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标题: 一篇国外的详细介绍机械键盘相关内容的强帖（求加精，如果图没挂的话）。 [打印本页]
作者: nom8393    时间: 2010-10-19 19:57
本帖最后由 nom8393 于 2010-10-19 20:03 编辑

Mechanical Switch Types

Although there are dozens of manufacturers that make mechanical keyboards, many different boards can use the same switch. So when picking a mechanical keyboard you can easily tell what it'll feel like just by the type of switch it uses. And although it's hard to gauge the feel without trying it, especially if you've never used a mechanical keyboard before, it's at least good to have an idea of what you're looking for.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. It only includes the most common ones.

Buckling Springs


As you can see in the image, buckling springs are pretty straightforward. After pushing the key down a certain distance the spring buckles under pressure, causing the hammer at the bottom to hit a membrane sheet and create an electrical contact. The buckling of the spring also provides tactile feedback and a satisfying click as it hits the shaft wall. And you might also notice through the force diagrams later that this is the only mechanical switch where the tactile and audible feedback correspond to the exact moment the switch actuates.



As shown in the force diagram above, the actuation force of the switches is approximately 70g. The new Unicomp boards are slightly lighter, and require only 65g.

Link: Patent
Tactile: Yes, very precise
Clicky: Yes, loud
Actuation Force: 65g-70g
Key Travel: 2.3mm to actuation, 3.7mm to bottom


Cherry MX
When referring to the color of the switch, we're referring to the color of the stem that the keycap sits on. Each stem color is associated with a specific mechanism, and therefore specific feel.

Blue


Cherry MX Blue switches are one of the best switches for typing. The tactile bump can easily be felt, and the resistance is about average.

Although many people find them just fine for gaming, some don't like the fact that the release point is above the actuation point. This can cause some trouble with double-tapping if you don't normally release the key completely.

Link: Datasheet
Tactile: Yes, precise
Clicky: Yes
Actuation Force: 50g
Key Travel: 2mm to actuation, 4mm to bottom

Brown


MX Browns are a non-clicky, but tactile switch. They are a bit lighter than Blues, and are a good middle-ground between typing and gaming.

Link: Datasheet
Tactile: Yes
Clicky: No
Actuation Force: 45g
Key Travel: 2mm to actuation, 4mm to bottom

Clear


Cherry MX Clear switches have the internal mechanism of MX Browns, but with the spring of MX Blacks. So think of them as stiffer Browns.

Link: Datasheet
Tactile: Yes
Clicky: No
Actuation Force: 55g
Key Travel: 2mm to actuation, 4mm to bottom

Black


As linear (non-tactile) switches, these are one of the best types for gaming. When gaming, having a tactile bump does absolutely nothing because you're going to be bottoming out anyway. So these give you a very smooth feel. Also, the actuation and release points are at the exact same position. So games that require a lot of double tapping become easier than on any other keyswitch. However, most people don't enjoy typing on them that much.

If you're a person who tends to hit a wrong key every so often while gaming, these will be beneficial in that the high actuation force will help prevent many of those accidental presses.

Link: Datasheet
Tactile: No
Clicky: No
Actuation Force: 60g (40g-80g overall)
Key Travel: 2mm to actuation, 4mm to bottom

Red


These are linear just like the Blacks, except they require less force. These would be best for gaming as long as you're not prone to accidental keypresses, as they are pretty lightweight.

Link: Datasheet
Tactile: No
Clicky: No
Actuation Force: 45g
Key Travel: 2mm to actuation, 4mm to bottom


ALPS

Simplified Black

Tactile:
Clicky:
Actuation Force: Fukkas 60g, Others 70g
Key Travel:

Simplified White

Tactile:
Clicky:
Actuation Force: 60g-70g
Key Travel:


Topre


Link: Geekhack
Tactile: Yes
Clicky: No
Actuation Force: 30g, 35g, 45g, 55g depending on model
Key Travel: 4mm
作者: nom8393    时间: 2010-10-19 19:58
Key Printing Methods
I'd like to thank Ripster from geekhack.org for letting me use his pictures for this section.

