Author Topic: New Filco Keyboard Advice and story  (Read 4033 times)

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Offline Hamshank

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New Filco Keyboard Advice and story
« on: Tue, 13 October 2009, 01:03:24 »
So here I am in the market for a keyboard again.

My last keyboard (or 3) was the Enermax Aurora -- what a JOKE.
The first one I bought broke so I got a second one which then preceded to break and my third is now broken. (this one broken from over use the others had weird problems and all had broken shift keys) I actually didn't realize there was a keyboard problem consciously until my friend said, "You type so slow compared to me." That reminded me how I type at least 2-4 times as fast as him and there's something very very wrong.

Anyway the point is the Enermax Aurora is horrible.

What do you think is the best Filco keyboard? I'm an avid typist and do play computer games , but RTS usually, FPS I do play when there's a good one. It seems the one I found on their website that you guys like is out of stock. Am I correct? And should I wait till it restocks.




(First post, glad I found this forum. Eggxpert I used previous and I will continue to use Eggchat but this looks like it's at a whole nother level.)

Thanks,
Hamshank

Offline Hamshank

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New Filco Keyboard Advice and story
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 13 October 2009, 01:32:25 »
Excellent link and article much appreciated!!

It seems the Blue would fit me the best. However the brown sounds possible too. Is there a difference in your opinion in the typing speed? My rational is it's best to get the most feedback?
 I want to skip the numberpad but if there's another alternative where I can get the Blue with the numberpad I would gladly do that.
Thanks,
Hamshank




If this interests anyone Filco responed to me when I asked when that keyboard would be back in stock, "These have been delayed a little bit, but we'll announce the acceptance
of pre-orders in our newsletter before the end of October. The boards
will start shipping in the second week of November."
« Last Edit: Tue, 13 October 2009, 01:44:09 by Hamshank »

Offline ironcoder

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New Filco Keyboard Advice and story
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 13 October 2009, 04:46:36 »
I was going to buy blues after all I read but somebody convinced me browns had all the plusses of blues and none of the minuses. I bought two 87 key brown Filcos. So far I'm happy with the purchase. I don't think anything louder or more tactile would be better.
In the office: Filco 87 Cherry Browns x 2 (one with coffee damage, recovered) ● Lexmark IBM Model M 52G9658 1993 & 1996

Offline AndrewZorn

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New Filco Keyboard Advice and story
« Reply #3 on: Tue, 13 October 2009, 07:03:15 »
i think 95% of people that own the blues do for the audible click.  so the browns missing that would be a downside for them.

Offline ironcoder

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New Filco Keyboard Advice and story
« Reply #4 on: Tue, 13 October 2009, 07:11:33 »
The browns click enough unless you are specifically coming from a bs, I would think
In the office: Filco 87 Cherry Browns x 2 (one with coffee damage, recovered) ● Lexmark IBM Model M 52G9658 1993 & 1996

Offline AndrewZorn

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« Reply #5 on: Tue, 13 October 2009, 07:23:57 »
i dont want the racket either but look at who has blue vs who likes click, it is not an accident

Offline timw4mail

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« Reply #6 on: Tue, 13 October 2009, 07:25:04 »
Quote from: ironcoder;124913
The browns click enough unless you are specifically coming from a bs, I would think

The browns don't click unless you bottom out. With the Compaq MX11800, this can be really noisy, so it may seem like the keyboard switch clicks.
Buckling Springs IBM Model F AT, New Model F 77, Unicomp New Model M
Clicky iOne Scorpius M10, OCN-branded Ducky DK-9008-C, Blackmore Nocturna, Redragon Kumara K552-1, Qtronix Scorpius Keypad, Chicony KB-5181(Monterey)
Tactile Apple AEKII (Cream damped ALPS), Filco FKBN91M/JB (Japanese Tenkeyless), Cherry G84-5200, Cherry G84-4100LPAUS, Datalux Spacesaver(Cherry ML), Redragon Devarajas K556 RGB, Newmen GM711, Poker II (Cherry MX Clear), Logitech G910 Orion Spark, Logitech K840
Linear Lenovo Y (Gateron Red), Aluminum kiosk keyboard (Cherry MX Black)

Offline Rajagra

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New Filco Keyboard Advice and story
« Reply #7 on: Tue, 13 October 2009, 07:25:07 »
Brown switches take some time to adjust to, but once you have, they are a delight. You find your fingers flying over the keys effortlessly, once you're in the flow, and they feel even lighter than they really are.

One advantage of the Blues is that if a finger lands on the wrong key (happens to me a lot) you have an instant to react and stop the mistake. On the Browns a mis-hit will probably register before you realise and back off.

