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redeyes posted:I don't understand why Microsoft and Logitech spend all this time with new keyboard designs, putting new keys all over the loving place and generally messing with every detail EXCEPT THE loving KEY SWITCHES. They use the worst loving mush switches imaginable and I can't ever use them because of this. Why?!! Probably because they are cheap and quiet and people seem to like these features. Weirdos. *bangs on loud clicky model M* I think all keyboards should be made tough and noisy like this to -- *gets shot by angry neighbors* 
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Oct 5, 2009 17:12
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Squish posted:My question is - what is the layout called, where the backslash key and the shift key are below the enter key? Probably the best you can hope for in a description is "large enter key" BUT you have to watch out because sometimes they move the backslash to the left of a shrunken backspace and that can really be annoying if you're used to a double size backspace. Always look for a picture of the actual item before you buy a keyboard if you can. I have a cheap keyboard with that layout, which has managed to somehow survive 9 years (amazing for a cheapy keyboard). I don't mind the backslash being there nearly as much as the shrunken backspace designs. However, the vast majority of keyboards I see tend to be laid out similar to the IBM standard(sometimes with wacky arrow key/insert/home block setups), and those annoying single-size backspace designs.
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Oct 28, 2009 23:40
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I've seen these things that I think some people have linked to as well earlier; they're not as chic as the Powermate but at the same time not 45 bucks. I dunno how well exactly they work but I wouldn't mind having one of these at times. Though between my flaky speaker volume control, the Boostaroo I got along with an old laptop (surprisingly one of the best accessories I ever got with a computer), and the volume control on the bottom right of the screen I make do.
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Feb 23, 2010 09:19
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Yup, it's the venerable Model M. Quite possibly one of the few pieces of hardware that are still around from the old post-Pentium Dark Ages of computing. I find they're harder to get ahold of these days as businesses clean out old stock and supply dries up, but the things are heavy, durable, and depending on how you get your hands on one, cheap to free. I still have one hooked up to this Windows 7 machine, I originally had another one but I ruined the switches by trying to fix a few sticky keys. The one I'm using now used to have an AT cord attacked to it, and it later developed problems with being detected, but one cord replacement later it was working fine. The main complaint that I have about it is the fact that it lacks any Windows keys. Though depending on who you ask, this can be a welcome feature.
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Aug 3, 2010 12:10
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I'd say if you don't need anything fancy, just go over to a local store and demo some inexpensive Microsoft or Logitech keyboards and find something you like, and then test them to make sure they register the key presses you need them to. Write down the names of all the keyboards you like and do research to check to see if they have any key ghosting issues. Personally I use a Model M that must be a decade old and it is still going strong; if you can find one of these in a thrift shop or local computer place and can verify it works (and have a PS2 port available, I know some comps do not) they can be very reliable if heavy, loud and huge.
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Nov 9, 2010 00:54
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DethMarine21 posted:If anyone can help me find a place that still sells this keyboard (this exact one, not the ugly white key version) I would be eternally grateful. I used to have one and it was cheap and awkward to type on but just look at it. Looke like it's this guy. Unfortunately, it looks like it is sold out. You could try doing more digging with the part numbers and whatnot, but I haven't had much luck with a quick google/ebay search. edit: Well poo poo they had a link to it at the end of the review. I sure was helpful there 
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Nov 21, 2010 19:48
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Get a Model M, then you'll never have to worry about it for the rest of your life  Honestly I do like the feel of Logitech's membrane keyboards; they need to demote whoever designed the keyboard matrix because introducing a design flaw that would prevent people from using a commonly used gaming setup on a gaming keyboard is just bonkers. Overall though, I'd probably shy away from Logitech keyboards for games unless I was certain they have fixed the problem.
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Nov 25, 2010 01:38
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very posted:I'm not sure what you are replying to here. Worry about what? I couldn't play any games on my model M because it was impossible to find any reasonable key combinations that worked. Also it just stopped working and I had no way of fixing it. Hunh, that's pretty weird, I have only rarely have a problem with key ghosting on my Model M. Usually I just use cheap keyboards and it's rare that I run into one that has a problem with key ghosting. I was thinking it's just a problem Logitech has with their models because I've used tons of keyboards that really didn't give me any problems, never occured to me that a Model M would one of them.
