Author Topic: Introduction  (Read 2000 times)

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Offline lakin.wecker

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Introduction
« on: Thu, 09 October 2014, 18:01:36 »
Hi all,

I found this sub when looking for reviews of the Poker II. I was considering joining the group by at Massdrop but decided to wait a bit. Since that point, I was poking around google looking for another place to buy one and realized that not many places have them in stock at the moment and at least one store claims they are no longer being produced.

In any case, I have been using a mechanical keyboard for well over a year now and won't go back. I purchased a Leopold tenkeyless with Cherry MX Browns from elite keyboards as my first one. Since then I got a Corsair tenkeyless with Cherry MX Blues for work. 

So, is the above mentioned Poker II situation something that should motivate me to find and purchase one as soon as possible or will they be back in stock reasonably soon?

Also, although I will test out the Poker II, I'm thinking that perhaps I'd like a keyboard with the basic same layout, except add in the F keys along the top. So same width/layout on the bottom.  Also, is there a version of a 60% keyboard that has an extra usb slot or two built in? I'm only asking because I'm looking for a small form factor mech keyboard to use with my Surface Pro 2 and probably want a mouse to go with for mobile gaming, but it only has one usb slot. I considered the Filco minila air, but I'm not sure I would like its layout. Otherwise interested in learning more about mech keyboards with Bluetooth as they would probably serve my purpose equally well.

I suppose I'll start lurking the appropriate spots in this form for keycap group buys, as I'll be interested in finding new keycaps for all of my keyboards soon. Although so far I haven't found a set I'm particularly fond of I do know that ultimately I want to customize each of them.

Offline esoomenona

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« Reply #1 on: Thu, 09 October 2014, 18:13:59 »
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« Last Edit: Fri, 04 September 2015, 13:12:50 by esoomenona »

Offline lakin.wecker

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Re: Introduction
« Reply #2 on: Thu, 09 October 2014, 18:25:45 »
Poker II will be back up on Massdrop before you know it. It's always up there.

That's what I figured. I will be patient then.

60% with F row? Look at the Race, Choc Mini, or Keycool 84.

Thanks! I'll check all of these out. At first glance they all look close to what I want, but I'm not interested in crowding the arrow keys in the bottom right. I am hoping for the Poker II layout but add in the F keys above.  If I could chop off the rightmost 3 inches of my tenkeyless, it would be perfect.

USB ports? HHKB. But have you seen these?
http://www.amazon.com/Juiced-Systems-Microsoft-Surface-Adapter/dp/B00C7AQXQQ
http://www.amazon.com/Juiced-Systems-Surface-Adapter--Microsoft/dp/B00J96LVPE

Those are awesome! I had a quick look for something like that earlier today, but my google-fu failed me. These would already be ordered and on their way, but the links you sent don't ship to Canada, so I'll have to find them somewhere else.


Offline Vibex

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Re: Introduction
« Reply #3 on: Thu, 09 October 2014, 18:35:47 »
Welcome to Geek Hack. Esoomenona pretty much covered all your questions, but  Poker also appear from time to time in the calassifieds and on Ebay. You shouldn't have to much trouble getting your hands on one :thumb:
EDIT: Just happened to spot one.
« Last Edit: Thu, 09 October 2014, 18:38:18 by Vibex »

Offline esoomenona

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« Reply #4 on: Thu, 09 October 2014, 18:38:31 »
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« Last Edit: Fri, 04 September 2015, 13:12:34 by esoomenona »

Offline lakin.wecker

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Re: Introduction
« Reply #5 on: Thu, 09 October 2014, 19:04:44 »
Welcome to Geek Hack. Esoomenona pretty much covered all your questions, but  Poker also appear from time to time in the calassifieds and on Ebay. You shouldn't have to much trouble getting your hands on one :thumb:
EDIT: Just happened to spot one.

Thanks on both accounts. Now to convince myself to buy something that's used ... :)

Offline lakin.wecker

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Re: Introduction
« Reply #6 on: Thu, 09 October 2014, 19:07:49 »
Something like this: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=44875.0 (scroll down to the end result)?

That would be fairly interesting if it was made as is, but unfortunately, I can't recall any mechanical keyboard that is set up like that, without modification.

Would you be interested in building your own keyboard? Check out a wired matrix keyboard. You could get any random TKL steel/aluminum plate, cut off the arrows and nav cluster, and wire it all up.

Yeah, exactly like that.  Building my own is an interesting idea, but not something I'm prepared to do until I finish renovating my basement.  I already have far too much to learn about how to make things work - but definitely something to keep in mind moving forward.  I think I'll try the Poker II first and see how I feel about it as well.

Offline heedpantsnow

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Re: Introduction
« Reply #7 on: Thu, 09 October 2014, 19:21:29 »
Welcome!  I have 3 Pokers, love them all. I'm sure you will too!
I'm back.

Espresso machine overhaul: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=78261.0

Carbon Fiber keyboard base: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=54825

Offline lakin.wecker

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Re: Introduction
« Reply #8 on: Thu, 09 October 2014, 22:19:08 »
Oh god. Why did I join this site?  I've already chosen another keyboard, and a set of keycaps. I'm becoming more and more certain that I'll be starting to budget for keyboard accessories on a monthly basis!

https://ctrlalt.io/store/items/jd40

https://ctrlalt.io/buys/raindrop-r2


Offline rowdy

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Re: Introduction
« Reply #9 on: Fri, 10 October 2014, 04:36:58 »
Welcome to Geekhack!

Don't worry about budgeting for keyboards and keycaps - it will all end in tears :p
"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