Simple Starcraft Keyboards

[mOnion]

So as a true internet troll I did a minimal amount of digging through keyboard reviews before immediately registering for my first post.

As a Starcraft player, I only need a very basic keyboard, not a fancy pants FPS keyboard with a ton of macros and the such; just something simple, and CHEAP.

Cheap seems to be the problem. I recently realized that the reason the keyboards I've been using suck is because they don't use the older, more expensive switches, so I started my search for switch keyboards, and found Cherry.

I also searched thru the reviews for Cherry keyboards and found that most of them were ~100 dollars. Which is a bother, since usually I go thru keyboards every 3 to 4 months since Starcraft is hard on the keys.

SOOO I found this: J82-16001 Business K-1 Keyboard



Can anyone vouch for it? It's cheap, and I've looked at some reviews (cnet, etc) but nothing's addressing if it's a good switch keyboard, or a switch keyboard at all.

I hope this isn't a TLDR post, but I'd appreciate the help, TY!

[chimera15]

reposted.  These are the cherry codes:


G80 - mechanical - MX switches.
G81 - semi-mechanical - rubber with spring return.
J82 - membrane cheapy. Made in China.
G83 - quiet membrane. Cheap, soft.
G84 - mechanical - ML switches.
G85 - scissor-switch. 20% larger keytops.
G86 - heavy-duty membrane. Loud, springy. 20% larger keytops. Responsive keys. Can type softly, or hammer away. I like it.

You want a g80, or maybe a g84.

G80's are out there for less than $100, just takes a lot of searching.

[mOnion]

AH basic codes ofc


interesting, thx a bunch!

[chimera15]

Here's some of the rest of it:

LAxxx = linear action, AT connector;
LPxxx = linear action, PS/2 conector;
LQxxx = soft contact (tea axis?), PS/2;
LSxxx = click action, PS/2;
LUNxx = linear, USB connector;
LADxx = linear, USB with 4 downstream ports.

[chimera15]

Anyone know what LTxxx is?


http://cgi.ebay.com/Cherry-MX119000-MX-119000-PS2-Touchpad-Keyboard-104_W0QQitemZ390115090294QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5ad4abdf76

These are probably linear, but they're cheap, and better than that rubber dome board.

[PRISONER 24601]

I found a used G80 w/ browns for $12
then a new G80 w/blues for $60

keep chasing that rainbow!

[mOnion]

ya i just found a new g80-3000 for 62 that I'm probably gonna end up getting ~_~

wasnt expecting to pay this much, but hey, its shopping season!

[chimera15]

I found a used G80 w/ browns for $12
then a new G80 w/blues for $60

keep chasing that rainbow!

What was the code on the blues?  LS?

[chimera15]

Also, what the heck are MX Gold Crosspoint switches?  Are those clicky?

[Rajagra]

Also, what the heck are MX Gold Crosspoint switches?  Are those clicky?

Just means Cherry MX.

[mOnion]

Also, what the heck are MX Gold Crosspoint switches?  Are those clicky?

idunno i was gonna ask you the same thing.

the one i found is LS but it says MX Gold Crosspoint, so idunno wtf that is O_O

EDIT: ninja answered ~_~

[ch_123]

Also, what the heck are MX Gold Crosspoint switches?  Are those clicky?

Those are the official term for the switches used in the G80. The different resistance and tactility characteristics are made by having different components in it.

[lowpoly]

Here is the Wiki entry for Cherry codes:

http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Dating+Cherry+keyboards

[mmgoose]

ok. the keyboard in the pic  (J82-16001) is OK except for three things--notice that

1) the escape and function keys are about 55-60% the size of a standard ansi104 (thus it's going to be more difficult to hit F2 F3 F4).

2) the function keys are also a lot closer to the  the number row which in my opinion is a plus ergonomically but unfortunately is non-standard (which means it'll require you to adjust).

