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backlit 101-key mechanical keyboards?



 
 
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  #11  
Old October 30th 17, 10:01 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
Lynn McGuire[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 198
Default backlit 101-key mechanical keyboards?

On 10/28/2017 8:05 AM, Flasherly wrote:
On Fri, 27 Oct 2017 16:04:16 -0500, Lynn McGuire
wrote:

I use a Northgate Omni Key/102 GOLD at the office. Best keyboard ever
made. I got mine in 1992 ???

I have used a couple of Focus FK-2001 keyboards at the house. The keys
eventually break off them (I pound hard).

Lynn


Wow, sure didn't expect that. Small world, eh .

I learned my lesson from pounding on the Northgate OmniKey. I was so
ashamed of myself, I took it apart and tried to fix it - resoldering
less-used keys to desoldered keys I'd abusively offended;- a
half-hearted attempt for water already passed under a bridge.

But I have what counts now, the "touch", for the Focus flipping it
over - MODEL: FK 7200 - USB.

That is quite a feat, using an original and dated Northgate, a premier
OnmiKey, especially in an office environment.

The grime and stains on my white Focus keyboard are extraordinary. It
probably would qualify the standard for a world record award the
"Filthiest Keyboard in Existence".

Other than that, FOCUS, shall we say, _should have_ adhered to
engineering precepts when they bought Northgate production materials
and facilities. Unless your model deviated, was redesigned _out_ of
those specifications, to where you can say the Northgate provided
sturdier anchors and/or actual keyswitch-quality procurements. Me, I
really can't tell a difference between this Focus model and my
original OmniKey, not so far as a reasonable and generous allowance
over pressure exerted to engage key tactility;...applying abusive
forces is entirely different, in my experience, to a rugged and
capable capacity the Focus continues to provide, as impeccably built
on Northgate quality.

Might be you're getting "trigger-itch" over multiple lighted (usually
software driver) key schemes, the so-called "gaming" keyboards of
today, across as many as half-a-dozen available grades of
tactile-action switches. Sale prices are good, features options are
wide, and I get it, too.


My Northgate Omni Key/102 GOLD is in great shape. A few food stains.
Some coffee stains. Some blood (I am on blood thinners and my fingers
bleed all the time). The Gold Omni Key/102 sticker is peeling. Other
than that, great shape. It uses the old 1 inch DIN ? plug which I have
a converter cable for. The key characters are all very visible since
they are permanently etched.

I could care less about lit keyboards and such. I write software for a
living and love mechanical keyboards going back to the old mainframe
operator teletype consoles with the 3/4 inch travel keys.

Lynn
  #12  
Old October 31st 17, 12:58 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
Flasherly[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,407
Default backlit 101-key mechanical keyboards?

On Mon, 30 Oct 2017 16:01:16 -0500, Lynn McGuire
wrote:

My Northgate Omni Key/102 GOLD is in great shape. A few food stains.
Some coffee stains. Some blood (I am on blood thinners and my fingers
bleed all the time). The Gold Omni Key/102 sticker is peeling. Other
than that, great shape. It uses the old 1 inch DIN ? plug which I have
a converter cable for. The key characters are all very visible since
they are permanently etched.

I could care less about lit keyboards and such. I write software for a
living and love mechanical keyboards going back to the old mainframe
operator teletype consoles with the 3/4 inch travel keys.


I wouldn't necessarily turn it down - differences in modern keyboard
construction offered. Finer gradients from a centi-Newton measurement
force of actuation. MX Blue switches of Cherry manufacture are also
employed in a Blue factor with this FOCUS, 50 cN, except they're
actually ALPS "Blue" switches. Blacks are higher, 60 cN, Reds and
Browns lower;- Greens and Clears are slight deviations on Blues and
Browns;- Specialty application key construct, for such as the space
bar, lack delineation.

Lighting, macro assignments, the whole ball of wax. Bring it on.

Of course pricing remains commiserate. A Northgate, as I recall, ran
anywhere from around $100 to $150;- mine was a budgetary
consideration;- the FOCUS was even a better deal at something
significantly less.

This issue, perhaps, is one of quality, reliability and longevity, in
making the substitution. There's more, a greater competitive field of
fashions and fabrications, along with some correlate for uncertainly,
that a contemporary keyboard will continue, say, as long as this
15-year-old, or more, FOCUS. Whether that is a $100 mechanical on
sale for $50, or a $100 model from $200, subjectively, seems less
material;- I'd only likely cross my fingers before looking first at a
$50 model. I'm afraid I haven't much faith left in premier ratings or
their gloss, and feel just as apt to be burned by sub-par merchandise
in either instance. I'll go through the motions and research for what
insularity I may, nevertheless, "hope" to gain.

This company still markets key switches designed and based on the
actual mechanism employed by an IBM Model M. They're also cheap, the
way I read it in my book, at least for the vaunted technology:
http://www.pckeyboard.com/page/category/UltraClassic

Should you not jump but leap to immediately buy yours....caveat
emptor, I'd suppose, applies.
  #13  
Old October 31st 17, 09:55 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
Lynn McGuire[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 198
Default backlit 101-key mechanical keyboards?

On 10/30/2017 6:58 PM, Flasherly wrote:
On Mon, 30 Oct 2017 16:01:16 -0500, Lynn McGuire
wrote:

My Northgate Omni Key/102 GOLD is in great shape. A few food stains.
Some coffee stains. Some blood (I am on blood thinners and my fingers
bleed all the time). The Gold Omni Key/102 sticker is peeling. Other
than that, great shape. It uses the old 1 inch DIN ? plug which I have
a converter cable for. The key characters are all very visible since
they are permanently etched.

