What's the most underrated keyboard (in your opinion) and why?

[Hypersphere]

@abrahamstechnology: Yes, with the Soarer converter for Wyse keyboards, as with Soarer converters for other types of keyboards, any key that sends a scan code can be remapped to any other key. You can also have multiple Fn layers. My mapping for the Wyse Wy30 is very simple. I have just layer 0 and layer 1. The F-keys are Fn+1 = F1, etc.

[abrahamstechnology]

Also I'd like to say, if you have a WY-30, replace the capacitor! Mine had leaked, although the board still worked, I replaced it with a modern polymer cap.

[Hypersphere]

Also I'd like to say, if you have a WY-30, replace the capacitor! Mine had leaked, although the board still worked, I replaced it with a modern polymer cap.

Yesterday, I took the Wy30 apart for cleaning and repairing the spacebar attachment. I noticed that the large capacitor near the cable connector appears to have leaked. Could you please post the details of replacing the capacitor? (Method, which replacement part, and source of the replacement capacitor). Thanks!

BTW, it appears that my Wy30 was made in 1985. I'm considering painting the top case. The dull gray is a bit depressing.

[Muirium]

Reckon that spilled electrolyte might harm anything on the PCB? I’ve a Model M2 with original capacitors that’s still working fine, and I’d like to leave it that way if I can without risk.

[abrahamstechnology]

Also I'd like to say, if you have a WY-30, replace the capacitor! Mine had leaked, although the board still worked, I replaced it with a modern polymer cap.

Yesterday, I took the Wy30 apart for cleaning and repairing the spacebar attachment. I noticed that the large capacitor near the cable connector appears to have leaked. Could you please post the details of replacing the capacitor? (Method, which replacement part, and source of the replacement capacitor). Thanks!

BTW, it appears that my Wy30 was made in 1985. I'm considering painting the top case. The dull gray is a bit depressing.

The original cap was a 470uf 6.3v electrolytic. I replaced it with a 470uf 16v polymer cap I had around, I got them off of Digikey. I suppose any 470uf electrolytic or polymer that is at least 6.3v will work just fine.The PCB has the polarity marked.

[abrahamstechnology]

Reckon that spilled electrolyte might harm anything on the PCB? I’ve a Model M2 with original capacitors that’s still working fine, and I’d like to leave it that way if I can without risk.

Yes, my model M2 had significant corrosion. Unfortunately I couldn't get it working again because many of the plastic snaps on the case broke.

[mcmaxmcmc]

I don't know if this would be considered underrated, but I think the FK-2001 is a great board. Nice double-shot caps (though thin ABS, and only on some boards, though they're common), a nice layout, ranging from winkeyless to winkey, Focus layout, and a decent quality board for how cheap you can get some.

[Hypersphere]

@abrahamstechnology: Thanks for the details about the capacitor. The keyboard has apparently been fully functional since it was built in 1985. What would be the consequences of leaving the capacitor as it is? What would be the symptoms of the capacitor failing?

[abrahamstechnology]

@abrahamstechnology: Thanks for the details about the capacitor. The keyboard has apparently been fully functional since it was built in 1985. What would be the consequences of leaving the capacitor as it is? What would be the symptoms of the capacitor failing?

Same with mine, it worked great, but I replaced the cap as a precaution (I was desoldering and refitting the board anyway). I am not sure. But I know that leaking capacitors usually lead to corrosion.

[LessthanZero]

I really like Alps integrated dome switches, I have a numpad I turned into a macro pad and the switches are super tactile and have a nice click to them. When I bought the keypad I was hoping for yellows so when I popped off a cap I was a little disappointed to see the blue ovals but as soon as I tried them out I was glad I'd gotten them. Now I want a full size board with integrated domes. I also think the IBM Microswitch unsaver is cool and I don't ever hear much about it in the forums.

[Pumaeggs]

Vintage Cherry MX Blacks. Unrivaled smoothness, tastefully weighted for everyday typing tasks. I myself was a nonbeliever before I tried them. Previously I thought that Cherry was for the plebs until I gained the maturity to be able to look past the hipster appeal of Alps. I've actually been thinking about this a lot lately and have decided that I'll be naming my first born child (male or female), Vcmxb(1) even though it's completely unpronounceable.

First off, hello, this is my first comment on Deskthority! just made this account like 10 minutes ago after lots of lurking.
I was the same way with cherry switches, i always preferred SKCM or gateron switches. Modern cherry is so scratchy and sad feeling. When i went into my first build, i stumbled across someone on r/MechanicalKeyboards selling 70 vintage black switches yanked from a WYSE board for 20 bucks so i thought fuck it, might as well. These switches are so god damn smooth especially after some additional lubing, its insane, they're my favorite linears after ALPS integrated domes.

[samuelcable]

Vintage Cherry MX Blacks. Unrivaled smoothness, tastefully weighted for everyday typing tasks. I myself was a nonbeliever before I tried them. Previously I thought that Cherry was for the plebs until I gained the maturity to be able to look past the hipster appeal of Alps. I've actually been thinking about this a lot lately and have decided that I'll be naming my first born child (male or female), Vcmxb(1) even though it's completely unpronounceable.

