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Author Topic: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)  (Read 3155 times)

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Offline AKIMbO

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Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« on: Sat, 06 October 2012, 11:44:39 »
Found this listing on ebay this morning.  It's a Chicony 5181 keyboard.  Monterey blue switches.  Excellent price too $16 + $8 shipping.  I would have bought it but I already own one.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Computer-Keyboards-by-Chicony-Electronics-Model-KB-5181-/271075077418?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item3f1d556d2a
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Offline boost

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #1 on: Sat, 06 October 2012, 11:50:22 »
nice find, are those keys double shot?
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Offline jwaz

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #2 on: Sat, 06 October 2012, 11:50:52 »
Would totally swoop that it not for the enter key/ back space. nice find! someone grab this up
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Offline MMB

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #3 on: Sat, 06 October 2012, 11:51:48 »
How hard is it to swap switches on an alps board compared to a cherry mx switch?
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Offline jwaz

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #4 on: Sat, 06 October 2012, 11:57:02 »
Probably about the same..?
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Offline AKIMbO

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #5 on: Sat, 06 October 2012, 11:57:29 »
^It's a freaking nightmare...alps switches and alps rip off switches do not share the same specs.  The keys are not doubleshot, they are pad printed.  I have to ask...why would you want to swap out the monterey blue switches?  Monterey blues are amazing.
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Offline Soarer

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #6 on: Sat, 06 October 2012, 12:03:35 »
Perhaps to swap them to something else?

LOL, cheap keyboard, but: US $187.28 (approx. £115.65) UPS Worldwide Express
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Offline jwaz

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #7 on: Sat, 06 October 2012, 12:08:44 »
Quote from: AKIMbO on Sat, 06 October 2012, 11:57:29
^It's a freaking nightmare...alps switches and alps rip off switches do not share the same specs.  The keys are not doubleshot, they are pad printed.  I have to ask...why would you want to swap out the monterey blue switches?  Monterey blues are amazing.
I think he wants to put them on a better layout. I sure want to make a HHminitouch, the lady really likes it stock although.


Quote from: Soarer on Sat, 06 October 2012, 12:03:35
Perhaps to swap them to something else?

LOL, cheap keyboard, but: US $187.28 (approx. £115.65) UPS Worldwide Express

Need a proxy?
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Offline MMB

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #8 on: Sat, 06 October 2012, 12:14:19 »
Quote from: AKIMbO on Sat, 06 October 2012, 11:57:29
^It's a freaking nightmare...alps switches and alps rip off switches do not share the same specs.  The keys are not doubleshot, they are pad printed.  I have to ask...why would you want to swap out the monterey blue switches?  Monterey blues are amazing.

No, I meant to stick the blue switches on a better keyboard :)
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Offline Grimey

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #9 on: Sat, 06 October 2012, 13:46:00 »
These switches are not ALPS switches, the keycaps are compatible though but the switches will not transfer to an ALPS based board. 
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Offline pasph

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #10 on: Sat, 06 October 2012, 15:49:18 »
Quote from: JesuswasaZombie on Sat, 06 October 2012, 12:08:44
Quote from: AKIMbO on Sat, 06 October 2012, 11:57:29
^It's a freaking nightmare...alps switches and alps rip off switches do not share the same specs.  The keys are not doubleshot, they are pad printed.  I have to ask...why would you want to swap out the monterey blue switches?  Monterey blues are amazing.
I think he wants to put them on a better layout. I sure want to make a HHminitouch, the lady really likes it stock although.


Quote from: Soarer on Sat, 06 October 2012, 12:03:35
Perhaps to swap them to something else?

LOL, cheap keyboard, but: US $187.28 (approx. £115.65) UPS Worldwide Express

Need a proxy?

I'm interested in a proxy, but i'm not sure it's Monterey switches, i have a Chicony 5181 with white alps.
I asked him to see one switch but haven't got an answer.
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Offline MissMurd3r84

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #11 on: Sat, 06 October 2012, 15:51:18 »
Haha. I noticed the shipping cost too for internations buyers.. Shipping:
$218.20 UPS Worldwide Express for me. Never anything decent on the Australian Ebay to get :\
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Offline Elrick

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #12 on: Sat, 06 October 2012, 18:52:12 »
Quote from: MissMurd3r84 on Sat, 06 October 2012, 15:51:18
Haha. I noticed the shipping cost too for internations buyers.. Shipping:
$218.20 UPS Worldwide Express for me. Never anything decent on the Australian Ebay to get :\

Don't worry, this sale really smells.........suspicious.  No photo's of the switches because they know what that will entail.

