I Really Need Help Finding the Right Mechanical Keyboard for My HTPC!

[Illustrator76]

I am having an extremely hard time finding a mechanical keyboard that will fit my HTPC needs. My HTPC is in my living room (hooked up to my TV) and I use it to surf the internet, watch movies, and play video games. Given the location of the PC, a wired mouse and keyboard is not an option, nor is it desirable, and I am not a competitive gamer, so the wireless aspect doesn't bother me one bit. With that being said, I am looking for a wireless, mechanical, tenkeyless keyboard WITH character back lighting (not just the LED under lighting). I would prefer wireless, but I will accept Bluetooth if I have to. I have done a ton of searching, and the only keyboard I found that comes somewhat close to what I want is a Rapoo KX wireless keyboard, but yeah, um, no. I don't like the "virtual" Function and Delete keys or the overall keyboard layout at all.

I ended up buying a Varmilo VB87M (that I may now be selling) with red LEDs thinking that I could switch the keycaps out for some translucent ones (hoping that would work for back-lighting), but that doesn't work at all. I am basically looking for something like a WASD CODE 87, but made wireless/Bluetooth somehow. Is it possible someone on here could mod one for me for a price? If not, are there any other options out there for what I am looking for? I had a Logitech keyboard that had some of I wanted, but it wasn't mechanical or tenkeyless and the typing/gaming experience sucked.

Any help you guys could provide would be great.

[redbanshee]

Im in this exact same situation, and then this appeared:

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/kb87-bluetooth-cnc-acrylic-mechanical-keyboard

[Illustrator76]

Im in this exact same situation, and then this appeared:

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/kb87-bluetooth-cnc-acrylic-mechanical-keyboard

Yeah, I have the Varmilo VB87M, but even with translucent keycaps, these keyboards just don't work like true backlit keyboards do. I even looked at replacing the keycaps, but the issue is that all of the backlit keycaps that I have found have the characters at the TOP of the keys, but Varmilo places their LEDs at the bottom of the keys, so they still wouldn't light up the characters correctly at night.

If Varmilo had put their LEDs at the top of the keycap then I could replace the stock keycaps with some aftermarket backlit ones and I would be set.

[Keycap]

I honestly find the G80-11900 to be awesome for really compact areas. Touchpad and keyboard all in one, and they're very cheap keyboards.

[Illustrator76]

I honestly find the G80-11900 to be awesome for really compact areas. Touchpad and keyboard all in one, and they're very cheap keyboards.

I'm not sure you understand what I am looking for. Did you read my entire post?

[xtrafrood]

From what I've gathered Varmilo (or Leopold idk) flipped the switches so that the side facing (front facing, etc.) LEDs illuminate the side facing legends. The lighter color keysets with side facing legends illuminate pretty well even if they're made of PBT.

@ around 3:46 the guy shows the lighting.

A quick ebay search for side printed keycaps will bring up several different colors to choose from, and most are PBT. Plain white is pretty easy to find if that's what you're after.

If you already have side facing legends I don't know what to say. Maybe the keyboard LEDs are too bright for what you need them for? You already own one of the best wireless keyboards. It would be a shame to trade what is essentially a Leopold for some other kind of keyboard.

[Illustrator76]

From what I've gathered Varmilo (or Leopold idk) flipped the switches so that the side facing (front facing, etc.) LEDs illuminate the side facing legends. The lighter color keysets with side facing legends illuminate pretty well even if they're made of PBT.

@ around 3:46 the guy shows the lighting.

A quick ebay search for side printed keycaps will bring up several different colors to choose from, and most are PBT. Plain white is pretty easy to find if that's what you're after.

If you already have side facing legends I don't know what to say. Maybe the keyboard LEDs are too bright for what you need them for? You already own one of the best wireless keyboards. It would be a shame to trade what is essentially a Leopold for some other kind of keyboard.

Yeah, I already have side-facing legends. My keyboard is black with grey keycaps, but I am not getting anything close to the effect shown in that video. I ordered a couple of black translucent front/side and top printed keycaps but those aren't working either, as you really can't see the characters at night even on the brightest setting.

I really wish that someone made front/side printed backlit keycaps, as that would easily solve the issue, but no one seems to product those, and I have no idea why. I do like the Varmilo keyboard, but without a decent backlighting solution, I will have to get rid of it. I agree it would be a shame, but I don't know what else to do at this point.

Is it possible for someone to modify a WASD CODE 87 and make it work with Bluetooth? That would solve pretty much everything.

