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Here's a question: how short can the key depth on a mechanical keyboard get? I'm tempted to get myself some Cherry Black goodness, but after years of laptop use and now an OCZ keyboard that I picked specifically for its 3mm or so of key depth, I find it pretty uncomfortable to type on "tall" keys".
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Jun 15, 2011 19:24
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weapey posted:Have a look a couple of pages back, or have a look on geekhack for the rubber ring mod. It doesn't change the activation point, but will reduce the key travel. I see... thanks. I don't think it would be wise to buy an expensive keyboard AND mod it (ie = no return) hoping I will like it, unfortunately. Do you perhaps remember if desktop scissor switch keyboards were discussed at some point in the thread - i.e. which ones are most sturdy and reliable? I suppose they might be a good alternative for my needs.
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Jun 16, 2011 10:15
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Gwaihir posted:If someone is really a scissor switch fan, just grab a standalone thinkpad keyboard: http://www.amazon.com/ThinkPad-USB-Keyboard-with-TrackPoint/dp/tags-on-product/B002ONCC6G  Nice one! The integrated clit mouse would be cool, but since I hate the Fn key in the Ctrl corner, does anyone know if this thing is identical in terms of switches and key feel?
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Jun 16, 2011 20:02
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Razer's keyboards use Cherry blue switches, right? Why would they do that, since they're supposedly terrible for gaming (since they make spamming especially difficult)?
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Jun 19, 2011 00:31
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ufarn posted:Keys off, the basic Filco keyboard model is the same regardless of language, right? The 'European' (104 keys) and 'American' (105 keys) layouts are physically different beyond just the lettering. The left Shift can be long or short, and in particular the Enter key has a different shape. (There's also a 106-key layout that has both short Shift and small Enter). It's somewhat awkward to switch, so pay attention to get the one you're used to.  
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Jun 20, 2011 22:56
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Tornhelm posted:I don't know if this is a problem with other Razer Blackwidows, but mine has this annoying problem where if I need to get into the BIOS or anything like that, I need to plug in another keyboard because it hasn't powered on for some reason. By the time windows has booted its on, but yeah reinstalling Windows was fun until I worked out why I couldn't get my boot menu up to boot from my dvd drive. Is it connected via PS/2?
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Jun 27, 2011 06:35
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Is there any reason why so few high-end keyboards have wrist/palm rests? I know I can grab a separate one from the store for 100 SEK, but since it's such a basic ergonomic feature I can't see why they are so seldom included. Oh, and does anyone have any experience with this thing, or other Cherry-brand keyboards? It's the cheapest US layout, Cherry black switch on the Keyboard Company's website by far, so that right now seems to be my choice.
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Jun 30, 2011 04:36
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ufarn posted:I know AutoHotkey, but there are a million billion scripts, and it's going to be close to impossible to sift through all of them. This is the one I use and it's been working flawlessly. If you don't want the graphic bar, just put a comment mark (  before the line that says "Gosub, volShowBars".
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Jul 6, 2011 18:53
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If some other European goons want to try a mechanical keyboard on a budget (and, like me, don't like the Razer or Steelseries offers), I've found that various German retailers sell some models of Cherry G80-3000 for significantly cheaper than Keyboardco.com (Mindfactory.de will ship one internationally for about 75€, instead of 97£). Link: http://geizhals.at/deutschland/?cat=kb&sort=p&bpmax=&asuch=G80-3000&v=e&plz=&dist=&filter=+Liste+aktualisieren+&xf=1041_Cherry Refer to this chart (click on "models") to make sure that you get the layout and switch type you want. The switch rule is P=black Q=brown S=blue, then there's two letters for the layout, and the number at the end of the code indicates the colour (0=white 1=grey 2=black).
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Aug 10, 2011 16:28
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Taeke posted:My modifiers stopped working. I mean the ' and ", which normally wait for you to either press the spacebar or a letter (' + e = é, for example) but don't anymore, which makes it tedious for me to use modified letters like é. I've looked but can't find anything helpful either online (my google skills are weak) or in the keyboard and language settings of Windows. 
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Sep 1, 2011 20:16
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Copper Vein posted:Thought you guys might like to know that Steelseries is running a sale right now with 30% of everything and 50% off Blizzard items. I'd be happy to buy a Steelseries keyboard if they hadn't had the stupid idea to hardware-disable their Windows key so you can't even rebind it with Autohotkey or such. I use that poo poo for shortcuts, people, and no I'm not going to mod it.
