Author Topic: NEO 87 - truly PCB mounted?  (Read 2696 times)

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Offline skuko

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NEO 87 - truly PCB mounted?
« on: Wed, 11 September 2013, 09:34:50 »

http://www.vendio.com/stores/E-sports-Gaming-equipments/item/shop-mechanical-keyboard-by-br/new-neo-87-wire-wireless-mecha/lid=35592159

link to qtans shop....

i kinda like this concept of "caseless" keyboard, think it's sexy :)

i'm looking for a PCB mounted board though, in order to be able to replace/mod switches without soldering (never done soldering, don't have the time/gear/money/patience to do it)

would love to know (best from someone who has the board) whether this is possible on this.

thanks

Offline Thimplum

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Re: NEO 87 - truly PCB mounted?
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 11 September 2013, 09:37:20 »
You still have to solder to remove switches. They're soldered to the PCB.
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Offline SpAmRaY

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Re: NEO 87 - truly PCB mounted?
« Reply #2 on: Wed, 11 September 2013, 09:39:18 »
You still have to solder to remove switches. They're soldered to the PCB.

But if it's PCB mounted with no plate you can open up the switch top to mod springs/stems/lube/sticker.

Offline Thimplum

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Re: NEO 87 - truly PCB mounted?
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 11 September 2013, 09:40:04 »
You still have to solder to remove switches. They're soldered to the PCB.

But if it's PCB mounted with no plate you can open up the switch top to mod springs/stems/lube/sticker.

You can do that with a properly designed plate too.
TP4 FOR ADMIN 2013

Offline elton5354

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Re: NEO 87 - truly PCB mounted?
« Reply #4 on: Wed, 11 September 2013, 09:52:05 »
You still have to solder to remove switches. They're soldered to the PCB.

But if it's PCB mounted with no plate you can open up the switch top to mod springs/stems/lube/sticker.

You can do that with a properly designed plate too.

But that's not the point, is it? :facepalm:

Offline skuko

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Re: NEO 87 - truly PCB mounted?
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 11 September 2013, 10:03:12 »
You still have to solder to remove switches. They're soldered to the PCB.

But if it's PCB mounted with no plate you can open up the switch top to mod springs/stems/lube/sticker.

this is exactly what i have in mind...

or this


Offline RabRhee

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Re: NEO 87 - truly PCB mounted?
« Reply #6 on: Wed, 11 September 2013, 10:48:50 »
Don't know if new means a new model, but it looks identical to my Neo Zelia. Yes, it is PCB mounted, so you can remove the caps and internals  of the switches without having to desolder. I just changed my blue switches to black springs a few days ago. I think I read somewhere that it is the only PCB mount TKL keyboard. A plate with spaces to remove caps would probably work better, but generally the cost for those plated ones is much higher.

There are reviews of this keyboard, mostly mildly to very negative. I have had mine about 10 weeks now and I have no problems with it (Barring one pin of the ESC switch broken off in post). It functions well, and I also like the look of it. The wireless worked straight out the box, a pair of good rechargeable batteries lasted 3 weeks, but I use mine wired, mostly because there was occasionally a wake up delay that would make me miss the first key typed after a delay. I have found that can be a feature of many wireless keyboards. I dare say someone with more experience of top quality mechanic keyboards will explain why this one is poor, but for me, it seems fine. The POM keycaps are pretty nice too, I swapped them out but returned to them, as much for the sound as the feel, although I did remove the front legends because I thought they looked awful.

Edit: I note now that Qtan says these keycaps are PBT, pretty sure when I bought mine they were listed as POM, so maybe that is a change, hence 'new'
« Last Edit: Wed, 11 September 2013, 10:53:14 by RabRhee »
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Offline IvanIvanovich

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Re: NEO 87 - truly PCB mounted?
« Reply #7 on: Wed, 11 September 2013, 11:47:10 »

You can see clearly here it's PCB mount.
It's long been on the I'll get one if I ever see it used for cheap list.

Offline skuko

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Re: NEO 87 - truly PCB mounted?
« Reply #8 on: Wed, 11 September 2013, 13:11:12 »
Don't know if new means a new model, but it looks identical to my Neo Zelia. Yes, it is PCB mounted, so you can remove the caps and internals  of the switches without having to desolder. I just changed my blue switches to black springs a few days ago. I think I read somewhere that it is the only PCB mount TKL keyboard. A plate with spaces to remove caps would probably work better, but generally the cost for those plated ones is much higher.

There are reviews of this keyboard, mostly mildly to very negative. I have had mine about 10 weeks now and I have no problems with it (Barring one pin of the ESC switch broken off in post). It functions well, and I also like the look of it. The wireless worked straight out the box, a pair of good rechargeable batteries lasted 3 weeks, but I use mine wired, mostly because there was occasionally a wake up delay that would make me miss the first key typed after a delay. I have found that can be a feature of many wireless keyboards. I dare say someone with more experience of top quality mechanic keyboards will explain why this one is poor, but for me, it seems fine. The POM keycaps are pretty nice too, I swapped them out but returned to them, as much for the sound as the feel, although I did remove the front legends because I thought they looked awful.

Edit: I note now that Qtan says these keycaps are PBT, pretty sure when I bought mine they were listed as POM, so maybe that is a change, hence 'new'

nice, thanks for sharing the experience :)

as i said, i quite like the form factor and the fact that i can change switches if i desire to do so, without having to either build or pay for a custom board. i really couldn't care less for the wireless wireless functionality, it's purely about the solderless modding for me.

maybe after that i will go for a custom plate mounted board built by WhiteFireDragon :)

am i weird to watch an hour long video of a keyboard being soldered together?
note: i also watched his ergodox one lol

« Last Edit: Wed, 11 September 2013, 13:15:07 by skuko »