Cherry Brown compact format $24 shipped BIN

[PRISONER 24601]

it's probably just the credit card reader, but this keybaord is heavy, heavier than my g80-3000 and 11800 anyway.

I really like the feeling of these caps. they're really smooth feeling, like butter. they're all pbt, anyway.

[PRISONER 24601]

I got the cherry tools software - but mine came on a CDR....

all in all, this feels like a very high-quality board.

[AndrewZorn]

awesome, PBT keys make it worth the purchase.

[itlnstln]

I would almost swap out the keys with my Filco, but the modifiers are an odd size on this one.  Mine comes in today.  I want to compare the keycaps with my other Cherry.

[AndrewZorn]

im just going to do alpha keys
you know
the shiny

[itlnstln]

That almost doesn't look like they're laser-etched.  My 3000 doesn't look like that.  To me, they look pad-printed as I can see texture on the letter.  The lasered caps on my 3000 are obviously etched.

[itlnstln]

Your macro pic does not look like my 3000. On the 3000, there is a noticable, smooth groove where the letter was etched and you can tell (fairly easily) that it was filled with white paint/plastic. It certainly doesn't look like that. The article number for the keyboard doesn't indicate laser-etching, either (the one part of the model number that seems to be consistent).

[PRISONER 24601]

I couldn't get the cherry tools software working on my computer. it said that a cherry keyboard was not found etc

also, i'm certain that some of the keys are lasered, feel the arrow keys compared to the letters. it's strange. the pbt feels really good, but these keys are pretty low-profile, prolly wouldn't work with any of my other cherry 'boards.

[itlnstln]

also, i'm certain that some of the keys are lasered

They certainly could be.  It might just be that the implementation on my keyboard, the 3000, is different, if not worse.

[itlnstln]

Just got mine.  The keycaps are definitely lasered.  I think the caps in my 3000 are etched a little more deeply.  It sounds kinda hollow, too.  So far, I really like it except for the grey key on the spacebar.  I like the size; it just looks a little weird with the credit card reader on the top.
 
 
I can tell its been in the UPS truck all morning.  The keys are damn cold.

[itlnstln]

OK.  It's already going on my laptop's docking station.  The small right Shift is killing me.  I use my pinky for that key, and I keep hitting the up arrow.  It makes it hard to type ? < > _ + " :  I like the keycaps, switches and size, but the small right Shift makes it damn near impossible for me to write SQL.

[PRISONER 24601]

Helvetica is nice, retro and all that, kinda obligatory
I'd like to see a keyboard in Frutiger. The humanist element is nice.

[itlnstln]

Helvetica is nice, retro and all that, kinda obligatory
I'd like to see a keyboard in Frutiger. The humanist element is nice.

That would be nice.  The font on the Filco 'boards is a favorite of mine, too.  I even like the italics.

[itlnstln]

I didn't put the rubber feet on.  I like my 'boards as flat as possible.  As far as feel goes, it feels just like my 3000, so I really like it, but I am struggling on the right Shift.  The other keys are fine based on the way I press them.  If it had a layout more like the 1800, it would be perfect.  I'm not going to complain, though.  It's hard to beat for $24.

[AndrewZorn]

i guess im the only one who thinks they dont look lasered

[itlnstln]

i guess im the only one who thinks they dont look lasered

If you run your fingernail over the legend, you can feel the indentation where the cap was etched.

[elbowglue]

Well, one vote for my own question:  I prefer a cherry brown under the space bar rather than the cherry gray.

[itlnstln]

Well, one vote for my own question: I prefer a cherry brown under the space bar rather than the cherry gray.

Me too.

[overdriver]

just got today. it is VERY nice considering its price. This is my first Cherry brown switch keyboard so I am much impressed by its smoothness.. wow
I packed up my IBM M for a while. Other than backspace key position it is almost perfect for me!

..though the software does not recognize the keyboard under Win 7. hmm.. that's odd. [*edit* Version 5.5 solves all the problem - you can download it from Cherry web site.

only minor complaint is that this keyboard sits high - I think I need palm rest  support. any suggestion??

I give this keyboard score 9 out of 10 very good.

[itlnstln]

just got today. it is VERY nice considering its price. This is my first Cherry brown switch keyboard so I am so impressed by its smoothness.. wow
I packed up my IBM M for a while. Other than backspace key position it is almost perfect for me!
 
..though the software does not recognize the keyboard under Win 7. hmm.. that's odd.
 
I give this keyboard score 9 out of 10 very good.

