The Oracle Answers

[badam]

Oh mighty Oracle,

I'm a Real Estate agent and though I spend a lot of time on my keyboard none of it is gaming. To be completely honest a month ago I had never heard of a mechanical keyboard, but about a week ago I went out to my local electronics shop and bought a Razor Blackwidow Ultimate Stealth Edition. I am really enjoying but not having dedicated media controls is pretty annoying. After a little research I found the Das Keyboard 4 Professional soft tactile and it appears to get superior reviews for pure typing. Really my only 3 must haves is dedicated media controls, quiet(ish) switches, and a wonderful typing experience. Though the Das Keyboard has caught my eye I'm willing to consider anything under $200 that meets my criteria. I appreciate the help!

[Ray]

You can always change something like functionkeys into mediakeys via software. Or do you really want a fullsize keyboard + additional media keys?

[csmith]

Hey Oracle,

Can you help me out with keycaps please? I want to put spherical keycaps on an ANSI MINILA.

Keeping the spacebar and Fn keycaps that came with the keyboard is an option, so long as the alphas or the modifiers are black to match.

Filco do a complete set of black, spherical caps for the ANSI Majestouch, and it looks like the alphas and numbers would fit the MINILA perfectly, so then it'd just be a matter of finding some modifiers.

I'd pay a premium for something special, like this:

http://www.geekzone.fr/wp-content/uploa ... etro-2.jpg

Any ideas?

Thanks

[TuxKey]

Oh mighty Oracle,

I spend a lot of time on my keyboard none of it is gaming.

i'm also not a real gamer..at least more of a casual console gamer so not a real gamer according to manny..
That's why i don't need bling and a whole lot of features targeted towards gamers..
My list of top keyboard starts of with "filch" then Leopold ..
And if you like tactile but a bit silent i would go with cherry mx-browns or if you can handle the bit heavier switch type but awesome tactile feel..I would consider cherry mx-clears.. ..the clears are not your ideal switches when gaming..but your not a gamer.. tactile blue are typist favourite but noisy and i my self prefer a bit more tactile feedback..

Currantly i'm typing on a Leopold FC660C Topre switches..and oh man it feels like heaven..i also have a Leopold FC660M with mx-clears that i like but not as much as my new topre love..

To be completely honest a month ago I had never heard of a mechanical keyboard, but about a week ago I went out to my local electronics shop and bought a Razor Blackwidow Ultimate Stealth Edition. I am really enjoying but not having dedicated media controls is pretty annoying.

it sounds like dedicated media keys are important to you..i feel you have the same problem when it comes to my arrow cluster.. i absolutely love the Vortex Poker 3 but i simply can't live without my trusty arrow cluster..

After a little research I found the Das Keyboard 4 Professional soft tactile and it appears to get superior reviews for pure typing. Really my only 3 must haves is dedicated media controls, quiet(ish) switches, and a wonderful typing experience. Though the Das Keyboard has caught my eye I'm willing to consider anything under $200 that meets my criteria. I appreciate the help!

Dear god i just googled the Das keyboard ,,i forgot how big it was..it's almost like having the Titanic on your desk hahaha

i'm more of a 66% keyboard kind of guy..
After trying the KUL keyboards aka "Keyed Up Labs" the ES-87 i was not impressed with the new quick brands trying to get a foothold in the keyboard marketplace...

So that's why i consider the established brands as ok if your in a pinch hahaha..

So Filco, Ducky , Vortex, Leopold..
And the higher tier of Topre masters.. Like RealForce and HappyHackingKeyboard2 and the Leopold FC660C my little baby hahah..

But if you can wait than i would opt for a nice Community keyboard Like the one build by matt3o called the whiteFox.
Programmable keyboards are a god sent if you want normal size but have all the functions you would ever need at your finger tips ..Not forgetting that it all works independent of your os..so no drivers.. on Linux/Mac-os/ and even windhoze..

There are new names coming like Wooting that will be doing awesome things with pressure typing and so on..and programmable keys..

and the awesome guys from input club always have great things up their sleeves i really really like the k-type these two keyboards the wooing and the k-type are the only non Topre board i would ever consider buying for now.. those are the ones on my list..

Hope you you find what you need mate..good luck..sorry i can't be of any help..

[TuxKey]

Oh mighty Oracle,,,,and other DeskThority keyboard gurus ...
I would love your opinion / color advice..

Witch color do you guys like more ??

Red vs black space bar i have on to choose from..

Black chic ?

zwart_spatieb.jpg (872.41 KiB) Viewed 6236 times

Or the red pil ??

beautiful contrast red

roodspatieb.jpg (884.52 KiB) Viewed 6236 times

[csmith]

Personally, I think, the red looks a bit better. If you could find a red Enter key as well, that would look sweet.

[Redmaus]

Yeah I agree with the red as well. I completely agree with csmith as well, a red enter would look great.

[The Keyboard Oracle]

The Keyboard Oracle has decided: Red.

[E3E]

I agree with the red enter key as well, but I also think if you made the arrow cluster black, it'd make for a very dynamic and attractive looking board.

[Blaise170]

What is the cheapest source of black Cherry profile keys? I need some for a build I'm doing by my other Cherry board is ISO so I'm missing a few. I'd prefer getting doubleshots... But ultimately as long as it isn't pad printed I don't care if it is cheap enough.

