The Keyboard Thread

[XaeL]

Which keyboard is the best for tetris. Explain why in a 30000 word essay.

Someone should explain steelseries 7G/6Gv2

I'll explain X4 once i get it.


microsoft Sidewinder X4 is a "budget" gaming keyboard. But it packs a punch. at $50, it is the cheapest gaming keyboard, yet is the cheapest with Backlighting, and has almost full anti-keylock (important for tetris because you press 7 random keys on the keyboard and locking = gay). It doesnt have perfect anti-locking (one sensor per key) but it has a complex matrix that is cheap to produce and hence has up to 17 alpha-keys which i think is plenty.
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Is there a way to add polls. We should get people to vote on stuff like

sidewinder/steelseries/logitech/razer/Saitek

[myndzi]

http://geekhack.org/

Also props to the Unicomp buckling spring boards and Filco Cherry keyswitch boards.

I think you are using the term "ghosting" wrong, by the way. It shouldn't have anything to do with "locking" as you put it (not being able to press more keys), it is when key signals are sent for keys that weren't pressed. My Filco has full N-Key rollover, so I can press as many as I want

Edit: I'd really like to try a linear force keyboard though. That'd probably be nicer for Tetris, but I don't know if anybody would really need a keyboard full of those switches. I wonder what it would take to swap out just my arrow keys or something...

[themysticalninja]

i use the keyboard attached to my laptop, but that first one looked cool

[Blink]

Yes you can make a poll, but it has to be on the first post and you can't edit your post later on to include it.  In other words it's too late for this thread unless you want to remake.

I'm using the Steelseries 7G:

[!--ImageUrlBegin--][a href=\\\"http://cdn-web.steelseries.com/wp-content/uploads/SteelSeries-7G-8.jpg\\\" target=\\\"_new\\\"][!--ImageUrlEBegin--][img width=\\\"400\\\" class=\\\"attach\\\" src=\\\"http://cdn-web.steelseries.com/wp-content/uploads/SteelSeries-7G-8.jpg\\\" border=\\\'0\\\' alt=\\\"IPB Image\\\" /][!--ImageUrlEnd--][/a][!--ImageUrlEEnd--]


It's pricey (~$130 US) but it's the best keyboard I've ever used.  It doesn't have all the lights, extra buttons, and special features that some gaming keyboards offer, but it's high quality and feels great.  It's a bit loud though.

It has antighosting meaning you can press a ton of keys at once and it will all register. It uses mechanical switches, has gold plated connectors for faster response time, and shorter keypress length meaning even a light tap will register.

I haven't tried the 6Gv2 yet but it looks very close to the 7G.  It's around $30 less, and from what I've read it has pretty much all the same features.  They removed a few things like the handrest and stuff but I never even use that anyway, the thing is huge.  

My keyboard (and member DraKKiE's keyboard) before this was a Dell SK-8110:

[!--ImageUrlBegin--][a href=\\\"http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t48/powerbuy21/DotCom/P7192911.jpg\\\" target=\\\"_new\\\"][!--ImageUrlEBegin--][img width=\\\"400\\\" class=\\\"attach\\\" src=\\\"http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t48/powerbuy21/DotCom/P7192911.jpg\\\" border=\\\'0\\\' alt=\\\"IPB Image\\\" /][!--ImageUrlEnd--][/a][!--ImageUrlEEnd--]


It was around $10 US and is also another keyboard I could recommend.  It's quiet, lasts long and the letterings on the keys don't wear out.

I've also tried a so-called gaming keyboard called Z-Board and all I can say is stay away.  

[!--ImageUrlBegin--][a href=\\\"http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/xoxide/rc-zboard-gaming-keyboard.jpg\\\" target=\\\"_new\\\"][!--ImageUrlEBegin--][img width=\\\"400\\\" class=\\\"attach\\\" src=\\\"http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/xoxide/rc-zboard-gaming-keyboard.jpg\\\" border=\\\'0\\\' alt=\\\"IPB Image\\\" /][!--ImageUrlEnd--][/a][!--ImageUrlEEnd--]


This keyboard is foldable and I think there's many different skins for it.  It's horrible for Tetris, the keys sometimes don't register and you have to press them pretty hard.  It's a very stiff keyboard and not worth the money.

I'm pretty interested in the Razer brand keyboards though, they look nice but I haven't had the chance to try them out yet.

