Keyboards

[Santilli]

Update:
The unicomp did not take a hit from a wine glass well.
Sending it back, and they are going to repair it. Almost not worth it, when you figure in shipping and fees.

Panasonic CF 51 finally took a coffee cup on the keyboard, after 11 years.
It's dried out, and appears to be in working order, so far.

 

[CougTek]

Update:
The unicomp did not take a hit from a wine glass well.
Sending it back, and they are going to repair it. Almost not worth it, when you figure in shipping and fees.

Panasonic CF 51 finally took a coffee cup on the keyboard, after 11 years.
It's dried out, and appears to be in working order, so far.

Damn! Your clumbsiness is way worse than my temper for computer equipment. I was joking when I wrote that you are at an age where you do more things by accident than willingly, but now I'm not so sure.

 

[Santilli]

I had four footed help.

Still, the Unicomp seems to attract cat hair, any food particles, and funnel them through the keys to the board. Fit is already tight.

Next time I'm putting it in the area that is protected by the desk, rather then on the desk.

The Seal Shield seems to be a good keyboard for me;-)

GS

 

[Bozo]

How about one of these?

 

[Mercutio]

I keep one of those in my car. They're horrible to type on.

 

[MaxBurn]

Way long time ago I worked in an auto parts store. We had some fairly rugged keyboards but I am certain they were still a membrane under there, but they also had the full keyboard condom on top to catch all the dust and dirt. That keyboard cover really made an already sucky keyboard worse but it would be better than that roll up deal.

 

[Santilli]

As much as I'm not a happy camper with these guys, they have some great deals on stuff in clearance:
http://pckeyboard.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=PCK&Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=BargainRack

I bought a Kentucky bucking spring for 59 bucks, simply because it was too good a price to pass up.

http://pckeyboard.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=PCK&Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=BargainRack

 

[MaxBurn]

A: Fugly
B: Only a 101 key
C: Connector unspecified
D: Damn that doesn't look good

Though you could ask for your other one back and swap the guts?

 

[Handruin]

A: Fugly
B: Only a 101 key
C: Connector unspecified
D: Damn that doesn't look good

Though you could ask for your other one back and swap the guts?

This.

And...why the hell does it weigh 6 lbs?! That's as much as my entire Thinkpad...which actually has a nice keyboard!

 

[Mercutio]

That thing probably has a steel bottom. As I recall, the last Model M I handled did too.

 

[Santilli]

I have a pull out keyboard setup, under my desk. The cat gets the desk top, part of the problem with having the server and another keyboard, and the buckling springs are going on
drawer, under the main desktop. This should stop any further intrusions, or spills.

On top of that, I'm going to spring, if you'll excuse a pun, for the covers for both keyboards.

GS

 

[MaxBurn]

This.

And...why the hell does it weigh 6 lbs?! That's as much as my entire Thinkpad...which actually has a nice keyboard!

Keyboard is a bit over four pounds, rest must be shipping material?? Certainly is metal in there, doesn't act like a sheet of plastic at all.

 

[Santilli]

After having to create a new user name and password everytime I log into their website, I hope I'm done doing business with them.

I have the two keyboards, and, I bought two covers.

You might also look at the cheap, 2 dollar keyboards they have for sale. After spending 30 dollars for covers, that's with the 50% UPS hit, I'm wondering if I wouldn't have been better off with 15 2 dollar keyboards. That old mouse for 2 bucks seems like a fun item, as well.

Don't use wireless keyboards, but the wireless one they have for sale for 20 bucks also seems like a good deal.

 

[LunarMist]

I buy the $7 keyboards. After about 12-18 months they are too dirty for me anyway, so it is time to dispose them. I just ordered another 6 a few weeks ago.

 

[MaxBurn]

Before I went with a decent buckling spring one I had several dell keyboards from headless servers from work. They were ok but needed replacing with sticky keys after eight months or so. Not sticky with food but just worn out. That left control key just takes a beating in my using constant shortcuts. You can get them in bulk off places like ebay if that's a way you want to go.

 

[Handruin]

I've had good luck with my Saitek keyboards in terms of mechanical functionality but the paint is another story. The paint on the keys (specifically WASD) are more worn than the rest.

 

[Santilli]

I have been doing the cheap keyboard route. 10 dollar MSFT's from Buck, but, they seem to have dried up, so I've tried a couple inexpensive Logitech and another Kensington. All are prety much the same, and, the only thing that really sets them apart is the Seal Shield, which is supposed to be dishwasher proof.

I've found the buckling springs much easier on my aging hands, but, seem to be ok made, not great. Anything, cat hair, bread crumbs, that gets into the slots seems to be attracted and funneled into the board, and the keys seem to bind on anything.

That said, the buckling springs, even though harder to hit are much easier on my hands.

I'm going to try the covers and the keyboard combo, and hope this solves the cat problem.
She's on my desk right now.. And I enjoy the company, if not the hair.

 

[MaxBurn]

I've had good luck with my Saitek keyboards in terms of mechanical functionality but the paint is another story. The paint on the keys (specifically WASD) are more worn than the rest.

I have paint missing off an Alienware keyboard, a Saitech Eclipse keyboard, my Nostromo n52 and my Logitech G5 mouse. I really don't like painted products but it doesn't really bother me until things stop working right, in the case of the two keyboard above. What is interesting is the G5 started out looking like it had paint worn off of it and the pattern merely changed over time.