Pad Printing
This is the type of printing you'll find on 99% of keyboards. It is the cheapest method possible, short of leaving the keys blank. Pad Printed letters are kind of like stickers, or decals, and you can feel the letter raised above the key surface.

This is a closeup of a Logitech key. You can clearly see the coating around the letters.


This is a closeup of a Filco key. Instead of putting the coating only around the letter they coat the entire keycap to make it look neater. But you can still see the embossed look of the letter itself.


Pros:Cons:
Laser Etching
Laser etched keys are...well...the name says it all. They feel a bit scratchy. The process works best on light colored keys because the letter always comes out black, since that's the color of burnt plastic. So when it's used on black keys, a paint filler is poured into it, as is done with the Das S.

This is from a Dell AT101W:


And this is from a Cherry board.


Pros:Cons:
Dye Sublimation
Dye Sublimation produces much nicer keys than either of the other two printing methods. A dye is set into the plastic, and seeps a tiny bit into it. So even as the plastic starts to wear off from use, the letter remains as good as new. Unfortunately, because of its cost, the only companies left that use it are Topre, Cherry Corp, and Unicomp.

A dye sublimated key.


And in the cross section, you can see how the dye seeps in.


Closeup of a key from a Cherry board:


Pros:Cons:
Double-Shot Injection Molding
With this method, the keycap actually consists of two pieces. The first piece is the outside of the keycap with the letter basically cut out of it, and the second piece is placed inside it with the lettering embossed to fit into the top piece. You can see it in this diagram:

This method of printing results in the highest quality keycaps possible. The edges of the letters are perfectly sharp, and it achieves the highest contrast, clearest lettering possible. Unfortunately, because of the very high price, only TG3 Electronics still uses this method on their keyboards, and Fentek and Signature Plastics can create custom caps with it.

Here's a key from Cherry.


And these are from the NeXT keyboard. The green text on the front of one of the keys is actually pad printed.


The easiest way to verify if a key is double shot molded is to check from underneath. You will be able to see the two different colored plastics.


Pros:Cons:
作者: nom8393    时间: 2010-10-19 19:58
Keycap Shape
Again, thanks Ripster from geekhack.org for letting me use your pictures in this section.

When looking at the keycap shape, there are two things to consider. First is the shape of the very top of the key, and the second is the general shape of all keys on the keyboard.

Keytop Shape

Cylindrical - Almost all keyboards today use this shape.


You can also find them in the other orientation.


Spherical - This shape is normally found on vintage keyboards.


Flat - Frequently found on keys with replaceable legend inserts, such as on Point-Of-Sale keyboards.

You can also find them on chiclet style boards.



Overall Shape
(Sculpted, Flat, Curved Base)
作者: nom8393    时间: 2010-10-19 19:59
Features To Look For and Myths To Ignore

n-key Rollover (NKRO)
This is when you can press as many keys as you want at the same time, and all of them go through. This is similar to what some 'gaming keyboards' incorrectly market as "anti-ghosting", even though Logitech and Razer only apply it to the WASD cluster (more on what ghosting really means later). You might also hear the term where n is replaced with a number (i.e., 6-key rollover), which means that up to that number of keys can be pressed simultaneously. Note that only PS/2 keyboards can exhibit full n-key rollover. USB spec limits keyboards to 6 regular keys plus 4 modifiers (but remember, it's not guaranteed, it's just a maximum).

Ghosting
Ghosting is when you press two keys on the keyboard, and a 3rd key - which you didn't press - gets sent to the PC as well. This is very rarely seen on even the cheapest modern boards, because manufacturers have the habit of limiting the rollover so that ghost keys are always blocked.

Key Bouncing
All types of key switches - including rubber domes - do this. When you press a key, the switch "bounces" on and off very quickly as it sets into place. This causes keys to register multiple times for each press. Because of this, keyboards need to implement some sort of debouncing delay - so that once you press a key, the controller waits a certain amount of time before registering a keypress. As an example, Cherry MX switches need 5ms of debouncing time, while rubber domes need longer (exactly how long depends on their quality).

