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Author Topic: Need help buying a mech keyboard.  (Read 16362 times)

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Offline Diogones

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 23
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #50 on: Sat, 22 May 2010, 17:51:34 »
Holy smokes Prd! That is incredibly generous of you! The problem is, Ricercar hasn't responded to my PM about buying the keyboard, so I am wondering if there is another channel I have to go through to buy it. Let me know how buying here works and we'll cut a deal.
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Offline prd

  • Posts: 33
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #51 on: Sat, 22 May 2010, 18:43:18 »
I'll give you another board for free (no deal required) if:
1. you buy that board from ricecar or
2. if he would refuse to sell it to you.

It should be like this because there was an ongoing deal at the time of my offer and I don't want to interfere with it. It wouldn't be fair.

We're on as soon as ricecar confirms any of these two.
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Offline aegrotatio

  • Posts: 334
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #52 on: Sat, 22 May 2010, 19:26:31 »
Wow, I just saw that clicky Adesso at Micro Center but they want $99 for it.  I was looking through the forums because I forgot which model it is becuase I wanted to know if the Adesso is a good board.

Thanks for the link!!
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Daily Drivers: Ducky DK1087XM || DSI ASK-6600 || Rosewill RK-9000 BL, BR, BL, and RE || ABS M1 || Das Keyboard Silent || HHKB Lite and Lite 2 || DSI Big Font (kids love it)
Yearning for: Any ALPS keyboard || Any tenkeyless mechanical keyboard
Permanent collection: Poker Blue and Brown || Adesso MKB-125B || SIIG MiniTouch Geek Hack Space Saver || Chicony 5181 Monterey Blue || Chicony 5191 Clone Cherry Blues || Key Tronic 3600 || Unicomp Endurapro & SmarTrex || A crate of IBM Model M and Model M Space Saving boards || NeXTstation Slab || Amiga 3000 || BTC-5100C black and beige || SIIG MiniTouch Plus black and beige
Retired collection: SIIG MiniTouch Monterey Blue || Razer BlackWidow

Offline elbowglue

  • Posts: 583
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #53 on: Sat, 22 May 2010, 19:28:31 »
What did you think about the adesso aegrotatio?  Nobody here has actually tried one of these blue chery adesso's yet to verfy they work correctly..
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My keyboards: Filco Cherry Blue Tenkeyless(daily home), Compaq MX11800 (modded to blacks), Compaq "MX 84u",  Wellington\'s Dampened Endurapro, Pinkalicious Filco Blue Cherry, Chicony KB-5191, Chicony KB-5181, Desko MOS 5023 UP "elbowglue" spos (modded to blues), Siig Minitouch (monterey blue), SMK-88 (blue cherries), Ricercar SPOS
Smallest to biggest keyboards in inches (Length X Height) - Length is most important for a midline mouse position
KBC Poker: 11.6 x 3.9 - HHKB: 11.6 x 4.3 - Siig Minitouch (Geekhack Space Saver): 11.6 x 6 - Deck/Tg3 82: 12 x 6 - Noppoo Choc Mini 12.4 x 5.3 - Compaq "MX 84u": 13.1 x 7.5 - Filco Tenkeyless: 14 x 5.3 - Cherry "ricercar spos" G86-62410EUAGSA: 14 x 7.75 - Topre Realforce 86u: 14.4 x 6.65 - Desko "elbowglue spos" MOS 5023 UP: 14.5 x 8.4 - IBM Model M Spacesaver: 15.3 x 7 - G80-1800: 15.9 x 7.1 - Adesso MKB-125B: 16 x 7.3 - Compaq Mx11800, Cherry G80-11900: 16.25 x 7.5 - Filco Standard: 17.3 x 5.4 - Unicomp Endurapro: 17.9 x 7.1 - Adesso MKB-135B: 18.3 x 6.0 - Cherry G80-3000: 18.5 x 7.6 - IBM Model M, Unicomp Customizer: 19.3 x 8.27

