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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Hak Foo on Wed, 09 September 2009, 22:16:51
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Just a $4 thrift shop find.
The general look was "Big slab with clicky switches". I immediately thought "Damn... did I just find a Cherry blue board after ordering one for $65?" The layout is "101 / F cross" -- small backspace but generally sensible.
No, it's not quote the same look. There's a "pencil catcher" above the top row of keys.
The switches are the NMB space-invader type, with a click. It's weird, in the click seems to occur well above of where you'd expect on a BS board. I bought another old NMB mechanical, and it was tactile, not clicky. Switches are plate-mounted,
It's also a fairly short throw. The keys are single shot. The lone IC in plain sight dates from '96.
Honestly, I'm not hugely intrigued in the board for any reason, except general obscurity.
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The switches are the NMB space-invader type, with a click. It's weird, in the click seems to occur well above of where you'd expect on a BS board.
the click is generated by an external mechanism. there's a plastic lever that pivots and clicks as the stem is depressed. you can see it in the third picture.
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Gotta love those thrift shop deals.
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Finally typing on it. So quiet compared to the Fuuka Solidtek, and the clicks are so short and high-pitched.
The travel doesn't feel as deep as a Buckling Spring job, but sufficient.
The carraige-return stuck as I tried to type the sentence. I think its travel is well less than you'd expect
The force is odd. If you stack seventeen 10-yen coins (x4.5g = 76.5g) on a key (I tried cursor-left since it's easy to balance the coins on) it will often "seize"-- a tiny tap will push the key down, and the coins will keep it down, but it won't drop by the coins alone. I suspect the seperate click mechanism can really upset the curve.
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the click is generated by an external mechanism. there's a plastic lever that pivots and clicks as the stem is depressed. you can see it in the third picture.
I have a few old (sadly dead) NMB RT8256CW+ keyboards with these space invader switches with the click lever. I've been trying to find a modern keyboard that feels like my beloved NMBs for years to no avail. Do any modern keyboards still use these switches? Otherwise, does anyone know what modern mechanical switches feel closest to these?
Based on recent research, it seems like the blue-stemmed Cherrys (MX1A-E1NW) may be close, but I haven't tried a keyboard with blue Cherrys yet.
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No new boards are available with the NMB switches. I'm not sure when they were discontinued, but it's been a while (10 years maybe?).
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Based on recent research, it seems like the blue-stemmed Cherrys (MX1A-E1NW) may be close, but I haven't tried a keyboard with blue Cherrys yet.
yes, blue cherries are the closest modern switch you'll get to the nmb click tactiles.
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Thanks very much guys. I'm going to try a FILCO Majestouch Tactile Click NKRO.
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yes, blue cherries are the closest modern switch you'll get to the nmb click tactiles.
I beg to differ. Unless the nmb switches soften over time and tend to feel like the MX blue. When new, those NMB’s need much more pressure for actuation than the blue.
Got my RTs new from NMB about 10 years ago. These nmb switches are one of my favorite but I hated the sharp spacebar design scrubbing my thumbs. Which explain the low mileage I did with these boards.
I didn’t bother modding it or looking for a decent replacement spacebar.
I say try Blue MX before you buy or you might get disapointed.
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I beg to differ. Unless the nmb switches soften over time and tend to feel like the MX blue. When new, those NMB’s need much more pressure for actuation than the blue.
yes, the nmb switches are heavier, but in other respects, the blues come close. no modern switch is going to feel exactly like the nmb's.
I say try Blue MX before you buy or you might get disapointed.
while i agree, try before you buy isn't always possible with keyboards. he could always sell it if he doesn't like it.
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while i agree, try before you buy isn't always possible with keyboards. he could always sell it if he doesn't like it.
You are absolutely right.
I don't think I ever saw a retail store with mechanical boards in demo.
I wonder if Internet Coffee places could make money selling a try before you buy for high end keyboards.
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... those NMB’s need much more pressure for actuation than the blue.
This is actually excellent news to me, because that means the Cherry MX Blues actuate more easily than what I was used to on the NMBs, and I should therefore perhaps be able to type more easily/faster. What I loved about the NMB switches was the audible click on the way down and on the way up (during actuation AND release). It added to the noise, but I didn't mind.
