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Author Topic: Quiet n-key board?  (Read 4123 times)

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Offline sargon

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Quiet n-key board?
« on: Wed, 04 February 2009, 11:01:55 »
I'm in the market for a new keyboard, and I was wondering if anyone had advice on which one I should get.  Here are my criteria:

- N-key rollover
- Quiet; I'm tired of my model M waking up the neighbors
- I want it to not have that fdsa/asdf das keyboard problem -- I type around 120, so it would be an issue for me
- Traditional US layout (no big enter, no big del)
- Ideally <$100, but I can go above if I must

So far, I've been unable to find any keyboard at all that meets all these criteria, much less in my price range.  Anyone have any ideas?
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Offline itlnstln

  • Posts: 7048
Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 04 February 2009, 11:36:34 »
Steelseries or Deck 'boards might be good.  They use Cherry black switches, while not tactile, are fairly quiet.
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Offline lam47

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Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #2 on: Wed, 04 February 2009, 12:03:33 »
You dont see that many with the single key backspace. Not new boards anyway.
There are some though.

The steel series 7G is nice. The blacks are good solid switches and its cool that you can use it with or without the enormous wrist rest.
Its good looking too.
I say go for it :)
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Offline xsphat

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Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 04 February 2009, 12:09:06 »
It's really quiet at my job  — I get evil looks using a Macally iKey for the love of crap — and the Filco with browns I had didn't make anyone bat an eye. They come with n-key rollover (with and without a number pad) so I think that is what you should get. Plus a Filco with Cherry browns will last you a decade, but it run you closer to $200.
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Offline sargon

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Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #4 on: Wed, 04 February 2009, 13:24:12 »
The Steelseries keyboards are the wrong layout for me -- I can't stand that big enter and tiny backspace.

How would I import a Filco?  Is there a site I can just order from? And it's made by Costar (same as the das keyboard), right?  So does it have that key order problem?
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Offline xsphat

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Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 04 February 2009, 13:59:51 »
I got my Filco and my Topre from BeNippon, but now I use j-goods to get my stuff from Japan. Links are in the wiki — there are other ways too. Easy as pie, trusted, but a bite in the wallet.
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Offline bhtooefr

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Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #6 on: Wed, 04 February 2009, 14:36:19 »
It doesn't have the rollover problem that the Das has, no.

But, what about the ABS M1? It's at least 6-key rollover - I forget if anyone's tried it with a PS/2 converter, to see if it's N-key. And, it initially had issues where it was only one or two-key rollover, but they've been fixed.

It's essentially a Filco with black Alps switches. Tactile, but not clicky.
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Offline xsphat

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Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #7 on: Wed, 04 February 2009, 14:46:23 »
All Alps switches are louder than Cherry blacks or browns.
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Offline bhtooefr

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Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #8 on: Wed, 04 February 2009, 15:21:12 »
But what about relative to a Model M?
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Offline sargon

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Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #9 on: Wed, 04 February 2009, 16:10:01 »
The six-key rollover on the M1 would probably be enough, assuming it actually works.  Can anyone who has an M1 confirm that?  Everything I find says it has it, and then someone actually tests it and they say "oh no wait, I can't hit wexc" or something along those lines.

The price of the M1 is definitely more in my range, though.  $200 is hard to muster, even for a keyboard as amazing as the cherry brown n-key Filco.

The newegg reviews say the M1 is loud, but I get the impression it's not as loud as an M.
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Offline itlnstln

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Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #10 on: Wed, 04 February 2009, 16:17:03 »
"WEXC" does not work on the ABS.  I wrote some notes a little earlier (it may even be the latest post in the thread still) about some observations around this in the N-Key Rollover thread.  I would say that the ABS is somewhat quieter than the Model M.  It does not click the same way as the M, but it does "clack" on the top and bottom out of the keystroke.
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Offline BigWopHH

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Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 04 February 2009, 17:47:41 »
WEXC does not work on my brand new M1.  And here's what happens when you hit ASDF at the same time...

asdf
asdf
asdf
asdf

Just like the DAS III.
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  • Topre Realforce 103UB
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  • Filco Majestouch FKBN104M/EB < Has Become My Daily Driver. Really Diggin\' It.
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Offline cmr

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Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #12 on: Wed, 04 February 2009, 17:56:39 »
Quote from: lam47;20792
You dont see that many with the single key backspace. Not new boards anyway.


that's because they're evil.
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Offline xsphat

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Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #13 on: Wed, 04 February 2009, 18:14:09 »
Quote from: cmr;20827
that's because they're evil.


