Looking for a good, cheap keyboard.
in [Hardware]
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From: John Corliss on 28 Jan 2010 06:56 For several years now, I've been using a Microsoft Multimedia Keyboard like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-K49-00001-Multimedia-Keyboard/dp/B00006D2LI except it's black and white instead of blue and white. Lately, the keys have been sticking and no amount of cleaning the board (I disassemble it and throw the top part in a solution of Tide and water) will make the keys work smoothly again. Besides, I'm sick and tired of having to turn the thing on (press the "F Lock" button every time I start up the computer) so that I can simply get normal function out of my function keys. Another dislike I have always had for the keyboard is that I have to install and use Microsoft Intellitype in order to be able to configure the special keys to do the things that I want them to. Intellitype sucks up a little over 19 mb of my system's pitiful 512 mb of ram (I'm a low-bucks hippie). What I'm looking for is a cheap, reliable keyboard which also has special function keys but doesn't require as much system resource overhead to configure them. Can anybody recommend something? TIA -- John Corliss
From: John McGaw on 28 Jan 2010 09:49 On 1/28/2010 6:56 AM, John Corliss wrote: > For several years now, I've been using a Microsoft Multimedia Keyboard > like this one: > > http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-K49-00001-Multimedia-Keyboard/dp/B00006D2LI > > except it's black and white instead of blue and white. Lately, the keys > have been sticking and no amount of cleaning the board (I disassemble it > and throw the top part in a solution of Tide and water) will make the > keys work smoothly again. Besides, I'm sick and tired of having to turn > the thing on (press the "F Lock" button every time I start up the > computer) so that I can simply get normal function out of my function > keys. Another dislike I have always had for the keyboard is that I have > to install and use Microsoft Intellitype in order to be able to > configure the special keys to do the things that I want them to. > Intellitype sucks up a little over 19 mb of my system's pitiful 512 mb > of ram (I'm a low-bucks hippie). > > What I'm looking for is a cheap, reliable keyboard which also has > special function keys but doesn't require as much system resource > overhead to configure them. > > Can anybody recommend something? > > TIA > Cheap is relative. Enermax makes an entire line of keyboards and they are built to last. Using higher-quality switches and a solid machined aluminum case shows how serious they are. Personally, I use two of their Micro version because of my space-deprived workstations but one of their big ones like http://www.enermaxusa.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=28_48&products_id=138 seems as if it would fit your requirements.
From: Grinder on 28 Jan 2010 09:49 On 1/28/2010 5:56 AM, John Corliss wrote: > For several years now, I've been using a Microsoft Multimedia Keyboard > like this one: > > http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-K49-00001-Multimedia-Keyboard/dp/B00006D2LI > > except it's black and white instead of blue and white. Lately, the keys > have been sticking and no amount of cleaning the board (I disassemble it > and throw the top part in a solution of Tide and water) will make the > keys work smoothly again. Besides, I'm sick and tired of having to turn > the thing on (press the "F Lock" button every time I start up the > computer) so that I can simply get normal function out of my function > keys. Another dislike I have always had for the keyboard is that I have > to install and use Microsoft Intellitype in order to be able to > configure the special keys to do the things that I want them to. > Intellitype sucks up a little over 19 mb of my system's pitiful 512 mb > of ram (I'm a low-bucks hippie). > > What I'm looking for is a cheap, reliable keyboard which also has > special function keys but doesn't require as much system resource > overhead to configure them. > > Can anybody recommend something? Yeah, I used that keyboard for quite awhile as well. FLock was a pain in the butt. I generally wanted to have it locked to using F1-F12, but had to unlock it to make screenshots--3 keystrokes for a screenshot. I'm now using a Logitech Wave, but there are several things about it you might not like: 1) Special software to make the extra function keys work. I suspect this is the deal for any keyboard with more than the basic keys. SetPoint takes up about 11MB on my Win7-64bit system. 2) It's wireless. That's not a feature I care about. In fact, I would prefer not to have to buy the batteries. I do like the keyboard, though, and the wireless version for some reason was a lot cheaper than the wired version, and, it came with a mouse. 3) USB connector. It took some doing, but my keyboard now works in my BIOS and boot menu. Normally I prefer PS/2 so I don't have to worry about the device negotiation, but in this case USB has not been a (lasting) problem. 4) It's not super cheap. The keyboard and mouse combo cost about $50, but that was a real deal. Another wireless set that I have bought several of, is the Logitech EX110. You should be able to get it for $30, and it's a good basic setup. There is also an EX100 in the same range, but I like the 110 a little better.
From: Grinder on 28 Jan 2010 12:30 > 2) It's wireless. That's not a feature I care about. In fact, I would > prefer not to have to buy the batteries. I do like the keyboard, though, > and the wireless version for some reason was a lot cheaper than the > wired version, and, it came with a mouse. One expansion on my comments: I DO like the wireless mouse. Not having to fight the cord is worth more than I had previously thought.
From: kony on 28 Jan 2010 13:59
On Thu, 28 Jan 2010 03:56:58 -0800, John Corliss <q34wsk20(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >For several years now, I've been using a Microsoft Multimedia Keyboard >like this one: > >http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-K49-00001-Multimedia-Keyboard/dp/B00006D2LI > >except it's black and white instead of blue and white. Lately, the keys >have been sticking and no amount of cleaning the board (I disassemble it >and throw the top part in a solution of Tide and water) will make the >keys work smoothly again. Besides, I'm sick and tired of having to turn >the thing on (press the "F Lock" button every time I start up the >computer) so that I can simply get normal function out of my function >keys. Another dislike I have always had for the keyboard is that I have >to install and use Microsoft Intellitype in order to be able to >configure the special keys to do the things that I want them to. >Intellitype sucks up a little over 19 mb of my system's pitiful 512 mb >of ram (I'm a low-bucks hippie). > >What I'm looking for is a cheap, reliable keyboard which also has >special function keys but doesn't require as much system resource >overhead to configure them. > >Can anybody recommend something? > >TIA Considering the issue of software bloat, you might try the oldest version, or at least an older version, that works on your choice of operating system. I would expect more and more new keyboard drivers to be designed with little concern for how much memory they use, since memory has become quite inexpensive, but generally MS does seem one of the worst in taking liberties to the extent that a system becomes slow... so you buy another one, which comes with a new windows licen$e. |