Polling Rates and Response Times
While it is very useful for mice, it's just about meaningless for keyboards. Let's assume for a minute that all switches have the 5ms debouncing time of Cherry MX switches (which is being very generous). Even if you had super human speed and reflexes, every single key would be delayed by at least that much. So really, any polling rate over 200Hz (at best) is absolutely useless, and nothing but market hype. It may even be a bit detrimental, because you'd be wasting CPU time polling the keyboard unneededly. And unlike USB keyboards, PS/2 boards aren't polled at all. They simply send the signal to the PC whenever they are ready to, which causes a hardware interrupt, forcing the CPU to register that keystroke.

PS/2 or USB?
PS/2 wins on three fronts: First, it supports full n-key rollover. Second, PS/2 keyboards aren't polled, but are completely interrupt based. And third, it is impossible for it to be delayed by the USB bus being used by other devices. There are two types of USB transfer modes - the interrupt transfer mode (USB polls keyboard, when key is sensed the USB controller sends the interrupt to the CPU), and the isochronous transfer mode, which reserves a certain amount of bandwidth for the keyboard with a guaranteed latency on the bus. Unfortunately, there are absolutely no keyboards made that use the latter, because special controllers would have to be used, thus making it cost prohibitive.

So if your keyboard supports both PS/2 and USB, and your PC has a PS/2 port, there's no reason not to use it.
作者: nom8393    时间: 2010-10-19 20:01
Keyboards

In the past few months it seems that there's been a lot more interest in mechanical keyboards than there used to. They are both great to type on and great to game on, but the trick is finding one that you like. But so far all that's been explained to you is why most people prefer mechanical boards over rubber domes.

And so I give you this compilation of today's most commonly manufactured boards. I also included any information about them I could, as well as a personal rating (out of 10) of their feel and usefulness for both typing and gaming. Keep in mind that your personal preference may be different, so check the information on the switch type and other quirks of that board to see if it could be right for you.


Unicomp Boards


Link: Unicomp Store
Price: $69 - $99
Switch Type: Buckling Springs
Switch Mounting: Steel Plate Backed
Keycap Printing: Dye Sublimated
Key Shape: Sculpted
Interface: PS/2 or USB
Rollover: 3 key
Layout: US ANSI
Extra Features: Trackpoint and Trackball available, Terminal style boards have F13-F24 keys that send Shift+F1 to Shift+F12 scancodes
Drawbacks: Lower quality manufacturing than IBM Model M
Other: The springs used provide slightly less resistance than the Model M's. They will provide a set of blank black keys for $20 if you ask for them in the checkout options.


Filco Majestouch


Link: http://www.elitekeyboards.com
Price: $109-$134
Switch Type: Cherry MX Blue, Brown, or Black
Switch Mounting: Plate
Keycap Printing: Pad Printed
Key Shape: Sculpted
Interface: PS/2 and USB
Rollover: 3 key or NKRO
Layout: US ANSI, UK
Extra Features: None
Drawbacks: Very bright LEDs, keycaps become smooth and shiny relatively quickly
Other: The blank keys on the "Otaku" boards have the same coating as the printed keys, while the blank keys purchased separately are not coated.


Das Model S


Note: Beware of the Das III, which looks like the Model S but without the Fn keys. It has key transposition problems, and will rearrange the letters that you type as to introduce typos into your text.

Link: Das Keyboard
Price: $129-$135
Switch Type: Cherry MX Blues (Professional, Ultimate), Cherry MX Browns (Silent)
Switch Mounting: Plate
Keycap Printing: Laser Etched (Professional, Silent), Blank (Ultimate)
Key Shape: Sculpted
Interface: PS/2, USB
Rollover: NKRO on PS/2, 6+4 key on USB
Layout: US ANSI, Left meta key replaced by Fn key
Extra Features: Media Keys (through Fn layer), USB Hub
Drawbacks: Shiny case attracts fingerprints, USB hub requires separate port


iRocks KR-6230


Link: Newegg
Price: $90
Switch Type: Cherry MX Browns
Switch Mounting: Plate
Keycap Printing: Pad Printed
Key Shape: Flat with Cylindrical Tops
Interface: USB
Rollover: 6+4 key simultaneous, anything above that is sequenced
Layout: US ANSI, Large Enter, Small Backspace, Relocated /? key
Extra Features: 2 USB ports
Drawbacks: The layout may take a bit to get used to
Other: Review. When numlock is on, using Ctrl allows the use of Home/End/Del/etc from the numpad.