Offline timw4mail

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New Filco Keyboard Advice and story
« Reply #8 on: Tue, 13 October 2009, 07:26:14 »
Quote from: Rajagra;124919
Brown switches take some time to adjust to, but once you have, they are a delight. You find your fingers flying over the keys effortlessly, once you're in the flow, and they feel even lighter than they really are.

One advantage of the Blues is that if a finger lands on the wrong key (happens to me a lot) you have an instant to react and stop the mistake. On the Browns a mis-hit will probably register before you realise and back off.

That's my one problem with the brown switches, as, coming from buckling springs, its rather difficult to react when you didn't really want to hit that key.
Buckling Springs IBM Model F AT, New Model F 77, Unicomp New Model M
Clicky iOne Scorpius M10, OCN-branded Ducky DK-9008-C, Blackmore Nocturna, Redragon Kumara K552-1, Qtronix Scorpius Keypad, Chicony KB-5181(Monterey)
Tactile Apple AEKII (Cream damped ALPS), Filco FKBN91M/JB (Japanese Tenkeyless), Cherry G84-5200, Cherry G84-4100LPAUS, Datalux Spacesaver(Cherry ML), Redragon Devarajas K556 RGB, Newmen GM711, Poker II (Cherry MX Clear), Logitech G910 Orion Spark, Logitech K840
Linear Lenovo Y (Gateron Red), Aluminum kiosk keyboard (Cherry MX Black)

Offline ironcoder

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New Filco Keyboard Advice and story
« Reply #9 on: Tue, 13 October 2009, 07:30:28 »
Quote from: timw4mail;124918
The browns don't click unless you bottom out. With the Compaq MX11800, this can be really noisy, so it may seem like the keyboard switch clicks.


I don't know if it's the switches, but I can make the FIlcos I have with browns click without registering. Yes it gets louder if you bottom out but I can tap the keys and make noise without registering. I can't imagine wanting anything noisier and somebody said the blues ping, which would be aggravating.
In the office: Filco 87 Cherry Browns x 2 (one with coffee damage, recovered) ● Lexmark IBM Model M 52G9658 1993 & 1996

Offline ironcoder

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New Filco Keyboard Advice and story
« Reply #10 on: Tue, 13 October 2009, 07:32:14 »
Quote from: Rajagra;124919
Brown switches take some time to adjust to, but once you have, they are a delight. You find your fingers flying over the keys effortlessly, once you're in the flow, and they feel even lighter than they really are.


Yes, they're really light and you can fly.

Quote from: Rajagra;124919
One advantage of the Blues is that if a finger lands on the wrong key (happens to me a lot) you have an instant to react and stop the mistake. On the Browns a mis-hit will probably register before you realise and back off.


So the browns teach you to type better :bounce:
In the office: Filco 87 Cherry Browns x 2 (one with coffee damage, recovered) ● Lexmark IBM Model M 52G9658 1993 & 1996

Offline itlnstln

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New Filco Keyboard Advice and story
« Reply #11 on: Tue, 13 October 2009, 08:50:12 »
Quote from: ironcoder;124922
So the browns teach you to type better :bounce:

I wish I could type better; I even got blank keys.  I still suck.


Offline Hamshank

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New Filco Keyboard Advice and story
« Reply #12 on: Tue, 13 October 2009, 20:16:12 »
Should I order the browns then? If so I can buy tonight, if not buy blues with the numberpad
FKBN87M/EB

However I do game, is this going to mess up any gaming I do?
« Last Edit: Tue, 13 October 2009, 20:20:01 by Hamshank »

Offline rdjack21

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New Filco Keyboard Advice and story
« Reply #13 on: Tue, 13 October 2009, 21:32:59 »
Quote from: Hamshank;125151
Should I order the browns then? If so I can buy tonight, if not buy blues with the numberpad
FKBN87M/EB

However I do game, is this going to mess up any gaming I do?


That is the problem you really will not know for sure which is best for YOU until you type on both of them. I myself prefer the browns over the blues but I also like a quite board now over a noisy one (But still like the BS boards).

