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Author Topic: Das Keyboard sad quality  (Read 5928 times)

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Offline alexlzl

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Das Keyboard sad quality
« on: Mon, 23 February 2009, 17:45:01 »
My colleague bought a Das III directly from them and ran into all kinds of issues. First board's space bar makes squishy noise, they took it back and sent a new one. The second one had some weird key issue with "%" (it will somehow add an additional random key with %, like "T%", "F%") ??

So sad, now he is waiting for the third one coming ...
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Offline ozar

  • Posts: 352
Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #1 on: Mon, 23 February 2009, 18:04:01 »
I personally think they are pretty far over priced considering the build quality.
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Offline bigpook

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Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #2 on: Mon, 23 February 2009, 18:13:48 »
overpriced maybe, but I have one and its holding up very well.
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Offline FKSSR

  • Posts: 529
Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #3 on: Mon, 23 February 2009, 19:41:48 »
I thought a brief second about getting a Das, but I'm glad I got the ABS.  Now, I'm just trying to get a hold of the 6G.
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Offline cmr

  • Posts: 295
Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #4 on: Mon, 23 February 2009, 20:01:40 »
i got an educational discount on my das which reduced the price to under $80. i guess every once in a while it DOES pay to work for a university...
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Offline bhtooefr

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Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #5 on: Mon, 23 February 2009, 20:19:34 »
Things like the rollover issues, though, we wouldn't accept out of a $5 keyboard...
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Offline cmr

  • Posts: 295
Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #6 on: Mon, 23 February 2009, 20:31:31 »
...those of us who believe that it's actually an issue, that is...
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Offline alexlzl

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third one, still bad!
« Reply #7 on: Wed, 04 March 2009, 00:12:12 »
[UPDATE] Third one came .... still bad!!!! My friend is so disappointed, couple keys are not clicky, and the space bar is making weird noise again. Good news, he is going to get a Topre Realforce. hahaha
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Offline Eclairz

  • Posts: 308
Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #8 on: Wed, 04 March 2009, 03:49:27 »
Aren't Topre's not clicky? but tactile only keyboards? Of course they still bottom out like all keyboards can
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Offline bigpook

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Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #9 on: Wed, 04 March 2009, 05:14:54 »
I have a das III and it is working out very well, its my wifes keyboard and she hasn't told me about any issues. Trust me, she would : )
Maybe there was a bad batch or something. I had gotten mine when it was just coming out and they had the promotional price of $100. Sorry to hear that people are having so many problems with them.
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Offline bigpook

  • Posts: 1723
Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #10 on: Wed, 04 March 2009, 07:35:28 »
That pretty scathing webwit. IMHO, the das III has pretty good build quality and the blue cherries are great switches. Overpriced at $130, yes.
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Offline itlnstln

  • Posts: 7048
Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 04 March 2009, 07:58:23 »
I really think this says more about Costar than Das.  I mean, Das should have really tested this more before putting their stamp of approval on it, but ultimately, this is a Costar issue.  ABS marketed the M1 as having 6-key rollover, and on certain combinations, it fails miserably.  What's more frustrating is that they do make products that work in the Filco line.  This boils down to one of several issues: Costar doesn't seem to get the requirements right in product design, they implement solutions in a slipshod manner, or they do not test well enough (or some combination of the three).  Of course, the only people that suffer are the consumers.  I guess the other aspect of this that frustrates me is that there doesn't seem to be any pressure from the distributors (Das, ABS, etc.) back on Costar to get these issues fixed.  In the case of ABS, it seems they rolled over and removed the claim of 6-key rollover.  I would imagine some of these companies would want to preserve their good name, especially small companies like Das, so when new version x comes out, customers would have been happy enough with x-1 that they want the new version.

