Mechanical Keyboard Autism Thread - Because Cherry MX switches get you laid.

[Kulee Baba]

Way back when Starcraft 2 came out I saw people hyping up mechanical keyboards and I dropped about $100 on one. Can't remember the brand as this was a decade ago. It was good for about a month, then I started getting phantom inputs, took me a long time to realize because it was so random that I thought I was going crazy but I was eventually able to confirm it by seeing keys I clearly wasn't hitting popping up when I was typing in Notepad. Got a refund and bought a replacement for $10 on Amazon, which I am using to type this post. Never saw a reason to switch. I guess my keyboard autism is not so strong.

I had a similar experience, but I went with the Filco Cherry Brown. My keyboard has now gone on a whole decade without fault.

Sometimes you just get unlucky and buy something defective.

 

[Bongocat]

I had a similar experience, but I went with the Filco Cherry Brown. My keyboard has now gone on a whole decade without fault.

Sometimes you just get unlucky and buy something defective.

that's called 'key chatter'. it's a common issue on shitty mechs with low quality control, which are nevertheless sold for high prices. Razer mechs are particularly susceptible to it. Often it can be solved with an operating system setting called 'debounce time'.

 

[malt ipecac]

Good question. I do care at least about the traveling distance, the MLs really bottomed out quickly. The flat keys I think also lead to more typos for me. I generally like resting/fiddling around my keys and enjoy sitting down at my C64 for that reason. The keycaps there have a similar height to SA, maybe even a bit higher, although they're not sculpted quite like them. It's mostly a form that you saw on some of the more modern typewriters.

Ah, fuck, I remembered I left something out - spherical vs. cylindrical keycaps, which is a distinct dimension from sculpted vs. uniform.

I find it much more comfortable to type on my keyboard with DSA keycaps than on my Apple keyboard, even though both are uniform profiles. Aside from (switch-determined) travel distance, the big difference is that the DSA keycaps have tops that are shaped like small craters, which make it easier (or at least seem to make it easier) for me to hit the center of the correct key instead of incorrectly hitting, say, the corner of a neighboring key. SA profile also has spherical tops.

I also like the look of the C64 keyboard. I've never actually tried SA profile or a typewriter (other than, like, ~30 seconds playing with an antique somebody has laying around).

I have both knee and back issues (Thank you life you fucking bitch). The issue is that when ever I come across a desk (i.e. work / school) with a tray with my height for me to have the least pain my chair needs to be on the higher side (and ideally an additional cushion on the chair), which causes issues with desks to start with now add something that is even lower and my natural ability to only roll 1s on luck checks, and my knees often end up hitting the tray.

You must be quite tall. Makes sense, because I think I like keyboard trays because I am not-so-tall.

What if you are listening to a recording of a keyboard typing?

I consider my ANC wireless headphones part of my keyboarding experience in the same way others consider acoustic mods like silencing rings part of the keyboarding experience. Shrug.

 

[Sonichu-choo trainwreck]

I grew up on typewriters (mechanical to start) the action on them varies a lot.
and these days, there's a big question on how well they are maintained.
It's not like it used to be

 

[AmpleApricots]

I find it much more comfortable to type on my keyboard with DSA keycaps than on my Apple keyboard, even though both are uniform profiles. Aside from (switch-determined) travel distance, the big difference is that the DSA keycaps have tops that are shaped like small craters, which make it easier (or at least seem to make it easier) for me to hit the center of the correct key instead of incorrectly hitting, say, the corner of a neighboring key. SA profile also has spherical tops.

My main worry with SA would be that they'd stick out too far and look weird. It doesn't matter though, the space bar of the set I eyed doesn't fit. It's apparently really SP or bust for me, as that magical 6U space with off-center stem on this one is rare. My options are limited.

People used to collect typewriters for a while, if you are lucky you can find well maintained ones for a pittance. It's not an easy thing to do though. Theoretically it should be possible to retrofit a typewriter into actually working as a computer keyboard, if you feel like going completely insane. Most of my experiences were with electrical typewriters, some of them had really nice keyboards. They did not last very long in my time though.

I'm also amazed how designing keycaps is apparently a thing many colorblind people do.

 

[Cowboy Kim]

This is a certified Reddit Moment:

'member BT is just the over-air protocol, it doesn't define the audio codec

The problem is that its hard to find info on what specific codec the transmitter/receiver uses. AptX is pretty good, while LDAC is the best, but also exclusive to Sony shit.
Besides, 9/10 times the device defaults to SBC.

 

[fuckidunno]

The problem is that its hard to find info on what specific codec the transmitter/receiver uses. AptX is pretty good, while LDAC is the best, but also exclusive to Sony shit.

I just used google so it wasn't too difficult
and like you say LDAC is sony proprietary so easier to find that way
apparently the guy spent thousands on his mixing console, so investing a couple hours or so might be worth it.

