Uh oh... my keyboard is wearing out again. This is bad news for me, because I'm horribly picky about which board I will use. It must, [/i]must [i]have a layout like the one on this link:
http://www.ilfilosofo.com/wp-content/uploads/keyboard.jpg

That's not my keyboard, but mines starting to look that aged, the space bar is squeaking a little and the keys are getting a bit loose.

Does anybody know any good keyboards that fit the following spec:
Floating arrow keys (like in pic)
Tall enter key, not a letterbox shaped one (pic again)
insert, home end etc. block is detached and above arrow keys (not vertical like some, but horizontal again)
USB wired (I hate wireless)
Quite a nice one; possibly backlit, media keys, low sound ouyput, usb hub or what ever other nice features money could get me.

Im aware that Im being picky and pretentious, but nothing annoys me like a board that doesn't have the 'right' layout.

Any help or advice would be appreciated, Thanks!

I'm picky myself and mine is similar except the big Enter key. I use the Microsoft Digital Media Pro Keyboard which is extremely comfortable for me: http://www.tbcweb.com/images/k_micromedia.jpg

For what you are looking for, try:
(You can google the models for pics)

- SpecResearch KA-558/U
- Kensington 64370
- This one is exactly like yours: KeyTronic E05366P1
- Kensington 64338
- I also like this one: Logitech UltraX
- KeyTronic E06101USBC

Those look great! Thanks for your help mate

I think the two-row enter key is a feature of AT-era keyboards. ATX-era keyboards ave a backslash and vertical bar key there instead.


These are the only two keyboards from Logitech that have the old horizontal layout of insert/delete/page up/page down/home/end keys:
G11: http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keyboards/keyboard/devices/2...p;cl=us,en
G15: http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keyboards/keyboard/devices/3...p;cl=us,en

FordGT90Concept said:

OK? But those don't have what he's looking for.

Except for the "tall enter key," they do...and then some. IMO, they are too expensive.


Most keyboards that have a large enter key have a tiny backspace key so...ya gotta decide which is more important to you.

Still, not what he's looking for. He posted conditions...you can't just skip one of them, LOL

I understand where he's coming from though. Took me about two weeks to pick my keyboard out, and then another to pick out my mouse.

Interesting, I never realised that the horizontal block was so dated! Over the next decade or so, I think my ideal keyboards are going to become harder and harder to find. I might buy ten at once and make them last till Im too arthritic to type, or they get mind control systems on the market

Thanks all for your help and feedback, its much appreciated.

There's an idea. Maybe check at garage sales or when places are selling off their old stuff. That would probably be about the only way to get a keyboard without the \| key.

People get used to the feel of new keyboards rather quickly. I think if you try a modern keyboard, you will come to like it.

The funny thing is my current board (don't actually know the model, but its some standard Dell job) has the key at the bottom left, above left shift. Maybe its because its a UK board (we have a few other changes, like the @ key is above LShift and " is on '2')
Im sure your right and I could learn to like a new board... but until I [/i]have[i] to, Ill just keep being stubborn and biding my time =]

Ah, UK. They are a bit different, yes. The day will come, I assure you. I'm already depressed that Intel is trying to kill the PS/2 ports for keyboard/mouse.

I've given up on all the newer keyboards. They wear out on me in about 5 months. I look at it as a disposable item. As the most common problem is the keys start to bind when you press them, I'm next going to go to a buckling spring or clicky key keyboard. It probably won't be one of the old originals as they are a bit overpriced for used stuff. I'm looking at the ones at http://pckeyboards.stores.yahoo.net/index.html They have different styles layouts and colors and bought the rights to manufacture the Buckling spring boards from Lexmark which originally made the IBM boards.

If anyone reading this doesn't know what I'm talking about you might want to check this guy out. He's a bit of a buckling spring fanatic. http://www.dansdata.com/clickykeyboards.htm