Cherry Brown compact format $24 shipped BIN

[itlnstln]

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.

I really like this 'board, too.  The only thing keeping on my laptop and not my daily driver is the layout.  I tend to hit the right side of the right shift when I go for the astrisk, parenthesis, underscore, etc.  For a SQL writer, I use these characters quite often, and I can't seem to press the left side of the shift key; my hand doesn't want to move that way.  The other problem I have is the numpad.  The 0 button is too small.  When I ten-key, I press the 0 with my index finger.  You can only imagine the frustration I have pressing the right arrow all the time.  Otherwise, I love the keyboard as it's about the closest thing I'll get to a G80-1800 with browns as I'll get.

[ricercar]

You have to say thank you first.

Thank you first.

99/100 astronomists have sent me emails back saying the world does indeed revolve around me :biggrin1:.

Uh, riiiiiight. Astronomists. I think you mean nostromonist. One who follows The Cosa Nostra Dame. Has this become really twisted, or is that just Licorice?

[itlnstln]

Thank you first.
 
 
 
Uh, riiiiiight. Astronomists. I think you mean nostromonist. One who follows The Cosa Nostra Dame. Has this become really twisted, or is that just Licorice?

I think he meant "astrologists."

[mp29k]

I really shoud have picked one of these up when they were available.  If anyone is willing to part with one if you bought several, or if you decide you don't like it, please PM me.  Looks pretty much perfect instead of going full out for a Filco Brown Tenkeyless since I don't really need N-Key.

[didjamatic]

They're actually quite pleasant to use,  I used one exclusively for a week at work.

[sixty]

So mine arrived here tonight (thanks webwit!) and I noticed two things:

1) The browns on this feel so entirely different to my Filco that its not even funny. They also feel much different to my other G8000 series brown MX board. What the heck. These feel like clears to me.

2) My Nunmpad "+" key does nothing, does not generate a scancode. Anyone else has/had this problem? Im sure the board is fine since no other keys are effected so I think the circuit is fine.

[itlnstln]

So mine arrived here tonight (thanks webwit!) and I noticed two things:
 
1) The browns on this feel so entirely different to my Filco that its not even funny. They also feel much different to my other G8000 series brown MX board. What the heck. These feel like clears to me.
 
2) My Nunmpad "+" key does nothing, does not generate a scancode. Anyone else has/had this problem? Im sure the board is fine since no other keys are effected so I think the circuit is fine.

1) I agree.  IMO, the Cherry 'boards feel better in this regard.  That said, they feel just like the ones on my 3000.
 
2) Mine works OK, you might just want to check to see if there might be a soldering issue.

[mp29k]

Someone sell me one, please!  A couple offered by PM, but then retracted their offer to sell.

-K

[watduzhkstand4]

I'm so mad right now that I missed that deal. I've always wanted a POS keyboard just to add to my collection. The cheapest one now is the one on dell for $75 shipped. *SIGHHHH

[itlnstln]

Not to rub it in or anything, but that was a fantastic deal.  It's a great keyboard at a terrific price.  I'm glad I jumped on it.

[watduzhkstand4]

Not to rub it in or anything, but that was a fantastic deal.  It's a great keyboard at a terrific price.  I'm glad I jumped on it.

LOL GEE THANKS! =P

I hope there will be more some time in the future =[

[AndrewZorn]

if i had bought two id send you one, but i only got one because i didnt expect it to be good.
not that i even know if it is yet, but i hear they are
and now it is my only cherry brown, so ill probably keep it unless i get another filco

[watduzhkstand4]

if i had bought two id send you one, but i only got one because i didnt expect it to be good.
not that i even know if it is yet, but i hear they are
and now it is my only cherry brown, so ill probably keep it unless i get another filco

you still haven't received it yet? when was the last day for the listing? I thought it was like early December. If it was some time recent, then I might as well should just bang my head against the wall until I die

[AndrewZorn]

no, i got it sent to a different address than i am at now
supposedly it got there in a couple days

[spolia optima]

This G86 is still in my rotation. I love it for the most part, but damn- those arrow keys. I will never get used to those.

The sounds that come from this keyboard are mesmerizing though. perfect. It sounds like i'm an angel hopping around on a typewriter made of fluffy clouds and world peace.

[itlnstln]

Welcome to the world of Cherry-made 'boards.  The only reason I bought another Filco is that it's hard to get Cherrys in different layouts in the US.  The 3000 is a little too big to use at work and the SPOS 'board's layout is a little too wonky to use all the time (that one's on my laptop's docking station).  If there was someone, anyone, that would distribute Cherry G80-1800's with browns, I would buy three of them and leave Geekhack forever.
 
Unfortunately for you guys, no one will be stocking that keyboard anytime soon.

[ricercar]

This G86 ... damn- those arrow keys. I will never get used to those.

I found that replacing the black arrow caps with white arrows did wonders for my ability to find them. It's been what, 6 weeks? I am almost ready to restore the original caps.

[elbowglue]

Ok.  I have made a few mods to this board, and now I love it.  I acutally think I like it better than my Filco Cherry Brown 104 key.

