Author Topic: what kind of keyboard you use? (Read 63901 times)

jallport · « **Reply #25 on:** April 05, 2006, 02:36 AM »

HP modular keyboard;

Media buttons I actually want (Vol-up, vol-dn, mute), the numpad can detach and be used on left or right, plus numpad has TAB, backspace and delete keys, plus a handy calculator shortcut, all v.useful, and it was only £2 ($3, €3) more than the standard model.

Keypress is soft-ish, no click, just what I like.

I can also add more modules if I want, like smartcard reader and bluetooth until my keyboard is 4 feet wide!!!

wasker · « **Reply #26 on:** April 06, 2006, 10:39 AM »

Microsoft Natural Multimedia all the way!

Thanks to this keyboard I created I Hate This Key.

Love its multimedia buttons, because I'm also a music fan.

nudone · « **Reply #27 on:** April 06, 2006, 12:03 PM »

up until the beginning of this year i'd been using a $5.00 type keyboard - it's been going for years and i can't say there's anything wrong with it.

now, at home, i'm using a 'Saitek Eclipse' as it appears to be highly recommended in hardware reviews. okay, it looks a bit funky but it seems like a quality item to me.

http://www.saitek.co.../uk/prod/eclipse.htm

when at work, i use the most disgusting keyboards you can imagine. it's a school, so you can guarantee that every bacteria there has ever been is smothered over all over the keyboards.

noth(a)nk.you · « **Reply #28 on:** April 06, 2006, 01:03 PM »

No offense meant to wasker, but those interested in programs like

I Hate This Key.
-wasker (April 06, 2006, 10:39 AM)

could complete [most of] the same tasks (for free) with AHK.

For instance, I'm enjoying this implementation to get rid of erroneous F1 presses.

Further inspection shows that it has some good features. MS Natural Keyboard users should especially take note of

to avoid manual registry changes.

edit: Took a closer look, changes in bold-face.

LuckMan212 · « **Reply #29 on:** April 06, 2006, 11:26 PM »

I love ALPS keyswitches (buckling-spring technology -- google it) This is the same tech used in the old IBM "M" keyboards which you can only buy on ebay now.

My current keyboard of choice is the "Classic 101/104" from PCKeyboard.com
I have the black/grey model: http://www.pckeyboar...images/ub40416LG.jpg

None of those cheap-ass membrane keyboards can even come close to the feel, action and durability of a buckling-sping keyboard. Plus the sound is really cool I think; when I talk to people on the phone they always say "man it sounds like you're working really hard!!" -- this is due to each keypress making 2 distinct "clicks", so it sounds like I am typing 240 words per minute...hehe

However, I recently found a pretty sick looking keyboard that is supposed to also use some high-quality cherry keyswitches that are rated for like 10+ years of use. These boards are illuminated and come in various LED colors, looks very cool:
http://www.deckkeyboards.com/index.php

nudone · « **Reply #30 on:** April 07, 2006, 02:22 AM »

that 'deck' keyboard looks and sounds cooool but for $160 that's a high price for customization. the saitek keyboard i mentioned above is very similar (if you want 'blue') and costs a fraction of the price.

Hirudin · « **Reply #31 on:** April 07, 2006, 06:14 AM »

The G15 has the blue glowing letters too...

The screen is what really sets this one apart though. There is already a large home-brew coding community behind it too. Check out the G15 Forums.

PS, this may be of particular interest to brotherS

brotherS · « **Reply #32 on:** April 08, 2006, 03:16 AM »

PS, this may be of particular interest to brotherS
-Hirudin (April 07, 2006, 06:14 AM)

This plugin enables Miranda-IM ( www.miranda-im.org ) to display
notifications of messages/events, chat with contacts,
and browse through your contact list on the G15's LCD display.

@Hirudin: Hehe, that's a funny idea!

I prefer to use an OSD plugin for Miranda and a wireless keyboard, but it's sure great someone developed that special plugin for gamers.

@all: Who (but gamers maybe) needs illuminated keys? Improving the typing skills (remember https://www.donation...index.php?topic=2238 ?

) are more important, and one shouldn't type in dark rooms anyway..

Hirudin · « **Reply #33 on:** April 08, 2006, 08:55 AM »

Need illuminated keys? Prolly nobody. I'm not a gamer, but I like them flashy lights! My monitor has a little light behind the power button too, even though it's probably not necessary. It just looks better and is easier to see.

brotherS · « **Reply #34 on:** April 08, 2006, 10:09 AM »

Need illuminated keys? Prolly nobody. I'm not a gamer, but I like them flashy lights! My monitor has a little light behind the power button too, even though it's probably not necessary. It just looks better and is easier to see.
-Hirudin (April 08, 2006, 08:55 AM)

You just stated the only useful (to see if the monitor is on/off/in energy-save mode) LED besides the POWER LED for the PC itself IMHO

Yes, since I'm using a cordless keyboard it doesn't have any LEDs - and I'm not even looking at the LEDs that the remote signal receiver offers. I like the on-screen-messages I get when I hit CAPS Lock, Num, Roll etc.

wr975 · « **Reply #35 on:** April 08, 2006, 04:20 PM »

Further inspection shows that it has some good features. MS Natural Keyboard users should especially take note of

{snip}

to avoid manual registry changes.
-noth(a)nk.you (April 06, 2006, 01:03 PM)

This site offers registry files to import (just double-click).

http://www.mvps.org/jtsang/flock.html

The F Lock key on the Microsoft Keyboards is a relatively new concept facility for Microsoft Keyboards. Introduced with the Office Keyboard and used in later keyboards, it essentially allows keys to do more than one operation. The F Lock key, depending on its state, will allow either a function key's "normal" operation or a new "enhanced" operation. The initial state of the F Lock key is "off", and in this state, the function keys use their "enhanced" operation.