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Nov 28, 2010 00:54
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mobby_6kl posted:I'm currently using the Mk2 (I think) MS Natural keyboard that I got with my P2 PC: I have that particular IBM model, I got it off eBay thinking it'd be a black model M but it turns out it's one of their more recent rubber dome types. Insult to injury, the trackpoint didn't work! The keyboard itself worked fine though, and despite the shortcomings it's a pretty decent keyboard. It's definitely weighted, you can feel the steel plate inside giving it some heft, and the keys have a nice feel to them. But it's no mechanical keyboard. If you can get one cheap, I'd say try it out, but don't spend more than twenty tops on it. edit: Man, it's kind of nice seeing that Directron is still around. Their selection is pretty minimal but some of their deals are pretty nice, I stocked up on PS/2 wheel mice back when they were selling em for two bucks a pop. Not optical, but this was years ago when wheel mice were amazing and new and awesome. Now it's just another feature we all take for granted. nftyw fucked around with this message at 15:45 on Dec 29, 2010 |
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Dec 29, 2010 15:43
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kimbo305 posted:Maybe I'm jumping in at the wrong point, but is this what you mean?: Those are rubber dome, yup. Pretty decent rubber domes, but still rubber domes. I have one of those and actually am rather fond of mine, even if the trackpoint doesn't work. Doesn't stop me from coming back to my Model M and loving it, though. I on occasion like switching over to a Logitech cheapy USB board or sometimes digging out the Lite-On for a change of pace, but there's something to be said for being able to type on a heavy, sturdy piece of '80s machinery that continues to survive twenty, thirty years into the future. If you can find a business/college/school with IBM Model Ms that they don't use, I'd say grab a few. Just keep in mind that these are possibly some of the most.... distinctively noisy keyboards you can type on. Apparantly there are models of clicky Model M keyboards that do have the trackpoint, but they're exceedingly rare and sell for hundreds of dollars when they do appear. nftyw fucked around with this message at 03:04 on Jun 2, 2011 |
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Jun 2, 2011 03:01
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glompix posted:You mean this one a few posts up? http://pckeyboards.stores.yahoo.net/en104wh.html Oh, right, Unicomp's line of stuff. Those are pricey enough to make me want to pretend like they don't exist. God knows if I ever purchased one I'd eat another $50 shipping it here! Still, one day when my Model M breaks (haha) I'll have to look into one of those. If I can't find a replacement combing through old PC parts bins, anyway.
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Jun 2, 2011 05:20
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I'd be careful with lubricating keys. Depending on what you use, if you use too much like I did when trying to un-stick another Model M, you might end up shorting something (bad) or gumming up something so a switch won't make contact (pretty sure this is what I did with some petroleum jelly). Learn from my dumb rear end mistakes and try just removing the keycap, wiping it clean first, and reseating the keycap.
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Jun 12, 2011 12:34
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That looks lovely. I'd have a hell of a time instictively reaching for a numpad that isn't there, though.
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Jun 18, 2011 01:18
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Maybe you could try replacing the cable that connects the keyboard to the computer, if it's one of the models with replaceable cables. Not every model is going to be so convenient, sadly, but it's worth a shot if you've been noting the cable giving you grief in the past.
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Jun 24, 2011 10:56
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Startacus posted:It appears as if they are just plastic membranes There are good membrane keyboards and there are bad ones. I love the feel of the Keytronic I have stowed away somewhere, that is a definite membrane but I love the feel of the thing; it's also the only Keytronic I've ever seen that had a regular sized Backspace. I don't know why Keytronic thinks that it's so drat difficult to hit enter. The cheap value Logitech I have isn't too bad either; it's no award winner and you can tell there's ghosting issues but it is a solid performer overall. On the other hand there were some real dog AT keyboards that I recall from back in the day, mushy keys, bad feedback, quick wear. Nowdays it still exists, don't ever buy an iHome keyboard, for example.
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Aug 11, 2011 00:12
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ZombieIsland posted:Alright, I am thinking of buying a IBM Model M keyboard. It looks awesome and I don't mind the sound too much. But, How does it feel? Is it solid and give awesome feedback like everyone says it does. Mine is solid and has very, very good feedback, it's really loud, but it doesn't really matter since the clicky sounds of springs and keys makes it feel like you are actually Getting poo poo Done instead of just puttering around with some cheap soft touch keyboard. Everyone's opinions vary though, so ideally you'd want to find someone or someplace that has one that you can try out.