ABS M1


Link: <[Discontinued]>
Price: $30
Switch Type: Alps Blacks (Fukkas)
Switch Mounting: Plate
Keycap Printing: Pad Printed
Key Shape: Sculpted
Interface: USB
Rollover: 3 key
Layout: US ANSI
Extra Features: None
Drawbacks: Very rattly and loud (not from the switches, from the board itself)
Other:


Deck Legend


Link: http://www.deckkeyboards.com/
Price: $149-$176
Switch Type: Cherry MX Blacks with MX Grey Spacebar, or Cherry MX Clears
Switch Mounting: Plate
Keycap Printing: Double Shot Molding and Dye Sublimation Combo
Key Shape: Flat
Interface: PS/2 or USB
Rollover: NKRO
Layout: US ANSI
Extra Features: Backlit using a single industrial grade LED on each switch with controllable brightness
Drawbacks: Requires the addition/removal of a resistor on the controller PCB to switch between USB and PS/2
Other: The warranty allows for modding, and they encourage it. Deck is a subsidiary of TG3 Electronics, which also makes mechanical keyboards.


Deck 82


Link: http://www.deckkeyboards.com/
Price: $119
Switch Type: Cherry MX Blacks
Switch Mounting: PCB
Keycap Printing: Double Shot Molded and Dye Sublimated
Key Shape: Flat
Interface: USB default, PS/2 Capable
Rollover: NKRO
Layout: Tenkeyless Modified US ANSI
Extra Features: Backlit using a single industrial grade LED on each switch with controllable brightness
Drawbacks: Requires the addition/removal of a resistor on the controller PCB to switch between USB and PS/2
Other: The warranty allows for modding, and they encourage it. Deck is a subsidiary of TG3 Electronics, which also makes mechanical keyboards. Backlight colors other than blue are no longer in production.


iOne Scorpius M10
This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 800x491.


Link: http://www.max-geek-llc-amazonwebstore.com
Price: $59
Switch Type: Cherry MX Blues
Switch Mounting: Plate
Keycap Printing: Laser Etched
Key Shape: Sculpted
Interface: USB
Rollover: 3 key
Layout: US ANSI
Extra Features: None
Drawbacks: Cheap Construction
Other: Older keyboards have soldering problems, so avoid buying used


Steelseries 7G


Link: http://www.newegg.com
Price: $139
Switch Type: Cherry MX Blacks
Switch Mounting: Plate
Keycap Printing: Laser Etched
Key Shape: Sculpted
Interface: PS/2 and USB
Rollover: NKRO
Layout: US ANSI, Large Enter Key, Small Backspace, Relocated Slash
Extra Features: USB hub, pass-through 3.5mm headphone and microphone jacks, detachable wrist-rest
Drawbacks:
Other:


作者: nom8393    时间: 2010-10-19 20:01

Topre Realforce 87U and Happy Hacking Pro II
This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 680x235.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 873x457.


Link: http://www.elitekeyboards.com
Price: $228-$255
Switch Type: Topre Capacitive. HHKB: 45g, 103U: 35/45/55, 87U: 55g
Switch Mounting: PCB
Keycap Printing: Dye Sublimated
Key Shape: Sculpted
Interface: USB
Rollover: 3 key
Layout: US ANSI (103U and 87U), Custom US ANSI (HHKB)
Extra Features: Switchable Caps Lock and Ctrl Key
Drawbacks:
Other: Some production runs of older versions (2.0 and 1.0) have a ghosting problem, so avoid buying those used unless the seller can confirm he has a fixed one.