 

[Just Some Other Guy]

This is a certified Reddit Moment:
View attachment 1853719

The problem is that its hard to find info on what specific codec the transmitter/receiver uses. AptX is pretty good, while LDAC is the best, but also exclusive to Sony shit.
Besides, 9/10 times the device defaults to SBC.

Probably broke up because she realized she's dating an autist.

Or, it never happened like usual.

 

[Xerxes IX]

Or, it never happened like usual.

"I'll never get any reddit karma if all everyone else posts on the subreddit is their custom builds...oh, I know!"

 

[Just Some Other Guy]

"I'll never get any reddit karma if all everyone else posts on the subreddit is their custom builds...oh, I know!"

I like that they posed the shot like a typical show off shot.

"Oh man, look what she's missing out on boys. What a sweet piece of plastic"

Nothing to do now except jerk off all over it.

 

[Sonichu-choo trainwreck]

got one of those steelseries optiacals...we'll see
I'm a tacticle guy so this is a majo departure.
it's the per-key activation threshold I'm interested to see.
The whole reason I like tacticle, aside from being used to it for decades is I don't bottom out -
I'm wondering if I can basically set the optical keyboard to ME instead of the other way 'round

 

[Jones McCann]

Decided to get a mechanical keyboard after using a shitty $20 keyboard for about 2 years. I asked around and a few people suggested a Unicomp, I must say it's a great keyboard. No shitty LEDs, actually has a metal frame, the response when clicking keys is really nice, obviously. The best part is it's made in the USA and not by some chinaman making $3 per year, and it's made by the company that made the original IBM mechanical keyboards since '86. The only real complaint I have is when gaming for a few hours my left hand starts to hurt from all the clicking, but that's probably because the game I usually play is very demanding with movement. Price was about $130. All in all, I'd recommend it for someone who wants a nice keyboard that isn't over the top gamer shit.

 

[Kosher Dill]

Decided to get a mechanical keyboard after using a shitty $20 keyboard for about 2 years. I asked around and a few people suggested a Unicomp, I must say it's a great keyboard. No shitty LEDs, actually has a metal frame, the response when clicking keys is really nice, obviously. The best part is it's made in the USA and not by some chinaman making $3 per year, and it's made by the company that made the original IBM mechanical keyboards since '86. The only real complaint I have is when gaming for a few hours my left hand starts to hurt from all the clicking, but that's probably because the game I usually play is very demanding with movement. Price was about $130. All in all, I'd recommend it for someone who wants a nice keyboard that isn't over the top gamer shit.


View attachment 1869315

Is that the New Model M?
And does it really have that bizarre layout with the right Win key next to the spacebar?

 

[Orange Rhymer]

Is that the New Model M?
And does it really have that bizarre layout with the right Win key next to the spacebar?

Win keys should self-delete. My opinion. I hate the fuckers.

 

[Jones McCann]

Is that the New Model M?
And does it really have that bizarre layout with the right Win key next to the spacebar?

Honestly didn't notice that until now, I don't really use those keys too often. Yes it does have that layout, not sure why.

 

[stupidpieceofshit]

Is that the New Model M?
And does it really have that bizarre layout with the right Win key next to the spacebar?

It looks like they changed the position for some reason. I found a picture form a few years back and the windows key is where it is to be expected.
Might of happened when they switched form the classic Windows 9x logo to the Windows 8/10 logo.

 

[⠠⠠⠅⠑⠋⠋⠁⠇⠎ ⠠⠠⠊⠎ ⠠⠠⠁ ⠠⠠⠋⠁⠛]

It looks like they changed the position for some reason. I found a picture form a few years back and the windows key is where it is to be expected.
Might of happened when they switched form the classic Windows 9x logo to the Windows 8/10 logo.

I almost wonder if it might have been done to streamline catering to some of the Germanic language variants they offer as custom orders, but looking at the layouts, I can't really make out how.

Win keys should self-delete. My opinion. I hate the fuckers.

They will sell you a Model M without them. Or their PC122 clone.

 

[Derped223]

Current mechanical keyboard I own is the logitech G915.
And it feels great to type on since the last keyboard I used was a keyboard that came with a HP pre-built that was from 2007.

Only big complaint I have is that the secondary characters don't light up, like how was that passed up in a keyboard that costs around $250!

 

[Secret Asshole]

Just got a gift, Varmilo Beijing Opera with MX Silent Blacks:

Gonna switch out my Ducky Year of the Dog. I hope with my new Chinese Keyboard our Chinese overlords will accept me now.

The silent blacks feel really fucking nice, even though I'm really used to the clicky MX Blues.

 

[Kosher Dill]

Honestly didn't notice that until now, I don't really use those keys too often. Yes it does have that layout, not sure why.

For that matter, do the right-side Alt and Win keys actually do what they're labelled as? That is, is it a weird layout or just mislabelled keys?