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dear keyboard thread: please help me find a keyboard. I would like to upgrade to the world of Nice Keyboard Havers and doing something with custom keycaps and etc. sounds really fun, but I'm really used to some features of my current keyboard and how they fit into my work/life and can't seem to find something good that meets all the requirements. Right now I have a Logitech G110, and it has some features that are really important to me: media keys, numpad, at least one USB port, 3.5mm jacks for headphone and mic and hardware mute buttons for those jacks. The closest I can find is a Razer Blackwidow, but it has a single TRRS 3.5 jack (and is also from Razer, and I think their products kind of suck). Basically I use a headset with separate lines for headphones and microphone, have the microphone plugged into the keyboard, and can have the headset plugged into either my speaker's headphones port (all computer audio goes through to me) or into my keyboard (Discord audio routes to the headset, regular audio goes through speakers. I guess I could do with one of either the 3.5mm jacks or the USB port, and get a USB to 2x3.5mm adapter, but having both is kind of handy. Obviously using the USB connection for my headset means I need to get used to muting myself some other way (my current headset has a lift-to-mute, I could get used to that, or if the keyboard has macro keys I could set up a macro to mute Discord/Zoom/etc.), but hardware switches with 3.5mm ports would be ideal. I don't give a poo poo about backlighting, but it can be nice sometimes, and I'm not super particular about switches as long as they're nice mechanical ones (my current keyboard doesn't have mechanical switches, but I want to make the switch). Is there anything that meets my desires, or should I just figure out another way of doing all the stuff I'm used to doing with my current setup?
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Jun 26, 2020 03:35
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I actually have an old Asus Xonar USB thing, I should see about digging that out. Other than having to swap cables between speaker and headset, that sounds like a decent solution, although surely there's some kind of switch that would handle that for me, though. Really I should replace my speakers too at this point, but that's outside the scope of this thread..Z. posted:The closest thing that could satisfy your needs by itself is probably that monster Exit Strategy is working on. this sounds tight as hell and if I was up for actually assembling everything myself, I haven't soldered anything in years and what little I did before was pretty poo poo. Might make for a good project, though. Maybe I'll just clean up my G110 for now and look into throwing something together as a hobby-project.
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Jun 26, 2020 20:24
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Order and shipping woes? I ordered on June 26th  For those of you who have shopped with MK before: if they actually receive the switches on July 25th, at what point would my keyboard actually ship? Also, does this mean that MK.com is assembling my keyboard? Or are they somehow clued in to Ducky's supply chain and are estimating when they'll receive an assembled keyboard from Ducky to then send to me?
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Jul 15, 2020 02:38
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Splinter posted:The dates are when they expect to receive the model of keyboard with that particular type of switch installed. this is really obvious in retrospect and I feel really dumb for asking lmao, thank you
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Jul 15, 2020 04:45
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GnarlyCharlie4u posted:lol I meant unmodified. These are really hot. I'm tempted, despite the fact that I haven't even gotten the keyboard/keycaps I've already ordered yet... but I'm considering cancelling anyways, these are super hot and now it's looking like my keyboard won't get here until the end of August, maybe even September. Question: how uncomfortable would a Cherry-profile keyset be on something like an Ergodoxs? The difference in profile doesn't look outrageous, but maybe typing on it all day would be a bummer.
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Aug 2, 2020 08:02
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"glorious PC gaming master race" was maybe funny ten years ago, if you squinted and turned off your higher brain function, but it's definitely pretty dumb-looking now, yeah
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Aug 8, 2020 02:14
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Keyboards have arrived and I'm very excited! One problem, though: This is a Ducky Shine 7 I specifically got because the housing is dark grey. It looks like the plate between the housing and PCB is bright white, however. Here's an image I stole from reddit that shows a disassembled Shine 7 that makes it a bit more obvious.  Eventually that 808 Boom set is going to end up on this board and it'll look awful with all that white poking through (IMO at least).There's no way to pry this plate off to repaint it without removing the switches, right? My thought is to eventually paint it a grey a few shades lighter than the keyboard, and if I can't remove that plate I'll have to either very carefully hand-paint it or... remove the switches and then resolder them back on. If I have to do that I have plenty of time to practice, at least.