Matias Tactile Pro 3.0

Link: http://www.matias.ca
Price: $149
Switch Type: White Alps Strongman
Switch Mounting:
Keycap Printing:
Key Shape: Sculpted
Interface: USB
Rollover: 3 key
Layout: US ANSI with Mac keys
Extra Features: Media Keys, Mac keys, Extra printed symbols to help find them on a Mac (™
作者: nom8393    时间: 2010-10-19 20:01
Ergonomic Mechanical Keyboards

Kinesis Advantage
This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 720x471.


Apple Adjustable
This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 800x515.


Maltron Keyboards


IBM M15


Datahand Professional II


Northgate Omnikey Evolution


Chicony KB-7001


Cherry MX 5000 ErgoPlus


Pace Adjustable Keyboard


Kinesis Evolution Chair Mount
作者: nom8393    时间: 2010-10-19 20:02
Maintenance
(keycap pullers, cleaning, lubricants)


Cleaning
Every once in a while you may want to clean your keyboard. There are many ways of doing this, and can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours depending on how much dirt you're trying to 【请注意文明用词】 of it and exactly what needs to be cleaned. If you've just spilled a can of Pepsi on your board and don't know what to do, you've come to the right place.

Quick Cleaning
Keyboards can get dirty pretty quickly. I mean, let's be honest here; it's not like most of us actually wash our hands every single time we're about to sit down at the PC. And on top of that there's always dust and hair that can fall in-between the keys. So it's always good to give your board a quick cleaning every week or two.
  • Use canned air (or an air compressor if you don't care for convenience) to blow out any loose dust or dirt from underneath the keys.
  • Wipe the keytops and casing down with a clean cloth, dampened with isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. Pay extra attention to any keys that you might be using the most frequently, such as WASD.
    • Note: On Filcos, use water instead of Alcohol. Filcos have a special coating on them that gets ruined if you use it.
  • If you're a heavy smoker and the casing seems to be yellowing, wipe it down with Windex.

Doing these things on a regular basis will keep your board looking great.

Deep Cleaning
If you've just gotten a used keyboard off of ebay that looks like it was used at a mechanic shop, or just spilled your drink right into it, your board needs a deep cleaning. If you do ever spill anything into it, make sure you clean itimmediately. The longer you wait, the worse the cleanup is going to be - and may end up being next to impossible.
  • Take the keycaps off of the switches (see the next section for details on how to do this)
  • Open up the casing and take the PCB/membranes out. Each keyboard is different, but normally there's a combination of both screws underneath the board and tabs on the sides holding the top and bottom pieces together.
  • If you've got a dishwasher, go ahead and throw the casing in there. Put the keycaps in a net bag (like the ones you often get fruits or garlic in at the supermarket) and throw them in there too.
  • If you don't have a dishwasher or prefer not to use it, put both the keycaps and casing in a bath of warm water and dish soap, and let them soak for at least a good 30 minutes.
  • The process for cleaning off the circuitry varies depending on what sort of switches you have:
    • Cherry, Alps, and other similar switches: Place the entire PCB+switch assembly into a container of distilled water. Shake the board around vigorously so that the water can clean out the inside of the switches as well. To dry it out, shake it until you no longer hear any water stuck inside the switches. Then set it either on it's side or upside down to dry. Using a blow dryer to dry it is safe as long as you don't stick to one spot for too long, and canned air can help get the water out of the switches very quickly.
    • Membrane boards, including Rubber Domes and Buckling Springs: Separate the layers of membranes, and wipe them down with a damp cloth (distilled water only), and then again with a dry cloth. If the layers are fastened together, dip them into distilled water and flex and shake them around until they are as clean as they can get, then flap them around to get the water out. You may also be able to slip a cloth or paper towel in between them to dry them, but remember to check for any lint that gets stuck. Rubber domes should only be rinsed using distilled water at or close to room temperature (give or take a few degrees) - anything too hot or too cold can permanently alter their feel. The springs, hammers, steel plate, and plastic cover of Buckling Springs shouldn't need more than a quick rinse or wipe-down, but you can always use soap or isopropyl alcohol on them if they need it.
    • Rubber Dome on PCB, such as Topre: Rinse the domes in distilled water at or close to room temperature, rubbing with your fingers if anything is stuck badly to them. If it's a Topre capacitive board, the springs can be cleaned the same way or with a light concentration of dish soap or isopropyl alcohol. Wipe the PCB down with a cloth dampened with distilled water.
  • Whatever sort of internals your keyboard has, put them aside to dry at least overnight. If there were any ICs or other surface-mount electrical components that you had to get wet, a good way to speed up the process significantly is to use canned air to blow the water out from under them.
  • By the time you're done with the internals, the casing and keycaps should be ready. When taking them out of the dishwasher or soap bath, take them out and dry them with a towel one by one. If there is still any amount of dirt on them, rub them down with isopropyl alcohol and/or Windex. Isopropyl normally works better, but Windex gets certain things out without any effort that the dish soap may not have caught in a still bath, such as cigarette smoke residue.
  • Once you're absolutely positive that everything's dry, put it all back together.
作者: nom8393    时间: 2010-10-19 20:02
Useful Resources

