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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: abio on Wed, 30 September 2009, 09:26:51

Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: abio on Wed, 30 September 2009, 09:26:51: After a longwait of 4 days, my Filco has arrived!

Sorry about the grainy photo (thank the N95 for that). I'm liking it so far, its a bit different from the mush fest but I'm having difficulty with the space bar... I keep pressing it mid-word without intending to. Any tips?

Anyway, I can see why this cherry blue mx board is called a light-weight by you guys. Makes me wonder if I should order a couple of unicomps... must resist urge...
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: timw4mail on Wed, 30 September 2009, 09:35:23: Nah, you have to go all the way and buy a Model F At:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390094179659&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

As for the spacebar, I don't know what to tell you. Spacebars very so much with different kinds of switches that there really isn't much you can do to change the resistance, short of adding springs to the stabilizer for the spacebar.
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: timw4mail on Wed, 30 September 2009, 10:17:32: Quote from: ripster;121666
The Model F will also solve your spacebar problem. You need a hammer to activate it.

No, you don't. Ripster, you still haven't even used one, have you?
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: msiegel on Wed, 30 September 2009, 10:49:42: hulk thumbs ftw!
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: watduzhkstand4 on Wed, 30 September 2009, 12:43:13: lookin good (;
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: maxlugar on Wed, 30 September 2009, 13:48:45: Quote from: msiegel;121694
hulk thumbs ftw!

Excuse me, WTF is FTW?
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: msiegel on Wed, 30 September 2009, 13:51:14: Quote from: maxlugar;121757
Excuse me, WTF is FTW?

For The Win!

a vote of support :D
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: mech on Wed, 30 September 2009, 13:52:14: "For The Win." Loosely translates to the best/final word on the matter.
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: Hofy on Wed, 30 September 2009, 13:53:22: Quote from: maxlugar;121757
Excuse me, WTF is FTW?

It depends.
For bikers and anarchists it is 'F*** The World' which is what I always thought it meant.

in the online world it means 'For The Win'
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 30 September 2009, 13:56:21: Nah, he just spelled WTF wrong.
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: maxlugar on Wed, 30 September 2009, 14:01:11: Quote from: msiegel;121758
For The Win!

a vote of support :D

Thank you. Since I'm over 40, I feel like an old MF when you youngins throw in those hip acronymns now and then :)
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: rdjack21 on Wed, 30 September 2009, 14:04:49: Quote from: ripster;121692
Still waiting for that NIB one to show up.

Can't resist since you Model F guys are like clockwork. "Model F FTW!".

Hey I posted a NIB one about a month ago. True it was in Japan and a couple of hundred dollars but still it was NIB.
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: maxlugar on Wed, 30 September 2009, 14:10:51: Quote from: webwit;121768
Over 40's don't know how to use this (http://lmgtfy.com/?q=ftw+meaning)?

No I do not Google and everyone in my household is also forbidden to use Google (plus the fact that I'm too lazy to open another browser window).

You people (and I'm referring to YOU in particular webwit) provide me with much more reliable information than I could ever obtain from an internet search engine :)
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: clickclack on Wed, 30 September 2009, 14:11:17: Quote from: ripster;121666
The Model F will also solve your spacebar problem. You need a hammer to activate it.

haahaa, so true, so true!

I really like that Filco though! But I am really interested in tenkeyless versions of things now. I think I might be gunning for some sort of blue cherry tenkeyless. If... I happen to find one at a somewhat reasonable price.

I just picked up a brown cherry board (Compaq mx 11800) and I am absolutely, completely in love with it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Who would have thought? =)
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: maxlugar on Wed, 30 September 2009, 14:16:30: Quote from: rdjack21;121769
Hey I posted a NIB one about a month ago. True it was in Japan and a couple of hundred dollars but still it was NIB.

If I ever get my grubby hands on a NIB original IBM 84-key PC AT keyboard, I will build a special shrine for it...and charge admission to the throngs of Japanese and Korean tourists.
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 30 September 2009, 14:20:05: Quote from: maxlugar;121773
No I do not Google and everyone in my household is also forbidden to use Google

Why is that?

Quote from: clickclack;121774
I just picked up a brown cherry board (Compaq mx 11800) and I am absolutely, completely in love with it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Who would have thought? =)

Join the club. Brown Cherrys are pure win.
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: msiegel on Wed, 30 September 2009, 14:26:17: Quote from: clickclack;121774
I just picked up a brown cherry board (Compaq mx 11800) and I am absolutely, completely in love with it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Who would have thought? =)

*surprised*

clickclack, do you bottom it out... or are you typing in the "subtle tactile feedback" zone? :)
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: maxlugar on Wed, 30 September 2009, 14:32:45: Quote from: itlnstln;121782
Why is that?

