deskthority

Any suggestions on the ideal/best alps-based keyboard?

Matias will sell a new keyboard based on a new type of ALPS switchs (which he developped himself) in the next month(s).

One of the board will be silent, and the other one clicky. No one will ping.

Sounds very interesting .

There are also some ducky and filco boards with alps keys.

You could try an Apple Extended Keyboard (I or II)

pingbat wrote:You could try an Apple Extended Keyboard (I or II)

Both great keyboards (I use an AEKI myself, having graduated from an AEKII just recently), and available quite cheaply these days. They are somewhat limited by the necessity of having a ABD–USB adaptor, like the Griffin iMate, but the investment is worth it if you intend on using the keyboard seriously.

I have a beautiful Focus 2001 new-in-box up on ebay right now for $75.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271014862655?ss ... 1555.l2649

I also have a couple of Dell AT101Ws that I will sell cheap, PM me.

Shameless whore, what can I say?

My price is high because I need the money, but that is a great example of white Alps.

The AEK2 and the Dell AT101 are the 2 easiest and cheapest ways to test Alps, but since I am now totally devoted to tactile and clicky they do not satisfy my needs. I keep a specimen of each around, just because they are good boards.

I do not personally like the dampened creams of the AEK2, and although I used an AT101 for years and loved it, I have moved on.

And, if you like clicky Alps, you need to eventually try a Chicony KB5181 with blue Montereys, just to get a feel for that, too.

I was actually thinking of tearing my 5181 apart for the switches (which I love).
The board itself feels pretty cheap and flimsy to me and it's too big. I wonder if it's possible to swap the Montereys into the SIIG Minitouch?

The SIIG Minitouch was the "other" board with blue Montereys.

The Chicony 5181 is a piece of crap, all the more tragic waste of those wonderful keys.

If you are going to put the work into a "project" board, do it with a "host" of something you really love and care about!

Well that's what I intended on doing. Not all SIIG Minitouch boards have the Monterey switch (mine included).
So I was going to take the white Alps switches out of the Minitouch and put the Monterey switches in there. Doable?

I wouldn't exactly call it a piece of crap depending on what you paid for it. The switches are very nice, but admit the board could be better- no argument from me there.

They could have at least got the back space right would have been nice. Mine was very bland which is why I jazzed it up some.

What used ALPS are going for you can buy a new Ducky for less than $50.00.

http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/ind ... _list&c=15

Good luck

fohat wrote:The SIIG Minitouch was the "other" board with blue Montereys.

The Chicony 5181 is a piece of crap, all the more tragic waste of those wonderful keys.

If you are going to put the work into a "project" board, do it with a "host" of something you really love and care about!

Sidereal wrote:Any suggestions on the ideal/best alps-based keyboard?

Not to prop my own store... but If you are interested I have two working AEKII keyboards I am looking to sell. They are clean and have been tested to be working. All you need is an ADB cable (S-Video cable is the same thing) and an iMate converter.

That being said, I also like the FK-2000 boards (two of which I also have for sale). I use a white alps board as my daily driver.