General Keyboard Information
Sandy's Keyboard Page
GeekHack Wiki
Official "Removing Stabilized Filco Keys" Directions

Switch Technologies
Qwerter's Clinic Cherry MX Info
NKRO on Microsoft Sidewinder x4 - Resistance method

Programming
SharpKeys - Basic Keyboard Programming
Autohotkey - Advanced Keyboard Programming

Interfaces and Protocols
Interfacing the AT and PS/2 Keyboards
PS/2 Keyboard Interface
PS/2 Keyboard Protocol
XT Scancodes
AT, PS/2, and USB Scancodes
USB in a Nuts**
作者: agooday    时间: 2010-10-19 21:47
出个中文版……
作者: Kerry_Liang    时间: 2010-10-19 21:53
这么长，看中文都看得累，想不到还是阴文！
作者: ppiecom    时间: 2010-10-22 01:32
这么长，看中文都看得累，想不到还是阴文！
作者: ddtxxxxx2003    时间: 2010-10-22 10:14
看了半天，看不懂。。。
作者: narbo    时间: 2010-10-22 13:32
太强了拜读了，好东西啊。
作者: vvueiz    时间: 2010-10-22 21:00
真够复杂的，老外的精神真好，慢慢看吧
作者: rome24    时间: 2010-10-22 22:48
……眼花……
作者: 帝国游侠    时间: 2010-10-23 23:29
看看图就好！
作者: darksx117    时间: 2010-10-25 12:53
够长的。。。。。。
作者: zzzkkk777    时间: 2010-10-25 13:02
这个厉害 有谁来个中国话的啊
作者: lhw56    时间: 2010-10-25 14:14
看不动英文呀！
作者: saint369    时间: 2010-10-25 14:50
哥.不翻译你当我们都过4级啊
作者: xqcz    时间: 2010-10-26 10:13
这个确实强，通读一遍真不容易
作者: tommyhero    时间: 2010-10-26 11:57
果然强帖啊！翻译一遍吧
作者: queueber    时间: 2010-10-26 12:05
转贴就想加精阿，翻译成中文再说
作者: iamkankan    时间: 2010-10-27 11:47
好长
看到眼疼
作者: luckissy    时间: 2010-10-27 22:19
能翻译就好了..
作者: S.Will    时间: 2010-10-27 23:44
看了半天还是87U最给力
作者: fightfordream    时间: 2010-10-28 16:32
有好心人翻译吗  
作者: flyingfish0531    时间: 2010-10-30 19:12
提示: 作者被禁止或删除 内容自动屏蔽
作者: dawensger    时间: 2010-10-31 01:16
同顶翻译~~~
作者: haohaoday    时间: 2010-11-1 10:32
偶光看图片了···
作者: nokia5310    时间: 2010-11-1 10:55
摆脱转帖也翻译一下呢，纯洋文难度好大。
作者: haha103    时间: 2010-11-4 19:00
很好，不过里面有一个Link给出的是taobao，很赞



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