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Sep 5, 2020 22:06
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I guess I'm a keyboard guy now.  My only regret is that those two keys on the right span two rows but I suppose that can be fixed someday in the future with another keyboard.
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Sep 6, 2020 00:44
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I'm still trying to figure out how I'll replace my G13 when it dies. I hear the appropriate Razer product sucks rear end. I may end up getting something like a Moonlander and just not using the right side.
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Sep 14, 2020 10:42
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abraham linksys posted:what options are there for buying keycaps that will ship in the short-term and aren't, like, six month limited time preorders? are there actually any? https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/ has a bunch of stuff, as well as a couple of other sites
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Sep 30, 2020 19:14
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Gearman posted:If you're not sure what kind of switches you might like, I highly recommend this switch tester: https://kbdfans.com/products/kbdfans-super-swithes-tester-60-switches-all-in-one I just got the 72-switch tester and, not gonna lie, it's kinda fun to just mindlessly click on when I'm bored It also helped me decide what switches to try on my Hot Dox, I went with Box Jades
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Oct 13, 2020 00:48
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How do y'all clean your keyboards/keycaps when necessary? I shed long, curly hair constantly and while I don't have the gooniest desk habits there are at least a few snack crumbs in there, it's starting to look a bit grungy. I was thinking I'd just pry all the caps off and run a vacuum over the board itself. Should I maybe wash/rinse the keys, too, since they're all off anyways?
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Nov 17, 2020 22:05
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Wizard of the Deep posted:This may be the closest end-game I get until/unless the Boston comes out. Ooh, that looks nice.
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Nov 18, 2020 00:36
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MT3 2048 is on prerelease pricing, it'll go up eventually.
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Dec 2, 2020 22:10
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Heck Yes! Loam! posted:Are switch films worth the effort? I am about to rip apart my drop alt for the first time to replace the mx browns and stabilizers. I have holy pandas and halo clears to try. I bought some films, realized putting them on was hella tedious, and then read that their real use case is for older switches or switches that aren't as tightly manufactured. If you're already opening your switches you may as well, I think, but I won't claim to be a font of knowledge.
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Dec 10, 2020 03:25
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God, I had one of those in high school, I'm sure compared to what I have now it feels like garbage but I loved it back then.
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Dec 17, 2020 04:22
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Looking for a reccomendation: I wanna get a new keyboard for my 808-Booms when they arrive. Ideally I want a full-size keyboard with a black or grey metal housing like the Ducky Shine 7 I have now - I really like the feel and weight of it. I also want full per-key RGB backlighting, also like the Ducky Shine 7. It sounds like I just want to buy another Ducky Shine 7, and I kinda do, but I also want to put some Box Jades on it. So I either need to get another Shine 7, desolder all the switches, and put new ones on, get a similar board and remove the switches, or find a 100% PCB and case and assemble it myself - which I'm totally willing to do as a fun project, but every time I go searching for boards I end up seeing things that are out of stock/on backorder or old group-buy posts that make me sad that I missed out on something.
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Feb 5, 2021 22:45
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feedback loop posted:Worth poking around in resale markets for a full-size, I think. They don't move very fast so you never know if something posted a month ago might still be in the seller's hands. That is quite nice - I've always thought having a left-side numpad would make things difficult for when I'm playing games, but I just realized that I could just... move my keyboard to the left so my WASD cluster is still in the same place. Duh. Any good places I should look other than geekhack and reddit?
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Feb 6, 2021 23:58
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CyberPingu posted:Btw I'm selling a Moonlander if anyone is interested. I'm interested - is it still Forums Law that we have to do conversations like this via SA Mart?