[Olumin]

From what I've gathered Varmilo (or Leopold idk) flipped the switches so that the side facing (front facing, etc.) LEDs illuminate the side facing legends. The lighter color keysets with side facing legends illuminate pretty well even if they're made of PBT.

@ around 3:46 the guy shows the lighting.

A quick ebay search for side printed keycaps will bring up several different colors to choose from, and most are PBT. Plain white is pretty easy to find if that's what you're after.

If you already have side facing legends I don't know what to say. Maybe the keyboard LEDs are too bright for what you need them for? You already own one of the best wireless keyboards. It would be a shame to trade what is essentially a Leopold for some other kind of keyboard.

Yeah, I already have side-facing legends. My keyboard is black with grey keycaps, but I am not getting anything close to the effect shown in that video. I ordered a couple of black translucent front/side and top printed keycaps but those aren't working either, as you really can't see the characters at night even on the brightest setting.

I really wish that someone made front/side printed backlit keycaps, as that would easily solve the issue, but no one seems to product those, and I have no idea why. I do like the Varmilo keyboard, but without a decent backlighting solution, I will have to get rid of it. I agree it would be a shame, but I don't know what else to do at this point.

Is it possible for someone to modify a WASD CODE 87 and make it work with Bluetooth? That would solve pretty much everything.

Just search keyboard bluetooth adapter, problem solved, took 5 seconds. 

[Illustrator76]

From what I've gathered Varmilo (or Leopold idk) flipped the switches so that the side facing (front facing, etc.) LEDs illuminate the side facing legends. The lighter color keysets with side facing legends illuminate pretty well even if they're made of PBT.

@ around 3:46 the guy shows the lighting.

A quick ebay search for side printed keycaps will bring up several different colors to choose from, and most are PBT. Plain white is pretty easy to find if that's what you're after.

If you already have side facing legends I don't know what to say. Maybe the keyboard LEDs are too bright for what you need them for? You already own one of the best wireless keyboards. It would be a shame to trade what is essentially a Leopold for some other kind of keyboard.

Yeah, I already have side-facing legends. My keyboard is black with grey keycaps, but I am not getting anything close to the effect shown in that video. I ordered a couple of black translucent front/side and top printed keycaps but those aren't working either, as you really can't see the characters at night even on the brightest setting.

I really wish that someone made front/side printed backlit keycaps, as that would easily solve the issue, but no one seems to product those, and I have no idea why. I do like the Varmilo keyboard, but without a decent backlighting solution, I will have to get rid of it. I agree it would be a shame, but I don't know what else to do at this point.

Is it possible for someone to modify a WASD CODE 87 and make it work with Bluetooth? That would solve pretty much everything.

Just search keyboard bluetooth adapter, problem solved, took 5 seconds.

I did that already. That doesn't mean that it will work with all keyboards, nor do I know how to do it, if that particular product works as stated, etc... I don't have knowledge of that kind of stuff so that is why I am here asking for help. Maybe I will check the modding forums and see what people over there say.

[Olumin]

From what I've gathered Varmilo (or Leopold idk) flipped the switches so that the side facing (front facing, etc.) LEDs illuminate the side facing legends. The lighter color keysets with side facing legends illuminate pretty well even if they're made of PBT.

@ around 3:46 the guy shows the lighting.

A quick ebay search for side printed keycaps will bring up several different colors to choose from, and most are PBT. Plain white is pretty easy to find if that's what you're after.

If you already have side facing legends I don't know what to say. Maybe the keyboard LEDs are too bright for what you need them for? You already own one of the best wireless keyboards. It would be a shame to trade what is essentially a Leopold for some other kind of keyboard.

Yeah, I already have side-facing legends. My keyboard is black with grey keycaps, but I am not getting anything close to the effect shown in that video. I ordered a couple of black translucent front/side and top printed keycaps but those aren't working either, as you really can't see the characters at night even on the brightest setting.

I really wish that someone made front/side printed backlit keycaps, as that would easily solve the issue, but no one seems to product those, and I have no idea why. I do like the Varmilo keyboard, but without a decent backlighting solution, I will have to get rid of it. I agree it would be a shame, but I don't know what else to do at this point.

Is it possible for someone to modify a WASD CODE 87 and make it work with Bluetooth? That would solve pretty much everything.

Just search keyboard bluetooth adapter, problem solved, took 5 seconds.