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Sep 6, 2011 15:13
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I wound up with two Logitech K360 wireless keyboards due to Christmas. I really like the convenience of the things, and they have pretty astonishing range (The signal went from the living room to the receiver 20 feet away, through a wall) ... but after typing on a noisy Model M for years, the flat laptop sized keys are almost alien to me. They aren't even scissor switches, but somewhat stiff rubber domes. Still, for twenty bucks, it's nice to have something I can tote around and plug into the PC for a quieter setup or the PS3 for keyboard input.
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Dec 26, 2011 09:16
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There is no keyboard tray in the world that could hold the weighty, bulky might of the Model M without experiencing some kind of catastrophic mechanical failure. On a more serious note, I tend to not like those keyboard trays in general, they are usually too low, wiggle and wobble and eventually break, and increase the distance between the keyboard and the mouse, so they don't uaually have my recommendation.
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Jan 9, 2012 03:06
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norg posted:Cool, I should have said I wanted cordless too though. No, the K360 uses rubber domes. I like having it as it is a cute mini/medium size keyboard, but... rubber domes. I am typing this sentence out on it and while it's fine for the most part, it's certainly not one of the best keyboards I've ever typed on. Does have a unique feel though, if you can find one at the local BesT Buy or whatever give it a try to find out how much you like (hate) it. e: Sometimes I do remember about the volume keys on it, it is rather handy to flip the switch and adjust Windows' volume with the thing. nftyw fucked around with this message at 03:47 on May 19, 2012 |
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May 19, 2012 03:43
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sweat poteto posted:How much am I going to hate the Logitech K360 keyboard? Going to be paired with an M510 mouse (they will share a USB wireless receiver). It's decent for a keyboard, the real thing that bothers me about it is the fact that it doesn't have tall, angled keys like my Model M (which is possibly on the upper end of tall slanted keys) combined with the fact that it doesn't have the snappy clicky feel of an actual scissor switch. Let me switch over to my K360 for a bit. Hmm, testing, testing. Yeah, it's not bad but still not a mechanical or scissor switch. A few notes that I recall now that I'm typing on this thing again, sometimes I will miss a key by a bit due to being used to my mechanical keyboard, and the miss causes a key to not register, which is annoying. Also, insert and delete are above the backspace key, which means that F1-F12 are not grouped up nicely into blocks of four above the number row, which is intensely annoying. It also has no dedicated Print screen key, which I think is THE most annoying thing about it. Functionally though it does its job well as long as you keep the stuff you do with it simple. I have it paired up with a M310 that I got off eBay (sans receiver) for a few bucks, and the battery life for both is fantastic, and I don't get any random jitters, disconnects or anything -- it works just like I would expect a keyboard or mouse to. The range is pretty awesome too, I controlled my netbook from a solid 20 feet down the hall. e: It is kind of telling that I get more use out of the mouse that I picked up than for the actual keyboard the receiver came with, though. nftyw fucked around with this message at 08:52 on May 24, 2012 |
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May 24, 2012 08:46
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MaxDuo posted:Is there a decent wireless keyboard one can use for gaming and everyday typing? I don't mean any of the ones with screens and lights and fancy stuff flying all over them... I could do fine with just comfortable keys and only 1-3 special extra buttons on one. I just ask mainly because I've always heard they are all too slow / can't send many key presses / etc. I've been using the same keyboard for about 15 years now and as awesome as it is, it's just getting too worn down looking. I use a Logitech K360 once in awhile, it and the M310 pretty much changed the way I look at wireless peripherals, because they work, and have excellent battery life. The K360 suffers from having relatively terrible rubber domes, though, I recommend trying to find a demo unit to see for yourself. Rollover wise I haven't had too many issues that I recall. I still wouldn't recommend them for a heavy duty gaming setup because it sort of feels like there's a barely noticable bit of lag on the mouse input, but it's not enough to where I can really, really notice it playing TF2. Probably the biggest annoyance with Logitech keyboards in general is that they sometimes have really bad n-key rollover/ghosting issues, even on some of their 'gaming' keyboards.