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Sep 2, 2011 16:40
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You need the US-International layout for '`~"^ to work as "dead keys" (i.e. that modify your next letter as appropriate to get éàñöî). The standard US and UK layouts don't have that, and I presume the Dutch one doesn't either.
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Sep 2, 2011 17:59
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Khorne posted:Is it actually hardware disabled or can you toggle it? Hardware disabled, it doesn't send any signal to the computer at all (no scancodes). According to people on geekhack.org your best bet to get a functioning left Windows key is something like this poo poo.
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Sep 5, 2011 23:56
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Some companies also make "left-handed" keyboards with the arrow keys and numpad on the left, so you can keep your hands closer without resorting to a tenkeyless. Even better, the Microsoft Sidewinder X6 had a detachable numpad that could be placed on either side. Or, of course, you could get a separate numpad for  and place it wherever you like.
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Sep 7, 2011 20:04
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Tornhelm posted:As someone who has used a BlackWidow, you don't. It didn't take long to get used to it, but those macro keys are the biggest weakness the board has. How are they a weakness, exactly? I mean, even if you don't like them, you can still just ignore them, right? They're on the left so it's not like they increase your keyboard-mouse distance or anything.
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Sep 15, 2011 03:56
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TLG James posted:http://store.razerzone.com/store/razerusa/en_US/pd/productID.221675100/categoryId.35156900
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Sep 18, 2011 18:09
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Speaking of which, does anyone ever use the Shift key on the right?
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Oct 10, 2011 14:53
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Salt Fish posted:You use your thumb to hit alt? That would destroy my hands. You should relearn that as a ring finger motion. That doesn't work so well if you need to press Alt+[something on the left side of the keyboard]. Perhaps you can use the right Alt instead, if it works the same on a US layout - I use an international layout so it's AltGr and performs different functions. In fact I've discarded several keyboard choices like the Sidewinder X6 because they got rid of the 'right-click menu' key and put AltGr in an uncomfortable position, too far to the right. I haven't seen a keyboard with an Alt shifted between X and C, that sounds lovely. Jwoven, can you post which one it was?
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Oct 21, 2011 13:02
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glompix posted:There need to be more tenkeyless boards with a fn key that turns a cluster of keys into the numpad, like many laptops have. I would gladly take that shorter kb<->mouse travel in exchange for a key hold while I type in long strings of numbers. Only real annoyance would be typing hexadecimal numbers. Hope you don't use bitwise fields much. You can very easily whip that up with AutoHotkey. Hell, someone probably already has.
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Nov 6, 2011 19:46
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polpotpotpotpotpot posted:Realizing I probably should have read this thread before I bought a Steelseries 6gv2 for programming all day
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Nov 19, 2011 05:27
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Doubly so as a left-windows-key-user.
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Does anyone know of a mechanical keyboard with this type of layout? I actually use the numpad so I don't want a tenkeyless model, but I would be very happy to squeeze up the arrows/pagenav keys like this in exchange for getting my hands a bit closer to each other. Hell, even if the block was completely absent it would still be fine, as you can easily emulate them via NumLock (and I could even use AutoHotkey to have 5123 as the arrows). (Yes, I know I could get a compact keyboard and a separate numpad, but that's butt-ugly and probably wastes precious centimetres. Although I guess it does allow me to put the numpad on the left, hmm...) E: I've found Thermaltake's eSPORTS Meka, but goddamnit, the lack of a Win key is a deal-breaker. Maybe I could experiment with some rebinding... NihilCredo fucked around with this message at 21:52 on Jan 22, 2012 |
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Jan 22, 2012 21:25
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Try #Numpad9::^!Ins
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Jan 24, 2012 23:11
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Arcsech posted:Like, any symbol in the unicode character set on any key I think.
