Newbie in need of help for first REAL keyboard

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

By the way while investigating the Flico, i came across the Cherry g80-3000. It's a sexy looking keyboard i must say

http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=5594

[laden3]

What distributor ? Please do tell :d


I saw

Filco Majestouch Tactile Touch Keyboard (Model No.: FKBN104M/EB) @ SGD199.00

http://www.gameshop.com.sg/product_info.php?products_id=5145&osCsid=8b87e2092f7136718176999040cb8e9b



Elitekeyboards sell it for USD134, how this hasn't yet taken the price for shipping into account yet.
http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=filco_keyboards,majestouch_104key&pid=fkbn104meb



I'm wondering if there is a cheaper source ?

U might want to consider some used keyboards.

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

Yeah i was looking at the market place.

By the way is the Cherry G80-3000 any good ? i was looking for more info but couldn't find much.

Is it too out dated to get ? I like those keys :}

[laden3]

There are a lot of g80-3000 reviews in geekhack, try to google, idk which one is better...

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

I just woke up.

if you put a PS/2 adapter on the Deck Legend (USB) it might not work and if it did work it would be limited to 6+4 rollover.

Deck Legend will work on a PS/2 or USB adapter but it's picky about which ones.

it's also picky about KvM switches.

in the Deck Legend user manual there is instructions how to change your native USB cable to PS/2 or PS/2 cable to USB.

Some Deck engineer really screwed up there. A Filco just does the USB to PS/2 conversion with a passive Purple connector - none of this swapping 10K resistor B.S. AND it picks up the full NKRO.

Show Image

Source:

http://www.overclock.net/computer-peripherals/491752-mechanical-keyboard-guide-788.html



Also makes you wonder whether to spend that much on a led keyboard when it won't last. Users reported some leds dying after a year :/

Filco keys not laser etched ?? hm :/ K it doesn't have to be double shot, but the minimum i would consider is laser etched.

elitekeyboards stopped selling the pad printed keycaps for the Filco Majestouch. apparently Brian at elitekeyboards recently said they are going to be carrying double shot keycaps for the Filco Majestouch but couldn't say when or how much. yesterday I read they tried this before with signature plastics but didn't like the samples.

Source:

http://www.overclock.net/computer-peripherals/491752-mechanical-keyboard-guide-786.html



Anyone know when those double shot filcos will be out :d ?

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

Trust me i have sweaty fingers and my nails are sharp like claws

On my Razer Death Adder mouse it was a horrible experience because of the sweat build up. But surprisingly i never had this issue on the new Logitech G500.

Anyway back to keyboards

I am moving away from Legends, and Filcos.

Now i am leaning more and more towards the Cherry G80-3000.


Unfortunately there doesn't seem enough info i could find about the specs. Even worse, there seems to be MANY Different variants for this particular model.

http://www.cherry.de/english/products/keyboards_G80-3000.htm



The info i've gatherered so far

- has gold cross points
- uses cherry switches
- double shot keys
- aesthetically pleasing
- heavy
- durable
- has usb interface
- Found a Malaysia distributor that sell Cherries however i am pending their mail whether they have this particular model
http://wintek.com.my


The info i am missing is ...

1. does it have brown cherry switches ? ( I am a gamer, but i rather avoid the blacks )
2. is tactile or linear more preferable I'm a typist + gamer
3. Does it has full NKRO ?
4. will full NKRO work when using USB to PS2 adapter I know it does for the Filco, but for the Cherry there was no info
5. which model variant for the Cherry G80-3000 should i get ?
6. Is it worth getting this over a Filco
7. Rumor has it Filco double shot keyboards is due soon, is this true ?

[laden3]

This will help u to identify the keyboards
http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Cherry+switches+and+boards

It seems like wintek isnt selling g80 (there arent any in their catalog, who uses cherry in malaysia anyways)

http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_search.asp?SG=10024 they have some g80s

Look at this
http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Mechanical+Switch+Keyboards+Sorted+By+Switch

u might find something u like there

[keyboardlover]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned Realforce to you, but it's my favorite keyboard and it has 6kro. A bit expensive though...