I did that already. That doesn't mean that it will work with all keyboards, nor do I know how to do it, if that particular product works as stated, etc... I don't have knowledge of that kind of stuff so that is why I am here asking for help. Maybe I will check the modding forums and see what people over there say.

In case of emergency, Google again ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°). No seriously,  "One USB host port supporting most standard USB HID Keyboards (max current 200mA)" I don't know if that fits the WASD CODE 87, but you do perhaps. (http://handheldsci.com/kb)

But there are also alternatives to this one.

[Illustrator76]

From what I've gathered Varmilo (or Leopold idk) flipped the switches so that the side facing (front facing, etc.) LEDs illuminate the side facing legends. The lighter color keysets with side facing legends illuminate pretty well even if they're made of PBT.

@ around 3:46 the guy shows the lighting.

A quick ebay search for side printed keycaps will bring up several different colors to choose from, and most are PBT. Plain white is pretty easy to find if that's what you're after.

If you already have side facing legends I don't know what to say. Maybe the keyboard LEDs are too bright for what you need them for? You already own one of the best wireless keyboards. It would be a shame to trade what is essentially a Leopold for some other kind of keyboard.

Yeah, I already have side-facing legends. My keyboard is black with grey keycaps, but I am not getting anything close to the effect shown in that video. I ordered a couple of black translucent front/side and top printed keycaps but those aren't working either, as you really can't see the characters at night even on the brightest setting.

I really wish that someone made front/side printed backlit keycaps, as that would easily solve the issue, but no one seems to product those, and I have no idea why. I do like the Varmilo keyboard, but without a decent backlighting solution, I will have to get rid of it. I agree it would be a shame, but I don't know what else to do at this point.

Is it possible for someone to modify a WASD CODE 87 and make it work with Bluetooth? That would solve pretty much everything.

Just search keyboard bluetooth adapter, problem solved, took 5 seconds.

I did that already. That doesn't mean that it will work with all keyboards, nor do I know how to do it, if that particular product works as stated, etc... I don't have knowledge of that kind of stuff so that is why I am here asking for help. Maybe I will check the modding forums and see what people over there say.

In case of emergency, Google again ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°).

That really doesn't help me very much at all, and I don't understand what the smart remarks are for. I am posting in a keyboard forum asking about keyboard options, and you reply with Google as your answer not once but twice.

Don't really see the point, but whatever floats your boat man. I will check the other parts of the forum and see who I can contact to see if what I want is possible in real life. Or maybe Google can do that for me too.

[Olumin]

From what I've gathered Varmilo (or Leopold idk) flipped the switches so that the side facing (front facing, etc.) LEDs illuminate the side facing legends. The lighter color keysets with side facing legends illuminate pretty well even if they're made of PBT.

@ around 3:46 the guy shows the lighting.

A quick ebay search for side printed keycaps will bring up several different colors to choose from, and most are PBT. Plain white is pretty easy to find if that's what you're after.

If you already have side facing legends I don't know what to say. Maybe the keyboard LEDs are too bright for what you need them for? You already own one of the best wireless keyboards. It would be a shame to trade what is essentially a Leopold for some other kind of keyboard.

Yeah, I already have side-facing legends. My keyboard is black with grey keycaps, but I am not getting anything close to the effect shown in that video. I ordered a couple of black translucent front/side and top printed keycaps but those aren't working either, as you really can't see the characters at night even on the brightest setting.

I really wish that someone made front/side printed backlit keycaps, as that would easily solve the issue, but no one seems to product those, and I have no idea why. I do like the Varmilo keyboard, but without a decent backlighting solution, I will have to get rid of it. I agree it would be a shame, but I don't know what else to do at this point.

Is it possible for someone to modify a WASD CODE 87 and make it work with Bluetooth? That would solve pretty much everything.

Just search keyboard bluetooth adapter, problem solved, took 5 seconds.

I did that already. That doesn't mean that it will work with all keyboards, nor do I know how to do it, if that particular product works as stated, etc... I don't have knowledge of that kind of stuff so that is why I am here asking for help. Maybe I will check the modding forums and see what people over there say.

In case of emergency, Google again ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°).

That really doesn't help me very much at all, and I don't understand what the smart remarks are for. I am posting in a keyboard forum asking about keyboard options, and you reply with Google as your answer not once but twice.

Don't really see the point, but whatever floats your boat man. I will check the other parts of the forum and see who I can contact to see if what I want is possible in real life. Or maybe Google can do that for me too.

I'm not serious, I edited that post, check again.