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Jan 26, 2012 12:52
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poolside toaster posted:That's what I was afraid of. Kind of a hack, but perhaps you could get a MS NEK4000 and add backlighting to it via EL wire? This guy does a serious job, but I guess you could also simply stick the wire between the F# keys and the numbers row. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEW2HjCn0vk
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Jan 30, 2012 12:24
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Bit of an off-kilter post: I picked up a pair of this "iOne Scorpius N1" keyboard for peanuts, and while it's just a flimsy rubber dome (although at least it's thin-profile, so it doesn't feel mushy), I'll be damned if it isn't the best layout I've ever used - it was the whole reason I gave them a try in the first place, but I was even more impressed: (the ones I have are like this except black-on-black, and with Nordic labels instead of French ones; I ignore them and run as US-International anyway. Some smaller pictures with less French labels here.)  - It's almost as space-efficient as a tenkeyless, and gaming feels a lot more relaxed compared to a full-size. - The ONLY key it sacrifices is the right Ctrl key. Literally the only time I've found myself missing it was when I tried to type a new URL while I had a cup of tea in my left hand, since I went for Ctrl-L. - The Home->PgUp->PgDown->End vertical progression is logical and intuitive (note: in the picture, Home is the key with an arrow pointing northwest). Delete right above Home makes for an easy "Shift+Home -> Delete" for the common task of undoing a line. I did have to add a second Delete though, in place of the Insert key (which was to the left of the arrow keys, and got moved to the right Windows key) so that I'd have an easily accessible Delete while moving around text with the arrow keys. - I was worried about the thin Up and Down arrows, but they don't feel noticeably worse, not even at SuperMeatBoy. The different size actually helps touch-positioning, although a little bump like F/J would have been better. There is a version that has full-size UpArrow and DownArrow, but it also makes the left Ctrl/Win/Alt smaller by adding an extra key there, and that's much worse. - The F-keys, while not perfectedly aligned with the numbers, are at least less offset than on a standard keyboard - something I've always disliked. They're vertically adjacent, too, which is nice. - AltGr (right Alt) is spaced generously to the left. Since I constantly use it for various diacritics, this is all but necessary for me (I seriously had to quit the otherwise awesome Sidewinder X6 because, upon trying it at a shop, I discovered that the AltGr was abnormally shifted to the right, making it painful to reach with my right thumb). - I'm probably one of like ten people worldwide who are fans of this hybrid US/EU 106-key layout, which has an extra key both above Enter and to the right of the left Shift key; it's awesome, though, IMO. Personally, I use the > < key as CapsLock, freeing the actual CapsLock as a second Ctrl. In games, the > < key is also nicely positioned for the ring finger. - Tons of media keys, all standard types and easily rebound as necessary. My eyes lit up when I checked the iOne (also known as QTronix) website and say that they also make mechanical keyboards, but unfortunately it turns out they're all either in full size or in a potentially cool rack layout ruined by a stupid Esc and F-keys placement and a few other little details, all the more annoying since they do make a much better rack layout but it's only rubber dome. Still, now I think I have a much better idea of what exactly I'm saving mechanical-keyboard-money for. End of this gigantic sperging (even by the standards of this thread, I suspect).
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Mar 9, 2012 13:21
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Whenever I see one of those HHKs, I would like to know who are you freaks who actively do not want a Ctrl key or Esc and F-keys. It's not like they get in the way, or even use up room like a keypad. Hell, in the case of Ctrl the space is still there, empty.
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Apr 9, 2012 00:50
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How would that keyboard be any worse by having a key in the Ctrl position? (it doesn't have to be set as Ctrl, you can use it for Win or CapsLock or anything else) A row of F-keys might significantly increase the cost (though if you're already pricing the keyboard at $300...), but I can't see a meaningful gain in leaving an empty corner like that. Also I don't see arrow keys in the tables on that page, how are you supposed by default to even move around in a text file? Constantly reach for the mouse?
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Apr 9, 2012 01:03
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ppp posted:Because it's incredibly tedious to do that. In emacs you use ctrl-b/f/a/e/n/p and in vim you use hjkl. I could see this if it were an ergonomic keyboard where you're supposed to never move your hand from the ideal position (Kinesis, Maltron, TEK), but with a compact-but-otherwise-regular keyboard...
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Apr 9, 2012 03:06
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Cream_Filling posted:One criticism: your pause/break key looks like a Photoshop key.  The pause/break key has a || pause symbol.