First off, hello, this is my first comment on Deskthority! just made this account like 10 minutes ago after lots of lurking.
I was the same way with cherry switches, i always preferred SKCM or gateron switches. Modern cherry is so scratchy and sad feeling. When i went into my first build, i stumbled across someone on r/MechanicalKeyboards selling 70 vintage black switches yanked from a WYSE board for 20 bucks so i thought fuck it, might as well. These switches are so god damn smooth especially after some additional lubing, its insane, they're my favorite linears after ALPS integrated domes.

Hell yeah, vintage blacks are the best switch I've had even after some nice skcm/l I've had

[Pumaeggs]

I really like Alps integrated dome switches, I have a numpad I turned into a macro pad and the switches are super tactile and have a nice click to them. When I bought the keypad I was hoping for yellows so when I popped off a cap I was a little disappointed to see the blue ovals but as soon as I tried them out I was glad I'd gotten them. Now I want a full size board with integrated domes. I also think the IBM Microswitch unsaver is cool and I don't ever hear much about it in the forums.

My guy, linear black cross mount integrated domes are where the fuck its at. I found an adding machine with those fuckers in it and i've never felt a smoother switch. Basically in those switches the spring compensates for the buckling of the dome so theres zero tactility or scratchiness.

[Elrick]

Hell yeah, vintage blacks are the best switch I've had even after some nice skcm/l I've had

The new gateron Silent Blacks aren't bad, they're in fact completely smooth like Vintage cheery blacks.

[abrahamstechnology]

@abrahamstechnology: Yes, with the Soarer converter for Wyse keyboards, as with Soarer converters for other types of keyboards, any key that sends a scan code can be remapped to any other key. You can also have multiple Fn layers. My mapping for the Wyse Wy30 is very simple. I have just layer 0 and layer 1. The F-keys are Fn+1 = F1, etc.

Do you mind sharing it? I cannot figure out how to remap. Thanks.

[fohat]

This one?

workshop-f7/wyse-converter-t7424.html?h ... rer%20wyse

[Hypersphere]

@abrahamstechnology: Yes, with the Soarer converter for Wyse keyboards, as with Soarer converters for other types of keyboards, any key that sends a scan code can be remapped to any other key. You can also have multiple Fn layers. My mapping for the Wyse Wy30 is very simple. I have just layer 0 and layer 1. The F-keys are Fn+1 = F1, etc.

Do you mind sharing it? I cannot figure out how to remap. Thanks.

Sure, no problem. If you would like a copy of my sc file that you could modify for your needs, send me an email or PM. It might take me a few days to respond because I am working on several time-critical jobs at the moment.

[klennkellon]

G80-1800

Built out of crackers but it's a great layout and the flimsiness isn't as noticeable on a compact board. It's got basically all of the keys of a full size but in a nice compact size.

[vometia]

G80-1800

Built out of crackers but it's a great layout and the flimsiness isn't as noticeable on a compact board. It's got basically all of the keys of a full size but in a nice compact size.

Might that be the same thing that was used on NCD X-terminals in the early '90s? I'm not sure if Cherry was even the culprit, the only thing I remember about the keyboards was the acres of flat beige plastic and the way that any pressure at all would make them creak and groan horribly. Other than the beigeness and the flimsiness all I can remember is that they were a pretty much bog-standard PS/2 layout.

I assume the actual key-presses weren't notable for the wrong reasons as this was the same era as some real monstrosities courtesy of Philips, my employer at the time: mostly AT keyboards whose mechanical keys had a bit of the Spectrum's "dead flesh" feel about them, at least when they bottomed out, and tended to bind if not struck perfectly perpendicularly; and their new range of (probably rebranded) ASCII-terminals which were the most trigger-happy things I've ever encountered.

[Spearra]

Defiantly (imo) the "Perixx PX-1900". It is a strange middle ground between a office keyboard and a gaming keyboard. It uses scissor switches but they're 3.8 mm high. It is backlit but it isn't full RGB and has 7 colors. It is $40 USD which isn't super cheap, but not as grossly expensive as a BFKB113PBK (Japan and their expensive keyboards I swear!).

The build quality earned it a small cult following. A decent metal plate, EXTREMELY reliable function, a standard ANSI layout without screwing up the bottom in the name of "space saving". Spill resistant for what that's worth. The legends aren't overly "gamery" font wise and are actually legible when the backlighting is turned off. When off, they just look like really bold faced white legends on black ABS keycaps. The keycaps have a slight contour to them unlike scissor switch keyboards with chicklet keycaps. (Side rant: chicklets and scissor switches are not the same thing. That would be like saying PBT and Cherry MX switches are the same thing. They aren't.)

It fell under the radar in combination of it not showing up when searching for scissor switch keyboards in search engines, and that it isn't flat. Most scissor switch users tend to prefer scissor switches due to how flat they're. So when this keyboard is brought up in conversation, it is immediately panned due to its "thickness". Its still not as thick as even "low profile" mechanical keyboard switches, so even then, it is stuck in an awkward limbo middle ground in the keyboard world.

[abrahamstechnology]

Cherry MY keyboards. For me the force curve helps me not to bottom out like I do with MX Black.
Also, WD-40 Specialist dry lube makes them smooth with no binding.