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Oct 3, 2012 13:11
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Xeom posted:Does anybody know of a store I could go to try a mechanical keyboard first? Maybe check recycling centers or thrift shops or schools/universities and hunt for a IBM model M, if you are lucky you might be able to go home with a functional one for almost nothing.
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Oct 21, 2012 00:40
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Keytronics are some of my favorites, the ones that were essentially complete rip-offs of the Model M design felt really good for a rubber dome. Then they started making all their keyboards with tiny backspaces and oversized Enter keys exclusively. 
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Dec 17, 2012 12:28
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chippy posted:Anyone got a recommendation for a relatively cheap, no frills wireless keyboard and mouse (or combo maybe) for a living room PC? Anything Logitech makes tends to be pretty solid, I sometimes use a K360 paired with a M310 with my desktop; tested the range of the wireless receiver on my netbook and it worked fine across a long hallway. My dad has a Logitech wireless combo set a couple years old and even on those the battery life is excellent and is durable and functional. Basic, cheap, works.
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Feb 8, 2013 15:18
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Buff Skeleton posted:My keyboom is THE BOMB That'd be a fun keyboard to play Bomberman with.
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Mar 9, 2013 00:38
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Sadly just about every wireless keyboard keeps it low on the extra keys and puts more effort in being lightweight, both in form factor and power usage. Trying to put USB ports on a wireless keyboard is pretty impossible due to them relying on batteries for power, not to mention you'd have to send up to 400Mbps of data on top of the keyboard signal from the device to the computer. e: As far as wireless stuff goes I'm pretty happy with my Logitech k360, it's not too expensive, has great range, feels decent when typing, is easy to cart around, has excellent battery life, and overall works well. I paired it with a m310 and I can play TF2 without any problems. Can't guarantee everyone will have the same experience, but the board has exceeded my expectations in quite a few ways. nftyw fucked around with this message at 21:02 on Mar 28, 2013 |
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Mar 28, 2013 20:58
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The Logitech K360 keyboard is more of a medium size wireless keybaord that still has a full numpad, though it cuts out the area between the letters and numpad to do it. It's lightweight and portable, and is relatively easy to find, not too expensive, and also gets great battery life. You might wind to find a floor model to try out though, as the keys are rather different compared to your typical board. My dad has an older wireless keyboard/mouse set from Logitech that I can't remember the model of, but even though the batteries on those go out every four or five months or so, that's still extremely good for my tastes. Nowdays everything's powered by rechargable lithium ions so AAs are getting less and less useful around the house.
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May 25, 2013 09:16
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I use a K360 and a M310 on occasion instead of my usual Model M and G1. For what it's worth, I sort of feel like the response time is a tiny bit slower, barely noticable, but I don't really know any way to realistically measure it and get numerical data, though I can play games with them just fine and don't really notice a huge difference. Your milage may vary of course; wireless technology in general is pretty mature at this point. I wouldn't use the wireless devices for serious try-hand tournament professional gaming or for particularly precise work like on graphics or whatnot, but if you're in those professions you're usually spending a lot more cash for better gear all-around. nftyw fucked around with this message at 09:05 on May 30, 2013 |
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May 30, 2013 09:02
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fookolt posted:This is also for my girlfriend and so we're looking for something with a touchpad. Trackpoints ain't her style Logitech k400 is probably the most obvious choice, then.
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Jul 12, 2013 14:19
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I get some good milage from Logitech's wireless K360. Kind of in-between a miniature keyboard and the average sized keyboard with good performance and a decently durable feel to it. It's no mechanical keyboard but it does type much more quietly. If you need a pointing device with it I believe there is a model withe a built in touchpad, or you can just sync up a wireless mouse and lay it on an end table or something. Quick search on Amazon puts the K360 at 20-25 bucks. Logitech also does bundle together wireless mouse/keyboard sets, my dad has one and a friend of mine has an updated model, and they're still alive and kicking, which surprises me since the set my dad has must be getting a few years old by now.