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Apr 29, 2012 08:02
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Noni posted:I thought I'd drop a note in here that Moofi, Woot.com's not-so-secret underground lair, has a Razer Marauder Starcraft II Gaming Keyboard for $50 (It's $90 on amazon). I will also point out that that's a pretty great layout if you want to save space but still have as many keys as possible and occasionally use a keypad.
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May 1, 2012 16:35
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It's been said already, but if RSI is your primary concern, you're better off ponying up the cash for an ergonomic keyboard than worrying about this vs. that layout.
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May 2, 2012 00:07
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evil_bunnY posted:SO does anyone make an ergo keyboard without a drat keypad? If I had the cash to burn on an ergonomic keyboard, I'd get this: https://secure.trulyergonomic.com/index.php
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May 3, 2012 20:26
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Where did you guys find different switch types? The site only mentions browns.
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May 5, 2012 19:29
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Or get a cheap USB numpad and put it to the left of your keyboard, so you have the ergonomics of a tenkeyless while still being able to quickly enter long numbers. But yeah, the #1 reason mechanical tenkeyless are popular is almost certainly that it allows the maker to lower the price tag on an already-unreasonably-expensive product, not just having the mouse closer to your other hand. The absolute best approach is what the MS Sidewinder X6 did, which had a detachable numpad that could stick to either side of the main keyboard, but obviously that's pretty expensive to manufacture.
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Jun 2, 2012 17:42
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Heads up to Nordic goons: https://cdon.se/hemelektronik/ozone_strike_gaming_keyboard-16991412 Cherry MX black keyboard at half-price.
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Jun 18, 2012 22:35
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Speaking of the Quickfire, why on Earth does the tenkeyless version cost (significantly) more than the full-sized one? Also, is there a way to tell from the product code which kind of switches it mounts?
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Nov 16, 2014 16:34
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Don Lapre posted:Each switch has a slightly different model number. I know that, I'm looking for a quick reference table so I can see which switches are on a particular listing without having to contact the seller. quote:Also the rapid is $80-90. Which other one are you comparing it to? Are you looking at the quickfire rapid-i? Quickfire TK (which has the exact layout I want, alphanumeric + numpad as opposed to traditional tenkeyless) vs XT (ordinary keyboard layout). Actually I now see that on Amazon USA the TK is cheaper than the XT - which is what I would expect - whereas on European Amazon sites as well as other shops I've checked the TK version[ is more expensive. Odd. VVVVV Thanks!
NihilCredo fucked around with this message at 20:08 on Nov 16, 2014 |
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Nov 16, 2014 17:51
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I've recently acquired a CM Quickfire TK Stealth (brown switches) and I'd just like to inform the thread that, while I'm happy with my purchase on the basis of its layout and look, I was quite surprised.to discover that the keys feel very, VERY similar to the Lenovo keyboard I have at work (a Preferred Pro, I think). Which is a rubber-dome, and also can be found online for $29. My CM is still clickier and sharper, but only by a little - it takes bottoming out to really notice the difference. The CM is my first mechanical so I cannot say whether this is a case of CM making a mediocre mechanical or Lenovo making an amazing rubber-dome, or both. But I figured it could be interesting information for anyone on a tight budget.
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Jan 4, 2015 00:29
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Speaking of AutoHotkey, if a given keypress doesn't show anything in the Key History window of AHK, does it mean for sure that it's 100% onboard functionality - that no electrical signal is sent to the PC at all - and that I'm totally SOL when it comes to rebinding it, or is there anything else I can try?
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Jan 6, 2015 00:47
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| # ¿ Apr 29, 2024 09:35 |
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Inspector_666 posted:That laptop is a monstrosity and abomination, but I almost think they're onto something there with the touchpad on the right instead of the bottom. You'd think that there ought to be a decent market for what used to be called, back before real notebooks existed, "portable computers". I wager there's a substantial amount of laptops out there who spend 99% of their time moving from desk A to desk B and vice-versa (home office to work office, for example). For that type of users, a nice 18"+ inch screen, generous storage options, and a full-sized keyboard ought to be way valuable benefits, as they don't need the battery life to provide much more than UPS service, and weight/size isn't really an issue as long as it comes with its own bag. Not exactly unreasonable requirements to provide. Yet the only offerings we seem to get in that sector are these odd, freakishly overpriced gaming laptops, with the Asus K95 as the lonely exception.
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Jan 10, 2015 22:24
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