Offline aegrotatio

  • Posts: 334
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #54 on: Sat, 22 May 2010, 20:46:14 »
As luck had it, Micro Center just removed all the display models and I couldn't try it out.
I'm ordering one from Directron as I type this.
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Daily Drivers: Ducky DK1087XM || DSI ASK-6600 || Rosewill RK-9000 BL, BR, BL, and RE || ABS M1 || Das Keyboard Silent || HHKB Lite and Lite 2 || DSI Big Font (kids love it)
Yearning for: Any ALPS keyboard || Any tenkeyless mechanical keyboard
Permanent collection: Poker Blue and Brown || Adesso MKB-125B || SIIG MiniTouch Geek Hack Space Saver || Chicony 5181 Monterey Blue || Chicony 5191 Clone Cherry Blues || Key Tronic 3600 || Unicomp Endurapro & SmarTrex || A crate of IBM Model M and Model M Space Saving boards || NeXTstation Slab || Amiga 3000 || BTC-5100C black and beige || SIIG MiniTouch Plus black and beige
Retired collection: SIIG MiniTouch Monterey Blue || Razer BlackWidow

Offline ricercar

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Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #55 on: Sat, 22 May 2010, 21:17:19 »
Diogenes, a buyer ahead in the queue is buying the SPOS.
prd, go ahead and be nicer to Diogenes than I was, hook him up with a mech board or two.
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I trolled Geekhack and all I got was an eponymous SPOS.

Offline wellington1869

  • Posts: 2885
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #56 on: Sat, 22 May 2010, 23:06:13 »
Quote from: aegrotatio;185870
As luck had it, Micro Center just removed all the display models and I couldn't try it out.
I'm ordering one from Directron as I type this.


cool, dont forget a review for us :)
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"Blah blah blah grade school blah blah blah IBM PS/2s blah blah blah I like Model Ms." -- Kishy

using: ms 7000/Das 3

Offline Diogones

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  • Posts: 23
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #57 on: Sun, 23 May 2010, 11:58:49 »
Well that is most unfortunate, Ricercar. But you know what they say, first come first serve. That is kind of you to offer a free keyboard Prd, but are you sure you're OK with it? I don't want to feel like I'm stealing a keyboard or anything.
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Offline prd

  • Posts: 33
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #58 on: Sun, 23 May 2010, 12:47:30 »
Yes, I'm quite ok. As a matter of fact, as long as you're paying for its shipment, I guess I should tell you what I'm offering.

It's an Oki, identical to this one. It's nice, clean, it has the same yellowing on the case (retr0bright should solve that). Springs perform just fine. Yet some of them may seem a little 'lighter' than others, so bear in mind that it is still a 20 years old, used, keyboard.

PM me with your address if you want the board and we'll take it from there.
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Offline aegrotatio

  • Posts: 334
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #59 on: Wed, 26 May 2010, 09:08:21 »
Okay, I just got the Adesso.  From first impression I have to say it's not good.  Many of the keys stick up too high and have to be pushed down into their seats.  More troubling, the caps lock feels as if it would break off.  The Backspace key jams.  It has a meaningless audio connector and USB hub.  The finish is painted on and will definitely rub off.  THe key legends are printed with uneven ink.  The keys are tactile clickly and when they bottom out it's a muffled sound, like there's a damper or something underneath.

This is not a $99 keyboard.  I paid $72 and I'm not sure if I am going to return it.  The cheap keycaps probably need a little love.  I pried off the backspace and file off some burrs and it seems to be happy but I'm really worried about the caps lock key.