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

here is the distributor list for cherry

http://www.cherry-gaming.com/english/partner/sources_of_supply_distributors.htm#anc_122


I saw these 2


Cherry (MX Brown) - 45g
Cherry Keyboard G80-3000LXCEU-2 (US with Euro symbol, Available for $97 at DataCal.) No longer stocked in US.



Cherry (MX Clear) - 55g
Cherry Keyboard G80-3000LQCEU-2 ( does not seem to be sold in US)


However since there are many variants of this model i am not sure if this list is up to date.



What Cherry G80-3000 model is this exactly in the screenshot? It's got Chinese and English characters. It could be useful for me since sometimes my father uses my pc and he knows Chinese so he might want to type in Chinese.





Hi keyboardlover. Yes i saw the realforce on the keyboard elite page. However the black realforce, i didn't like the black keys with black prints. It looked hard to see. I didn't like the white keyboard either not to mention the higher price tag then even the Deck Legend.



PS:

Confirmed NKRO or 6KRO under USB
Cherry G80-3494 (Cherry Red): 6KRO with USB, NKRO with PS/2 purple adapter.

Source:
http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=NKey+Rollover+-+Overview+Testing+Methodology+and+Results#Confirmed+NKRO+or+6KRO+under+USB

So i take that as the Cherry G80-3000 is fully NKRO. From what i read in the product description, it can handle USB to PS/2 adapter to retain NKRO.

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

Lolz i don't chew gum.

Also i'm from Malaysia. In Malaysia they don't give a care if you spit gum. I must say that SG is a better country as it is more westernized compared to Malaysia.

Anyway, ripster do you know the G80-3000 model number for the one in the screenshot with the chinese characters ? I need that one but with cherry browns preferablly (although cherry clears would be acceptable as well).

Once i have the model number then i can start googling for where to buy from :]


PS: Rip do you have moderator status ?? I'm thinking this thread should be closed, and i create a new one titled "Filco vs Cherry G80-3000" since i've stopped considering the Deck already.

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

G80-3000 LSCRC

G80-3000 - Full sized keyboard using MX mechanical switches.
L - Laser Shot keycaps
S - Blue 'clicky' Switches
C - Has Windows Keys
RC - Chinese Layout

The Chinese layout is the one pictured above. It is basically the US layout with Chinese characters also on the caps.

Source:
http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=7545

[laden3]

Those Chinese characters are some kind of Taiwanese input, most of the Chinese uses pinyin (well, ppl just use the widely available US layout). If those characters doesnt hinder ur work/game, then its a fine keyboard. I think it is the keyboard mentioned in http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Mechanical+Switch+Keyboards+Sorted+By+Switch, which is no longer avaialble...

Try to look under "International Representative" , they have Singaporean and Malaysian representatives, u can call them... Just wondering whether they will sell u just a keyboard... Maybe they can show u some local resellers. Try some Indonesian guys too, ctrl+f is helpful =P

Filco and Cherry keyboards arent the only ones with brown cherries, i-rocks and Compaq mx11800's are some very cheap keyboards with brown cherries. u should compare Das silent too...

[Kairxa]

I also have a really sweaty finger - on Deathadder. Not in Filco. IMO, no matter how sweaty finger you have, it won't really sweat on keyboards.

But it's your choice anyway - just be careful with taxes and shipping costs though, especially shipping.

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

Yeah like a bargain keyboard may be more expensive after shipping and your like




Anyway i always under declare the tax so not too worried about that

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

What about this one

G80-3494黑色红轴 型号：G80-3494LYCUS-2

http://www.pcviva.com/products/G80-3494LYCUS-2.html



I don't read chinese, but that looks like a dual shot print keys made out of POM, and has full NKRO even when using USB to PS/2 adapter.

Anyone know whether this is better than the G80-3000 ?

G80-3494LYCUS-0 (White)
Polystyrol Casing
PBT (Polyester) Key Caps
Printing is Laser Etched
Backplate

G80-3494LYCUS-2 (Black)
ABS Casing
POM (Delrin) Key Caps
Printing is Laser Etched
Backplate

White version has Nubs on F, J and 5 Keys. Black version has Sloped F and J Keys and a Nip on the 5 Key.

note: I am pretty sure the Cherry G80-3600LYCEU-0 (White) and Cherry G80-3600LYCEU-2 (Black) are the same models with some minor aesthetic differences.

