Author Topic: Great opportunity to try a good quality new matrix board for cheap! (Read 3994 times)

berserkfan · « **on:** Tue, 27 January 2015, 01:33:51 »

You guys are luckier than me!

These are rare, and they are programmable, and they are very well built. What more is there to say?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-Cherry-USB-Keyboard-RC80BM-Black-/121554462674?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c4d35e7d2

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-Cherry-USB-Keyboard-RC80BM-Black-with-installation-CD/121554462232?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3Dce735e0f618f4d0b88d9f98fe46b9278%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D121554462674&rt=nc

I am a big enthusiast for split matrix layouts, and the RC80BM is good for that. You can build yourself a TKL on a keyboard that size. I really want to see more people use matrix boards like me!

(Note that they were posted several months ago at a substantially higher price. But now at $35 shipped with best offer option, I say try for $25 shipped on your first try and raise to $30 if they reject your first offer.

Many of you should know by now that I believe in putting my money where my mouth is. If no one here wants to buy these keyboards, in two weeks I’ll offer the seller $50 shipped for 2.

ebacho · « **Reply #1 on:** Tue, 27 January 2015, 01:49:55 »

FYI to anyone, they auto-decline offers of $25 and $30. At $35 shipped it's less of an impulse buy, but still a good deal I'd imagine.

berserkfan · « **Reply #2 on:** Tue, 27 January 2015, 06:19:47 »

If they auto decline that’s good. At least, for my pocket!

That said, I am always very irritated when some seller puts 'make an offer' and it turns out the only offers they accept are within 3% of their posted prices.

There was even a seller who told me that his system would decline any offer below 44.49. And what was his BIN price? $44.99.

xmagusx · « **Reply #3 on:** Tue, 27 January 2015, 11:20:06 »

These are MX Blacks, correct? Plate mounted?

Defect · « **Reply #4 on:** Tue, 27 January 2015, 11:38:59 »

How's the build quality and sturdiness on these? Any comparable production boards in terms of build quality?

2kro?

berserkfan · « **Reply #5 on:** Tue, 27 January 2015, 11:59:34 »

Simple, that board should be the little brother of my board as seen here, the Tipro/ Cherry 128.

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=63510.msg1487567#msg1487567

Heavy, metal plate bottom as well as inside, very solid and MX blacks. I prefer it to Filco, and am backing up that statement by using only this board in my daily life (such as now.)

Due to lack of diodes, only 2kro. Fully programmable to four layers. Even better, you can program the keyboard to beep on certain keypresses, so I programmed mine to beep on the use of any lock lights.

It should be ps2, and the big disadvantage is that they may need Windows XP to be programmed. I certainly did that with my Tipro.

If you (or any geekhacker) buy and decide you don't like it, I'll pay $25 shipped for each slightly used board, so at least it won't be a total loss for you. I'm 100% supportive of anyone who wants to experiment with a matrix layout! [Whoever buys had better thank me for posting!]

Defect · « **Reply #6 on:** Tue, 27 January 2015, 13:00:31 »

Trying to figure out if it will let me space my hands far enough apart. Looks like 16x5?

Have to measure it out. Would this feel like a nice solid POS board or something lighter like my Choc Mini. Want a nice solid thick heavy plate.

MGH · « **Reply #7 on:** Thu, 29 January 2015, 13:50:28 »

I have an old laptop with XP but it doesn't have a PS/2 port. Would a PS/2 to USB converter still work with programming the matrix?

berserkfan · « **Reply #8 on:** Thu, 29 January 2015, 15:02:23 »

Quote from: MGH on Thu, 29 January 2015, 13:50:28

I have an old laptop with XP but it doesn't have a PS/2 port. Would a PS/2 to USB converter still work with programming the matrix?

Unfortunately I have not seen that to be true. I was forced to use my XP desktop with Ps2 port.

Quote from: Defect on Tue, 27 January 2015, 13:00:31

Trying to figure out if it will let me space my hands far enough apart. Looks like 16x5?

Have to measure it out. Would this feel like a nice solid POS board or something lighter like my Choc Mini. Want a nice solid thick heavy plate.

It's heavy. If you followed the link to my photo takedown of the RC128BM you will see a metal bottom steel plate.

Defect · « **Reply #9 on:** Thu, 29 January 2015, 15:33:20 »

One is on the way.

Windows 7 with ps2 port won't work?

MGH · « **Reply #10 on:** Sat, 31 January 2015, 19:38:58 »

Quote from: Defect on Thu, 29 January 2015, 15:33:20

One is on the way.

Windows 7 with ps2 port won't work?

Please let me know how it goes

berserkfan · « **Reply #11 on:** Sat, 31 January 2015, 21:27:30 »

I have already stated what worked for me and what doesn't.

I can't give guarantees except to promise to buy from you if you can't make it work.