3) it's a cherry dome (uncommon and not exactly as  durable as mech so you'll have replace it after a few years). so either you have to find the same exact layout or adjust again to a new one.

my recommendation:

in terms of layout it's either the scorpius m10 or the realforce 87u. problem is, the former suffers from poor build quality (not the switches though); and the latter is prohibitively expensive.

the best that i can recommend is an abs m1. the layout is standard, the switches are decent, build quality is ok. and best of all is the price: just 50$ (right?).

if 50 bucks is still too steep. go find brand new bundled keyboards from compaq, hp, and ibm (all of which are decent enough rubber domes and have the EXACT SAME perfect layout--by that i mean they're standard BUT the CTRL keys are larger than normal and the spacebar is shorter thus the right ALT key is  a bit closer to the number keys. which means: hotkeying and hotkey switching is a bit easier.

[mmgoose]

ya i just found a new g80-3000 for 62 that I'm probably gonna end up getting ~_~

wasnt expecting to pay this much, but hey, its shopping season!

the g80-3000 has non-standard function keys (farther from SHIFT and the number keys), otherwise being that it's a cherry and mech--it should be alright.

[keyb_gr]

Actually a G80-3000 has a perfectly standard MFII-derived layout. There have been no layout changes since the addition of Windows keys and lowering of the first row in 1996 (and that's a good thing); the F keys are exactly where they would be on any MFII board. The original case design goes back to 1990, though the "new-style" case came out in 1998.

(That's a 105-key German layout. Funny, the beige one seems to be Czech-made with the old-style case while the black one is a German-made one with the new-style case. Never noticed.)

[mmgoose]

well yeah. but even the late 90's ansi104 (filco, costars, etc.--where ctrl, win, alt, context menu have the same shape) is also slowly disappearing although not from mech boards. newer boards are by and large moving towards the bigger ctrl.

[42.tar.gz]

(That's a 105-key German layout. Funny, the beige one seems to be Czech-made with the old-style case while the black one is a German-made one with the new-style case. Never noticed.)

Also, the black one seems to have an ANSI-Layout instead of ISO (bigger left shift).

[keyb_gr]

Also, the black one seems to have an ANSI-Layout instead of ISO (bigger left shift).

Seems like a case of fruit salad pic then.

[ricercar]

So what's the story on the extra row of keys above the FKeys on this Cherry G86? Can they be remapped easily?



From this auction (I got one in a previous auction, at $9 not $12.)

[didjamatic]

Select your keyboard (SPOS...?) from the download list, then your OS to download "Cherry Tools" software for your keyboard.  The site says you can map the extra keys with it.
http://www.cherry.de/english/service/download.php

What type of switches does that keyboard have?

[ch_123]

actually a g80-3000 has a perfectly standard mfii-derived layout.

MFII layout?

[Viett]

I'm a huge StarCraft player myself. I've played on an IBM, a FILCO (blue), and a Dell AT101W. The Blue Cherry's click is a bit annoying, and I imagine browns would be better. I have no complaints about the other two boards.

You can get a Compaq MX11800 (brown cherry), a Dell AT101W, or an IBM model M for less than $30 shipped on either ebay or the marketplace. As long as you have a PS/2 port, these are probably your best cheap options.

[PRISONER 24601]

what was the code on the blues?  Ls?

3000lscrc-2

[Rajagra]

MFII layout?

Geekhack equivalent of MILF. :shocked:

(Multi-Function 2 really.)

[mOnion]

I'm a huge StarCraft player myself. I've played on an IBM, a FILCO (blue), and a Dell AT101W. The Blue Cherry's click is a bit annoying, and I imagine browns would be better. I have no complaints about the other two boards.

You can get a Compaq MX11800 (brown cherry), a Dell AT101W, or an IBM model M for less than $30 shipped on either ebay or the marketplace. As long as you have a PS/2 port, these are probably your best cheap options.

i dont think i have a ps/2 port, but there are like conversion cables to port ps/2 to USB out there right?

also i think the function keys one the Compaq are a little distant for the fact that i use them every 10 to 15 seconds in a 20 min game :/

[microsoft windows]

There is a variety of PS/2 to USB adapters and converters out there. Personally, I'd go with an IBM Model M since they're cheap and last virtually forever.