Cherry Logo is now Laser Etched and Painted on the 3494
Status LED indicators are now Blue instead of Green on the 3494

the reason they use POM in the Black version is because the White lettering shows up better. POM is very strong, rigid and expensive. in terms of texture it is more slippery than PBT.

Cherry MX Red switches are Linear (non-tactile, non-clicky) they are similar to the Cherry MX Black Linear but only require 45g of force to actuate and 60g of force to bottom out because they use a weaker spring. in the 3 reviews I read all 3 of them had one thing in common they mentioned the Topre RealForce in some shape or form so they should be significantly better to type with.

the Cherry G80 Classic Line that uses Cherry MX Blue, Brown and Black switches (G80-3000LSCRC-*, G80-3000LXCEU-*, G80-3000LPCEU-*) are widely available in a lot of countries but are not as solidly built, for example they are PCB mounted, rollover is only 2 n-Key rollover and they cost 60-100 depending on the country and currency.

pretty...

Source:
http://www.overclock.net/8758976-post2260.html


Hm Laser etched but pm hm hm. It uses red cherry switch Are these considered worth getting

still think the Cherry G80-3494LYCUS-2 is worth it. with shipping the price is between a Deck Legend and a Topre. you can probably count on your fingers how many people in America have Cherry MX Red switches so it's a bit of a collectors item. I think the Cherry MX Red switches would be great for typing and gaming, poor man's Topre's plus the POM keycaps which are rare.

Christine

[

Source:
http://www.overclock.net/computer-peripherals/491752-mechanical-keyboard-guide-273.html



But red ?? I haven't even considered red :/ hm...


Found a review but it's in Taiwanese
http://www.iqmore.idv.tw/cherry-g80-3494-lycus-2-mechanical-keyboard-review



Someone summed it up nicely

if you are interested in the Cherry G80-3494 here is a couple reasons why you should buy it.

    * it cost $97 for a G80-3000 with Cherry MX Browns.
    * the G80-3494 is better built than a standard G80-3000.
    * the G80-3494 won't be sold on the market in Asia forever.
    * you won't pay any less than $175 unless you go to Asia yourself.
    * the Deck Legend is more expensive.
    * you can probably count on one hand how many people in North America have a G80-3494.
    * Authentic Cherry MX Red Linear.

Source:
http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=10774&page=2




Thats the same e-seller i found, ebay from hongkong. is the shipping price for that thing fair Wow.... Where can i buy this for a fair price does anyone know ?? Need shipment to malaysia.

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

I'm not going anywhere *face palm

Ordering overseas as i don't see any local stock for this.


I saw a Cherry Distributor site

http://www.pcviva.com/products/G80-3494LYCUS-2.html


Their selling it for the same price as that Hongkong Ebay store, however they didn't add in the shipping price yet.

So does that mean the Hongkong Ebay price is fair, just that they made the shipping cost more so ebay doesn't tax them more

Is USD $46.00 for the keyboard + USD $138.00 for shipping = Total USD $144 a fair price for this keyboard ?

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

Well i found this.

http://detail.china.alibaba.com/buyer/offerdetail/749576507.html

But there is no email ..... does this person look credible :/ hm hm.... It's half the price shipping price not included.

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

Big news.

Seems the Filco will have double shot key replacements. If that is true, is the Filco better than the Cherry i am looking at ?

My only concern about the Filco's was the keycaps, but if their going to sell replacement keys with double shots ..... *drool

[laden3]

A very detailed G80-3000 review
http://bbs.kbc-china.com/thread-2389-1-1.html, he even talks abt the construction of the keyboard.

Cherry MX reds seem to be very popular among the crowd in KBC forum... that G80-3494 looks very nice. The keyboard listed on alibaba is expired....

How soon do u want ur keyboard?

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

Well i am waiting for my commission then i can buy it. So maybe within 3-4 weeks if we are lucky.

G80-3000 is nice, however i have been led to believe that the Cherry G80-3494 is better, or am i wrong ?

http://www.pcviva.com/products/G80-3494LYCUS-2.html



I've created a new thread where we can continue this discussion; as my decision has been fixed on 2 keyboards only now.

http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=11721

[itlnstln]

This is hawt: http://www.pcviva.com/products/G80-3000LXCEU-0.html

[didjamatic]

Big news.

