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I need a better keyboard.



 
 
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  #1  
Old February 24th 17, 04:56 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware
Peter Jason
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 160
Default I need a better keyboard.

Windows 10


I want one with noisy ''clicky'' switch keys.
I want one with LARGE letters/numbers/numerals on all the keys.
I want a rotating volume control knob.
I want one compatible with BitLocker.
I want one with a ''mute'' button.
I want one for USB3
I want one with ALL these items!

The "Das Keyboard" series is useless!

Please help.

  #2  
Old February 24th 17, 04:57 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware
Peter Jason
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 160
Default I need a better keyboard.

On Fri, 24 Feb 2017 14:56:32 +1100, Peter Jason wrote:

Windows 10


I want one with noisy ''clicky'' switch keys.
I want one with LARGE letters/numbers/numerals on all the keys.
I want a rotating volume control knob.
I want one compatible with BitLocker.
I want one with a ''mute'' button.
I want one for USB3
I want one with ALL these items!

The "Das Keyboard" series is useless!

Please help.



PS. I don't care what it costs.
  #3  
Old February 24th 17, 05:42 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware
Mike S
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 78
Default I need a better keyboard.

On 2/23/2017 7:57 PM, Peter Jason wrote:
On Fri, 24 Feb 2017 14:56:32 +1100, Peter Jason wrote:

Windows 10


I want one with noisy ''clicky'' switch keys.
I want one with LARGE letters/numbers/numerals on all the keys.
I want a rotating volume control knob.
I want one compatible with BitLocker.
I want one with a ''mute'' button.
I want one for USB3
I want one with ALL these items!

The "Das Keyboard" series is useless!

Please help.


PS. I don't care what it costs.



http://xahlee.info/kbd/keyboard_volume_wheel.html
  #4  
Old February 24th 17, 07:09 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware
Peter Jason
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 160
Default I need a better keyboard.

On Thu, 23 Feb 2017 20:42:32 -0800, Mike S wrote:

On 2/23/2017 7:57 PM, Peter Jason wrote:
On Fri, 24 Feb 2017 14:56:32 +1100, Peter Jason wrote:

Windows 10


I want one with noisy ''clicky'' switch keys.
I want one with LARGE letters/numbers/numerals on all the keys.
I want a rotating volume control knob.
I want one compatible with BitLocker.
I want one with a ''mute'' button.
I want one for USB3
I want one with ALL these items!

The "Das Keyboard" series is useless!

Please help.


PS. I don't care what it costs.



http://xahlee.info/kbd/keyboard_volume_wheel.html


Thanks. I have some old 1990s mechanical keyboards (without volume
control) with different leads & plugs. Can I just swap over the
connecting cord from the new to the old board?
  #5  
Old February 24th 17, 09:48 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware
Paul[_28_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,467
Default I need a better keyboard.

Peter Jason wrote:


Thanks. I have some old 1990s mechanical keyboards (without volume
control) with different leads & plugs. Can I just swap over the
connecting cord from the new to the old board?


No.

At the very least, you would need to figure out what you've
got, before deciding what to do next.

These turquoise passive adapters, were the exception not
the rule. This is the only "easy" case I know of. I have two
mice that support both protocols, and fitting the turquoise adapter
allows the plug to go into the other kind of hole. The chip inside
the mouse can autodetect the presence of USB or PS/2 protocol
(both being 5V technologies). Not all mice do this. Don't buy
a turquoise adapter, unless you know a device came with one
of these originally (as proof it supports two protocols).

https://cdn.instructables.com/FUU/4M...LAD.MEDIUM.jpg

I have one keyboard here, that cannot possibly be plugged into
a modern computer. Nobody makes an adapter. The keyboard must
stay in my "museum" :-)

I have a Mac keyboard with ADB bus interface. I bought a Griffin
ADB to USB adapter years ago. And that's how I have typed some of my
posts to this group, while using a Mac keyboard :-) That combo
cannot be used to edit the BIOS screen, and it only works when
the OS finishes booting.

