Keyboard Appreciator Thread

grap

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The wiki at https://deskthority.net/wiki is pretty good as a beginner resource. The forum is kind of ok for restoration information but is mostly autistic screeching these days - anything that has any of the following can be desirable:
- Alps SKCM/SKCL/SKCC/SKFL
- IBM membrane/capacitive buckling spring
- Hi-Tek Series 725 ("Space Invaders")
- SMK 2nd Generation ("Monterey")
- Various Cherry MXes if you're that way inclined
- NEC Blue/Cream/Black Ovals (warning: buy clean, these are impossible to open)

Things to avoid:
Mitsumi KPQ/KKQ
Key-Tronic of any description (even if you turn out to like these cursed switches, the foam rots away)
Micro Switch (no good for a beginner, real hell on earth to get working over USB - my Micro Switch SW board has languished in the project pile for over a year)

There's a bunch of other stuff out there that's cool, but that's the vast majority of stuff you'll see that can be had for a reasonable price. If you see a keyboard on eBay 9x out of 10 you can google the model number and someone will be talking about it. After a few years of doing this I've become pretty good at spotting interesting undocumented stuff solely off keycap sculpt, legend font, shit like that. Keyboards just give off vibes. You also get a feel for what's just a beige office dome (hint: usually the bottom case has a huge recess in it, or lots and lots of screws). Ebay sellers are notorious for reporting any keyboard they get as being amazing, so worth checking any model numbers you can.

Thank you so much, this is very helpful!
 

optimumbarkeep

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They're a clever scheme to extract money out of gamer lol.
But seriously:
While bad membrane keyboards do indeed feel mushy and inconsistent, that doesn't have to be the case. My Logitech has very clear breaking points.
A lot of gamers claim that mechanical keyboards are "more precise" but that's something that will only come into play when you're already in the top 0.001% of the leaderboard. Before then, a mechanical keyboard will not make a difference for an average player.

For typing it's even less important. All comes down to a matter of preference and how you enjoy the haptics.
I personally dislike the clattering of mechanical keyboards but for me that input device also is just a tool so I'd never spend more than 20 bucks on it. For some it's a fashion statement or they like to tinker with it so it makes sense to get a mechanical one.

All comes down to personal preference but I consider them to be borderline scams.
Good membranes or Topres are so much better than a lot of gamer keebs.

I bought a cool thing on eBay today:

View attachment 37553

old teletext page editing keyboard. top tier features: long Q key, what the actual fuck
Haha. This thing is sweet! I love seeing "embedded" boards like this - have you ever seen the stuff that Blackmagic Design makes? Weytec also makes some baller shit

Is there any way to test out one of these keyboards before buying them? I'd like to upgrade from my decade-old Microsoft membrane keyboard at some point, but I've never used a mechanical keyboard before and have a lot of questions. What's the difference between all the different colored switches? How loud are they? Does a mechanical keyboard actually help you type faster?
Switch testers are available on Amazon for more mainstream (read: MX) switches. Best Buy has a few mechs on display near me, and my local Micro Center has a ton.

I have the exact same model (in QWERTZ ofc). Got in for 10€ during a sale on Amazon and have been using it every day for hours for working from home (includes coding and writing mails/documents) and gaming and I had no issues so far.
61EzLA3gnyL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

I also struggle to find use for any keyboard that doesn't have a numblock since that's a pretty important feature for me, same with the end/pos1(home on QWERTY) keys.
Also fuck these laptop keyboards that have the Fn key on the very left on the bottom row. That place is hard wired into my brain for CTRL and it messes up the most hotkey combinations for me:
2292499-n0.jpg
You can remap that in the BIOS IIRC - from a mechanical perspective, I actually kind of like the modern ThinkPad keyboards
 

starbreaker

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This is the keeb thread.

MD-19786_20160606104407_3d4ece6f61b8f126.jpg


Why I use the Unicomp ultra classic model M over something from this century.
* Its still good even though its from the 80s
* Reliable and tough
* Has a metal steel backplate
* is good
I've got one of these myself. Got it hooked up to both my work computer and my old Slackware machine via a USB/HDMI KVM switch. It's a nice, comfy keyboard for use with GNU Emacs.
 
