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Lez talk mechanical keyboards

Got my Logitech 610 w/ Cherry MX brown switches and so far it's really great. It's going to take some time to get used to the size since I've been using compact keyboards for so long but I already enjoy typing on it a lot and the noise really isn't all that bad. Glad I got it.
 
Water said:
I'm sure you could easily build a custom layout for Linux if you're interested.
Click to expand...
Definitively. As easy as writing a mapping file and calling setxkbmap for Linux using xkb, which should be the most common method.

The trick is that xkb documentation is sketchy...

pmj said:
It's good to know that others have had success. I probably have rather different needs than you though, as I need to essentially spare my right pinky from as much key pressing as possible. It can't take much action before the pain kicks in, unfortunately.
Click to expand...
I think everyone needs may be different... As long as you don't switch computers too often, it's easy to use a layout tailored to your needs.

(since I type on computers used by students, I have to keep some proficiency on AZERTY, the only tricky part is that I have students from all over the world, and I've at least to deal with canadian and US QWERTY, austrian QWERTZ, BEPO... T_T' )

It shouldn't be difficult to put on the rightmost keys the less useful symbols (or even no symbols at all, so that your pinkie don't have to work). The first thing to move should probably be the return key...

pmj said:
Plus, I'm on Linux.

But I'm not a total dummy with computers and I think I should be able to figure it all out. It'll be an adventure!
Click to expand...
Assuming you don't use something strange, if you need any kind of help for this, I'm more than willing to help. Just send me a PM (and hope I don't miss it too long ^_^)

If you provide me a layout (using a drawing, http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/ or anything like this), I can even write the xkb file for you (but it's really easy).


For informations, you can look at this page and the ones linked at the bottom:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/X_KeyBoard_extension

(that's 50x what you'll need, though, but it's sometimes interesting to get the details)
 
Joe said:
Got my Logitech 610 w/ Cherry MX brown switches and so far it's really great. It's going to take some time to get used to the size since I've been using compact keyboards for so long but I already enjoy typing on it a lot and the noise really isn't all that bad. Glad I got it.
Click to expand...
Nice! I was looking at that board for a bit, but wanted a TKL with simple/minimal design.
 
My first custom keycaps. :)

Tai-Hao double shot PBT Sunshine on Das Keyboard 4. These feel so much better than the stock keycaps. Wish they were available in Nordic layout, though finding any good ISO set is already difficult enough.

IMG_20161031_180308.jpg
Click to expand...
 
eerik9000 said:
My first custom keycaps. :)

Tai-Hao double shot PBT Sunshine on Das Keyboard 4. These feel so much better than the stock keycaps. Wish they were available in Nordic layout, though finding any good ISO set is already difficult enough.
Click to expand...

Why did I click on this thread. I have the same keyboard.. I didn't know I wanted custom keycaps until now.
 
eerik9000 said:
My first custom keycaps. :)

Tai-Hao double shot PBT Sunshine on Das Keyboard 4. These feel so much better than the stock keycaps. Wish they were available in Nordic layout, though finding any good ISO set is already difficult enough.
Click to expand...

Holy crap, that looks wonderful.

Now I want to do this with my old Das, lol (although, without the letters). That one's stock, and I just have blank light-blue PBT caps on my newer 4C.
 
Koren said:
I think everyone needs may be different... As long as you don't switch computers too often, it's easy to use a layout tailored to your needs.

(since I type on computers used by students, I have to keep some proficiency on AZERTY, the only tricky part is that I have students from all over the world, and I've at least to deal with canadian and US QWERTY, austrian QWERTZ, BEPO... T_T' )

It shouldn't be difficult to put on the rightmost keys the less useful symbols (or even no symbols at all, so that your pinkie don't have to work). The first thing to move should probably be the return key...


Assuming you don't use something strange, if you need any kind of help for this, I'm more than willing to help. Just send me a PM (and hope I don't miss it too long ^_^)

If you provide me a layout (using a drawing, http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/ or anything like this), I can even write the xkb file for you (but it's really easy).


For informations, you can look at this page and the ones linked at the bottom:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/X_KeyBoard_extension

(that's 50x what you'll need, though, but it's sometimes interesting to get the details)
Click to expand...

Thanks! The keyboard is still months away though and I need it before I do any serious work. Right now I'm not sure what I need, except that yes, the Enter key absolutely has to be moved. It's by far my biggest issue with regular keyboards.