Paul
  #6  
Old February 25th 17, 07:10 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware
Peter Jason
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 160
Default I need a better keyboard.

On Fri, 24 Feb 2017 03:48:24 -0500, Paul
wrote:

Peter Jason wrote:


Thanks. I have some old 1990s mechanical keyboards (without volume
control) with different leads & plugs. Can I just swap over the
connecting cord from the new to the old board?


No.

At the very least, you would need to figure out what you've
got, before deciding what to do next.

These turquoise passive adapters, were the exception not
the rule. This is the only "easy" case I know of. I have two
mice that support both protocols, and fitting the turquoise adapter
allows the plug to go into the other kind of hole. The chip inside
the mouse can autodetect the presence of USB or PS/2 protocol
(both being 5V technologies). Not all mice do this. Don't buy
a turquoise adapter, unless you know a device came with one
of these originally (as proof it supports two protocols).

https://cdn.instructables.com/FUU/4M...LAD.MEDIUM.jpg


I have some of these plugs. and they work sometimes, but the keyboards
act strangely in sometimes they don't light up the "num lock" and
refuse to enter anything into the BitLocker password field.

http://sandy55.fc2web.com/keyboard/acer_kb101a.html
http://sandy55.fc2web.com/keyboard/others.html
Many of these old keyboards have the above archaic plug and an
annoying heavy looped connecting cable that is very heavy.

I notice that the black type on a white key is easier to read that the
reverse.

I'm going to get a "vision impaired" board with extra large type.



I have one keyboard here, that cannot possibly be plugged into
a modern computer. Nobody makes an adapter. The keyboard must
stay in my "museum" :-)

I have a Mac keyboard with ADB bus interface. I bought a Griffin
ADB to USB adapter years ago. And that's how I have typed some of my
posts to this group, while using a Mac keyboard :-) That combo
cannot be used to edit the BIOS screen, and it only works when
the OS finishes booting.

Paul

  #7  
Old February 25th 17, 07:43 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware
Paul[_28_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,467
Default I need a better keyboard.

Peter Jason wrote:


I have some of these plugs. and they work sometimes, but the keyboards
act strangely in sometimes they don't light up the "num lock" and
refuse to enter anything into the BitLocker password field.

http://sandy55.fc2web.com/keyboard/acer_kb101a.html
http://sandy55.fc2web.com/keyboard/others.html
Many of these old keyboards have the above archaic plug and an
annoying heavy looped connecting cable that is very heavy.

I notice that the black type on a white key is easier to read that the
reverse.

I'm going to get a "vision impaired" board with extra large type.


If your keyboard has a PS/2 miniDIN on the end, you
could try out a USB to PS/2 adapter.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16812186138

This is what the end looks like. It has room for a six pin connector.
One color is for keyboard, the other is for mouse.

https://images10.newegg.com/NeweggIm...186-138-04.jpg

Your picture didn't show the end of the cable, but I'm just going
by the connector I see on the *inside* of the keyboard. It looks
similar to the connector inside my (now worn out) Keytronix.

And speaking of Keytronix, I really liked their keyboard, but
they've fallen on hard times. All they have left for sale,
is a USB version with white letters on black keys. My most
unfavorite color of keys (for the reason you mention). My
worn out keyboard was black letters on beige plastic. The
WASD keys were completely worn off from gaming :-)

Paul
  #8  
Old February 27th 17, 12:26 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware
Peter Jason
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 160
Default I need a better keyboard.

On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 01:43:58 -0500, Paul
wrote:

Peter Jason wrote:


I have some of these plugs. and they work sometimes, but the keyboards
act strangely in sometimes they don't light up the "num lock" and
refuse to enter anything into the BitLocker password field.

http://sandy55.fc2web.com/keyboard/acer_kb101a.html
http://sandy55.fc2web.com/keyboard/others.html
Many of these old keyboards have the above archaic plug and an
annoying heavy looped connecting cable that is very heavy.

