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Author Topic: Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?  (Read 2634 times)

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Offline velociraptor

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Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
« on: Mon, 19 July 2010, 19:32:41 »
Do any of you keyboard gurus know which Cherry key switches the Mac Mini Compact Keyboard has?  I searched but didn't find much on the compact Datacals.  I've put in an info request, but am impatient.  :-)  I'm trying to decide between it and the Filco Tenkeyless w/Cherry blues.

I have been a long-time mechanical key switch fan, but my Matias Tactile Pro (original) is not good for my shoulder RSI (evil mouse), so I am going tenkeyless.  I have a Siig Mini Touch, too, but it's dedicated to my home file server.  I'm not sure how the Mac or the USB KVM would handle AT->PS/2->USB, either.

My other daily driver (work) is an Apple aluminum tenkeyless--scissor key switches are my second choice behind mechanicals.  I wish it felt more like the keys on the Powerbook Aluminum laptops, though, they were much better, IMO.

Thanks--
=V=
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Offline Superfluous Parentheses

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Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
« Reply #1 on: Mon, 19 July 2010, 20:15:51 »
Dunno, but that's an interesting layout. I quite like it from here.
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Offline Oqsy

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Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
« Reply #2 on: Mon, 19 July 2010, 21:14:02 »
Wow, I actually LOVE that layout.  Depending on the type of MX switches, I might have found the first NIB board I'm interested in buying since joining this forum!  Does it come in black? :D
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Offline hyperlinked

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Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
« Reply #3 on: Mon, 19 July 2010, 21:20:21 »
Wow. I like it! I can't believe that one hasn't come up around here before.

I don't have a tenkeyless yet either. I'd like to know what kind of switches it has too.
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Topre: Realforce 103U Cherry: Filco Majestouch 104 (Brown), Ione Scorpius M10 (Blue)
Buckling Spring: IBM Model M1391401 ALPS: Apple Extended Keyboard II (Cream), ABS M1 (Fukka/Black), MicroConnectors Flavored USB (Black)
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Scissors: Apple Full Sized Aluminum
Pointy Stuff: Razer Imperator, Razer Copperhead, DT225 Trackball, Apple Magic Mouse, Logitech MX1000, Apple Mighty Mouse
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Offline Oqsy

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Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
« Reply #4 on: Mon, 19 July 2010, 21:31:05 »
I sure hope they're not Cherry ML switches...  decent switches for what they are, but they're no Cherry MX.  I realized after my last post that ML's could be a reason this board may not have been brought to light before.  Maybe someone researched and found that switch type and abandoned further inquiry...  I'll do some googling and report back :D

This link seems to point to cherry blues!  Yay!
« Last Edit: Mon, 19 July 2010, 21:39:38 by Oqsy »
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[sigpic]Currently in use: Rosewill RK9000 and CH DT225[/sigpic]
"Private misfortunes make for public welfare."

Offline hyperlinked

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Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
« Reply #5 on: Mon, 19 July 2010, 21:56:26 »
Quote from: Oqsy;204361
This link seems to point to cherry blues!  Yay!

Walk your credit card back into your wallet man! You may notice the user is none other than the Mav himself and this board was discussed here:
http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=3869

The current editions are actually Cherry Blacks. :(
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-

Topre: Realforce 103U Cherry: Filco Majestouch 104 (Brown), Ione Scorpius M10 (Blue)
Buckling Spring: IBM Model M1391401 ALPS: Apple Extended Keyboard II (Cream), ABS M1 (Fukka/Black), MicroConnectors Flavored USB (Black)
Domes: Matias Optimizer, Kensington ComfortType, Microsoft Internet Keyboard
Scissors: Apple Full Sized Aluminum
Pointy Stuff: Razer Imperator, Razer Copperhead, DT225 Trackball, Apple Magic Mouse, Logitech MX1000, Apple Mighty Mouse
Systems: MacPro, MacBook Pro, ASUS eeePC netbook, Dell D600 laptop, a small cluster of Linux Web servers
Displays: Apple Cinema Display 30", Apple Cinema Display 23"
Ergo Devices: Zody Chair, Nightingale CXO, Somaform, Theraball, 3M AKT180LE Keyboard Tray

Offline vyshane

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Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
« Reply #6 on: Mon, 19 July 2010, 22:16:08 »
I've got two of these with Cherry blues.
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Offline gr1m

  • Posts: 439
Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
« Reply #7 on: Mon, 19 July 2010, 23:35:33 »
"Due to customer complaints about noise, the new version now comes with the BLACK stem Cherry keyswitches"

Wouldn't browns have made more sense than going immediately to a gamer switch?
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Offline Oqsy

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Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
« Reply #8 on: Mon, 19 July 2010, 23:59:40 »
Doh, would love to have gotten my hands on a blue version...  I still haven't used blues, and what a nice form factor for trying them out :D

I should have known this would have been a covered board... smk-88, duh.
« Last Edit: Tue, 20 July 2010, 00:03:56 by Oqsy »
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[sigpic]Currently in use: Rosewill RK9000 and CH DT225[/sigpic]
"Private misfortunes make for public welfare."

Offline velociraptor

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Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
« Reply #9 on: Tue, 20 July 2010, 15:21:36 »
Going from the last two posts by iMav here: http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=3869&page=2, and the Datacal website's picture, these might have blues, since the aux keys are on either side (assuming the pictured stock is what they actually have).

Thanks for all the responses.  I got an email stating they have "Cherry MX switches" and asked if they could either tell me which ones or give the actual model/rev from the back of the keyboard.  I'll update with whatever info they send.

=V=
« Last Edit: Tue, 20 July 2010, 15:32:22 by velociraptor »
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Offline JBert

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Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
« Reply #10 on: Tue, 20 July 2010, 16:47:45 »
Quote from: gr1m;204400
"Due to customer complaints about noise, the new version now comes with the BLACK stem Cherry keyswitches"

Wouldn't browns have made more sense than going immediately to a gamer switch?
Browns are easy to bottom out and in doing so, the keycap "clatters" (Ebay sellers would say it "clicks").

Blacks are stiffer, but they are pretty much silent.
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Offline microsoft windows

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Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
« Reply #11 on: Tue, 20 July 2010, 17:14:56 »
Now that site actually has a useful and meaningful description of their product.
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Offline kriminal

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Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
« Reply #12 on: Tue, 20 July 2010, 17:38:28 »
yeah these have been bouncing around on ebay for a while...
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Offline gr1m

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Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
« Reply #13 on: Tue, 20 July 2010, 17:39:11 »
Quote from: JBert;204643
Browns are easy to bottom out and in doing so, the keycap "clatters" (Ebay sellers would say it "clicks").

Blacks are stiffer, but they are pretty much silent.


I understand, I use black switches myself. Still, aren't there quiet switches out there better for typing than blacks?
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Offline velociraptor

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Datacal Mac Mini Compact: Which Cherry switches?
« Reply #14 on: Tue, 20 July 2010, 17:48:59 »
Update: Cathleen @ Datacal said the key switches were black or brown, so that goes against what was posted in the thread I mentioned previously.  Obviously different production models or revs.  No model # was given.

Looks like I'll be getting a Filco w/blues.
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