The Arch wiki, like usual, has a lot of information and looks like it will come in handy. I bookmarked it for later.
 
leng jai said:
So how long until every brand starts making good wireless mechanical keyboards?
Click to expand...

I got a Varmilo VB87M with Gateron Browns. I'm not exactly used to Brown switches, because my previous keyboard was Cherry MX Blue. All I can say is they feel extremely smooth. The one thing that is bugging me is the keyboard has this strange bassy klunk, but outside that the keyboard is pretty awesome.
 
Can anyone recommend some cool WASD metal keycap replacements? There are too many options and companies for me to be comfortable just putting a random order in. I have a Varmilo VB87m with Gateron Browns.
 
Picked up another HHKB Pro 2 today. Kinda missed the old one I posted in this thread after a while. Still one of my favorite sounding keyboards of all time. Gotta get used to the Backspace location again though.
 
I got in on the latest TADA68 GB after they put up spare spots a few days ago.

Went for dyesub caps and Gateron Browns so I can take it to school with me. Excited to get it! First compact layout kb of mine.
 
YuriLowell said:
So if I want to get the quietest switches possible for the office I should probably get Browns?
Click to expand...
Logitech/Omron's Romer-G switches are a good deal quieter than Browns. I saw this as someone who owns keyboards with both. The bottoming out of a Romer-G is cushioned a bit and does a lot for the noise, even compared to Cherry MX with O-rings.
 
Time to replace my Razer BlackWidow Ultimate from back in 2012. It's been a good keyboard and was an introduction to mechanical keyboards for me but it now has a short in the (non-removable) USB cable from all the times I've moved it. (And let me just say right here - if you make an expensive mechanical keyboard and your USB cable isn't removable then you are doing something wrong!)

I picked up a Cherry MX Board 3.0 with Browns this week and just got it plugged in last night. At first I didn't know if I would like it but I brought it to work today and have been using it for most of the day now. I can certainly see the appeal of the Brown switch but I miss a little bit of the "clack" from the Razer switch (which I believe more closely resembles a Cherry MX Blue?). What the Cherry board does nicely is provide a very slim profile that isn't quite so chunky and upright as some of the other mechanical boards and with its very slim bezel it is actually downright petite as compared to my BlackWidow. I could see myself using this keyboard in my lap or on a small tray, something that never would have worked with the Razer.

I'm not done shopping yet though. I might end up leaving the Cherry board here at work because I have a CODE 104 key board on the way with Cherry clear switches and white backlighting just because I was curious about the Cherry Clear switches. I will try it out and either keep it or maybe send it back and opt for a Ducky Shine 5 RGB with Blue switches which is about the same money as the CODE.
 
I'm still on the lookout for a nice blue, or time to figure out why the Thermaltake keyboard with blues I bought had chattering buttons everywhere.

I handed off my Das Keyboard to a friend to first check for cold solder joints around the K button and replacement of the switch if it ends up being a dead one (which I find unlikely, given how rarely I used the keyboard).
 
StarCreator said:
I'm still on the lookout for a nice blue, or time to figure out why the Thermaltake keyboard with blues I bought had chattering buttons everywhere.

I handed off my Das Keyboard to a friend to first check for cold solder joints around the K button and replacement of the switch if it ends up being a dead one (which I find unlikely, given how rarely I used the keyboard).
Click to expand...
Kailh switches are pretty low quality and Thermaltake uses them. Chattering is pretty common on Kailh.
 
I know it's not techically a mechanical, but I bought my wife a Razer Ornata Chroma recently after she complained about her aging, laptop-like Microsoft wireless, and it's pretty damn impressive (the only other mechanical I've owned is a CM Quickfire Pro w/ cherry reds). The clickiness is terrific and travel is smooth. I feel like I can type twice as fast on it due to the tactile feedback I get on every keypress. I'm kinda jealous now, actually. LOL
 
I actually decided against the CODE 104 key with MX Clear switches when I found a Ducky Shine 5 RGB with MX Blues for $129, which is like $30 less than the CODE. Ducky seems like a crazy good value for what you get considering the doubleshot ABS key caps and the fact that it is full RGB.

I might like to go with white keycaps on it, though. Would something like these https://www.massdrop.com/buy/royal-kludge-doubleshot-abs-keycaps
look terrible considering the RGB lighting?
 
ghibli99 said:
I know it's not techically a mechanical, but I bought my wife a Razer Ornata Chroma recently after she complained about her aging, laptop-like Microsoft wireless, and it's pretty damn impressive (the only other mechanical I've owned is a CM Quickfire Pro w/ cherry reds). The clickiness is terrific and travel is smooth. I feel like I can type twice as fast on it due to the tactile feedback I get on every keypress. I'm kinda jealous now, actually. LOL
Click to expand...

