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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Grill3dCh33z on Wed, 28 January 2015, 15:15:14

Title: Your first keyboard
Post by: Grill3dCh33z on Wed, 28 January 2015, 15:15:14

What was your first keyboard that you bought with your own money (could also be if you remember as a kid)?
This thread was created to see what beginner keyboards other users had, and also, to get some ideas on what I should get too!

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: jdcarpe on Wed, 28 January 2015, 15:15:46

IBM Model M (42H1292)

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: Touch_It on Wed, 28 January 2015, 15:20:30

IBM 4704 107 key :D.

Fun fact.  It is the only keyboard I have ever bought.

edit.  Technically the first keyboard I bought was an alienware, but it came with the computer so I'm not counting it.

(http://fc07.deviantart.net/images2/i/2004/01/f/5/Alienware_Keyboard.jpg)

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: SpAmRaY on Wed, 28 January 2015, 15:20:51

My first mechanical keyboard was a CM Storm Trigger with cherry MX Red switches.

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: dwasifar on Wed, 28 January 2015, 15:21:06

Northgate OmniKey 101.

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: Firebolt1914 on Wed, 28 January 2015, 15:21:16

I had a cooler master TK that I originally bought because its white case matched my computer case. Then I found out the world of mechanical keyboards :blank: Not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: Defect on Wed, 28 January 2015, 15:21:45

Microsoft Sidewinder x4

Rubberdome es #1

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: FreeCopy on Wed, 28 January 2015, 15:22:01

My first was an IBM Model M 1391402, but I found it in a storage, asked about it and was given it for free. SO maybe the ~$50 I spent to bolt mod it?

First actual purchase was my Poker II with reds. Got it in a techkeys spur of the moment promotion which is also what prompted me to create my account here.

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: azhdar on Wed, 28 January 2015, 15:24:23

My first keyboard was a peasant G4m1ng G510 (http://img.clubic.com/03989494-photo-logitech-g510-11.jpg)

Then I started mechs with QFR

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: Grill3dCh33z on Wed, 28 January 2015, 15:42:51

Quote from: Touch_It on Wed, 28 January 2015, 15:20:30

IBM 4704 107 key :D.

Fun fact.  It is the only keyboard I have ever bought.

edit.  Technically the first keyboard I bought was an alienware, but it came with the computer so I'm not counting it.

Show Image

(http://fc07.deviantart.net/images2/i/2004/01/f/5/Alienware_Keyboard.jpg)

Wow! Sure is green  :))

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: epzy on Wed, 28 January 2015, 15:53:39

my first mechanical keyboard was a steelseries 6g or 6gv2 (cant quite remember since this was many years ago, but I remember it being from steelseries and had mx blacks. somehow I recall the switches being noisy as hell back then... they made some sort of metallic sound, idk)

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: smknjoe on Wed, 28 January 2015, 16:07:00

This was my first, but it was given to me.

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: jdcarpe on Wed, 28 January 2015, 16:11:41

Quote from: smknjoe on Wed, 28 January 2015, 16:07:00

This was my first, but it was given to me.

I see you, Vic 20. Meet TI-99/4A


(http://i.imgur.com/PqMHCdD.jpg)

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: smknjoe on Wed, 28 January 2015, 16:57:49

^^ Bonus points if you still own it. That's cool! Mine is long gone. I did get a working 64 off of ebay a few years ago for about $50.

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: jdcarpe on Wed, 28 January 2015, 17:00:08

Quote from: smknjoe on Wed, 28 January 2015, 16:57:49

^^ Bonus points if you still own it. That's cool! Mine is long gone. I did get a working 64 off of ebay a few years ago for about $50.

That's on my old desk at work!



...but it's a replacement from eBay. The original got disassembled and I never was able to reassemble it. Besides, I was on to a PC (286!) by then. :)

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: smknjoe on Wed, 28 January 2015, 17:03:52

Birds of a feather...I took every RC car I had apart and even a robotic arm from Radio Shack...

Moved on to a Tandy 1000 TL from that and had a Hayes 1200 baud modem for getting warez.

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: CPTBadAss on Wed, 28 January 2015, 17:04:25

Very first keyboard that I bought? This weird Belkin ergonomic rubber dome.

(http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/docviewer/aucdoc/Belkin%20Ergonomic%20Keyboard.JPG?auc=921917&docid=7368643)
(This isn't my picture but the keyboard looked like this)

The parental units didn't like that I was on the computer so much so they tried to limit my time by taking away my keyboard. I just stashed a keyboard in my bedroom and swapped keyboards. The Zerg horde wasn't going to command itself..