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Feb 25, 2021 19:40
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When you mix switches on a board, the typical thing is to do the alphas/numbers/punctuation with a lighter switch and then your modifier keys, Enter key, etc. in a heavier one, right? I managed to snag a M0lly extra and now I need to figure out what I'll do with it.
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Mar 15, 2021 14:55
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My MOlly came in. This is... heavier than I expected. I was kinda hoping to actually get some soldering practice before it arrived. How badly can I gently caress up a PCB with my first time soldering? I should probably do a practice run first, right?
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Mar 21, 2021 01:19
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Just to make sure before I waste any money - the Kailh hot-swap sockets can only go on PCBs designed for them, and you can tell if they're designed for them because they'll have little extra contact pads to the sides of the switch socket, right?
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Apr 3, 2021 05:34
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Soldering question: I'm getting everything I need together to finally build my M0LLY, and this feels like a dumb/obvious question, but better to ask now before I start working and find it's non-ideal: I'm going to want a relatively thin/narrow conical or chisel tip for my iron, right? Or would thicker be better for more even heat distribution? Should I just get a few and see what works best for me?
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Apr 18, 2021 05:31
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Gearman posted:That said, I have to generally recommend against anything sold by TheKeyCompany. Is there a reason for this? I've made a few purchases there and they've gone okay.
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Apr 19, 2021 15:25
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hrm, these QA issues shouldn't include keycaps sold by but not produced by TKC, right? I'm really looking forward to my 808-Boom set. e: I guess Infinikey looks like it's TKC's in-house group. poo poo. Now I'm worried. death cob for cutie fucked around with this message at 23:19 on Apr 19, 2021 |
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Apr 19, 2021 23:17
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GnarlyCharlie4u posted:... some of the more political grievances I have with them such as them treating women like poo poo, and describing transgendered people as "just dramatic" ... that's really loving awful to hear. I was considering going for a polycarbonate M0LLY for another build I had in mind, but I don't think it's worth it now.
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Apr 20, 2021 07:16
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My 808-themed cable from Space Cables has arrived before any of my 808-Boom stuff, as evidently the deskmats are being reprinted. Wonder how they got hosed up?
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Apr 28, 2021 18:54
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I kind of want a Drop board because they do have those nice anodized aluminium bodies, but the price for them is pretty outrageous IMO.
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May 4, 2021 14:58
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redeyes posted:I really only like using big 104 or great boards and let me tell you.. they are becoming rare as gently caress. Im resigned to buying a stock board and desoldering and modding it. Rotten. I made an account on Geekhack pretty much just to watch the Boston to see how it shapes up. https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=106501.0
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May 25, 2021 15:36
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My 808-Boom set finally arrived - I can't speak for their quality compared to anything else, but neither the keys nor the deskmat have any obvious flaws. Now I need to order LEDs, which I have forgotten to do for several months. And I guess I need to decide; originally I had planned to get all white LEDs, but now I kind of want to get red/orange/yellow LEDs for the red/orange/yellow keys - if I ever want to swap the set out for something else, though, I guess I'd have to desolder them and replace them. I think I'm too lazy for that TBH, but it sounds so appealing... e: forgot to ask the actual question. How do I tell how to install my LEDs based on switch type? I have some Box Purples, which have a little slot with a bar across it - I assume the LED just sits on top of that? death cob for cutie fucked around with this message at 03:37 on Jun 18, 2021 |
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Jun 18, 2021 03:27
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I popped some switches in to meditate on the LED colors and what I want to do with the layout: and I'm actually thinking just white might be best - that gold plate is gonna make the colors reflect weird. Or I can switch to the silver plate I bought that I just remembered I have... hrm hrm hrm. Well, I'll post some pics when I actually get around to soldering it.