I tried one of these out the other day and I was immediately in love. Like you said, it's not "mechanical" in the traditional sense but it has an amazing feel. I know Razer is often frowned-upon, but I'm pretty sure I'll be picking one of these up for Christmas.
 
Why did I have to miss out on all of the good SA keycap sets thinking "Oh they'll come back around when I'm ready with my ergodox". Of course Carbon won't be coming back till 2017. :(
All I want is a good color schemed SA PBT set. :'(
 
matmanx1 said:
I actually decided against the CODE 104 key with MX Clear switches when I found a Ducky Shine 5 RGB with MX Blues for $129, which is like $30 less than the CODE. Ducky seems like a crazy good value for what you get considering the doubleshot ABS key caps and the fact that it is full RGB.

I might like to go with white keycaps on it, though. Would something like these https://www.massdrop.com/buy/royal-kludge-doubleshot-abs-keycaps
look terrible considering the RGB lighting?
Click to expand...
It might shine through and show the stems which looks kinda weird, but if it doesn't imo the underglow effect with opaque caps & backlit keyboard is pretty cool looking
 
Saw that the g810 & g910 were both £79.99 on amazon today.

Gone for the g810 myself as I dislike the bulky look of the 910 and the weird ass keys.

Any other g810 users? Any good?
 
Matty8787 said:
Saw that the g810 & g910 were both £79.99 on amazon today.

Gone for the g810 myself as I dislike the bulky look of the 910 and the weird ass keys.

Any other g810 users? Any good?
Click to expand...

I have the g810, feels perfect for me after trying a few other keyboards from CM and Logitech. At first I was missing the extra usb port and separate macro keys, but I definitely prefer the smaller size. A very good price!
 
okay my good ol' filco is really chattering non-stop :/
what would be a good replacement (was thinking of getting those by Logitech, etc.)
 
Got my Ducky Shine 5 RGB in yesterday from mechanicalkeyboards.com. What an incredibly nice keyboard it is! The build quality is phenomenal and the doubleshot ABS keycaps are the best I have ever felt. To me, they make a tremendous difference in how solid and firm the individual keys feel as you touch each one while typing.

I went with Cherry MX blues and I am very glad I did. If you read back up a few posts you will see where I also purchased a Cherry branded keyboard (the MX-Board 3.0) with Cherry MX Brown switches and also a CODE 104 key illuminated with Cherry MX Clear switches. I am a huge fan of the Blue switches and while the Browns are fast and easy to type on I miss the heavier feel and noticeable "clack" of the Blue switches.

I kept the Cherry MX-Board 3.0 and took it to work for use at my workstation (where it will be a big upgrade over the Logitech OEM keyboard currently on my desk) and the Ducky will be remaining at my house. The CODE 104 key I returned as the price was just too high considering how bare bones that board is as compared to a similarly priced Ducky. Also, MX Clear switches are not my cup of tea. You lose the advantage of the speedy and light weight Brown switches but I know that other folks do like them for certain purposes.

In terms of comparison the Cherry board is lightweight and small while having a fairly slim profile in terms of height. It's not illuminated (except for the Cherry logo, which looks cool) so the keys don't sit up very high. It makes a great keyboard for sitting in your lap and typing because of it's size and weight and I have no complaints about it for the $80 that I paid.

The Ducky Shine 5 is taller and much, much heavier. You can really feel the metal plate inside the Ducky adding to the weight as well as the 2 dual layer PCB's for the lighting. There's just a lot more material to it than to the Cherry and if someone told me that I could only have on keyboard for the rest of my life and I had to make it last then the Ducky Shine 5 would be that keyboard. With proper care I believe it would probably last that long.

The lighting is gorgeous and fully customizable, all using the keyboard and with no software needed. My only regret is the lack of a USB passthrough although that does decrease the amount of cables to run and keep up with. In all other respects, it is a stellar mechanical keyboard.
 
Just changed from a rubber dome to a Cooler Master Masterkeys pro S rgb with blue switches. Damn it's a nice investment. The build quality is exceptional as well. Sucks that I had to rma my psu so I can't use it for awhile.
 