Plus the shipping cost, it either weighs 10KG's or he's packing it in a coffin-sized box.  I love these creeps trying to pull in the naive/ignorant.
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Offline AKIMbO

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #13 on: Sat, 06 October 2012, 19:04:53 »
Shipping within the conus is hella cheap....dunno why the intl quotes are crazy high.
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Offline MMB

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #14 on: Sat, 06 October 2012, 19:24:21 »
Quote from: MissMurd3r84 on Sat, 06 October 2012, 15:51:18
Haha. I noticed the shipping cost too for internations buyers.. Shipping:
$218.20 UPS Worldwide Express for me. Never anything decent on the Australian Ebay to get :\

Express is the most expensive shipping option USPS has, no wonder it's a crazy price. Try using USPS priority international. Much cheaper.
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Offline hashbaz

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #15 on: Sat, 06 October 2012, 19:28:51 »
Probably the seller just doesn't want to deal with international shipping.
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Offline Mugen

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #16 on: Sun, 07 October 2012, 09:17:21 »
How is nobody buying this? give this pretty keyboard a nice home!
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #17 on: Sun, 07 October 2012, 09:52:09 »
Yes, you guys are nuts to let this languish.

These are great switches, I did not make the OP, even though I had already seen it, because I was considering buying it myself.

I don't need it, I have a superb specimen, but that is a great price for what looks like a very good board.
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Offline hashbaz

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #18 on: Sun, 07 October 2012, 09:59:51 »
We don't know for sure that it's Montereys.
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Offline AKIMbO

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #19 on: Sun, 07 October 2012, 10:03:04 »
Even if it isn't monterey blues its $20ish.....that's is still a deal for mx blues or white alps.  Its either mx blues, monterey blues, or white alps.
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #20 on: Sun, 07 October 2012, 10:29:21 »
How common are the other variants?

I have had at least 5 of these and they have all been Montereys.
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Offline Mugen

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #21 on: Sun, 07 October 2012, 10:56:12 »
How would you describe the Montereys? to what mx switch are they most similar to?
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #22 on: Sun, 07 October 2012, 11:01:36 »
Much like an MX blue or Alps white but better.

The sound of MX blues annoys me by being too high and tinny. White Alps are nice but tend to be loud and clacky.

For me, the Montereys hit just the right sweet spot in light touch, quiet clickiness, and some kind of warm-and-fuzzy that lets you know that you hit it, but refuses to annoy you or anybody around you.

Too bad that the build quality is not so great, and the small backspace makes it almost unusable for me.

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“Citizens United violates the essence of what made America a great country in its political system. Now it’s just an oligarchy, with unlimited political bribery being the essence of getting the nominations for president or to elect the president.
So now we’ve just seen a complete subversion of our political system as a payoff to major contributors, who want and expect and sometimes get favors for themselves after the election’s over.”
- Jimmy Carter 2015

Offline jwaz

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #23 on: Sun, 07 October 2012, 11:39:06 »
If you had to compare it would be green but that isn't really fair IMO.

Also Full size Monterey board > Minitouch
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Offline Mugen

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #24 on: Sun, 07 October 2012, 11:44:41 »
Damn i would pick that board up for sure, if it wasnt for the layout - the description from fohat makes it sound so sexy >_<
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Offline Mugen

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #25 on: Sun, 07 October 2012, 11:46:01 »
**** it, i took it, i'll post a picture with the switches when i get it >_<
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #26 on: Sun, 07 October 2012, 12:01:09 »
I have only tried the MX greens briefly, on the sample pad that Hashbaz sent around, but I remember them being fairly heavy.

My recollection is that the Montereys are lighter, but that may be faulty, or wishful thinking.

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“Citizens United violates the essence of what made America a great country in its political system. Now it’s just an oligarchy, with unlimited political bribery being the essence of getting the nominations for president or to elect the president.
So now we’ve just seen a complete subversion of our political system as a payoff to major contributors, who want and expect and sometimes get favors for themselves after the election’s over.”
- Jimmy Carter 2015

Offline jwaz

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #27 on: Sun, 07 October 2012, 12:06:53 »
It is definitely a much more satisfying feedback (both audible and tactile)
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Offline pasph

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #28 on: Sun, 07 October 2012, 13:32:20 »
Gone
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Offline Mugen

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #29 on: Sun, 07 October 2012, 13:54:13 »
Took it
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Offline AKIMbO

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #30 on: Sun, 07 October 2012, 14:13:40 »
^Let us know if it's monterey blue or not.
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Offline Mugen

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #31 on: Mon, 15 October 2012, 18:19:22 »
Got the keyboard. very disappointed - the switches are not Montereys, they are an MX of some sort i think fake whites or something like that.
I tried it, i really like  the feel of it, problem is some of the keys do not work (Q and P for example) and thats really annoying. I contacted the seller and requested a refund.
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Offline danielucf

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Re: Chicony 5181 (Monterey Blue)
« Reply #32 on: Tue, 16 October 2012, 14:12:31 »
The same seller is trying to sell it again, or another 5181. The pictures are tiny this time though, but the same guy in Apopka Florida. I searched Chicony 5181 and his was one of two sales that came up.
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