~I'm going to try the covers and the keyboard combo, and hope this solves the cat problem.
She's on my desk right now.. And I enjoy the company, if not the hair.

On the hair problem both a friend of mine and I have a Roomba 500 series. He was mentioning that he had to rebuild the transmission with sealed bearings and still has to clean pet hair out of it now and again. I opened mine up recently for the first time in two years and it was fine = no pets here. This is going to be a price you pay and have to adjust to.

 

[Santilli]

Jim Owens from Unicomp called. I explained the login problem. He said he would get back to me tomorrow, after sending a note to their computer department.

 

[Santilli]

Jim Owens from Unicomp called. I explained the login problem. He said he would get back to me tomorrow, after sending a note to their computer department.

Forgot to mention he was off last week. Looks like Unicomp believes in vacations, and President's day...

 

[ddrueding]

Sweet. I might get one of those next year. This year not so much. Still in the office...

 

[Santilli]

Keeps getting richer. The original keyboard came in today with the Kentucky Keyboard I ordered.
http://pckeyboard.com/mm5/merchant....ategory_Code=BargainRack&Product_Code=UNIKYKB

Turns out it has a connection that looks like a giant ethernet Cat 6 cable. IIRC, the last time I saw that was in about 1985.

 

[Santilli]

My bad. I was looking at the package and hadn't opened it. This keyboard actually has a connector to the keyboard, and the PS/2 on the other end. I like the feel of this keyboard a LOT. Doesn't quite have the same scrape feel that the smaller keyboard does, and feels a bit more solid. While not a huge Kentucky fan, I like the white main letters for under the desk, and typing with the lights dimmed. It's a little noisy, but, we'll see how it is with the cover on it. Makes me feel like I can type really well, and for a long time again.

For 59.00 dollars this maybe the steal of the century in keyboards.

 

[Santilli]

Covers/condoms came in. They are worth 10.00. They are made with thin plastic, and actually have sticky on the edges. Peel off, and it holds the condom in place.
Nice protection, and very little sound deadening. That seems to come from the bottom of the keyboard. Piece of neoprene might help that.

 

[Howell]

All it'll take is one small hole to change your keyboard's life.

 

[time]

I'd never heard of anyone molesting a keyboard before.

Is your mouse safe?

 

[Mercutio]

I support an office where a group of guys sit around and look at /b/ and ratemypoo and stileproject and rotten.com and whatever other disgusting crap they can find just because they can.
I started bringing in my own mouse and keyboard there after I noticed something white and crusty on a couple of the ones at their desks.

I keep Lysol wipes in my toolkit now, too.

 

[Santilli]

They do seem to catch everything. It's surprising how much little stuff ends up on your keyboard without you knowing about it, and, if not for the condom, they would go into the keyboard. It's starting to loosen up a bit. At the start it was
not working as smoothly as I would have liked. Now it's just getting to be fun.

 

[ddrueding]

They do seem to catch everything ... and, if not for the condom, they would go into ... It's starting to loosen up a bit. At the start it was
not working as smoothly as I would have liked. Now it's just getting to be fun.

Sorry. Couldn't help it.

 

[Santilli]

All good. I asked for it with the 'condom' post, but, to be real, that's what they remind me of.
I'm working on the compact with condom model, on the HTPC. Working well. I think it's still the best value setup ever.
Perfect for my gf.

Trying to figure out how to configure the home office. Too much paper stuff, and too small a bedroom
for an office in my room.

 

[Santilli]

http://www.eppsteiner.com/logitech-defect/?gclid=CKqhg4Wro68CFQJdhwodhwK_Xg

Looks like a class action suit for selling a known defective product.

Now if we can get someone to go after Seagate and WD.

 

[snowhiker]

http://www.eppsteiner.com/logitech-defect/?gclid=CKqhg4Wro68CFQJdhwodhwK_Xg

Looks like a class action suit for selling a known defective product.

Now if we can get someone to go after Seagate and WD.

I think I see 10 commercials a day (from 10 different law firms) regarding mesothelioma and now we have lawyers going after keyboard manufacturers? What's next, "Are you dissatisfied and unable to achieve release from your gay-beastality-interracial-snuf porn? Call xyz-scumbag-lawyers(tm) Now! You may be eligible for a direct cash settlement. Don't delay! Call now!"

 

[Stereodude]

Class action lawsuits are great for the lawyers and terrible for the plaintiffs.

 

[Santilli]

They can be good for the general market or they can be bad. When you have a duopoly like the HD makers we don't have a lot of choices for forcing market change. What are you going to do? Use somethiing else?

 

[Mercutio]

What's next, "Are you dissatisfied and unable to achieve release from your gay-beastality-interracial-snuf porn? Call xyz-scumbag-lawyers(tm) Now! You may be eligible for a direct cash settlement. Don't delay! Call now!"

Pfft. You just do a chargeback on your payment method a half hour after you finish snarfing all the content on the site in question.

 

[MaxBurn]

Clicky Keyboards
http://shawnblanc.net/2012/04/clicky-keyboards/

Nice little article but it mostly focus on mac keyboards. What I like is the speed and accuracy section, he achieved a greater speed and accuracy from switching to a das. Not a keyboard he was familiar with as he was using a crappy apple keyboard before this. Kind of shoots down the argument go with what you are used to.

 

[Santilli]

I do have to say that the Kentucky keyboard is growing on me. For the money it is a fantastic value. The condoms are breaking in and I hardly notice them. They do catch a bunch of stuff you would otherwise never notice was getting into your keyboard
until it's too late.