[Wojtek]

pro keyboard: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm...Space-cadet.jpg

[blazen_azn]

i use the touchscreen on my ipad

[Noogy]

http://www.frys.com/product/5470229


its a 100$ keyboard that is now 65$ -25$ rebate = $40 + shipping.
im a huge fan of logitech (i have their mice, keyboard, headset, etc.)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16823175104
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saitek keyboard 30$ shipped; i dont know much about this one, i just posted it cause it was cheap

[Paul676]

I use a standard dell one which came with my comp, works well enough for me- what are the benefits in tetris of having a nicer one anyway?

[XaeL]

well relaly it depends on which keys you use.

but for my current keyboard, it locks on z + c, so i cnat hold + rotate left.

It also ghosts on x + c (sending space) so everytime i rotate right + hold it drops the next piece in the centre.

[poopmo]

I like the ones that have wrist support, makes it easier to play with the arrows.

[myndzi]

I use a standard dell one which came with my comp, works well enough for me- what are the benefits in tetris of having a nicer one anyway?

Specifically for Tetris, I would say that the biggest benefits of a good keyboard to you will be reliable and distinct tactile and audible feedback, and light activation. I can type about 10wpm faster still on my Unicomp because the buckling spring keyswitches are just better than the Cherry ones. The Cherry ones are pretty good though, and they are lighter, so less strain and effort involved in playing. I think the typing speed difference has more to do with acclimatization than anything - I've been typing on a buckling spring for like a decade.

I read that linear force keyboards are superior for gaming, but inferior for typing, and I do more typing than gaming, plus I'm not about to drop $100 on a keyboard just to play Tetris (inb4 but you did it for a joystick!). I'd really like to try one to see how it feels though.

If you want the cheap option, you can usually get a $5 IBM Model M off of eBay or something. It's old and ugly, but extremely nice to type on. It's more effort to push the buttons, but you can't beat it for knowing when keypresses actually get registered, which is important too. Also very loud. This is the same hardware as my Unicomp, the only difference is the Unicomp is like $100 and has USB support (which I didn't realize at the time was inferior to PS/2!) and a smaller footprint. It also came with a clit-mouse which I surgically removed.  

There are probably suggestions for cheap Cherry keyboards and the like on the forum I posted earlier. I remember reading a review thread that rated a number of keyboards for both typing and gaming, and the Steelseries actually came up short in that list.

Edit for my keyboards:
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[!--ImageUrlBegin--][a href=\\\"http://i49.tinypic.com/2cg27tg.jpg\\\" target=\\\"_new\\\"][!--ImageUrlEBegin--][img width=\\\"400\\\" class=\\\"attach\\\" src=\\\"http://i49.tinypic.com/2cg27tg.jpg\\\" border=\\\'0\\\' alt=\\\"IPB Image\\\" /][!--ImageUrlEnd--][/a][!--ImageUrlEEnd--]


(Well, I have a 10-key on that last one, but I couldn't immediately find a good picture that included it)

[XaeL]

after reading tons of keyboard crap,
cherry-switch keyboards  seem to be the win for cheapo gamers like me.

[Kitaru]

Apple m7803
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+Responsible for [a href=\\\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfDPUAluwpo]this and this.
+Allows many simultaneous keypresses. Most importantly, it will allow things like 3 arrows + ZXC + Shift or 2 arrows + ZXC + Shift + Space.
+Fairly short travel, engage distance.
+Shape of up/down arrow keys good for flicking drop-locks in TGM-style games.

-Does not allow SDF + Space + JKL, but does allow up to 6 in that combo, weird layouts like Shift + ZX + Space + BNM, etc.. (Sorry music game players, you're going to have to make do with some awkward layouts if you want to get those BS 7 key holds. :P)

Overall, this keyboard has served me very well. I use it just about every time I'm playing games. My laptop keyboard is really bad for most games since it blocks important key combinations, but I do use it for music games since it accepts SDF + Space + JKL. For most everything else, though, my keyboard of choice is the trusty m7803.

[caffeine]

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I've gone through cheap and pricey keyboards, but this is the one I've stayed with.

[XaeL]

my brother uses an arctosa. It seems pretty good. fairly light to press.


FKKKKKKKKK I WANT A MECHANICAL KEYBOARD