Posting my topers:
View attachment 68080

Front to back:

1. Extensively modded Realforce 87U - new plate and pcb to turn it into an 86U, sliced up a few dome sheets to take it from variable weight to uniform 45g, lubed housings and stabilizers, silenced with Silence-X silencing rings, removed hardwire cable and replaced with USB-C daughterboard, popped KBDFans EC Hipro Rensō caps on (shame how bad they warped left shift/shift lock but I'll take it to have spherical caps that don't sell for hundreds of dollars).

2. Mac Realforce R2, unfortunately still variable weight but I've ordered some Deskeys V3 Purple domes that I'm gonna try in it, then depending on which I like more I'll put either those or swap original 55g domes in. Lubed housings and stabilizers, same USB-C daughterboard mod.

3. PC Realforce R2, my least fave board but I got it because it was 55g. I think the ivory color scheme looks awful on something with such tight bezels and it'd probably be more enjoyable with not ivory keycaps - I am waiting for the URSA caps that are apparently coming out soon. Same lube/daughterboard mods done.

The whole variable weight thing that Topre does really boggles my mind. I'm not sure who it's for really, it's quite ok on the alphas because I am actually on the home row for that, but they also include the 1, 2, 9, 0 and all the symbol keys in the lighter weight section. I'm usually pressing the number row or symbols with something not my pinky, and they're weighted to 35g and just feel mushy as fuck if you press them with any other finger. I hate it so much and it's by far the most common way to find Topre in a non-HHKB.
Nerdspeak. Bring it down to my level, computer boy.
 
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Bad news gents. I spilled yogurt over my much favored K120. Now I have to use my much disliked K520. Ugh.

81KWMCsrsAL._AC_SX679_.jpg


They dont even make it anymore from how awful it is. When people hate rubber dome keyboards they refer to this item.

There is even a massive security vulnerability with this monstrosity.
 
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Well, guys. I went and did it. I bought a mechanical keyboard...


and I'm already tired of the clickiness 5 minutes in.
The craziest part is that some autists actually like this noise and say that it helps them focus. Like for example Notch (minecraft creator).

I own a model M so its a mountain of noise, but even then I could only put up with the clickyness for a short while because of how annoyingly loud it is. There are mods such as inserting fluffy floss in that should help with the noise but this is model M only. You could try special greases to help with how clicky things are. Or just idk man wear some headphones.
 
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LostintheCycle

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About to build a custom keyboard, just waiting for the keycaps to arrive, then I'll design the layout and start soldering. I'm working on a sick cyberdeck that will be my portable writing machine, so low power, portable, durable, long battery life, and of course got a cool keyboard.
I might post keyboard when I finish it, though it isn't gonna be in a case or anything, and will certainly be showing off the computer on here once I finish it off.
 
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Finally started using my Unicomp model M and apart from the loud racket it makes when you type anything of any length it actually isn't so bad to use. I am wearing closed back headphones so the noise is muffled significantly, and even then its noticeable but its not too bad noise wise.

I like the typing feel and actually helps improve my accuracy of spelling and typing. Model M's were originally designed as typewriter analogs so they have a loud heritage to begin with. Its fun to type with the Model M from Unicomp.

If they made a noiseless Model M with the same keyfeel I figure it would sell quite nicely. Who even wants to be deafened by a noisy keyboard? Is anyone not driven mad?

Anyhow, this is an ultra classic in black with grey keys bought back in 2020 for $118.

Fun fact one of the few keyboards still manufactured mostly in America and contains a steel plate. In an emergency a model M might just save your life.
 
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【diet deity】

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mech keybs are a marketing psyop. odious in every way. noisy, costly, breakable, attracts grotesque otaku obsession for intangible minutiae. like do u look at ur fucking hands while typing to ogle the pretty lights? wtf? ghey dept store keyboards have literally never left me thinking I wanted anyhting more. I only wish they were still beige
 

vulonkaaz

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I found this lil' macropad on aliexpress now my keeboard setup is perfect
IMG_20230727_185816.jpg


it can be configured thru a website using webUSB (honestly better than installing some random ass software and the site's on github so it shouldn't be a prob if it ever goes offline) and it has red mechanical switches which i don't really care about (they make no noise but have no feedback it's just smooth)

apparently it's called SayoDevice and the guy who invented it seem to be a big Osu nerd
 
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