[shreebles]

Definitely Cherry POM... Apart from the lettering those are not that bad... Nice and thick material.
Cherry thin PBT are also cheap and more durable but only available in grey.
Get any G80 variant in black for black Cherry caps. But mind the capslock.

[Blaise170]

Actually let me change the question a bit - what cherry or DCS would be cheap, preferably blank or engraved?

[photekq]

Yeah, Cherry POM!

[shreebles]

Shee's mah Cherry POM!!
Smooth touch of plastic
Such a sweet surprise
Feels so good
Make a grown man cry
Sweet Cherry POM, yeah!!

[bubblebobbler]

I got some of my Japanese boxes opened and inventoried now; several of the boards use these weird PS2/ADB cables but I only have one. Know where I could get more?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291698969457? ... EBIDX%3AIT

late response, I had the same question as you, and apparently, it's not 'really' ADB as much as it is using the same connector as ADB, mini din-4

this is the one I bought for my ps/2 filco board. Personally I can't get the board to work still (the lock lights flash once then remain off when plugging it in), but I'm also using a ps/2 to USB converter with it, so there's a good chance it's something to do with that; for the longest time an Access-IS board I owned also didn't work with it (until it randomly started to, giving me enough peace-of-mind to be willing to sell it)



My question - why do F122's sell for less than model F ATs? is it to do with ansi modding or something of the sort being easier with it? I'd like an F122, and I have an F AT on the way from mark's recent sale so I'll probably trade it for one, but as I see it, F122s are closer to modern layouts, yet in most cases I've seen, an F122 is cheaper (which I'm not complaining about)

Thanks!

[Redmaus]

You can use the AT's right out of the box, for one

[Sankart]

I was wondering for some time now, what's the best source for (thick) Cherry POM? I'd like a set as well, but I'm unsure what to look out for? How can I destinguish between black PBT/ABS and black POM before buying?

[luckynet2]

dear oracle, its been days, nay months, nay YEARS! since i last seek you guidance, i now come to you, again seeking your infinite wisdom. when will come the day that i will able to procure a kingsaver alps keyboard?? i have scourge the land, followed myths, legends, slayed countless trolls and many a humans, all for naught!! FOR NAUGHT!! many friend i have lost along the way, a Poker II, a leopold 750r, countless cherry switches. Time has taken its toll on me, scars populate this now frail body of your humble servant. I fear i have let this obsession for the alps fester for too long. I dont know how much longer i will last, I implore you dear oracle... please.... *on my knees singing....*

[elecplus]

Crap! OK, this does it. Another DT member will put together a little wiki just for me to put wanted kbds on. I threw 2 of these back at the scrapper because they had big dents in them, and I did not know they were wanted

[Redmaus]

I think he meant a korean custom the kingsaver, not the kishsaver you are most likely thinking of. Unless you threw a korean custom away.

[elecplus]

This is what I threw back. https://www.flickr.com/photos/cptbadass ... 819734804/ Dented or not (and I can't fathom any serious dents in a Kishy) I would have kept the kishy.

[itzmeluigi]

[Ray]

You are trollin, right?
You passed two keyboards in aluminium casing because they were in bad shape: kinda surprises me, but okay.
Someone acquired two korean customs, used them in self defense and threw them away: madness.

[elecplus]

Not trolling, no. If they have deep dents, then I don'T know if the PCB might be cracked. I should have remembered that this group would have pulled out soldering irons and bell wire and repaired any bad traces. It is madness what gets thrown out. Literally tones of perfectly working equipment, and many things are brand new. We are a very wasteful generation!

I have come across several kbds in metal housings that never sold, so I am a little picker now.

[photekq]

You won't have thrown one of those away. That's a custom keyboard from a group buy run on a Korean forum and only small quantities were made. I think maybe 10 or so are in the west, and you bet none of those 10 would end up in a scrapper.

It must have been another, similar looking keyboard. Really, there's no chance it was a Kingsaver

[Blaise170]

You could sell a Kingsaver in bad shape easily, no way someone threw one out.

[Redmaus]

Did it have alps? Are you sure it wasn't a Cherry custom?

[luckynet2]

Not trolling, no. If they have deep dents, then I don'T know if the PCB might be cracked. I should have remembered that this group would have pulled out soldering irons and bell wire and repaired any bad traces. It is madness what gets thrown out. Literally tones of perfectly working equipment, and many things are brand new. We are a very wasteful generation!

I have come across several kbds in metal housings that never sold, so I am a little picker now.

why bro!!! WHY!!?? you make me sad, so very sad.... what alps switches were there?? where did you got them?? where did you throw them away? they might still be there! anyways , why don't you list the keyboards you have now damages, maybe we can find a new home for them

[Redmaus]

I can already tell you, they are long gone.

Keep in mind elecplus sorts through hundreds if not thousands of boards and can't keep every one.

[Mimi]

Ooh wise Keyboard Oracle, i have long searched for a affordable TKL Mechanical keyboard that is wireless.
I need it for work, and seeing that i switch computers every work day it would be great, i am slowly starting to develop problems in my shoulders and hand from the extra wide shitty HP keyboards and mouse.
Please relieve me from this curse!