I'm going to buy my second "mechanical" keeb. Cooler Master Novatouch TKL. In ISO Spanish, for 100€.
I think it's a great price for a trope board in my own language that also can use mx keys.
 
Christ, learning all the specifications of different key caps, switches, sizes, shapes of these boards only to keep reaching dead ends for the ones you're looking for. (Or finding them on Tao Bao)

Why did I ever start looking...
 
So my Razer BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth that I've had for... probably five plus years has finally bit it. That was the first one they put out with Cherry MX Browns. I thought the switches were decent. The keyboard had a slightly tight layout which made typing on other keyboards a little awkward when switching. Also the keys seemed to interfere with each other a little. The keycaps weren't perfectly straight. It just had a shitty Razer build feel to it. Anyway, I'm free at last! Ctrl appears to be permanently stuck, and some other buttons seem to be tied together in weird ways. It has survived a few spills and drying cycles, but I think this time might be the end. Or maybe cracking it open and giving it a full cleaning might still bring it back to life. For all its faults, it certainly lasted longer than any other keyboard I had ever. But anyways, I moved on.

I ordered one of those switch testers off of Amazon. Kind of a stupid expense, but I really had no other way to feel out the various switch options. It's too bad it doesn't help me try out Topre or maybe even those Logitech Romer-Gs or whatever. But it gave me a much better idea of how all the switches feel.

Unfortunately I couldn't find everything I wanted in a keyboard. First up, I went Tenkeyless. I actually do like having a tenkey. But its position is just bad. I picked up a cheap mechanical blue switch knockoff tenkey pad off of Amazon. And I'm moving it off to the left of my keyboard. That seems like such an ideal place for it. So I'm pretty happy with that part of my purchase.

Anyway, I really liked the look of the Corsair K65. I didn't think I would love the Cherry MX Reds for typing. And it turned out I was right. I really liked the troughless design. Seems so easy to clean. Just blow some air through there every once in a while. It's a touch uglier than a standard keyboard design but who cares? I also picked up a CM Storm Quickfire rapid. It has those Blues that I decided I would probably really like, and turns out i was right. This is pretty much the exact feel I've wanted. I like it much better than the Reds, and the Browns for that matter. The CoolerMaster is winning pretty much on the strength of switch selection. The poor K65 is relegated to being a backup.

I also don't like how this keyboard doesn't have dedicated media controls. Or at least dedicated volume like the K65. The K65 also had nicer looking keycaps for the most part. Better font. The textured spacebar wasn't bad at all. I didn't like that WASD had their own separate color but at least it wasn't gaudy. It would have been nice if they had included alternate keycaps that fit in with the rest. A visual indicator of where WASD seems like the stupidest thing to me.

Also my Razer had cables for headphones and mic, which was kind of convenient. I'm adjusting a bit to not having them, but that Razer had two USB connectors plus the two sound connectors. I'm not too shook up about ditching the clutter.

Maybe this isn't the thread for it, but how do you guys handle PC volume these days via keyboard controls? It's not so much basic volume that is the issue, but what about TeamSpeak or Discord or whatever. As of a few Windows releases ago they seemed to segregate some sound off into "Communications device" as opposed to "Sound device". Is there a way to map a balance between the two to some keys? Do chat apps respect the volumes they're set at? Does in game voice generally make use of the separate sound channels? I haven't ever been able to get my sound right in that respect where I didn't have to alt+tab and mess with my sound every time I wanted to adjust something. An Astro Mixamp makes things so much easier on consoles.

Speaking of which, the Razer virtual surround software actually turns out to be really good! I never would have guessed, it's much better for surround than this Nahimic crap that shipped with my soundcard (though I do like its frequency leveler, luckily the two programs can work together). And turns out by typing in the serial number of that BlackWidow right as I tossed it aside granted me the full license to the software. It has a voice audio slider in it as well but it didn't seem to do much. And there wasn't an obvious way to map it to a keyboard shortcut. My generic tenkey pad has a few superfluous keys that I don't really need, dedicated parentheses and the like. If I could get those to map to voice volume or voice/system balance I would be in really good shape.

Well. That was a bit of a wall of text. I guess I really do like typing on these MX Blues.
 
I'm torn between a Leopold FC750R MX Red or a Filco Ninja Majestouch-2 Tenkeyless MX Red for a first mechanical keyboard. They both have a nice minimalistic look to them:

fc750rmou6b.png
filco223mfuas.png
 
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