Seems the Filco will have double shot key replacements. If that is true, is the Filco better than the Cherry i am looking at ?

My only concern about the Filco's was the keycaps, but if their going to sell replacement keys with double shots ..... *drool

Wait, is FILCO updating their rock bottom crap keys to Double Shots, or is someone else making a set that fits them?  Please clarify and link where you read it.  The only Filco caps I like are the pure white blank ones, the rest are horrible - sorry, it's the truth.  No excuse for it.  Period.  1M keystrokes at best and  they look like hammered crap, and you put those on a 30-50M keystroke switch keyboard?  

This is hawt: http://www.pcviva.com/products/G80-3000LXCEU-0.html

Dang, that is nice.

[wellington1869]

If the Model M was black everyone would be complaining about shiny spacebars.

yea after 20 years. not 20 days.

[NewbieOneKenobi]

Everyone should start with a Model M. Cheap, classic, and a good place to discover your key actuation preference.

And you can find totally unused ones (even originally packaged) for cheap on E-Bay.

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

I was reffering to the email reply i got concerning buying key cap replacements and they told me they are going to sell Double shots full key sets soon for their filco keyboards.

A forum member here is already canabalizing some Cherry keyboards and selling double shot keys for a bargain price, however the filco ones will probably all fit better since their intended for their own keyboard.

The price could be between 40-60 usd :/




This was why i was trying to say the Filco may be a near perfect keyboard once they do offer those full key set replacements. My only concern is how to replace spacebar and those other elongated keys :/ oh and the price.

[keyboardlover]

This was why i was trying to say the Filco may be a near perfect keyboard once they do offer those full key set replacements.

I wouldn't say that until you have a Filco...oh wait, do you already have one?

[lmnop]

I was reffering to the email reply i got concerning buying key cap replacements and they told me they are going to sell Double shots full key sets soon for their filco keyboards.

A forum member here is already canabalizing some Cherry keyboards and selling double shot keys for a bargain price, however the filco ones will probably all fit better since their intended for their own keyboard.

The price could be between 40-60 usd :/




This was why i was trying to say the Filco may be a near perfect keyboard once they do offer those full key set replacements. My only concern is how to replace spacebar and those other elongated keys :/ oh and the price.

you really need to read The Anti-Otaku: A Double Shot Key Filco article. all the answers are in there.

[laden3]

ur e-mail was sent to??? elitekeyboards? stores in Singapore?

[itlnstln]

If Elite starts carrying double shots for the Filco, I might just have to get one.

[itlnstln]

Fortunately, I have all the Cherry Corp. 'boards I want.  Other than white versions of what I already have, that is, but that's not a big deal.  I am having a little reacquaintancing with my G80-1863.  I forgot how nice this' board is.  The double shots make a big difference, but these are made far heavier and far more solid than the typical Cherry 'boards.

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

@itlnstln

Do you have that cherry i am considering ? Any opinion about it ?


@ripster

Im reading it right now




I really like the look of the Cherry laser infilled key. Will the Cherry i'm considering look like that ? It also uses POM material.

[itlnstln]

The pic above looks like my 3000 and my SPOS.  I don't have a Cherry red 'board, but I do have a 3000 with browns.  Let me just say that Ripster's pic above does Cherry's lasering process more justice than it deserves.  They really don't look that crisp.  In fact, I would say the lettering even looks a little "blurry."  That, and I don't think the pic quite captures the more "beige" tint their process has.  Really, infilled lasering is not all that great aesthetically.

[itlnstln]

I know, I know, I just need to calibrate my monitor.

[itlnstln]

I would be very scared about going to a forum called "DP Review."

[itlnstln]

Flickr is blocked at work.  I get around it in main forum area, but the wiki-based forums trip up my firewall buster due to some AJAX limitations.

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

I have a HPLp2475W 24'' H-IPS LCD widescreen wide gamut monitor manufactured June 2010

Calibrated with my EyeOne2Display calibrator using basICColor. So i got a really good look at that key


So anyway, how do they do them differently now :/ whats their new process for the keys.

[laden3]

That is Cherry's business secret, ppl will get assassinated telling u =P

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

Why don't you ?

o_o;

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

email them and i'm sure they will reply to you :X

I'm a busy moogle.

[Moogle Stiltzkin]