Glad you like it. I like Cherry-made, Cherry brown 'boards. Too bad they're not easy to get in the US. I hope we see more pop up soon.

[overdriver]

Glad you like it. I like Cherry-made, Cherry brown 'boards. Too bad they're not easy to get in the US. I hope we see more pop up soon.

I may become Cherry switch fan sooner than I thought.
I was just curious about Cherry switch but I didn't expect this good :smile:  

... Now I am curious about Blue one... nooooo...

[GenEric35]

You, like your father, will buy many keyboards.

Show Image

lmao

Canadians are safe from the dark side... seller won't ship internationally :/

[GenEric35]

Won't Ship To Canada!   Illogical!

Show Image

He's sold out anyway.

     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1eFdUSnaQM&feature=fvw


and I'm a shaman...

[PRISONER 24601]

the feet are so silly, they're like little pencil erasers and they make the keyboard all bouncy

in other news, i switched the keys around with my g80-3000


i think they both look better now

[ricercar]

the feet are so silly, they're like little pencil erasers and they make the keyboard all bouncy

This was my initial assessment. Those hamfisted clerks who pound MY keys too hard to notice the difference from browns also probably need a shock absorber when they swipe the card.

[elbowglue]

Typed on it a bit tonight.  Alt key is in a dumb-assed place.  So is the ~ key.  Need to remap these if I'm gonna use this one more regularly.

Reminds me that I love these cherry brown switches.  I guess I need to get the datacal one and call it a day.

[ricercar]

That does it. I had to pop the left Control key cap because my palm was pressing it. Whenever I reached for a T, I'd open a new browser tab. The story would be different if I didn't rest the heel of my left hand on the desktop, but I do.  Fortunately there's no chore in pressing the key without a cap.

Alas poor Control, I knew him, Horatio.

[msiegel]

That does it. I had to pop the left Control key cap because my palm was pressing it. Whenever I reached for a T, I'd open a new browser tab. The story would be different if I didn't rest the heel of my left hand on the desktop, but I do.  Fortunately there's no chore in pressing the key without a cap.

Alas poor Control, I knew him, Horatio.

XD
i run into the same problem, especially with lighter switches.

i plan to put one of these in that spot... to get the sensitive corner out of the way

[J888www]

I'm curious to know if there's any restrictions in regard to International shipping. Why sellers won't ship World-wide as the cost of shipping is absorbed by the buyer.

[elbowglue]

I have compared this board with my used MX8100.  MX8100 is much larger, and is also PCB mounted.  The MX8100 misses some keystrokes on occasion in the T-I zone of the keyboard, I suspect it is due to keyboard flex.  This keyboard although the layout is fer-crunked does not miss any keystrokes.  I really like the fact these keys are PCB mounted, although I only have comparative experience with blue cherry plate mounted switched (filco blue cherry 87 and 104 key).  PCB mounting seems to make "bottoming out" noise less significant, also makes bottoming out less shocking to the fingers.

This board is awesome, except for the layout.  The typing experience is far superior to the MX8100, I think it's because of lack of board flex.

Next step I think I'm going to open up the MX8100 and try to stop the board flex issue and see if I like that one better as a result.

[ricercar]

I'm no ergo expert but I'm still having a hard time seeing how you can do that if your keyboard is at a semi-proper height.

Elbows are at desktop height,maybe lower by a trifle, heel of left hand resting on desktop with fingers over keys. Right hand hovers, but left hand remains grounded. When I reach for the T, the palm presses the Ctrl.

[ricercar]

If you have a key that feels different from the others (like Ricercar's Z) it's probably a bit of molding crud on the bottom of the key.  Pull the key and a bit of sandpaper will take care of it (one of my F keys had some binding).

By this do you mean to pull the brown piston out of the black container?

[ricercar]

Ah, even without the key cap, I have to bear down pretty hard to press the Z. Too bad this wasn't the left CTRL; then I could leave the cap on ...

[itlnstln]

I swapped the springs between the spacebar and Print Screen, and it helped quite a bit.  I did not, however, swap the stem.  Looking at the grey stem, the tactile bump looks similar to the clears.  The bump on the grey stem is much more pronounced than the brown, but I am not sure I like it.  It seems to get "stuck" on the upstroke, thus making it less responsive.  If the grey is anything like the clears, I am not sure if they would be a switch I'd like.