As has been stated many times here we can tell you what we like but it is really up to you to figure out what YOU like. None of us are the same and we like different things. On the plus side you can sell pretty much any of the mechanical keyboards you try out here or on ebay and recoup most but not all of your money if you don't like what you get.
Keyboards
Topre Capacitive: Realforce 87U, Realforce 86U, HHKB Pro 2, Topre MD01B0, Topre HE0100, Sun Short Type, OEM NEO CS (x2), NISSHO Electronics KB106DE
Buckling Spring: IBM Model M Space Saver (1291472), Unicomp Customizer x 2
Cherry Brown: Filco FKBN87M/EB, Compaq MX11800
Black Alps: ABS M1
Not so great boards Rare Spring over dome OKI, Sun rack keyboard

Trackballs - Trackman Wheel (3), Trackman marble (2)
Keyboards I still want to get - Happy Hacking Keyboard Pro 2 the White version, Realforce 23U number pad in black and maybe white, μTRON ergo board with Topre switches.
Previously owned - [size=0]SiiG MiniTouch (White Alps), Scorpius M10 (Blue Cherry), IBM Model M13[/size]

Offline maxlugar

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New Filco Keyboard Advice and story
« Reply #14 on: Tue, 13 October 2009, 22:43:21 »
Quote from: Hamshank;125151
Should I order the browns then? If so I can buy tonight, if not buy blues with the numberpad
FKBN87M/EB

However I do game, is this going to mess up any gaming I do?


Because of the crisp tactile feedback, I think the blues are a lot more fun than the browns.  For quiet key switches, I prefer the expensive Topre key switches on the Happy Hacking Pro 2 and Realforce 87U over the browns.

I have heard that the blues are not the best switch for gamers.  Browns or even the linear blacks are probably a better choice if you game.

EliteKeyboards.com is sold out of the 104-key cherry blue keyboard with labels, but seems to have a few Otaku (blank key cap) 104-keys left:  http://www.elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=filco_keyboards,majestouch_104key&pid=fkbn104mcnpek_special
Emperor of the IBM 84-key AT Model F Darkside

Offline Hamshank

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New Filco Keyboard Advice and story
« Reply #15 on: Tue, 13 October 2009, 22:45:19 »
Hope the browns will be better than the blues, I haven't heard anyone state the advantages for the blue but the brown seem to type faster which is what I want

After reading the Blue V. Brown thread I heard a lot of dissatisfaction with the browns and a lot of applause for the blues. Some people even commented that the blues are fine for gaming. Does this mean I should get a blue?
« Last Edit: Tue, 13 October 2009, 23:31:19 by Hamshank »

Offline Hamshank

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New Filco Keyboard Advice and story
« Reply #16 on: Tue, 13 October 2009, 23:47:54 »
Ok I just bought the 130 Blue cherry one.

Offline msiegel

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« Reply #17 on: Tue, 13 October 2009, 23:56:59 »
Quote from: Hamshank;125181
Ok I just bought the 130 Blue cherry one.


may the force be with you...

approximately 10g more switch activation force, that is ;)

Filco Zero (Fukka) AEKII sliders and keycaps * Filco Tenkeyless MX brown * IBM F/AT parts: modding
Model F Mod Log * Open Source Generic keyboard controller

Offline wellington1869

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New Filco Keyboard Advice and story
« Reply #18 on: Wed, 14 October 2009, 01:20:58 »
Quote from: ripster;125187
Blues are just right.  #1 in the switch poll for a good reason.


I'm sceptical that blues are "just right."  xD

"Blah blah blah grade school blah blah blah IBM PS/2s blah blah blah I like Model Ms." -- Kishy

using: ms 7000/Das 3

Offline maxlugar

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New Filco Keyboard Advice and story
« Reply #19 on: Wed, 14 October 2009, 19:40:42 »
Quote from: ripster;125187
Blues are just right.  #1 in the switch poll for a good reason.


Blues may be just right for some people but overall they are way too light for me.  I am less accurate on blues than on buckling spring ( Model M or Model F) becasue I have large heavy hands and it is easy to accidentally depress the keys by just resting my hands on the key tops.  Blues just happen to be favorite switch right now because they are addicting and fun to type on.  If I were to vote at this moment, I would choose the blue Cherries.

I pulled one of my 84-key AT keyboards off the shelf yesterday to use for a few hours and now my right thumb is on "injured reserve" due to the space bar.  Only one of my seven 84-key AT keyboards has a space bar that requires a reasonable amount of force.  I think JBert mentioned something about removing the guide and bending it to reduce the required force.  I haven't summoned enough courage to attempt this yet because I'm afraid I won't be able to get the pieces back together.

One day when I get bored with the blue Cherry toy keyboards, I might attempt to "fix" the space bar on another 84-key.  Other than space bars that require a sledge hammer, the King of Keyboards is still the the finest office machine available.
« Last Edit: Wed, 14 October 2009, 19:46:46 by maxlugar »
Emperor of the IBM 84-key AT Model F Darkside