First mechanical was a Razer Blackwidow with MX Blues. RIP

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: chyros on Wed, 28 January 2015, 17:09:11

The first one I actually bought on my own was my Dell AT101W which wasn't that long ago. Before that I had a Sony rubber dome board that I made to last 10 years (pretty decent board for a RD), my parents bought that one though.

The first keyboard I ever had was a model F XT that came with my dad's IBM Portable PC.

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: Snowdog993 on Wed, 28 January 2015, 17:09:40

My first mechanical keyboard?  It must have been my 1391401 that my nephew owns now.  He enjoys it to this day.  My computers and keyboards throughout my life have been:
Commodore Pet 2001
Apple ][
Apple ][+
Commodore 64
Atari 400
Atari 800
Commodore 128
Atari 520ST
Packard Bell PB8810
DTK 286
DTK 386
Digital Equipment PC (I think 386 not sure)
Ummm...  Kind of a blur from 486 to Pentium, but they were mostly builds I did.
Cyrix 5x86 systems
Cyrix 6x86 systems
Several HP and Compaq machines....
And I could go on and on....

Edit! Oh shoot!  Keyboards.  I had a whole slew of keyboards but I believe that nearly all of them were rubberdome.  They weren't a high priority back then.  As long as it felt good I had it.  Several Microsoft Internet Keyboards I have had personally, Lenovo and IBM rubberdome keyboards quite a few generic other kinds.  I must have a box full of them, but I don't think they are worth dragging out because I believe next to 100% of them are cheap rubberdome keyboards.

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: Grill3dCh33z on Wed, 28 January 2015, 17:11:15

The only keyboard I've ever owned actually came with the computer I bought. Needless to say, it's terrible (**** membrane), and I'm looking to buy a new one. I'm kinda stuck between two or 3 right now...

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: smknjoe on Wed, 28 January 2015, 17:12:33

That Belkin Ergo is the first split board, besides the new Matias Ergo Pro, that I've seen with the 6 key in the correct position. That's pretty cool too.

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: suicidal_orange on Wed, 28 January 2015, 17:15:41

The first keyboard I bought separate from a computer was a shiny one with scissor switches, it didn't last long being used for overenthusiastic gaming.  Then I bought a Cherry Cymotion Master Linux which is still my goto board if I have to type lots (I'm not accurate enough to type with MX reds :-[)

(http://salixos.ingk.se/images/hardware/cherry-cymotion-master-linux-300.png)

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: Grill3dCh33z on Wed, 28 January 2015, 17:34:08

Stuck between a Rosewill 9000V2 with Cherry MX Brown or a Corsair K70 with MX Brown as well. It /is/ one of my first mechanical keyboards, so I might replace some of the caps on it. Are these good starting boards?

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: hwood34 on Wed, 28 January 2015, 18:02:34

Ducky 9008 G2 w/ MX blacks. That thing was great, but I just got tired of the stock blacks and full size layout. But I have another board with lubed 62g blacks in the mail so I'm gonna try the good kind this go around :p

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: sidel on Wed, 28 January 2015, 18:12:36

That I purchased? A non-distinct Microsoft rubber dome keyboard.

The first keyboard I remember ever using was an Apple Standard Keyboard.

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: Ius on Wed, 28 January 2015, 20:16:42

Lenovo KU-0225

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: Altis on Wed, 28 January 2015, 20:28:34

Logitech wireless keyboard (around 2003) that came with Logitech MX700 mouse (the pair was called Duo 700).

(http://www.tweak3d.net/reviews/logitech/mxduo/pics/1.jpg)

First keyboard that I actually paid money, and it was for my first computer. I remember the mouse being very good back at a time when wireless mice were not great at all.

It was succeeded by the Das Keyboard Ultimate S 3 and Razer Blackwidow Ultimate at around the same time and Razer Imperator mouse.

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: demik on Wed, 28 January 2015, 20:30:20

HHKB, there was nothing before, and nothing after.

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: ShardZer0 on Wed, 28 January 2015, 20:31:20

WASD Code V2B /w Cherry MX Greens

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: Warduke on Wed, 28 January 2015, 20:54:24

(http://i.imgur.com/rNK3DZb.jpg)

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: Computer-Lab in Basement on Wed, 28 January 2015, 20:56:25

IBM Model M4-1

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: 1391406 on Wed, 28 January 2015, 22:46:01

[attach=1]

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: mouse.the.lucky.dog on Thu, 29 January 2015, 02:49:16

My first was a Commodore 64. have to wonder if anyone here bought a Pcjr.