[elbowglue]

I swapped the springs between the spacebar and Print Screen, and it helped quite a bit.  I did not, however, swap the stem.  Looking at the grey stem, the tactile bump looks similar to the clears.  The bump on the grey stem is much more pronounced than the brown, but I am not sure I like it.  It seems to get "stuck" on the upstroke, thus making it less responsive.  If the grey is anything like the clears, I am not sure if they would be a switch I'd like.

I have done similar, changed the spring and the gray stem with one of the macro buttons, resulting in the spacebar being a cherry brown instead.

I think the cherry brown spring is so wimpy that the weight of the spacebar itself makes the whole apparatus less springy and responsive.  But it works ok.

[itlnstln]

I have done similar, changed the spring and the gray stem with one of the macro buttons, resulting in the spacebar being a cherry brown instead.
 
I think the cherry brown spring is so wimpy that the weight of the spacebar itself makes the whole apparatus less springy and responsive. But it works ok.

I'll disagree with responsiveness of a spacebar with a Cherry brown (my 3000 and Filco are quite responsive).  I will say, though that I don't think the brown spring was designed to lift a stem with a more aggressive tactile bump as the grey.  It's lesser push back on the stem, I think, causes the stem to get hung up on the grey.  The brown spring seems "optimized" for the brown and red (or black) stems.

[ricercar]

> There's a small PC like speaker in this. Beep while card reading???

Yes, software sets the speaker to beep on successful card swipe, on unsuccessful card swipe, or not at all.

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

After I get an ALPS board I need to get a Cherry board.

[ricercar]

My Z is not sticky; rather it's not registering electronically until I bottom out AND press hard. There isn't apparently a {physical slider inhibited from sliding} problem so much as a {why won't the electric contact work without bearing down on the key} problem.

[lowpoly]

Mine arrived today. Thanks, itln.

Keys look like current lasered POM keys with plastic fill. The symbol fills are a bit more pronounced/higher than on the black Cherry I bought a year ago. So maybe it's an earlier generation.

F and J are scooped, I like that.

Did anybody manage to do anything useful with the card reader?

Very nice 'board. Colemak progamming next.

[AndrewZorn]

wait, i thought only some of the keys (non alpha) were programmable?

so youre saying the letters are actually plastic?  that IS what they look like...

[lowpoly]

wait, i thought only some of the keys (non alpha) were programmable?

so youre saying the letters are actually plastic?  that IS what they look like...

I thought I had read somewhere that all keys were programmable. Obviously not the case. :-(

When I said plastic I was talking of the material of the symbols (the 'paint').

[AndrewZorn]

right, thats what i meant too... sounds nice.

[lowpoly]

Ah, OK. It felt like plastic too when I tried to remove it. Not on this 'board. Had to sand it away finally because scratching with a knife wouldn't work.

[AndrewZorn]

its no double shot, but i think it looks better than normal lasering... i kind of like the color/look, but the principle of it makes it almost as good as double shot, probably almost on par with dye sub

[itlnstln]

My biggest problem with the Cherry laser-etched keys is that they look cheap.  The "filling" is imprecise at best (I don't mind the color, personally, I don't think the Cherry keys look "dirty").  They're durable, to be sure, but the imprecise filling of the etching screams "cheap" even though they aren't.

[AndrewZorn]

Show Image

I still think you're trading off durability for looks.  Double Shot keys are no compromise keys.

uh, the huge compromise being availability/cost.  big difference between liking the POM keycaps i already have and spending more than an actual keyboard costs just to get some doubleshot keys.

[PRISONER 24601]

I really, really enjoy this keyboard. I've gotten used to the layout for the most part, and it sits nicely on top of my 10" netbook keyboard.

Makes me wonder if I should get browns when I pick up my Filco

[ricercar]

I've become enamored of this 'board too, at least enough that I'm going to replace the Z switch and use it a while summore instead of looting it to install the browns into another board as I had planned.

Something weird. Anyone else get random junk mail with a Cherry brown in it? Good thing I checked it out before tossing the envelope in the trash. I'd feel real foolish to have "lost" the key. Missus thought it was a fake simplified Alps and almost didn't show it to me. Just what I need to replace my Z. Where's my torx, my soldering iron, my spare time? I need those all simultaneously to get this job done.

You'll know the deed's done when I've changed my avatar to a duck on a motorcycle. What a crazy way to seal an envelope.

EDIT: Ripster, is your MX SPOS keyboard 2-key rollover? I'm curious what method you used to test. I get 6-key with the web page

[itlnstln]

Makes me wonder if I should get browns when I pick up my Filco

Yes.