Word.
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Offline skriefal

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Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #14 on: Wed, 04 February 2009, 19:17:34 »
Quote from: bhtooefr;20806

But, what about the ABS M1? It's at least 6-key rollover - I forget if anyone's tried it with a PS/2 converter, to see if it's N-key. And, it initially had issues where it was only one or two-key rollover, but they've been fixed.


The M1 doesn't work with a USB->PS/2 adapter.
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Offline namelessguy

  • Posts: 51
Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #15 on: Wed, 04 February 2009, 21:52:35 »
Quote from: sargon;20788
I'm in the market for a new keyboard, and I was wondering if anyone had advice on which one I should get.  Here are my criteria:

- N-key rollover
- Quiet; I'm tired of my model M waking up the neighbors
- I want it to not have that fdsa/asdf das keyboard problem -- I type around 120, so it would be an issue for me
- Traditional US layout (no big enter, no big del)
- Ideally <$100, but I can go above if I must

So far, I've been unable to find any keyboard at all that meets all these criteria, much less in my price range.  Anyone have any ideas?


There aren't too many even in Japan, and sorry to say this, none for your budget.
If you disregard the budget, these ones maybe?

Cherry G80-3600LYCEU-2 (USB with PS/2 adapter included, n-key rollover via PS/2)
http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B001NKDDAA/ 10,580 yen

Realforce 101 (PS/2, n-key rollover with chatter-free mechanism, no windows key)
http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B000EQHU5I 15,876 yen (and it's at a bargain, FYI)

Majestouch Tenkeyless FKBN87M/EB (USB with PS/2 adapter, n-key rollover via PS/2)
http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B001BR4NLI/ 8,550 yen (I don't really think this one's so quiet, though)
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Offline fkeidjn

  • Posts: 237
Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #16 on: Thu, 05 February 2009, 00:26:54 »
Realforce is your best bet for a quiet n-key rollover.  It is very well worth your investment.

Have you considered the HHKB2 Pro?
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Kinesis Keypad - Filco FKBN104M/EB - Unitek space-saver - Acer 6511-TW - Apple Extended II (M3501) - Scorpius M10 - Cherry G80-1800, AT - SGI Granite - vintage Fujitsu - IBM Model M, 101 and mini - Model F, 84-key AT - Dell AT101W - Northgate 101

Offline sargon

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Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #17 on: Thu, 05 February 2009, 09:59:29 »
I really want a normal layout.  The HHKB2 Pro doesn't have arrow keys or a 10-key (which I actually want).  The Realforce doesn't have windows keys.

It seems to me like the Filco FKBN104M/EB is my best bet.  Now I just have to search around somehow for a good price.
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Offline xyzzy

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Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #18 on: Thu, 05 February 2009, 10:21:47 »
Quote from: sargon;20868
The Realforce doesn't have windows keys.


The Realforce is also available with windows keys and numeric keypad: http://www.fs.topre.co.jp/products/comp/ (Realforce 103, at the bottom of the page).
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IBM Model F62 (Ellipse's) • PFU HHKB Pro Type S Hybrid • PFU HHKB Pro • Leopold FC660C • IBM Model M SSK 1391472 • IBM Model M SSK UNI04C6 • IBM Model M 1391405 (x4) • Cherry MX 1800 Compact (blue Cherry) • Cherry MX 11900 Touchboard (brown Cherry) • Dell AT102W (black Alps) • Apple Extended Keyboard II (cream Alps) • Acer 6312-TA (black Acer) • Unikey KWD-601 (white Cherry)

Offline namelessguy

  • Posts: 51
Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #19 on: Thu, 05 February 2009, 12:06:10 »
Majestouch FKBN104M/EB and FKBN104ML/EB are limited items and only available at Diatec online stores, except maybe for Yahoo! auctions or ebay, which means you just can't find a better price anywhere.

Realforce 103 is only available in Taiwan currently, and I don't know much about it.
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Offline sargon

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Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #20 on: Thu, 05 February 2009, 16:35:47 »
Quote from: namelessguy;20876
available at Diatec online stores


But Diatec won't ship to the US, right?  Or will they?  I can't read Japanese.
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Offline itlnstln

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Quiet n-key board?
« Reply #21 on: Thu, 05 February 2009, 16:36:43 »
Quote from: sargon;20889
But Diatec won't ship to the US, right?  Or will they?  I can't read Japanese.


That's correct, you need to use J-Goods, BeNippon, etc.  You can find more about them in the Wiki.
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