG)

I've tried this before and really didn't like it. What makes it appeal to you?
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: RED-404 on Wed, 01 October 2014, 22:57:46: Well, my keyboard is on a sliding tray which places the top of the keys like ~2.5" above my legs. My wrist seems to lie straighter with the negative tilt position. I have small hands and it seems to make the keys easier to reach.
I can also hit L-Ctrl with my left knuckle to be more exact what I think is called the "marriage line" when over WASD or super/win when on home row, this frees my pinky up to do other things in game. Yes, you can do this with a flat keyboard, but with the negative tilt you don't really have to try, you can feel the key and you just naturally press it that way.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: MahBoi on Wed, 01 October 2014, 23:35:14: I never use the feet. I generally keep my wrists and forearms above the plane of the keyboard. For that reason, I don't ever use wrist rests either.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: GL1TCH3D on Wed, 01 October 2014, 23:49:33: I generally dislike tilting my keyboard because I sit fairly high over my keyboard which means I'm stuck tilting my hands back up at a less ergonomic angle.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: Oobly on Thu, 02 October 2014, 00:46:49: High chair, low desk, flattish keyboard. If it's really low then you can go flat, but none of my desks go quite low enough. I use a KBT Pure Limited with DCS keycaps which has a slight tilt built into the case. Works pretty well.

Just remember to raise your hands above the board when typing (almost like playing piano) so your wrists are at least straight and preferably angled a little down and the tilt is not so important then. The angle of your elbows matters more, so the relative height of the desk and board is more important than tilt. Display should be high, keyboard low.

Tilt can be adjusted until you find a personal best angle. This is also affected by the keycaps you have on your board and whether they are stepped or contoured. Some like to have the upper rows higher so the forward extension of the fingers is reduced.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: blackbox on Thu, 02 October 2014, 00:56:48: I always tilt it. I don't hover type and it feels more ergonomic for me to tilt it.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: Sent on Thu, 02 October 2014, 01:13:56: All my boards are tilted. The only one that's flat is the JD40.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: notsonerd on Thu, 02 October 2014, 02:02:28: I wonder if tilters like using wristpads.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: RED-404 on Thu, 02 October 2014, 02:08:49: Quote from: notsonerd on Thu, 02 October 2014, 02:02:28
I wonder if tilters like using wristpads.
If I'm just messing around on the computer I use the wrist rest if I have a lot to type I don't.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 02 October 2014, 02:11:02: Personally I tend to type better when the keyboard is up on it's back feet and tilted towards me a bit. I feel like I make fewer typing mistakes.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: jacobolus on Thu, 02 October 2014, 02:26:46: The proper tilt depends on how high the keyboard is relative to your shoulder height (affected by the height of your desk, your chair (if you’re sitting), and how tall you are).

You want your wrists to be in as straight and neutral a position as they can be, not bending up or down.

The overall most comfortable position, least likely to cause injury, is a slight negative tilt (with the side of the keyboard away from the body slightly below the near side). That is, with your elbows bent at a slightly larger than 90° angle, your shoulders relaxed. If you are sitting in a standard low chair, that means a keyboard tray or desktop just above the height of your legs, or even a keyboard on your lap. (But I would recommend not using regular chairs for too long at a stretch; I like alternating between a high saddle-type stool, standing up, sitting back in a reclining chair, lying down on a couch, etc.; switching positions every 30–60 minutes, and taking occasional breaks to go walk around.)

If your desk and chair are at a fixed height and there’s nothing you can do about it, then tilt the keyboard until your wrists are straight. There’s a reason that old typewriters and keyboards have such a steep tilt: on a standard table/chair (table too high, chair too low), you need a steep tilt to keep the wrists in a neutral position.

Don’t use a palm/wrist rest for typing. Use it in the breaks in between typing. While typing, leave your wrists floating in the air. Pretty much all palmrests are too low compared to the keyboard to be comfortable for use while typing: your wrist will need to bend upward for your palm to sit on the palmrest while you type. (But this is okay, because the palmrest is not really intended for use while typing.) If you need extra arm support, a forearm rest (especially those fancy ones that freely move around) may be helpful, but might be a bit expensive.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: Fragil1ty on Thu, 02 October 2014, 09:59:16: Quote from: uprock7 on Wed, 01 October 2014, 16:04:56
Do some people prefer tilting the keyboard or not? I see some keyboards that dont come with the fold out legs. Are there any options for tilting keyboards with out the back legs?

Personally, I don't mind how 'you' have your keyboard, I have to have mine down as it's a.) personal preference. b.) feels better and is more ergonomic. and c.) Allows me to type at a higher rate, for some weird reason.