I guess because I'm a gun-totin' right wing conspiracy theorist whack job :)
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: clickclack on Wed, 30 September 2009, 16:51:37: Quote from: itlnstln;121782

Join the club. Brown Cherrys are pure win.

I can see why! (errr...uhhh...."feel" why, "hear" why)

Quote from: msiegel;121784
*surprised*

clickclack, do you bottom it out... or are you typing in the "subtle tactile feedback" zone? :)

I have only typed on it for a few shorts days, however this is what I have noticed-
When typing slower I bottom out (and I love the sound too)
When typing faster I actually hardly bottom out. I find it pretty easy not to bottom out on this board.
I can do rolls/bursts with a much, much higher degree of accuracy! On my AT101w I can do really, really fast rolls but I never seem to get any constitency with them, and consequently make a bunch of mistakes.

I am having a problem however with it :S
I went ahead and bought a simple $5 ps/2-usb adapter for the mouse part (trackball) but it is not recognized by my computer :(
I tried it on my other computer that still has ps/2 ports for both the keyboard and mouse and it works great!!! Please dont tell me I need a damn signal converter for the mouse/track ball thingy too!??!??! Does that even exist?
I guess I should do a search on here...
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: maxlugar on Wed, 30 September 2009, 17:16:00: Quote from: ripster;121829
It's a palindrome!

webwit, would you mind googling "palindrome" for this dumb American?

I woudn't want my IP address to forever reflect the fact that I had to look up the meaning of palindrome...and in this particular case, I'd have a hard time making the case that my ignorance is due to being an old MF over 40 :)
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: maxlugar on Wed, 30 September 2009, 17:28:24: Quote from: clickclack;121837
I can see why! (errr...uhhh...."feel" why, "hear" why)

When typing slower I bottom out (and I love the sound too)

Please dont tell me I need a damn signal converter for the mouse/track ball thingy too!??!??! Does that even exist?

The only thing fun thing to me about Cherry MX brown key switches is botomming out.

This converter http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/11298/subcatid/0/id/179740 (http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/11298/subcatid/0/id/179740) from Clickykeyboards.com is the only reliable converter I've found. I think Brandon sells it for about $20 but it appears to be out of stock. You can probably find it cheaper elsewhere anyway.
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: timw4mail on Wed, 30 September 2009, 17:37:01: I must have excellent luck with PS/2->USB converters...as I've never had a problem with any of them that I've gotten.
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: maxlugar on Wed, 30 September 2009, 18:40:21: Quote from: webwit;121852
If you feel better, I was in a privacy-issues related startup for a brief time, where you could buy anonymity services to defy tracking (phone, internet, etc.), and I rather dislike that Google hates privacy and would like our rights destroyed (and use lobbyists for that) because of commercial reasons and better stock prices. They are a danger.

OMG - webwit, you ARE a fellow right wing gun toting conspiracy theorist like me...and you live in Europe!

Why, it's conceivable that we even share the same view on capital punishment (which is not the view shared by most in the European community)

At the very least, as long as you continue to shout the praises of the original 84-key PC AT "Model F" keyboard ( or grudgingly, even the practically worthless 83-key Model F brick) we will remain kindred spirits. :)
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: clickclack on Wed, 30 September 2009, 19:19:57: Quote from: maxlugar;121848
The only thing fun thing to me about Cherry MX brown key switches is botomming out.

This converter http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/11298/subcatid/0/id/179740 (http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/11298/subcatid/0/id/179740) from Clickykeyboards.com is the only reliable converter I've found. I think Brandon sells it for about $20 but it appears to be out of stock. You can probably find it cheaper elsewhere anyway.

Thanks =)
I happened to see that one a while ago, but it never dawned on me that I would "need" one for a mouse/track ball!
I have that little blue cube on most of my keyboards, so I am using that right now on my MX 11800. Bummer I have to get something similar for the darn track ball to work. I initially got this keyboard for my mother who showed some interest in its layout and function (as well as its other characteristics... brown cherry switches). I don't mind not having the trackball working, but as a gift I would feel very silly giving it to her without that feature.