/rant
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Offline itlnstln

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Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #12 on: Wed, 04 March 2009, 08:00:21 »
Quote
it seems they rolled over


Get it?  Roll over?  Nevermind...
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Offline alpslover

  • Posts: 321
Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #13 on: Wed, 04 March 2009, 10:03:22 »
Quote from: itlnstln;23453
I really think this says more about Costar than Das.  I mean, Das should have really tested this more before putting their stamp of approval on it, but ultimately, this is a Costar issue.  ABS marketed the M1 as having 6-key rollover, and on certain combinations, it fails miserably.  What's more frustrating is that they do make products that work in the Filco line.  This boils down to one of several issues: Costar doesn't seem to get the requirements right in product design, they implement solutions in a slipshod manner, or they do not test well enough (or some combination of the three).


but if the filco keyboards made by costar do not suffer from 'non-working features', then clearly costar is capable of making keyboards that work the way they're supposed to.  which would seem to imply that filco is simply more demanding with their specifications and quality control than abs or metadot.  ultimately, it is the reputation of filco/abs/metadot that is on the line because they are branding, selling, and supporting the product, so the onus is on them to ensure that the product does what is promised.  while costar certainly isn't absolved, the consumer neither knows nor cares about costar (nor should they), they only know that the das iii sometimes rearranges letters by itself despite being marketed as a 'keyboard for professionals', the m1 blocks certain key combinations despite being a 'professional gaming keyboard', and the filcos work exactly as they should.
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Offline lam47

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Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #14 on: Wed, 04 March 2009, 10:33:30 »
The build quality of the das III I had was awful.
The case was all bent and bulging where the cable comes out.
It had a few switches that did not click.
Inside there are some very flimsy pegs holding up the board. All of which were cracked and had to be glued back down.
Its snap together never open again design made it a horrible board to fix.
Oh and there were a few trace repairs too. Right next to the tabs where the switches had been soldered on.
Mine was a horrible keyboard and very expensive considering the poor quality.

And I have not mentioned the roll over issue yet.
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Offline itlnstln

  • Posts: 7048
Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #15 on: Wed, 04 March 2009, 10:40:36 »
The problem is, too, is that the review samples that Metdot, et. al. receive are not, necessarily, production samples.  They test the prototypes and couple of samples off the line, and make sure everything looks OK.  After that, they assume (and may even take a sample now and then) that everything that comes off the line is exactly the same as what they reviewed (as you would hope).  Unfortunately, that is not the case, and customers are receiving whatever crap passes whatever QA testing Costar has.  Very unfortunate.
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Offline bigpook

  • Posts: 1723
Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #16 on: Wed, 04 March 2009, 11:12:38 »
Quote from: webwit;23451
You're probably right, and are a much better judge because you actually have one ;)
Although.. doesn't a Kia also have good build quality?


After reading the other posts it looks like I just got lucky. Seems there are a host of issues with the Das III. Thats too bad. I would think the high return rate would be hurting them.
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Offline alpslover

  • Posts: 321
Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #17 on: Wed, 04 March 2009, 15:10:55 »
did anyone else just get an email invitation to have breakfast with the creator of the das keybroad?
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Offline itlnstln

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Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #18 on: Wed, 04 March 2009, 15:30:26 »
I didn't, but a few of us live right down the street from the guy.  I can't remember names off hand, but I know 2 of us live in Austin, and I live about 45 min. away in North San Antonio.  We could physically have breakfast with the guy. :)
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Offline ozar

  • Posts: 352
Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #19 on: Wed, 04 March 2009, 15:31:12 »
Quote from: alpslover;23496
did anyone else just get an email invitation to have breakfast with the creator of the das keybroad?
Just got my invitation and was on my way here to post about it:

Quote
Meet the Creator of Das Keyboard for
Breakfast at South by Southwest

Taking place during this year’s South by Southwest is the first Das Keyboard Meet-n-Greet Breakfast. Here, we invite you to mingle with, and get to know the creator of Das Keyboard, Daniel Guermeur. Mr. Guermeur, as well as other Das Keyboard aficionados, will be at your disposal to answer your questions and listen to what you have to say about Das Keyboard, along with your ideas for future products.
 
