Deck Legend: Do the pcb revisions they made matter at all?

[typo]

I am guessing this may get no replies. TG3 went from a through hole pcb with a Daughterboard for the USB controller. To the same exact thing with the Usb controller on the main pcb. Later they made the same circuit but with all smd. Without speculating, does anyone know if there is a difference of durability between them? Functionally they are all exactly the same. For anyone that actually knows, how would you rank them in desirability? I have examples of all of them and 15-20 years later I notice no differences between them. Of course I modified the switches and replaced the Led's with 50,000 mcd units. Other than that I made no other changes to any of them.

[tp4tissue]

Those things COULD matter in a stressful application.

But this is a keyboard..   it's like asking,  well my car has wheels vs some one else's car with BIGGER wheels..

But you're just driving back and forth between work and your house..   Even if there is a mechanical difference, tracking, friction, steering precision..   

At the end of the day, you go home ,  eat, have sex with your wife, and go to bed..


keyboards is just too low tech,  for it to matter.

[dante]

Call TG3/Deck and ask them.  Unfortunately Adam is no longer there but I'm sure someone would be able to help you out.

[typo]

TP4, I really appreciate an honest answer. As I said, I have realized no difference in many years usage of all Three variants. I figure it could matter in a plant next to an air compressor for instance.  I am sure it was in fact parts, cost, time Etc. dante, I am glad you knew of Adam. I am afraid Mark is unlikely to know. I figured this post was going to go unanswered. I am pleased to see otherwise. I will admit there are a "myriad" of better keyboards but I just love these. I currently have Five, Two of which are modified. The switch force would be insane to most people on mine but it suits me the best. I also actually prefer the flat keycap profile. I was just wondering if it mattered which one I would make my dally driver since a Sixth board had completely failed. but I guess they are all the same under intended usage. So It should be fine to just use one I already modified and not waste my time doing it again until I need to.

Thanks, Guy's

[tp4tissue]

The only difference between through hole pin and board mount is that one is removable.


The reason they have that layout is because it's an OEM board built to customer specifications, using a modular pcb layout.

So all of these companies are mainly Flippers, there's no new technology they're introducing, hardly any design change other than aesthetics.

What the oem is responsible for is programming the different controllers to the specification requested,    so if one keyboard needs back lit, and one doesn't , they can use the same main board,   but just use different controllers, where the non-backlit daughterboard would be cheaper to produce.


There's no durability difference because a keyboard is not made to be under physical stress/ contortion.

[typo]

You can desolder both through hole and smb. smd takes different equipment than you get at the hardware store. I prefer through hole just because taking it apart goes faster even if you do know what you are doing. TG3 actually makes everything except the switches. I saw first hand. Well, I do not know about now. They cut the pcb with a band saw. They silk screen, and acid wash it. They bend the sheet stock into the plate. Thet make the key caps entirely. They solder in all the resisters, Led's and switches. TG3 boards are not oem. The new Deck boards are jobbed out in china and it is an entirely different company. TG3 only markets them in the US. Due to a settlement of them owning the name "Deck". Now, perhaps they can make some money. You can see how at $300 they lost money on each of the original units. When it got to $179 from pressure by venders they stopped making them. They even have the mold for the PBT cases. They have big money invested in al of this. The Government will pay $550 for a "82" in each cop car and that is what they always, and still make. The Deck was Adam's idea and it failed. He figured they could grab the gaming market. It did not quite work that way. The original units with the piggyback usb controller I think Toshiba stopped making the part shortly thereafter. So they were forced to make their own. I gusss they found it easier to incorporate directly on the pcb like most manufacturers do. At first it may have been easier for them to get a prebuilt usb controller. As that is actually the most complicated part of this board. The ps/2 is much easier to do. It actually has both on the pcb of every unit they made.

Regardless of reliability, it was all done in house. At so much of a loss they had to stop.  Doing this in China is obviously much cheaper. The key caps are a one of a kind design. the uniform height was not to save money as they had already invested 3 Million in the equipment. They are extremely robust for use in harsh environments The part you actually touch is 1/4" thick PBT. The side is a thermally glued on "skirt". They are the trademark TG3 key cap. You will see that the new Deck's do not have them as they are entirely made in China. Granted, many people do not like them. Backlighting was to see in a dark cop car.