[xtrafrood]

From what I've gathered Varmilo (or Leopold idk) flipped the switches so that the side facing (front facing, etc.) LEDs illuminate the side facing legends. The lighter color keysets with side facing legends illuminate pretty well even if they're made of PBT.

@ around 3:46 the guy shows the lighting.

A quick ebay search for side printed keycaps will bring up several different colors to choose from, and most are PBT. Plain white is pretty easy to find if that's what you're after.

If you already have side facing legends I don't know what to say. Maybe the keyboard LEDs are too bright for what you need them for? You already own one of the best wireless keyboards. It would be a shame to trade what is essentially a Leopold for some other kind of keyboard.

Yeah, I already have side-facing legends. My keyboard is black with grey keycaps, but I am not getting anything close to the effect shown in that video. I ordered a couple of black translucent front/side and top printed keycaps but those aren't working either, as you really can't see the characters at night even on the brightest setting.

I really wish that someone made front/side printed backlit keycaps, as that would easily solve the issue, but no one seems to product those, and I have no idea why. I do like the Varmilo keyboard, but without a decent backlighting solution, I will have to get rid of it. I agree it would be a shame, but I don't know what else to do at this point.

Is it possible for someone to modify a WASD CODE 87 and make it work with Bluetooth? That would solve pretty much everything.

Oh yea, side legend pbt with translucent pom infill would be amazing. Side double shot? idk what people would call those but that would be amazing.

As far as the modify to bluetooth idk. I've read about products like this Bluetooth keyboard adapter https://www.massdrop.com/buy/bluetooth-keyboard-adapter?mode=guest_open but I haven't read much about how people like them or whether they're worth the price.

Finding all the equipment to fit inside the keyboard would be a beast of a project I can say this much haha

[Illustrator76]

From what I've gathered Varmilo (or Leopold idk) flipped the switches so that the side facing (front facing, etc.) LEDs illuminate the side facing legends. The lighter color keysets with side facing legends illuminate pretty well even if they're made of PBT.

@ around 3:46 the guy shows the lighting.

A quick ebay search for side printed keycaps will bring up several different colors to choose from, and most are PBT. Plain white is pretty easy to find if that's what you're after.

If you already have side facing legends I don't know what to say. Maybe the keyboard LEDs are too bright for what you need them for? You already own one of the best wireless keyboards. It would be a shame to trade what is essentially a Leopold for some other kind of keyboard.

Yeah, I already have side-facing legends. My keyboard is black with grey keycaps, but I am not getting anything close to the effect shown in that video. I ordered a couple of black translucent front/side and top printed keycaps but those aren't working either, as you really can't see the characters at night even on the brightest setting.

I really wish that someone made front/side printed backlit keycaps, as that would easily solve the issue, but no one seems to product those, and I have no idea why. I do like the Varmilo keyboard, but without a decent backlighting solution, I will have to get rid of it. I agree it would be a shame, but I don't know what else to do at this point.

Is it possible for someone to modify a WASD CODE 87 and make it work with Bluetooth? That would solve pretty much everything.

Oh yea, side legend pbt with translucent pom infill would be amazing. Side double shot? idk what people would call those but that would be amazing.

As far as the modify to bluetooth idk. I've read about products like this Bluetooth keyboard adapter https://www.massdrop.com/buy/bluetooth-keyboard-adapter?mode=guest_open but I haven't read much about how people like them or whether they're worth the price.

Finding all the equipment to fit inside the keyboard would be a beast of a project I can say this much haha

Agreed on the keycaps for sure! Yeah, I am going to ask a few of the modders here about the Bluetooth mod and see what they say about how feasible it is.

[ThoughtArtist]

Extension cords, dude. You want the moon? Sometimes you just have to settle for Swiss cheese.

[Illustrator76]

Extension cords, dude. You want the moon? Sometimes you just have to settle for Swiss cheese.

Thanks for the in-depth wisdom and insight. Extension cords are tacky and not even close to an option. Wireless/Bluetooth is a must. If what I am looking for is not possible then I will have to figure out which option gives me most of what I want and go with that. Not sure why I am getting smart remarks to an innocent question about keyboards on a keyboard forum.

If what I am looking for is not produced, or can't be modded/made, then that's fine, but that is why I came here to ask.

My bad for doing that.

[ThoughtArtist]

Extension cords, dude. You want the moon? Sometimes you just have to settle for Swiss cheese.

Thanks for the in-depth wisdom and insight. Extension cords are tacky and not even close to an option. Wireless/Bluetooth is a must. If what I am looking for is not possible then I will have to figure out which option gives me most of what I want and go with that. Not sure why I am getting smart remarks to an innocent question about keyboards on a keyboard forum.