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Jul 30, 2013 21:18
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I remember using what I think was an omnikey at a community college's computer lab (it had those same peculiar led light design for the num lock/etc) and I'll be damned if the thing wasn't a treat to type on. Place also had one of the old Gateway 2000 keyboards as well, really nice stuff.
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Aug 2, 2013 17:39
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As much as I like the feel of Keytronics, just looking at that layout makes me want to choke someone. 99% of the time when I see a KeyTronic I think "Why can't they make a keyboard that doesn't have an unnecessarily large enter and tiny backspace like the rest of the civilized world?"
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Aug 13, 2013 03:01
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Inspector_71 posted:That backspace is perfectly normal sized. On virtually every single US layout keyboard Keytronic sells nowdays they aren't. Every time I see a keytronic in a computer lab or whatnot it's always useless tiny backspace. I have an old 101-key AT double size backspace Keytronic I'd be using right now if it wasn't for the fact that I have a Model M already. I'm pretty sure the majority of the Keytronics I've used had rubber domes, but they were very nice rubber domes, and the keys themselves were very close to the Model M in general, so I liked them quite a bit. One of the more tactile-feeling brands when it comes to rubber domes. nftyw fucked around with this message at 05:40 on Aug 13, 2013 |
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Aug 13, 2013 05:37
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Since someone mentioned backspace I decided to try writing a short paragraph about keyboards right off the top of my head, without using backspace!  quote:When I go into an IRC fhat rootm or an online forum like Something awful I like to use the keyboard to enhance the ability to communicate with prople from all over the world. Imagine with no backspace we would have to live with our terrible grammatical and spelling errors that pop up not to mention the loss of another key to use for vdieo games, even though most people have veen ingrained into the wasd standard and as such the keus around it more than useless backspaces halfwat across the map. Oh mu god look at this post, I swore not to touch basckspace and now it is giving me brain cancer just triying to read it, I think. Oops I backspaced a bit of that on reflex saccidentallu.  Just disgraceful, I can't believe I typed all that out
nftyw fucked around with this message at 09:23 on Sep 13, 2013 |
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Sep 13, 2013 09:08
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All this keycap talk made me wonder if there were people who made replacement keycap sets for Model M keyboards, so I tried looking it up but apparently Unicomp doesn't do the whole fancy colored replacement thing. Would be neat to dress up these older keyboards with fancy colors, though it'd make the market for the things even more cutthroat as people grab them up, plus the fact that some of the keys are one-piece affairs (space, shift) and others are two piece.
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Sep 13, 2013 09:45
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Yeah, I saw the prices for some of those keys and if anything I could maybe buy keycaps for a row of keys or a particular block, but going full a full set I might as well drop a hundred on a whole new keyboard. It was more of a curiosity than anything else.
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Sep 14, 2013 03:20
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I keep a Logitech K360 plugged into my desktop. It's not the cheapest but it's small and lightweight and works. Best Buy abd Amazon has some for $19.99, I'm not sure how viable finding a decent wireless keyboard for cheaper would be.
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Feb 2, 2014 03:37
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One of the more bizarre setups I've seen in my life.
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Mar 20, 2014 01:58
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Stan Taylor posted:Tbh after using my mechanical keyboard for a while now it's not really that much greater than my old Logitech one. It feels a bit better but like, I've never had trouble knowing if I pressed a key on any keyboard I've ever used. After like 20 minutes or so of typing I can adapt to just about any keyboard and be totally fine. I think Logitech, particularly some of their more mid-rangey stuff, have a solid feel to even their rubber domes compared to cheapy keyboards. Their bargain basement K120, maybe not so much, but if you leave aside n key rollover which tends to be horrible on their entry level products they make some decent feeling keyboards.
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Jun 14, 2016 05:21
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Yeah ever since Amazon became A Thing I've seen no reason to grace newegg with parts orders since with them it costs money to ship to Hawaii and Amazon doesn't. e: I just got this SADES mechanical keyboard in from amazon tonight, it feels great to type on with its knockoff-blue switches, and sounds louder and more obnoxious than the Model M i was using. The lighting is also glaring and loud, but considering what I paid for a full-sized mechanical keyboard with the layout I want, all that remains to be seen is whether it will hold up to typing and gaming. 
nftyw fucked around with this message at 11:05 on Sep 13, 2016 |
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Sep 13, 2016 04:27
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