When:
 March 16, 8am – 10am

Where:
 Halycon Coffee
 http://www.halcyonaustin.com
 218 W 4th St
 Austin, TX 78701
 Phone: 512-472-9637
 RSVP: birgit@daskeyboard.com
 
To make sure that we have enough coffee and pastries, it would be great if you can RSVP us by responding to this e-mail by 3/11/2009. But even if you can’t, we look forward to meeting you.
 
We will also be giving away some cool Das Keyboard T-Shirts, while supplies last of course, as well as special SXSW coupons for your next Das Keyboard purchase. So come and visit with us, it’ll be fun.
 
Hope to see you on the 16th in Austin, Texas.
 
Das Keyboard Team
http://www.daskeyboard.com
512.346.0360

I doubt that I'll go, though.
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Offline itlnstln

  • Posts: 7048
Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #20 on: Wed, 04 March 2009, 15:35:33 »
When I did radio in Austin, I got to host shows at SXSW (the GZA from Wu-Tang, the Beatnuts, Eminem before he was signed, and more).  Very, very good times...

*sniff*

I really miss radio and the music scene these days.  I would so much rather be there than here right now.
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Offline cmr

  • Posts: 295
Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #21 on: Wed, 04 March 2009, 16:16:44 »
as i was reading this thread my iphone alerted me to the presence of a new email, which was the invitation.
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Offline alexlzl

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Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #22 on: Thu, 05 March 2009, 00:49:45 »
The funny thing is when they agreed the take the second keyboard back, the CSR was saying something like this in the email:

"sorry about the trouble. this time we will PERSONALLY test the replacement to make sure it is in top quality before ship to you."

Haha, guess what? :) This probably is just a standard email they crafted for all replacements.
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Offline ch_123

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Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #23 on: Mon, 23 March 2009, 18:53:55 »
When I bought my Endurapro, I came very close to buying the Das instead. Glad to see I made the right choice!
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Offline patrickgeekhack

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Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #24 on: Tue, 24 March 2009, 11:01:45 »
Quote from: ch_123;25174
When I bought my Endurapro, I came very close to buying the Das instead. Glad to see I made the right choice!


I always like mechanical keyboards feel and sound the very few times I stumbled on one. But, I did not know anything about this particular world. When I started on my first job in Canada, there were a few Acer keyboards which I wanted to use. No one understood why I wanted to spend time cleaning these "filthy" keyboards when I could get a new one. The reason I could not use them was because they were too noisy (Cherry switches?). Eventually, the company got rid of all equipment, and these keyboards were lost forever. I wish I had saved a few of them.

This is to say that my curiosity about mechanical keyboard was triggerred again when I read an article on the Das Keybaord. Not wanting to spend such a significant sum of money on a keyboard without knowing more about it, I started to do some research on the net. And I arrived at geekhack.org. I was so happy because I could get lots of reviews and feedback about so many keyboards in one location. Because of what I read here I ended getting a Customizer 104. Initially I thought I would stick to only one keyboard, and therefore decided to go with Unicomp. I'm glad I did not buy a Das.

I hope that those who bought a problematic Das have been able to either get theirs replaced with a good unit, or get a refund.
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Offline itlnstln

  • Posts: 7048
Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #25 on: Tue, 24 March 2009, 11:18:02 »
Quote
I hope that those who bought a problematic Das have been able to either get theirs replaced with a good unit, or get a refund.


There are some inherant problems with the logic on the Das that cannot be "fixed," so unfortunately, even "good" 'boards are "broken." :(
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Offline sazlin

  • Posts: 2
Das Keyboard sad quality
« Reply #26 on: Wed, 25 March 2009, 00:50:23 »
i am encountering the same problem - my first das III pro likes to throw in extra characters when i do SHIFT+ 5 or SHIFT+6, plus it shuts down my computer when i do Left_SHIFT + Left_CTRL

its doing this for all 3 of my work computers, 2 of which are laptops, 1 desktop. 2 are Vista, 1 is Win 7 beta. all the same behavior (the laptops go to sleep on L_SHIFT+L_CTRL)

lame?
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