I wondered if one pcb was more durable than the other Two but as you explained undr our usage it will never receive that shock.
I have my information from being at their factory and witnessing it all..

[dante]

While the original $300 msrp didn't help there were other issues:

1. For the majority of the 105 Legend's life the US economy was in the toilet.  That doesn't mean if it were better people would have spent the money but I'm sure the situation didn't help.
2. Only offering MX Blacks and (later) MX Clears did not help matters.  Browns, Blues, and Reds would have been more popular with the masses (ie: $ALE$)
3. The font sucked.  Some will say it's subjective, no it sucked.
4. As nice as in-house keycaps sound in marketing speak the light bleed in many caps were a turn off given the high price tag.
5. The marketing seemed to die down a lot by time I discovered them.  "Deck Girl" went away and no attempt was really made by TG3/Deck to market the product.

[tp4tissue]

5. Deck Girl

Was this the same trashy makeup styled females as used by Coolermaster girls ? hahahaha

[dante]

Deck Girl I think was one or two girls that wore different color wigs depending on the color of the LED type.

The slogan was: "You've got a big Deck!"

[tp4tissue]

Deck Girl I think was one or two girls that wore different color wigs depending on the color of the LED type.

The slogan was: "You've got a big Deck!"

looks like they completely got rid of it,  can't find deck girl anywhere.

[dante]

Deck Girl I think was one or two girls that wore different color wigs depending on the color of the LED type.

The slogan was: "You've got a big Deck!"

looks like they completely got rid of it,  can't find deck girl anywhere.

You can find her in the Internet Archives / Way Back Machine.  Starting around 2004.

For example: https://web.archive.org/web/20070203140129/http://www.deckkeyboards.com:80/legend.php

There were more images but I can't find them.  The olde Deck Forum's images have long expired.

[dante]

Oh!  I found you!

https://web.archive.org/web/20061018091311/http://www.deckkeyboards.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=78

[tp4tissue]

Oh!  I found you!

https://web.archive.org/web/20061018091311/http://www.deckkeyboards.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=78

Woah..  that's provocative posing there, hahahahahahahahahaha..

Even more so than what coolermaster had.. hahaha


They totally cheaped out though, and hired one model to promote all 4 colors.. and just had her wear a wig.. hahahaha

[dante]

Yes not so slutty and more like high priced escort.

So maybe Deck is quiet because this is coming out:

[tp4tissue]

Yes not so slutty and more like high priced escort.

So maybe Deck is quiet because this is coming out:

So you know alot about escorts do ya ?

hahahaha


that board looks like yet another rgb.. hrrrmm..  does it have the super fast frame rate like that guy from keycon. ?

[typo]

The Chinese Deck's are subpar to Ducky Etc. I agree fully dante. I could add other reasons. What was special was/is few keyboards could last as long in new condition if treated well.

Buying "love" is disgusting. Maybe it is Executives or whatever but they are still creepy people. The Girl's are almost always just victims

Tp4, I just don't "jive" with Ergodox. I gave it the good 'ol college try but it just did not agree with me. Oh, I could type on it fine but it was not comfortable which is exactly what it is supposed to be. So please do not fault me I tried. I do type a heck of a lot and have not had a injury since manual Typewriters.

On that note I actually find the flat/non sculpted profile to be the best. Probably because I started on the very first terminal keyboards. Which just happened to be built as tough as the Deck Legend.

[tp4tissue]

Tp4, I just don't "jive" with Ergodox. I gave it the good 'ol college try but it just did not agree with me. Oh, I could type on it fine but it was not comfortable which is exactly what it is supposed to be. So please do not fault me I tried. I do type a heck of a lot and have not had a injury since manual Typewriters.

What tenting angle were you using.

and what was the table height relative to your resting elbow height.


I believe you tried, hahahaha.

I also believe,  you didn't try hard enough.. !! hahahahaha

[typo]

Probably so TP4. I really put so little effort into it I could not even tell you the tenting angle or table height. Other than in general my chair is way to low for the table height. It works fine for a traditional board. I am sure even a Kinesis would be a problem at this distance. You can tell I throw ergonomics out the window. Embody chair in the storage room Etc. In many,many years no injuries somehow. I actually do type a whole lot so I am just lucky. I have seen older coders with severe injuries. You would laugh at my whole setup most likely. I like it.