***EDIT*** The key switches are Cherry blues.
« Last Edit: Wed, 26 May 2010, 09:14:34 by aegrotatio »
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Daily Drivers: Ducky DK1087XM || DSI ASK-6600 || Rosewill RK-9000 BL, BR, BL, and RE || ABS M1 || Das Keyboard Silent || HHKB Lite and Lite 2 || DSI Big Font (kids love it)
Yearning for: Any ALPS keyboard || Any tenkeyless mechanical keyboard
Permanent collection: Poker Blue and Brown || Adesso MKB-125B || SIIG MiniTouch Geek Hack Space Saver || Chicony 5181 Monterey Blue || Chicony 5191 Clone Cherry Blues || Key Tronic 3600 || Unicomp Endurapro & SmarTrex || A crate of IBM Model M and Model M Space Saving boards || NeXTstation Slab || Amiga 3000 || BTC-5100C black and beige || SIIG MiniTouch Plus black and beige
Retired collection: SIIG MiniTouch Monterey Blue || Razer BlackWidow

Offline itlnstln

  • Posts: 7048
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #60 on: Wed, 26 May 2010, 09:16:55 »
I guess the saying holds true; you get what you pay for.  I think the Adesso 'board is kinda ugly anyway.  How are the legends put on the caps (laser, pad printing, etc.)?
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Offline Voixdelion

  • Posts: 338
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #61 on: Thu, 27 May 2010, 08:33:26 »
Sheesh, asking what to buy advice from this group reminds me of something I heard when I used to hang at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology: "Getting an education at MIT is like trying to get a drink of water from a fire hose."  Getting this much information can be a little overwhelming.  

I gotta go with the simple and fairly undisputed idea that you won't be disappointed with a Model M if you aren't worried about the noise.  You can get a decent one for under $50 as an exposure to the mech boards and then explore subtleties in difference and preferential feel from there.  The key for me is the fact that the audio and tactile feedback correspond with the actuation of the keypress, so I KNOW that what I think I'm typing is what is actually showing up on the screen and I don't have to keep looking up at the monitor only to find missing letters that I pressed but didn't register.   It is particularly comfortable for me since I learned touch typing on the old IBM electric typewriters and these were built with that experience in mind.  If your 300 WPM (bow down!) skills were born there as well I would say the M is a likely match to optimize them now.  

I think as a first foray you can't go wrong there, and more than likely you will end up collecting other varieties afterwards anyway. But whichever way you decide to go, welcome to this world:

"Hi.  My name is Voixdelion, and I am a mechanical keyboard addict..."
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"The more you tolerate each other, the less enforcement will happen."-iMav

Offline Voixdelion

  • Posts: 338
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #62 on: Thu, 27 May 2010, 10:10:10 »
Hah! I love that it says "IHTFP" on the piano!  Our holiday a cappella concert included a parody of the 12 days of Christmas with that particular acronym replacing the partridge in a pear tree. Aahh, memories...
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"The more you tolerate each other, the less enforcement will happen."-iMav

Offline Voixdelion

  • Posts: 338
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #63 on: Thu, 27 May 2010, 11:34:51 »
Was that all one dude in multiple tracks?  i always wanted to try that...

And ripster goes way OT?  the HELL you say....NEVER!
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"The more you tolerate each other, the less enforcement will happen."-iMav

Offline Diogones

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 23
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #64 on: Thu, 27 May 2010, 16:02:26 »
Well Prd, after days of deliberation, I'm afraid I must decline your offer. Understand, this has nothing to do with you, but the keyboard just doesn't fit the following criteria:
1.) It is white or beige, instead of black, gray or a darker color.
2.) The enter key is much too big, smushing out and shrinking the backspace key.

While these might seem like ridiculous and stupid requirements, I want to make sure the keyboard I get is the right one, even if I have to pay for it.

Again, I thank you for your generosity and consideration. That is kind of you to offer the keyboard as a consolation for losing the deal with ricercar, but never fear, I'll find the keyboard I need sooner or later. I also enjoyed your link to the retr0bright site; I found that to be most interesting and unusual: who knew that removing the yellowing from white electronics has turned into a serious and meaningful science?

In the meantime, how this thread ever went from mechanical keyboards to pianos falling off of buildings to Japanese barbershop quartets, is quite beyond me. All of it is very amusing and just goes to reveal the wonderful amount of fun that can occur in this forum. It is nice to know everyone here doesn't take themselves too seriously, and that the art of laughing at the absurdity of life isn't dead yet.