I could care less about lit keyboards and such. I write software for a
living and love mechanical keyboards going back to the old mainframe
operator teletype consoles with the 3/4 inch travel keys.


I wouldn't necessarily turn it down - differences in modern keyboard
construction offered. Finer gradients from a centi-Newton measurement
force of actuation. MX Blue switches of Cherry manufacture are also
employed in a Blue factor with this FOCUS, 50 cN, except they're
actually ALPS "Blue" switches. Blacks are higher, 60 cN, Reds and
Browns lower;- Greens and Clears are slight deviations on Blues and
Browns;- Specialty application key construct, for such as the space
bar, lack delineation.

Lighting, macro assignments, the whole ball of wax. Bring it on.

Of course pricing remains commiserate. A Northgate, as I recall, ran
anywhere from around $100 to $150;- mine was a budgetary
consideration;- the FOCUS was even a better deal at something
significantly less.

This issue, perhaps, is one of quality, reliability and longevity, in
making the substitution. There's more, a greater competitive field of
fashions and fabrications, along with some correlate for uncertainly,
that a contemporary keyboard will continue, say, as long as this
15-year-old, or more, FOCUS. Whether that is a $100 mechanical on
sale for $50, or a $100 model from $200, subjectively, seems less
material;- I'd only likely cross my fingers before looking first at a
$50 model. I'm afraid I haven't much faith left in premier ratings or
their gloss, and feel just as apt to be burned by sub-par merchandise
in either instance. I'll go through the motions and research for what
insularity I may, nevertheless, "hope" to gain.

This company still markets key switches designed and based on the
actual mechanism employed by an IBM Model M. They're also cheap, the
way I read it in my book, at least for the vaunted technology:
http://www.pckeyboard.com/page/category/UltraClassic

Should you not jump but leap to immediately buy yours....caveat
emptor, I'd suppose, applies.


My keyboard has the function keys on the left where God intended them to
be. Perfect for debugging software.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxgmyKtNKvI

I've thought about buying one of these but it is missing the F11 and F12
keys on the left side.
http://www.pckeyboard.com/page/product/40L5A

Lynn
  #14  
Old November 1st 17, 12:34 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
Flasherly[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,407
Default backlit 101-key mechanical keyboards?

On Tue, 31 Oct 2017 15:55:03 -0500, Lynn McGuire
wrote:

My keyboard has the function keys on the left where God intended them to
be. Perfect for debugging software.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxgmyKtNKvI

I've thought about buying one of these but it is missing the F11 and F12
keys on the left side.
http://www.pckeyboard.com/page/product/40L5A


Yes, I can see where habit may form its own requirements, as well
perhaps a more exclusive market offering that particular style;- you
may, or perhaps not, be looking at some potential for future
concessions.

Where I haven't the left Fx keys, an overreach to top-placed Fx key
would seem more prevalent among a universe of models, I've a trackball
placed adjacent to abutting the left side of the keyboard. Took some
time to habituate myself, as I'm right-handed, but overall efficacy is
accelerated, at least for regular mouse manipulations, than otherwise
to disengage my right for any other right-handed mouse setup. There's
also a working mouse-ball included within the middle of the spacebar
on the FOCUS, although it isn't near the caliber of a Logitech Tracman
and is seldom used. Also a likely selling point to this model, at the
time of purchase, which aside from a disappointment may have played
some part both to adapting the style, and a string of purchases,
left-handed trackball replacements, since dedicated to the left side
of this particular keyboard. I'd say trackball replacement costs have
exceed the original keyboard price by near twofold.
  #15  
Old November 1st 17, 01:47 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
Flasherly[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,407
Default backlit 101-key mechanical keyboards?

On Tue, 31 Oct 2017 15:55:03 -0500, Lynn McGuire
wrote:



Not bad for mechanical keybaord

OMOKO Mechanical Blue Switch Anti-ghosting USB

Keys are generic Blues - approximate, sic Blue being a Cherry rating.
Appears the company has recently changed hands,
http://www.armchairempire.com/Review...eyboard-review
but for the price and a general satisfaction level, better than decent
for a backup or handydandy spare keyboard for building PCs .

Average pricing is $30-50

Without Prime, $20 shipped from Amazon is strange;- normally they're
all over, likes smell on doo, to get an aggregate price up to qualify
for free shipping

Code MSYSP9D9 is needed to get this $10 promotion drop:

Item(s) Subtotal:
$29.99
Shipping & Handling:
$9.71
Free Shipping:
-$9.71
Promotion applied:
-$10.00
Total before tax:
$19.99
Estimated tax to be collected:
$0.00
Grand Total:
$19.99
  #16  
Old November 1st 17, 02:13 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
Flasherly[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,407
Default backlit 101-key mechanical keyboards?

On Wed, 01 Nov 2017 08:47:03 -0400, Flasherly
wrote:

http://www.armchairempire.com/Review...eyboard-review


Wouldn't have sent that link had I noticed him dissing the key
switches, suggesting they'd soon need be pulled for failure -- due to
his sense of the TOMOKO tactility, in the same phrasing to compare by
actual Cherry switches -- as a suitable expectancy by way of
replacements.

The "off brand" TOMOKO mechanical keys, themselves, are manufacturer
specified for some outrageous number of key-cycle presses, as along
and within better known, or generally a superior class characteristic
of mechanical switches.

No idea what that guy had for breakfast, ragged him, into the
suggestion to buy a keyboard only to pull and replace the key
switches.
 




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