Heres what I did.  

Mapped Left Alt to do nothing, removed the left alt-keycap (revealing cherry brown switch).  Remapped the Tilde button sitting right near the spacebar to Lalt, placed alt keycap on where the tilde button was.  Mapped numlock to the tilde button.  Mapped caps lock to do nothing.

Removed the following keys and replaced them with the blank macro keys: Up arrow, down arrow, left arrow, right arrow, also numlock, numpad 7, numpad 4.  All of these keys are changed to blank macrokeys in appearance.

Why?  Now I can find the arrow keys quickly (they raise up above the regular level of the keyboard), and I don't accidentally overshoot the enter or backspace with my right pinky and get into the keypad section.  The alt is where it should be, and I don't accidentally hit the tilda when I am trying to use alt.

Now this is my favorite keyboard lol.  I'll post pictures tommorrow if anyone is interested.  Only downside is that it looks crazy, but it runs like a fricken champ.

FYI:
Autohotkey:

`::Lalt
Lalt::Return
numlock::`
capslock::Return
+capslock::capslock

[itlnstln]

I really like the key action on the SPOS.  It's a shame about the layout, though.  If it were like the 1800 series, this would be my main 'board.

[elbowglue]

I'm strongly considering getting a g80-1800 and doing a full switch transplant too if this current iteration becomes irritating because of the small right shift key.  The only problem I forsee is that the space bar is pretty far to the left on the g80-1800 in comparison with normal keyboards....

[spolia optima]

One of the best 20 bucks I've ever spent.

[didjamatic]

I had no idea it had a speaker.  How does the plastic piece above the keys pop off?  I tried gently prying ends and it didn't want to pop off.

Interesting layout elbowglue.  This SPOS lends itself to custom layouts very well.

[elbowglue]

It's so it can make a beep when it successfully reads a credit card that is swiped.

Anyone know how to tell the cherry software to only output the card number when you swipe the credit card?  Mine outputs a lot of other stuff including my name and crap, so I can't use it to enter in card numbers when checking out on web sites..

[didjamatic]

Hmmmm.....

Can you make it click when you type

Load up samples of Alps, Buckling Springs, Montereys, Topres, etc. and load the sound to play with each keystroke on the SPOS.

[itlnstln]

Hmmmm.....
 
Can you make it click when you type
 
Load up samples of Alps, Buckling Springs, Montereys, Topres, etc. and load the sound to play with each keystroke on the SPOS.

Ahhh... memories...  This was one of Welly's first posts.  Too bad we haven't seen him around in awhile.

[spolia optima]

it has a speaker?
idea: someone build a keyboard with a small speaker and onboard flash memory so that youu can program tones directly in the hardware. specifically, game boy noises. this could save lives, people.

[didjamatic]

Is that a speaker in your Wang or are you just happy to...

[spolia optima]

I always figured it was some kind of exhaust vent

[itlnstln]

Do you type that fast, or does you Model M get that hot?  Mine, has headers and a cold-air intake.  I wanted to add a turbocharger, too, but that would have made the keyboard a little too high.

[spolia optima]

wicked. my m's an import, it's got a few more WPMs than the domestic thanks to the extra vowels, grounded space bar, proper return key, etc.

just threw a lift kit on my spos, check it:

[Mental Hobbit]

just threw a lift kit on my spos, check it:

Perfect synthesis of functionality and elegance! :biggrin1:

[ricercar]

Tonight I replaced my Z key, finally having ambition and means in the same place at the same time. I'm pleased with myself. The Z is in line with its neighbors; I can't tell it was re-soldered.





Before the repair, in order to register the letter Z the old key required me to bear down with great force after it bottomed out. When I removed the key, one of the leads was so loose, it remained in the PC board, requiring a separate desoldering pass. I imagine these facts are related.



THANK YOU FOR THE KEY, RIPSTER!

[msiegel]

well done

[ricercar]

pwned by the semantic police.

[ricercar]

Reposting elbowglue mods here to appease my organizational obsession.

By the way, I highly recommend cherry brown switch keyboards mounted on PCB, cause it gives you a much better soft landing when bottoming out in comparison to filcos.  Compaq MX 11800 comes to mind, as does the G86-62410EUASGSA, or the G80-3000 from datacal.  Of course the g80-3000 is not tenkeyless.  Oh on the picture below I haven't gotten around to removing the + and Enter on the numpad cause I don't wanna discard the stabilizers yet.

Oh yeah - you can get this keyboard new from dell small business here:
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Retail_POS_Keyboards/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&sku=A0471542
Or occasionally on ebay for a better price.

Redkeycap and White keycaps did not come with this keyboard, they were from other keyboards previously.

Show Image

This would be slick with a custom fit black panel covering the unused switches.

My own board is relatively staid and boring. I've replaced some clear-capped single shots with double shots from Optima Spoila.



I go back and forth with red caps on ESC and DEL. They're quite useful, but the ostentation is repelling. I go back and forth.

[kishy]

AHA!