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: Ramuq on Thu, 29 January 2015, 03:34:56

A rosewill "gaming" keyboard. I loved it at the time, but it was before i really knew about mechanical boards. Thoes textured WSAD keys were the best, haha.


(http://archive.benchmarkreviews.com/images/reviews/input_devices/RIKB-11003/Rosewill-Gaming-Keyboard-RK-8100-Top.jpg)

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: Oobly on Thu, 29 January 2015, 05:00:23

First board I used extensively was the one on my dad's Apple IIc. First mechanical board, too, I guess. It had these rather odd-feeling "Apple hairpin spring" switches (http://deskthority.net/wiki/Apple_hairpin_spring). I remember the stabilisers being a pain to reinsert (and the spacebar one jamming quite often) and the combination of weird switches and "tophat" keycaps not being much fun to type on. The machine itself was pretty awesome, though :)

First board I bought for myself was a Genius rubber dome, sometime in the mid 90's. Actually surprisingly good compared to all the other RD boards I've tried since. I was still using it when I changed countries in 2006.

First mechanical board I bought myself was a Ducky G2Pro Special Tactile edition which I chopped up and turned into my ergo board.

WORST keyboard I've ever owned has to be the soft rubber Sinclair Spectrum board, although there was a 75% style low profile rubber dome "thing" with clear caps I bought from a fair in London during a brief stay there that comes very close... Ugh.

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: Ngt on Thu, 29 January 2015, 05:15:00

Ducky Shine Zero w/ MX Brown. Now that I am on my Topre board I couldn't go back. I just typed a bit on the Ducky and it felt awful compared to the Topre.

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: Moralless on Thu, 29 January 2015, 05:26:01

First keyboard I ever bought: Logitech G510
First mechanical keyboard: Corsair K65 w/ cherry MX reds
First hyprid: HHKB Professional 2

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: rowdy on Thu, 29 January 2015, 21:06:07

[attachimg=1]

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: dimmu on Thu, 29 January 2015, 21:12:21

the first keyboard i bought was a logitech with an lcd screen. i can't even remember which particular one. i spilled some tea, water, or coffee on it and it stopped working. my first dream keyboard was a world of warcraft zboard. i was still into mmo's back then and thought they were badass but i couldn't find any retail stores that sell them.

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: Nai_Calus on Thu, 29 January 2015, 23:06:53

As for keyboards I actually bought myself, the Monoprice 9433 I'm typing this on was the first.

Heh, I've only actually had 6 keyboards used on a regular basis before this one, and most weren't mine, they were my parents' until they got passed on to me. :P Let's see, the keyboard on my dad's 286 back in the 90s, the one that came with my mom's HP with 233MHz Pentium, the one that came with her HP with 900MHz Athlon, the one that came with the Sony with the 2.8GHz Pentium 4, the replacement after a cat knocked water onto it, the one that came with the Acer my dad got me... We never got new computers much(I inherit the old ones generally), and we've never gone through keyboards. (Yeah there's a lot of gap between dad's 286 and my mom finally getting a computer in '97, I'm not counting laptops here, I've never been able to stand using them.)

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: Huxley2500 on Thu, 29 January 2015, 23:26:06

Cheap Dell.

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: derezzed on Thu, 29 January 2015, 23:33:51

First object that had a keyboard (well, technically, a membrane keypad):  Timex Sinclair.
First stand alone keyboard: Logitech Wave.

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: jdcarpe on Thu, 29 January 2015, 23:35:36

Quote from: jdcarpe on Wed, 28 January 2015, 16:11:41

Quote from: smknjoe on Wed, 28 January 2015, 16:07:00

This was my first, but it was given to me.

I see you, Vic 20. Meet TI-99/4A

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/PqMHCdD.jpg)

So, question for you guys. I bought a replacement keyboard for this, the one with tee-mount Alps switches (the stock one has those, what are they called? I forget). Anyway, I can clean up the keyboard part and maybe lube the Alps switches. It has a ribbon connector that is supposed to attach to the main board of this computer. Well, I think I will remove the mainboard and other components, put a Teensy inside, and use the entire thing, small keyboard, housing, and all, as a USB keyboard. What do you think? Would it be worth the effort? I have the pinout for the matrix of the keyboard, so getting it to work with the Teensy shouldn't be hard at all. Originally I had planned to do that, and add a RasPi inside, for a complete system like the 99/4A was in the first place, but I think I would rather use it with a desktop PC.