If what I am looking for is not produced, or can't be modded/made, then that's fine, but that is why I came here to ask.

My bad for doing that.

No problem. Just being realistic. I'd say the "tackiness" of extension cords is certainly one of those First-World problems, though. If I want to game on my couch, it's either that or use a crappy Logitech wireless board. I'll choose the former and enjoy myself, cord and all.

[Illustrator76]

Extension cords, dude. You want the moon? Sometimes you just have to settle for Swiss cheese.

Thanks for the in-depth wisdom and insight. Extension cords are tacky and not even close to an option. Wireless/Bluetooth is a must. If what I am looking for is not possible then I will have to figure out which option gives me most of what I want and go with that. Not sure why I am getting smart remarks to an innocent question about keyboards on a keyboard forum.

If what I am looking for is not produced, or can't be modded/made, then that's fine, but that is why I came here to ask.

My bad for doing that.

No problem. Just being realistic. I'd say the "tackiness" of extension cords is certainly one of those First-World problems, though. If I want to game on my couch, it's either that or use a crappy Logitech wireless board. I'll choose the former and enjoy myself, cord and all.

Well have fun with that. Between using these forums and doing more searching elsewhere, I found a solution that will give me everything that I am looking for so I can avoid the tacky cords and "First-World problems" of extension cables in my living room. I now own the moon. Guess you can have it all sometimes, huh?

[Techno Trousers]

What's the solution?

[Illustrator76]

What's the solution?

There were two options. The first was getting a WASD CODE 87 keyboard and having a Bluetooth mod done to it, but that option was more risky and would have taken much more time AND money. As I suspected, some people have had success with that Handheld Scientific Bluetooth Adapter with some keyboards, but not so much with others. Not only that, that Bluetooth adapter isn't even in stock right now, and I have no clue when it would be again. Option two, which is the one I chose, is getting custom printed backlit keycaps with top-printed legends that are at the BOTTOM of the keycap right over where the LEDs are on the Varmilo VB87M. Pretty much every aftermarket backlit keycap out there has the backlit legends at the top of the keycap because that's where the LEDs are usually located, but the Varmilos are the opposite of that. By going the custom backlit keycap route I can now move the legends down to the bottom of the keycap where the LEDs are, giving me the true back-lighting I have been looking for.

Problem solved!

[Illustrator76]

Hit the wrong button. Sorry. It won't let me delete this post.

[xtrafrood]

Whoa, you found backlit side printed caps!? Link me?

[Techno Trousers]

What's the solution?

Option two, which is the one I chose, is getting custom printed backlit keycaps with top-printed legends that are at the BOTTOM of the keycap right over where the LEDs are on the Varmilo VB87M.

Where did you order a one-off set of backlight compatible keycaps?

[Illustrator76]

Whoa, you found backlit side printed caps!? Link me?

My bad, lol, I may have worded that incorrectly. They are TOP printed keycaps, but instead of the legends being oriented vertically towards the top of the keycap, they are located vertically towards the bottom of the keycap where the Varmillo LEDs are.

So the keys will be printed like the image below, except that the L key for example will be much closer to the bottom of the keycap rather than the top of the keycap.

[xtrafrood]

Whoa, you found backlit side printed caps!? Link me?

My bad, lol, I may have worded that incorrectly. They are TOP printed keycaps, but instead of the legends being oriented vertically towards the top of the keycap, they are located vertically towards the bottom of the keycap where the Varmillo LEDs are.

So the keys will be printed like the image below, except that the L key for example will be much closer to the bottom of the keycap rather than the top of the keycap.

Show Image

Gotcha, I think I get what you're talking about. Glad to know that there is another option for people that need backlighting for those Varmilo keyboards :thumb:

[Techno Trousers]

Who makes the caps?

[Illustrator76]

Who makes the caps?

Hey, my bad man. I just saw that I missed this a few posts ago as well. I am ordering them from a place called Max Keyboards. They have been really helpful and great so far!

[Techno Trousers]

Thanks! Please post pics and let us know how you like them when they come in.

[Illustrator76]

Thanks! Please post pics and let us know how you like them when they come in.

Yup. Will do that for sure!

[Findecanor]

This thread reminded me of the Roccat Sova "lapboard", but when I see it again I see that it is HUGE.
The other day, Razer announced something like it but much smaller but theirs one has scissor-switches.