The F Lock key is a hardware switch in the keyboard. Its state cannot be controlled programmatically. Its default condition is "off". As a result, whenever the keyboard is reset, or loses power, the F Lock key will always be in an "off" state. Do note that with the MSFT keyboards released after September 2004, the keyboard will retain F Lock status through a reboot.

For some, this is not a desirable default; some people want "normal" function key operation.

While there is no way to control the F Lock key state programmatically, Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 provide a method whereby keys can be remapped by using the Scan Code Mapper. The Scan Code Mapper can be used to change the functions of the function keys. Unfortunately, this functionality is not available for earlier Windows versions.

With the application of that knowledge, the two zip files below contain registry files that will alter the key mappings after Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 is started up. When F Lock key is in the "off" position, the function keys will have their "normal" function, and when the F Lock key is in the "on" position, the function keys will have their "enhanced" function. Note that these files will only alter the functionality of your function keys (for those who have Natural Multimedia Keyboard, Multimedia Keyboard, Wireless Optical Desktop Keyboard, Wireless Optical Desktop Pro Keyboard, Basic Wireless Optical Desktop Keyboard or Wireless Desktop Elite Keyboard, the function(s) of the PrtScn/Insert & Pause/ScrLk keys will not be changed

f0dder · « **Reply #36 on:** April 08, 2006, 04:26 PM »

wr975, that sounds pretty nice! I had a logitech keyboard that I skipped partially because of the f-lock crap.

urlwolf · « **Reply #37 on:** April 12, 2006, 07:50 AM »

IBM ultranav.

http://www.epinions..../display_~full_specs

It reduces the trips to the mouse to NONE. Very light and flat. I use it on my lap, lying on a coach. Best possible posture

mouser · « **Reply #38 on:** April 12, 2006, 10:18 AM »

the ultranav looks nice!

LuckMan212 · « **Reply #39 on:** April 12, 2006, 10:38 AM »

I use it on my lap, lying on a coach
-urlwolf (April 12, 2006, 07:50 AM)

did you mean couch?

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #40 on:** April 12, 2006, 11:41 AM »

I use it on my lap, lying on a coach
-urlwolf (April 12, 2006, 07:50 AM)
did you mean couch?
-LuckMan212 (April 12, 2006, 10:38 AM)

Depends on whether it is a laptop or not $:-\$

Baseman · « **Reply #41 on:** April 12, 2006, 01:32 PM »

Mine is"Keep it simple' 'Genius'

brotherS · « **Reply #42 on:** April 12, 2006, 04:04 PM »

With so many keyboard users here, I feel I'm obliged to mention my MLB Mini-Review here: https://www.donation...dex.php?topic=3179.0

It's the best thing that could happen to you after you bought a nice keyboard (and learned to use it correctly of course

)

alxwz · « **Reply #43 on:** April 12, 2006, 04:08 PM »

Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite.
Another old MS ergonomic keyboard, without multimedia oddities.
Everything else made my fingers ache (including another, almost identical MS keyboard I don't know the name of).
The perfect keyboard would be this one, with "standard" arrangement of End, Del etc. and an IBM-style trackpoint (never saw an ergonomic keyboard with trackpoint).

brotherS · « **Reply #44 on:** April 15, 2006, 02:53 AM »

I removed masu's last post here since he only quoted another post and didn't add anything.

I wanted to tell him in private but for whatever reason he "blocked" private messages...

Please don't reply to this post, thanks.

Baseman · « **Reply #45 on:** April 15, 2006, 12:43 PM »

Anyone heard of a Virtual keyboard? This is where an Infro-red light shines a Virtual keyboard on any surface...If anyone has used one how effective is it?

noth(a)nk.you · « **Reply #46 on:** April 15, 2006, 08:02 PM »

an Infro-red light shines a Virtual keyboard on any surface
-Baseman (April 15, 2006, 12:43 PM)

Haven't used it ($$$), but they are damned sexy.

Baseman · « **Reply #47 on:** April 16, 2006, 04:47 AM »

I've seen them advertised for about $75.00 I have thought of buying one...All they need to do now is come up with a infro machine and monitor and I'll be first in line to purchase...HehHeh!

bootlegr · « **Reply #48 on:** April 19, 2006, 10:56 AM »

Love my VisiKey: well worth looking at

http://www.visikey.net/index.html

jgpaiva · « **Reply #49 on:** April 19, 2006, 01:07 PM »

I just got myself a logitech media keyboard elite and i'm loving playing with it. It's very confortable, has just the perfect touch, and i also like the "extra features" like extra keys and OSD.
The only thing i don't like about it is that it has the buttons translated to portuguese (my native language), it confuses me a bit.