I may just go with the Model M, Voixdelion, as brown switch keyboards are out of my budget. Still, it is a tossup between the reproduction of the IBM recoiling spring keyboard, or the Adesso blue switch keyboard. I may come to like the Adesso, as the IBM may be too stiff for gaming.
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Offline prd

  • Posts: 33
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #65 on: Sun, 30 May 2010, 17:00:43 »
I understand. No problem, really.
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Offline Voixdelion

  • Posts: 338
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #66 on: Sun, 30 May 2010, 18:33:05 »
Quote from: Diogones;187485

In the meantime, how this thread ever went from mechanical keyboards to pianos falling off of buildings to Japanese barbershop quartets, is quite beyond me. All of it is very amusing and just goes to reveal the wonderful amount of fun that can occur in this forum. It is nice to know everyone here doesn't take themselves too seriously, and that the art of laughing at the absurdity of life isn't dead yet.

I blame ripster.  :first:  definitely gets my vote for most eclectic (and expansive)  collection of tangential trivium/topicum.  What I find worrisome is how much of what he references I actually recognize....

Although, at least  in my brief experience here thus far, page two is early even for him.  In general, I've noticed that the threshold for strictly on topic conversations around here is about three pages worth (forgiving the occasional aside that doesn't totally digress to some standalone-capable discussion.)  


And yes, this forum is kinda like my e-quivalent to the comics in the newspaper, but even more chock full of art, absurdity, and laughter.  I knew I would end up revisiting frequently after reading two topics....

**Edit -  (speaking of sticking around) HEY, COOL!  This post actually brings me to the point of losing the "junior" in my  designation; it just changed to full-fledged "Member" status!  Do I get a badge or something?  (Or did I just declare 'open season' for getting picked on?)
« Last Edit: Sun, 30 May 2010, 18:41:01 by Voixdelion »
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Offline kishy

  • Posts: 1576
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Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #67 on: Sun, 30 May 2010, 20:31:51 »
Quote from: ripster;188386
CP..."Junior Member"


Need I even say the joke?
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Enthusiast of springs which buckle noisily: my keyboards
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kishy.ca

Offline kishy

  • Posts: 1576
  • Location: Windsor, ON Canada
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    • http://kishy.ca/
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #68 on: Sun, 30 May 2010, 21:03:12 »
'bout time I got someone around here.

:)
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Enthusiast of springs which buckle noisily: my keyboards
Want to learn about the Kishsaver?
kishy.ca

Offline Brodie337

  • Posts: 414
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #69 on: Sun, 30 May 2010, 22:06:28 »
Diogones, just a suggestion.

If you can, try and find a cheap mechanical 'board even if it doesn't quite fit your requirements. I found that getting my Chicony from a Goodwill type store was enough to give me a tough idea as to what I wanted in a Mechanical, even if I would up with a very different keyboard (Filco Otaku Tenkeyless with Browns, try saying that 10 time quickly!). The Chicony taught me that I didn't want a Cherry blue board or similar, as I found the feedback too harsh.
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Offline aegrotatio

  • Posts: 334
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #70 on: Sun, 30 May 2010, 22:21:17 »
I am so confused.
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Daily Drivers: Ducky DK1087XM || DSI ASK-6600 || Rosewill RK-9000 BL, BR, BL, and RE || ABS M1 || Das Keyboard Silent || HHKB Lite and Lite 2 || DSI Big Font (kids love it)
Yearning for: Any ALPS keyboard || Any tenkeyless mechanical keyboard
Permanent collection: Poker Blue and Brown || Adesso MKB-125B || SIIG MiniTouch Geek Hack Space Saver || Chicony 5181 Monterey Blue || Chicony 5191 Clone Cherry Blues || Key Tronic 3600 || Unicomp Endurapro & SmarTrex || A crate of IBM Model M and Model M Space Saving boards || NeXTstation Slab || Amiga 3000 || BTC-5100C black and beige || SIIG MiniTouch Plus black and beige
Retired collection: SIIG MiniTouch Monterey Blue || Razer BlackWidow