Quote from: timw4mail;121853
I must have excellent luck with PS/2->USB converters...as I've never had a problem with any of them that I've gotten.

pm sent! :)
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: timw4mail on Wed, 30 September 2009, 19:49:47: I use this adapter for my MX11800:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1219599&CatId=469

I haven't had any issues with it.
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: clickclack on Wed, 30 September 2009, 20:20:39: Quote from: ripster;121896
Just get the Ziotek. It's what MaxLugar linked to but Brandon doesn't want you to know the brand name. Since he's sold out anyway I feel no ethical problem in just giving you the direct link. (http://www.cyberguys.com/product-details/?productid=10134)
Show Image
(http://imagescl.cyberguys.com/images/prod_main/P10134A.jpg)

I haven't tested it in Linux, 102key, yada yada but it works fine with a CH Trackball under windows.

Thanks so much! I think I will shoot for that one in the future :)

Quote from: timw4mail;121901
I use this adapter for my MX11800:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1219599&CatId=469
I haven't had any issues with it.

And Thank you! When I went back to return the other one, he looked at me funny and just reached behind the counter and handed me the one you linked to! Haahaa =P He said they had not had any problems with that one yet, but all the other ones (really cheap ones, like the one I initially purchased for the mouse/trackball part) had someone at some point return them :S

Thanks guys I really appreciate all the help, This forum rocks!
And my mother thanks you all as she was very excited to receive this keyboard! haahaa....CONVERTED YET ANOTHER ONE! MUUUAHAAAHAAA!!!!

EDIT: I paid $11 for it if anyone wanted to know (the one timw4mail linked to) . I picked it up at my local mom-and-pop electronic store.
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: maxlugar on Wed, 30 September 2009, 20:39:12: Quote from: ripster;121896
Just get the Ziotek. It's what MaxLugar linked to but Brandon doesn't want you to know the brand name. Since he's sold out anyway I feel no ethical problem in just giving you the direct link. (http://www.cyberguys.com/product-details/?productid=10134)

Show Image
(http://imagescl.cyberguys.com/images/prod_main/P10134A.jpg)

I did include the caveat that it could probably be found for less on the web. I'm not surprised that cyberguys offers the same product for less than half the Clickykeyboards.com "retail" price.
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: rdh on Wed, 30 September 2009, 22:19:54: I use this cheapie I happened across at Fry's: http://www.frys.com/product/4161343 (http://www.frys.com/product/4161343)
(Actually, it was a different brand name - a generic Chinese-made product, I think - and a dollar or two cheaper at the time.)

So far it's never given me any headaches; I have a small handful of them floating around.
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: timw4mail on Wed, 30 September 2009, 22:27:00: Quote from: rdh;121938
I use this cheapie I happened across at Fry's: http://www.frys.com/product/4161343
(Actually, it was a different brand name - a generic Chinese-made product, I think - and a dollar or two cheaper at the time.)

So far it's never given me any headaches; I have a small handful of them floating around.

I think that's the same one I listed.
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: rdh on Wed, 30 September 2009, 22:40:42: Quote from: timw4mail;121941
I think that's the same one I listed.

The one you linked looks exactly like the ones I have.

Mine shows up as:

   PS2 to USB Converter:

Product ID:   0x0205
Vendor ID:   0x0a81 (CHESEN ELECTRONICS CORP.)
Version:   0.10

They seem to be sold under a bunch of different names.
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: rdh on Thu, 01 October 2009, 00:41:03: Quote from: rdh;121945
The one you linked looks exactly like the ones I have. [...] They seem to be sold under a bunch of different names.

...and form factors. The wiki page for USB adapters shows three completely different-looking ones with the same product ID & vendor ID, so presumably the same chip.

EDIT: I added a picture of this style of adapter to the wiki.
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: itlnstln on Thu, 01 October 2009, 08:53:20: Max, a palindrome is a pilotless spy aircraft in Sarah Palin's Alaskan National Militia. They're used for recconaissance on the Liberals to the southeast of her.

...or it's a word or phrase that spells another word or phrase when written backwards.
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: lowpoly on Thu, 01 October 2009, 10:07:05: Direct link to the ps2/usb converter wiki:

http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=PS2-to-USB+adapters
Title: The Filco Blue MX, has arrived!
Post by: maxlugar on Fri, 02 October 2009, 03:46:42: Quote from: itlnstln;122015
Max, a palindrome is a pilotless spy aircraft in Sarah Palin's Alaskan National Militia. They're used for recconaissance on the Liberals to the southeast of her.

...or it's a word or phrase that spells another word or phrase when written backwards.

I accept the first definition - makes perfect sense, especially that part about reconnaissance on the Liberals...and the Russians she can see from her front porch.