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: Grill3dCh33z on Thu, 29 January 2015, 23:52:24

Quote from: jdcarpe on Thu, 29 January 2015, 23:35:36

Quote from: jdcarpe on Wed, 28 January 2015, 16:11:41

Quote from: smknjoe on Wed, 28 January 2015, 16:07:00

This was my first, but it was given to me.

I see you, Vic 20. Meet TI-99/4A

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/PqMHCdD.jpg)

So, question for you guys. I bought a replacement keyboard for this, the one with tee-mount Alps switches (the stock one has those, what are they called? I forget). Anyway, I can clean up the keyboard part and maybe lube the Alps switches. It has a ribbon connector that is supposed to attach to the main board of this computer. Well, I think I will remove the mainboard and other components, put a Teensy inside, and use the entire thing, small keyboard, housing, and all, as a USB keyboard. What do you think? Would it be worth the effort? I have the pinout for the matrix of the keyboard, so getting it to work with the Teensy shouldn't be hard at all. Originally I had planned to do that, and add a RasPi inside, for a complete system like the 99/4A was in the first place, but I think I would rather use it with a desktop PC.

Do you think it's worth the effort?   :)
Personally, sounds like a nice "busy" task to me and I would love to see the finished product if/when you complete it!

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: smknjoe on Fri, 30 January 2015, 03:46:33

Quote from: jdcarpe on Thu, 29 January 2015, 23:35:36

Quote from: jdcarpe on Wed, 28 January 2015, 16:11:41

Quote from: smknjoe on Wed, 28 January 2015, 16:07:00

This was my first, but it was given to me.

I see you, Vic 20. Meet TI-99/4A

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/PqMHCdD.jpg)

So, question for you guys. I bought a replacement keyboard for this, the one with tee-mount Alps switches (the stock one has those, what are they called? I forget). Anyway, I can clean up the keyboard part and maybe lube the Alps switches. It has a ribbon connector that is supposed to attach to the main board of this computer. Well, I think I will remove the mainboard and other components, put a Teensy inside, and use the entire thing, small keyboard, housing, and all, as a USB keyboard. What do you think? Would it be worth the effort? I have the pinout for the matrix of the keyboard, so getting it to work with the Teensy shouldn't be hard at all. Originally I had planned to do that, and add a RasPi inside, for a complete system like the 99/4A was in the first place, but I think I would rather use it with a desktop PC.

Sounds like a fun project. I've read where a few people have done similar things. Here's a video of one example:

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: Keybatant on Fri, 30 January 2015, 05:34:37

I can't remember first one, probably some cheap Micro like.
But I remember first "fun-giver" it was Compaq MX 11800 with cherry brown with grey switch for space key. Still have it somewhere, was ages ago.
Amazing keyb.
 

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: supersoul on Fri, 13 February 2015, 01:03:21

saitek cyborg  :)) (i was 16)

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: MPZ on Fri, 13 February 2015, 02:58:40

Fun Thread  ;D

Technically, the first keyboard I bought with my own money was the KUL ES-87 (reds) I bought 3ish weeks ago. Then I somehow found myself spending $28 on shipping for $40 keycaps from Korea (Leopold thick PBT). Then I was like, well heck, if I'm willing to spend this much on a board I might as well see if I prefer Topre- so I bought (and returned) a Novatouch. Now I'm impatiently waiting for a 35g switch EC108 Pro from Massdrop. OMG my wallet...

Anyways, I actually built my first computer in high school, but my dad hooked me up with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. That was the first desktop PC I owned. From there onward I was on a variety of laptops (helps when you're a college student and move multiple times a year). But this month I decided to build myself a desktop... and the above paragraph happened.

-MPZ

Title: Re: Your first keyboard
Post by: Chromako on Sat, 14 February 2015, 02:28:36

First keyboard that didn't come with the computer... Logitech USB Media keyboard. Can't remember the model exactly, but it had a volume control wheel.... it was back in 2002. It was rubbish, but I didn't know any better at the time.


First mechanical would be... Matias Tactile Pro, I think. The Alps stem wobble drove me crazy, but the key feel was fantastic and made up for that flaw.