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Jun 18, 2021 05:51
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ijyt posted:That bottom board, I'm sure it's a long gone group buy but would there be anything stopping someone making the number row behave like the function row? It's the M0LLY in aluminium - there's a polycarbonate version you might be able to get extras for - and the PCB is VIA compatible, so you should be able to do whatever, right? This is my first Serious Board so I'm not sure, but VIA is like a step below QMK in terms of customizability/remapping, right? also e: this came up in discussion earlier but TKC has some background of having rough QA/fulfillment and supposedly some of their senior staff have lovely political views, just FYI e: ijyt posted:e: though at this stage i'm inches away from learning CAD or something because any time I see a 96% or the above layout, any space saving gets immediately negated by stupidly massive frames. It -is- amusing telling people I have an eight-pound keyboard but I am wondering if the big frame is going to take some adjustment, yes death cob for cutie fucked around with this message at 15:25 on Jun 18, 2021 |
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Jun 18, 2021 14:58
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  baby's first keyboard build done, thanks for the advice in Discord - I feel way better about putting together my full board now!
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Jun 21, 2021 01:07
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foutre posted:Love it! Which switches did you go with? They're Box Jades - which I can't use on the actual board I'm going to build (too noisy - I record everything I do for work) so I thought I'd put them in here. Maybe I'll get some more to put on the numpad side of my next board, which I kind of want to turn into a big macropad anyways.
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Jun 21, 2021 03:46
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Duck and Cover posted:Absolutely buy knockoffs if you want gently caress the limited releases, gently caress the huge lead times, gently caress the ridiculous costs, gently caress the community. Even if you can afford to waste money on a $150 keycap set and wait 10 months or whatever, there's no way that poo poo is justified and I don't blame anyone for deciding "hey I like this combination of colors, I can spend less money, and get them sooner" to do just that. figuring out a good color scheme from the colors/materials on offer, designing the legends for any novelties/the entire keyset if you're not using a font they have molds for, running the IC/groupbuy, shelling out for prototypes, etc. makes it a little more involved than "I picked two colors, I'm An Artiste". I mean it's not like every time you buy a keyset from some knockoff you're personally depriving a designer of three square meals, but look at places like HK Gaming and tell me that giving them money instead is the absolute moral choice or w/e otoh, maybe don't argue with someone angling for what may be their third? fourth? threadban - you'd hate to deprive duck and cover of posting, the only thing he has going for him
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Jul 18, 2021 06:51
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I got a Facebook ad for the Mojo68 and while it's cute, I don't want a keeb that small. I -do- want whatever keyset is on the "Plastic" colorway they're showing - the one with the Enter key that says "REPEATER". Does anyone know what it is? I assume it's from a GB the same company did, but I looked through what they had on their site and couldn't find it.
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Jul 28, 2021 22:05
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Oh, it comes with keycaps? God... do I like that aesthetic enough?
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Jul 29, 2021 03:47
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I'm going to need to look harder before I give up, but I managed to lose a keycap in the process of cleaning my board and swapping in some new keycaps. I'm so pissed. The new caps don't even look that good - I mixed Tai-Hao Rainbow Sherbert and Mykonos keycaps to try to match a deskmat I have, and the top row is way darker/greener than I thought it would be. Pissed that I lost a keycap for something that looks bad anyways. Anyways... if I don't find this single loving R2 quote key, Tai-Hao doesn't sell PBT singles on their site, do they? I found this link for ABS keycap singles, but their website is kind of a mess to navigate in English.
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Aug 2, 2021 09:15
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I probably need to get an ergo keyboard soon - anything outstanding that I should look at that isn't a groupbuy? I'm okay with soldering it together if I gotta, but hotswap would be nice. I have a HotDox and am thinking about just getting an Ergodox EZ but buying keycaps for that layout is a massive pain in the rear end.
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Aug 19, 2021 07:36
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Framboise posted:Got my first group buy item I ordered today, a deskmat from ePBT Aesthetic. I am so sad I missed out on that set.
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Oct 14, 2021 19:21
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