I notice that the black type on a white key is easier to read that the
reverse.

I'm going to get a "vision impaired" board with extra large type.


If your keyboard has a PS/2 miniDIN on the end, you
could try out a USB to PS/2 adapter.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16812186138

This is what the end looks like. It has room for a six pin connector.
One color is for keyboard, the other is for mouse.

https://images10.newegg.com/NeweggIm...186-138-04.jpg

Your picture didn't show the end of the cable, but I'm just going
by the connector I see on the *inside* of the keyboard. It looks
similar to the connector inside my (now worn out) Keytronix.

And speaking of Keytronix, I really liked their keyboard, but
they've fallen on hard times. All they have left for sale,
is a USB version with white letters on black keys. My most
unfavorite color of keys (for the reason you mention). My
worn out keyboard was black letters on beige plastic. The
WASD keys were completely worn off from gaming :-)

Paul


Typically I have these sorts of boards which have clicky keys, though
with small type.
https://postimg.org/gallery/2mbpz9e86/
This one has a dip-switch select as shown, and do modern boards have
dip-switches hidden in their guts?

Note the heavy coiled connector cord and the large connector plug.
  #9  
Old February 27th 17, 12:49 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware
Paul[_28_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,467
Default I need a better keyboard.

Peter Jason wrote:
On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 01:43:58 -0500, Paul
wrote:

Peter Jason wrote:

I have some of these plugs. and they work sometimes, but the keyboards
act strangely in sometimes they don't light up the "num lock" and
refuse to enter anything into the BitLocker password field.

http://sandy55.fc2web.com/keyboard/acer_kb101a.html
http://sandy55.fc2web.com/keyboard/others.html
Many of these old keyboards have the above archaic plug and an
annoying heavy looped connecting cable that is very heavy.

I notice that the black type on a white key is easier to read that the
reverse.

I'm going to get a "vision impaired" board with extra large type.

If your keyboard has a PS/2 miniDIN on the end, you
could try out a USB to PS/2 adapter.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16812186138

This is what the end looks like. It has room for a six pin connector.
One color is for keyboard, the other is for mouse.

https://images10.newegg.com/NeweggIm...186-138-04.jpg

Your picture didn't show the end of the cable, but I'm just going
by the connector I see on the *inside* of the keyboard. It looks
similar to the connector inside my (now worn out) Keytronix.

And speaking of Keytronix, I really liked their keyboard, but
they've fallen on hard times. All they have left for sale,
is a USB version with white letters on black keys. My most
unfavorite color of keys (for the reason you mention). My
worn out keyboard was black letters on beige plastic. The
WASD keys were completely worn off from gaming :-)

Paul


Typically I have these sorts of boards which have clicky keys, though
with small type.
https://postimg.org/gallery/2mbpz9e86/
This one has a dip-switch select as shown, and do modern boards have
dip-switches hidden in their guts?

Note the heavy coiled connector cord and the large connector plug.


http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/...images/DIN.GIF

http://superuser.com/questions/57125...adapter-to-usb

"DIN-5 used and PS/2 both use the same protocol, colloquially known
as "AT". That's why the PS/2 is simply smaller, using a mini-DIN-6
connector instead o a DIN-5.

Please note that really old keyboard (early 1980's keyboards),
though using the 5-DIN connector, used the older XT protocol,
so it probably wouldn't be compatible.

As far as the computer is concerned, there shouldn't be any
difference between a PS/2 keyboard and
a DIN-5 keyboard with a PS/2 adapter.

So either the adapter is malfunctioning, or something
isn't working on the USB side of things."

I was surprised, by an inability to find a schematic
for conversion from one pinout to the other. I could see
both short adapters (no cable), as well as DIN to miniDIN
with six inches of cable. But no schematics to verify it
is 5V clock with data.

At one time, DIP switches were used to set locale on keyboards
and provide an alternate mapping. It should not be "baud rate"
or the like.

Paul
 




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