MGH · « **Reply #12 on:** Sun, 01 February 2015, 21:56:11 »

I want to get one and put in jailhouse blues or ergo clears and use it as a daily driver, but desoldering and finding keycaps won't be the funnest thing ever $:-\$

pnutster · « **Reply #13 on:** Sun, 01 February 2015, 23:53:37 »

Darned... no shipping to Canada...

Evo_Spec · « **Reply #14 on:** Mon, 02 February 2015, 00:03:36 »

Quote from: pnutster on Sun, 01 February 2015, 23:53:37

Darned... no shipping to Canada...

Ask someone to proxy?

pnutster · « **Reply #15 on:** Mon, 02 February 2015, 00:10:42 »

Quote

Ask someone to proxy?

Could do that, however... maybe it's a good thing it is not shipping to Canada. Have to keep some money in my pocket for my purchase of my 2nd Kinesis Advantage for at our summer holiday address. The "benefits" of working form home... never a holiday...

Kinesis Advantage keyboards are killers to travel with, they need their own suitcase

berserkfan · « **Reply #16 on:** Mon, 02 February 2015, 04:21:02 »

Just a note
I am not going to be the buyer of last resort and buy from all the people who bought and changed their minds. I am just going to buy one at $25 shipped. So it pays to be the first person to try.

My purpose is still to encourage more people to try the split matrix layout. So please guys, I’m removing a lot of the risk for you already. The programming part is brainlessly simple if you have a ps2 with Windows XP. It is my great hope to see more people with this layout – I surely can’t be the only one on geekhack who likes split linear matrix? If there are more of us eventually we will be able to get metal casings cut cheaply for the GH36.

Cypis · « **Reply #17 on:** Mon, 02 February 2015, 04:45:16 »

berserkfan, I'd love to try this one,
could you please tell us more about RC80BM ? Switches type? Rollover via USB? Does it's shape allow to replace keycaps with "standard" Cherry-like ones?
Is there any thread about it here?

Defect · « **Reply #18 on:** Mon, 02 February 2015, 05:55:56 »

Quote from: Cypis on Mon, 02 February 2015, 04:45:16

berserkfan, I'd love to try this one,
could you please tell us more about RC80BM ? Switches type? Rollover via USB? Does it's shape allow to replace keycaps with "standard" Cherry-like ones?
Is there any thread about it here?

If you read a few posts up you will find out what switches and what NKRO.

Cypis · « **Reply #19 on:** Mon, 02 February 2015, 06:12:06 »

Thanks, Defect.
2kro makes it useless for me, unfortunately.

Defect · « **Reply #20 on:** Mon, 02 February 2015, 18:02:59 »

It didn't come with a cable lol.

MGH · « **Reply #21 on:** Mon, 02 February 2015, 18:05:23 »

Quote from: Defect on Mon, 02 February 2015, 18:02:59

It didn't come with a cable lol.

Wow that sucks :/ Let me know how programming works for it.

Defect · « **Reply #22 on:** Mon, 02 February 2015, 21:49:50 »

Anyone know where I can get...I guess it's an 8 pin mini DIN to USB cable.

Volvicsoda · « **Reply #23 on:** Tue, 03 February 2015, 12:12:13 »

Quote from: Defect on Mon, 02 February 2015, 18:02:59

It didn't come with a cable lol.

Wow, that's surprising.

Did you contact the buyer for missing cables?

Defect · « **Reply #24 on:** Tue, 03 February 2015, 12:19:57 »

Quote from: Volvicsoda on Tue, 03 February 2015, 12:12:13

Quote from: Defect on Mon, 02 February 2015, 18:02:59
It didn't come with a cable lol.

Wow, that's surprising. Did you contact the buyer for missing cables?

Contacted seller who says they have none and didn't know it had detatchable cable.

Well...guess I'm left with 80 black switches and a plate...maybe for a future project.

berserkfan · « **Reply #25 on:** Tue, 03 February 2015, 13:23:18 »

Quote from: Defect on Tue, 03 February 2015, 12:19:57

Quote from: Volvicsoda on Tue, 03 February 2015, 12:12:13
Quote from: Defect on Mon, 02 February 2015, 18:02:59
It didn't come with a cable lol.

Wow, that's surprising. Did you contact the buyer for missing cables?

Contacted seller who says they have none and didn't know it had detatchable cable.

Well...guess I'm left with 80 black switches and a plate...maybe for a future project.

That's a very common mini-din 8 pin male cable. You can even get a ps2 to ps2 and break off the plastic tab inside in order to fit.

See here https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=17389.0
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=57071.0

Worst come to worst I can sell you a spare. but that is totally unnecessary as what you need is so common on ebay

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Author Topic: Great opportunity to try a good quality new matrix board for cheap! (Read 3994 times)