Do the Cherry MX Blue switches click both on the way down and on the way back up, or only on the way down?
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Do the Cherry MX Blue switches click both on the way down and on the way back up, or only on the way down?
the blues do make some sound on the way up, but it's not nearly as loud as the click on the way down.
how loud were your nmb's? the nmb i have isn't very loud at all; the blue cherry keyboards make significantly more noise.
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That's interesting. The blues don't click on the way up. Why do you like that?
Wow, I didn't noticed my RTs were clicking on the way up as well.
Had to check for myself and oh yeah they do.
When you type fast, this audible sound is masked by the noise the keycap makes when the key is fully released (the moment the finger doesn't touch it anymore)
It is interesting indeed. Looking forward for the answer.
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That's interesting. The blues don't click on the way up. Why do you like that?
Not sure why I like the bi-directional, audible click. Maybe it's extra reassurance to my brain like "dude, you really nailed this keypress" on the way down, and "dude, did I mention you're amazing?" on the way back up :) I can certainly live with a single click on actuation, though.
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Not sure why I like the bi-directional, audible click. Maybe it's extra reassurance to my brain like "dude, you really nailed this keypress" on the way down, and "dude, did I mention you're amazing?" on the way back up :) I can certainly live with a single click on actuation, though.
That. Was a great description XD
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When you type fast, this audible sound is masked by the noise the keycap makes when the key is fully released (the moment the finger doesn't touch it anymore)
I tried typing on my NMBs again, and you're right: the click on the way back up is masked by the noise of the keycaps on release, so I guess that second click was not an important part of the auditory feedback in my experience with NMBs. Kinda a bummer to hear the blues are considerably louder than the NMBs, because the NMBs were sizably quieter than my current Alps-based Matias keyboard, but they're probably not noisier than this ridiculously loud Matias board. At any rate, I can live with "click." What bugs me about my current board is the loud "clang" I get from the loose keycaps when I release the keys. Hopefully, quality Cherry-based boards have better-fitting keycaps.
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Not sure why I like the bi-directional, audible click. Maybe it's extra reassurance to my brain like "dude, you really nailed this keypress" on the way down, and "dude, did I mention you're amazing?" on the way back up :) I can certainly live with a single click on actuation, though.
Wow. Topres just fart.
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I would be interested in finding a replacement spacebar due to it's rough edge. Can you help? I'm open to to ideas and suggestions.
Thanks for your time.
Col
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I took my spacebar out into the garage tonight and sanded the snot out of the leading edge of the spacebar with an orbital sander to round it a bit since the sharp edge is exactly where the thumb rests on this board. It actually turned out really well with the only drawback being that it just reinforces the fact that the spacebar switch is a bit too stiff and needs some modification to allow smoother actuation. I'm a huge fan of this board and these switches, and recommend it for any of you looking for something that's not like any of the popular mechanical boards. I do highly recommend sanding the space bar if you plan on using it for more than a few minutes at a time, though. I plan on looking into adding a bit of silicone spray to the spacebar switch to see if it will loosen it up enough to make it comfortable.
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Finally typing on it. So quiet compared to the Fuuka Solidtek, and the clicks are so short and high-pitched.
The travel doesn't feel as deep as a Buckling Spring job, but sufficient.
The carraige-return stuck as I tried to type the sentence. I think its travel is well less than you'd expect
The force is odd. If you stack seventeen 10-yen coins (x4.5g = 76.5g) on a key (I tried cursor-left since it's easy to balance the coins on) it will often "seize"-- a tiny tap will push the key down, and the coins will keep it down, but it won't drop by the coins alone. I suspect the seperate click mechanism can really upset the curve.
I noticed that too. Some keys fee rough and need more force than others. Also key press key presses get registered before the click. It feels weird. I just started typing on this keyboard and will try to stick with it for a week, but initial impression has not been good.
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It's a quirky board for sure. I have 3 of them, none working currently :P
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At the library in my town they've got a few of those old NMB clickers along with their Model M's.
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Found one of these in the storage room at work and my boss said to please dispose of it. Yoink!