Offline Brodie337

  • Posts: 414
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #71 on: Sun, 30 May 2010, 22:50:43 »
How so?
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Offline Diogones

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 23
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #72 on: Thu, 24 June 2010, 19:52:12 »
Holy smokes everyone! I have some great news! As I am a secretary at the law office where I work, I had some down time and one of the attorneys asked me to clean out the closet in the conference room. Now the closet was overflowing, because we had just thrown old, broken, and used office supplies back there without ever attempting to organize it. So as I began my odyssey through the junk, I found some HUGE CRT monitors from '92, which looked outrageous and weighed a ton. Mostly everything else was trash...stacks of files, a couple of broken mice....and then lo and behold, what was this on the very top shelf next to a box of hard drives? I couldn't believe my eyes, but it was...a genuine IBM Model M keyboard, with the buckling spring keys and the PS/2 cable that looks like a telephone cord! My boss couldn't understand my excitement, to him it was just an old keyboard. After confirming it did work, I asked to buy it from him, and he let me have it for free, as he didn't think it was worth anything! What a find! And here I was struggling to find a decent non-rubber dome keyboard, and one almost literally falls into my lap. Hooray!

Now if only it had Windows keys on it, I'd believe it was a perfect keyboard. Granted, it needs some cleaning, but you know Model M boards, they never break. And if I get angry at one of the lawyers for making me type an excessively long brief, I can knock 'em in the head with it! There is no way to reprogram the other keys to serve as a Windows key is there? I don't think it's possible, but I'd just thought I'd ask.

It surely is a joy to type on, as I am tying on it now, so as you can see my post is quite long as I just can't stop. I'll never go back to membrane keyboards again! Shoot, I don't think I'll even have to try any mechanical keyboard switches. The "feel" of this keyboard is unbelievable! Shouldn't be too stiff for my games either.

Just to be specific, the actual Part Number is: 82G2383, and the date on it is '96. A good year indeed. Sure, it isn't a really old school Model M like the 80's version, but I'll take what I can get.
Thanks again everyone for the keyboard advice, and happy typing!
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Offline didjamatic

  • Posts: 1352
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #73 on: Thu, 24 June 2010, 19:56:25 »
Congratulations!  Finding a rare gem like that is always more fulfilling than buying one.  Saving one from a scrap heap or landfill during an office cleanout makes it even better.
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IBM F :: IBM M :: Northgate :: Cherry G80 :: Realforce :: DAS 4

Offline TexasFlood

  • Posts: 1084
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #74 on: Thu, 24 June 2010, 19:56:45 »
Congrats, what a deal, enjoy.
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Offline spolia optima

  • Posts: 580
  • Location: On the shores of the cosmic ocean...
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #75 on: Thu, 24 June 2010, 20:51:16 »
I've felt the same way at yard sales many-a-time. congrats!
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keyboards!

Offline Voixdelion

  • Posts: 338
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #76 on: Thu, 24 June 2010, 20:56:34 »
Serendipitous things like that are an affirmation of being on the right path, I believe.  My Dad has a t-shirt that says "Coincidence is God remaining anonymous."  Very excellent indeed.
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"The more you tolerate each other, the less enforcement will happen."-iMav

Offline wellington1869

  • Posts: 2885
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #77 on: Thu, 24 June 2010, 21:09:22 »
congrats diogones, glad it worked out for you.  And yes remember it doubles as a self defense weapon.
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"Blah blah blah grade school blah blah blah IBM PS/2s blah blah blah I like Model Ms." -- Kishy

using: ms 7000/Das 3

Offline Diogones

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 23
Need help buying a mech keyboard.
« Reply #78 on: Fri, 25 June 2010, 17:27:54 »
Thank you for the command, ripster! I'd never even used autohotkey until you introduced it to me. What a powerful program! There are all kinds of neat tricks I can do with it. I'm definitely going to have to start using it more.
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