But everyone is different, so each to their own and what not.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: inanis on Thu, 02 October 2014, 10:16:37: There was at least one thread similar to this before - http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=61386 (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=61386)

In it I said I always want the keyboard at an incline. When a case has no feet I would use some rubber bumpons or whatever I had kicking around. BUT...then something magical happened, I got a case that was totally flat - no incline whatsoever. For me, this my new best option. It was instant love.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: shifted on Thu, 02 October 2014, 15:47:27: It is more comfortable for me to use them though I have heard you shouldn't. The way I hold my hands makes it seem like my hands/wrists would be tilted too far forward/down if I didn't use the legs. My (Filco)wrist rest is only used when I am not typing and it feels oh so nice...
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: onseki on Fri, 03 October 2014, 02:56:18: I like tilt, it just seems slightly more ergonomic. slightly. It's not as big of a problem on a 60% board, but on regular 87s I need it.

I don't use wrist rests because I have not found one that was interesting looking that would actually match the general aesthetic of my room. It has to be either pink, light blue, or white, none of which are really common. I'm sure it would save me a lot of pain though.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: Oobly on Fri, 03 October 2014, 03:20:46: Quote from: shifted on Thu, 02 October 2014, 15:47:27
It is more comfortable for me to use them though I have heard you shouldn't. The way I hold my hands makes it seem like my hands/wrists would be tilted too far forward/down if I didn't use the legs. My (Filco)wrist rest is only used when I am not typing and it feels oh so nice...

You are doing it right, don't worry. The actual angle of the board is a personal thing, but keeping your wrists off the rest when typing is "the right thing to do". Keeping the board quite low is also better from an ergonomics standpoint, because it cause less fatigue and the hands get better bloodflow.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: Premonition on Fri, 03 October 2014, 04:01:14: I heard that a negative tilt is best, but it's not widely available so I switched from feet out to flat, it was a very fast switch and I think my fingers benefitted from it (plus less reliant on keyboards being in one piece).
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: yasuo on Fri, 03 October 2014, 04:10:42: (http://jatinganhotra.com/images/Microsoft_Natural_Ergonomic_keyboard_reverse_slope.jpg)
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: RED-404 on Fri, 03 October 2014, 11:21:43: New feet.
(http://red.dazoe.net/stuff/WIN_20141003_111155.JPG)
(http://red.dazoe.net/stuff/WIN_20141003_111344.JPG)
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: yasuo on Fri, 03 October 2014, 20:04:38: Quote from: RED-404 on Fri, 03 October 2014, 11:21:43
New feet.
Show Image
(http://red.dazoe.net/stuff/WIN_20141003_111155.JPG)

Show Image
(http://red.dazoe.net/stuff/WIN_20141003_111344.JPG)

it is convenient? :D
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: RED-404 on Fri, 03 October 2014, 20:24:02: Quote from: yasuo on Fri, 03 October 2014, 20:04:38
Quote from: RED-404 on Fri, 03 October 2014, 11:21:43
New feet.
Show Image
(http://red.dazoe.net/stuff/WIN_20141003_111155.JPG)

Show Image
(http://red.dazoe.net/stuff/WIN_20141003_111344.JPG)

it is convenient? :D

Don't understand keyboards are always convenient if one needs to type. Maybe not convenient if I'm making a sandwich, replacing an alternator or cutting firewood, but for typing and gaming yes, convenient.
I did use the isolation/dampening feet so its squishy squishy, its still firm to type on but if I get pissed it may work as a shock absorber.
(http://red.dazoe.net/stuff/WIN_20141003_141352.JPG)
(http://red.dazoe.net/stuff/WIN_20141003_141413.JPG)
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: wes1099 on Fri, 03 October 2014, 22:19:38: I actually type faster, and more accurately with the rear feet up.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: jonathanyu on Fri, 03 October 2014, 22:26:33: i always put the feet up. flat profile always give me a strange feeling
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: JackMills on Sat, 04 October 2014, 01:51:52: Flat or negative tilt for me. Like RED-404 my keyboard is on a tray not much higher then my legs and with the negative tilt it feels better.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: saint_james on Sat, 04 October 2014, 04:22:54: Slight negative tilt whenever possible, flat otherwise. I typically do not have the keyboard tilted toward me.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: Matter on Tue, 07 October 2014, 00:28:49: I've always been tilting it. Have been a habit of mine since my laptop days. Feels too flat for me when i lay it down that it feels unnatural.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: Novus on Tue, 07 October 2014, 00:41:21: I tilt.
Title: Re: Are people usually for or against tilting the keyboard?
Post by: rowdy on Tue, 07 October 2014, 04:24:14: How did I miss this thread? :))

But I won't upset demik by posting links to all the other identical threads that have been created :p