Who remembers me saying recently I saw Cherry keyboards on the DELL OPTIPLEX 755 check-outs at my college bookstore?

This is not the unit I saw, it's a different layout, but this would indicate Dell has hookups for Cherry boards.

[elbowglue]

I propose a new name for this beauty, the g86 "Ricecar SPOS".  Yeah.  It's the fricken bomb.  One of the best parts about this is that a lot of the keys which usually have a stabilizer on normal size keyboards (such as backspace) do not use stabilizers on the Ricecar SPOS, which makes them feel much better, you can feel the cherry brown switch, the stabilizer dosen't sog it down.

I'm still really happy with it.  The totally unused thick top porton of the board reminds me of a model F, it's like the board has a huge forehead.

[ricercar]

I found the model number of the Cherry cover for our Ricercar SPOS, but haven't found it in stock anywhere yet.

che-kbcv62410w

[microsoft windows]

Reposting elbowglue mods here to appease my organizational obsession.



This would be slick with a custom fit black panel covering the unused switches.

My own board is relatively staid and boring. I've replaced some clear-capped single shots with double shots from Optima Spoila.

Show Image

I go back and forth with red caps on ESC and DEL. They're quite useful, but the ostentation is repelling. I go back and forth.

Show Image

I spot a Vista. Yuck.

But I like that keyboard, especially the arrow keys from the Wyse terminal keyboards. I've been wanting to get one just for the arrows.

[ricercar]

I spot a Vista. Yuck

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain! I am the Great and Powerful Wizard of OZ!

-

I changed my mind. I don't dislike the aesthetic of the reds. Rather instead, I so love the tight feel of the SPOS stock key caps that I'm loathe to replace any of them (except the brittle crystal-capped ones).

Despite failing the patented ricercar flex™, the SPOS with stock caps has the most sensual feel of any flat (read: Non-Kinesis) keyboard I own. On this SPOS, even Cherry-made double shots aren't as delicious to my fingers as the stock caps.

Key caps removed from this SPOS don't feel this way on any other board, not on a Cherry brown G80-11802, nor G80-6955HPDUS, nor a Kinesis (huge disappointment!). The SPOS caps live in a private Ziplock until I decide I want them back home.

I may marry my SPOS.

--
Then again, My fingers are historically iconoclastic. I'm currently dating a Cherry black 11900, and she's a delightful mistress.

[elbowglue]

Had to post the answer here because someone was asking me, and I figured it out.

How do you hook the relegendable keys to your own purpose in AHK?

The keys across the top of the keyboard are F13-F24 keys.  The one right above ESC dosen't seem to do squat.  F13 lives right above F1

Add this line:
F15::Space
And now F15 will be mapped to space bar.

How you do macros and stuff, well that will take some time to figure out

[Fuzzcraft]

You can use the Cherry software to map the key once and go from there in AHK. I'm not using the Pause and ScrollLock functions, so the top left blank is mapped to Pause, and the top right blank to ScrollLock. AHK takes over from there.

[ricercar]

Show Image

I see your paper inserts, and raise with laser caps:

[ricercar]

Those are the stickem ones?  How did you get them to fit the stems?

Yes, I eBayed one of the hundred-cap for $8 lots. Took three tries to get to me; I think the seller thought I was scamming him.

The double-sided sticky comes off quite easily, and then I just use a needle nose pliers to munge the square innards, twist and pull, until the inner square is gone, with the inside flat. Then I remove the skirt from a Cherry crystal-top  key stem and superglue (Lexmark type M works, too).



In the first pic of the fake keys, there's some grey discoloration on the key skirts where my flatblade screwdriver stressed the black plastic from the inside enough to show through. My plier technique grew better with practice.

[ricercar]

Someone recently posted about testing the extra unused unpopulated row in the ricercar MX SPOS, but I can't find it. Was there any conclusion, or must I reach my own?



Edit:

Right to left
ALT
R Windows
--
255
226
193
--
255
255
--
--
234
194
NUMPAD5
--
--
255
135

[elbowglue]

I just got my second ricercar SPOS (sold my first one, but got a great deal on this one serial number 253.  This one has been used for a little while but it still feels great.  King of all brown cherries still in my mind)

By the way, the profile on the caps lock key is slightly different than the ASDFG keys.  It was molded in the same shape as the ZXCV row profile.  Anyone know what material these keys are made of?  They are really nice.

[kwang2009]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Cherry-G86-62410-POS-Point-Sale-Keyboard-USB-CrdRead-/390209429175?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ada4b5eb7

Is this one?

[kwang2009]

Rats, the thing looks brand new.

[elbowglue]

Hmm.. PBT eh?  No wonder it feels nice.  Same stuff as topres.  I see some molding artifacts too on this ricercar SPOS as noted earlier on other PBT keys.  Although I think they were there on my old ricercar just that I didn't notice.

Now that i am looking at it I suspect my pink filco may not be the same material as a regular filco.  Although I can only go by memory as I have no black filco keys for comparison.

This is a sweet board. I regret selling the last one

[ricercar]

I cheated on the Ricercar

I want a divorce.