Recent Mac Keyboards?

[Mat]

OK, today I need your suggestions.

The Apple G4 keyboards are really ugly. Non of them that is really in use, is usable anymore these days. I even doubt that they have ever been, but that is a different story.

I still love my Apple Extended Keyboard, but hooking up ADB Keyoards to 3 or 4 different Macs is a quite expensive thing these days.

Of course I could get some common Cherry GS 3000 (even Mac keycaps), but I would love to have the Command key where it belongs (and there is still no possibility to route the ALT and OPTION differently in Mac OS 9 from keyboards, is there?).

So what full Mac keyboards can you suggest that work well with Mac OS 9?

I do not search for some special or perfect solution, no Matias keyboard or similar Just some affordable good Mac keyboard that I can buy new recently, at least in some shops.

[Mat]

Is really everybody here using a PC keyboard, or the old ugly Mac USB ones?

[ovalking]

I mainly use ADB keyboards. I have a Dr Bott ADB KVM switch but it's only a 2 port. Couldn't find a 4 port at a sensible price.

On the G4 I use an Apple USB keyboard or the Apple Pro keyboard. They aren't great but adequate. Never thought of them as ugly though.

[GaryN]

I use the A1243 aluminum on my MDD. I can't possibly see where one would find it to be "ugly"…

[Mat]

Well "ugly" is perhaps the wrong word. I was talking about the original G3 and G4 keyboards: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2024/2457663000_30e4ed2370_b.jpg

They are simply not of high quality. And I got none that is still working ok. All of them have non working keys or hanging keys, and are horrible for typing as every key has different behavior - something that I mentioned already when they were brand new.

So the alu keyboard is working well with 9?

[Protools5LEGuy]

I was talking about the original G3 and G4 keyboards:

They are simply not of high quality.

Disagree. I have a partial working one from the G3 age that somedays doesn't work the lower row of keys, but it still works most of the days. Not bad for a 18 years old keyboard. 

You have to go to mechanical keyboards (Cherry keys) like that IBM model M keyboard for a better (?) experience / a unit that could survive an atomic bomb.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_M_keyboard

I have very fond memories on the PS/2 version on school days.

Those mech. keyboard are prefered for writters. On a studio you want the quietest keyboard.

The first Apple Pro "black keys" are my favourite and the ones that last me more. One with the "white keys" with USB ports close to the cable lasted less than expected. I have seen way more alu keyboards broken due to liquid than plastic ones.

Also the alu ones tend to loose keys under "industrial" use.

I have to reckon that typing on alu ones is the prefered for the lazy ones.  I mean, it is easier/faster/causes less fatigue/seems more modern.

I use the A1243 aluminum on my MDD. I can't possibly see where one would find it to be "ugly"…

The latest ones are reported as non working on some sites due to their USB 2.0 nature. Thanks for reporting a "working" one. Do openfirmware work with it? I have found imposible to choose a boot disk with some logitech USB keyboards.

I can find 2000 excuses for not to buy a 50 bucks keyboard http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MB110LL/B/apple-keyboard-with-numeric-keypad-english-usa.

Or at least I feel that way.

I have been using on a Win Machine http://www.pccomponentes.com/tacens_mars_gaming_mk1.html?gclid=CjwKEAjwp-S6BRDj4Z7z2IWUhG8SJAAbqbF35IH5r4FbySRLcjFGPJ0GglxZ7InwZgE-Ba6MkUTL6hoCImDw_wcB

This includes a tool to extract the WASD keys for red colour or left them black as it comes from factory. There is no need to buy rare MARL tools.    I will report next week if it fully works on OS9.

USB keyboards are cheap if you do not mind to have the Apple key and command key in the wrong/reverse place. But be careful, some "enhanced" keyboards with lots of "extra" functions only offer those "extra" funtions keys instead of the "main" keys.

In my case, after learning all ProTools key-commands on Windows, later use them with "Windows" keyboard on Macs and finally re-learning same key-commands with a native "Apple"  keyboard, I can't live without an Apple USB keyboard, even if they are semitraslucent/transparent ones.

They are not cheesy at all. In fact they are "Classic".

Check my post about bluetooth keyboards on OS9. http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,1300.0.html

The hard part is to find the right receiver.

[Protools5LEGuy]

Check this chinese clone

http://www.ebay.es/itm/TECLADO-BLUETOOTH-EN-ESPANOL-CON-N-PC-MAC-IPAD-TABLET-ENVIO-48-72H-/331156543878?hash=item4d1a77d986

18 bucks. You just need also the DBT-120 rev. B2-B4 cheap.

[Protools5LEGuy]

MacTron did find a cheap wireless keyboard IIRC.

Check also http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,2957.0.html

[GaryN]

Well "ugly" is perhaps the wrong word. I was talking about the original G3 and G4 keyboards.

They are simply not of high quality. And I got none that is still working ok. All of them have non working keys or hanging keys, and are horrible for typing as every key has different behavior - something that I mentioned already when they were brand new.

So the alu keyboard is working well with 9?

The alu kbd works just fine anywhere. as a matter of fact, it's currently plugged into my 23" Cinema display which is plugged into a KVM switch with the MDD dual OSX / OS9 on one side and a MacBook Pro with El Cap on the other. Never a problem anywhere.

i also still have both the black-key and white-key G4 kbds leftover. Actually, I think they're as good or better than most and I've never had the misc key stick / hang issues you describe. I changed to the alu to A: save a little space… and B: save my sanity from the incredibly annoying click-clack noise of those damn things with their 1/2-inch-of-throw keys. the alu is far quieter, faster, smoother and just better overall.

It's just too damn bad they're glued together, absolutely impossible to open and therefore unrepairable. A small parting gift from Steve…

The latest ones are reported as non working on some sites due to their USB 2.0 nature. Thanks for reporting a "working" one. Do openfirmware work with it? I have found imposible to choose a boot disk with some logitech USB keyboards.

USB 2.0 nature? Why? because they'll plug into USB 2 and pass thru a USB 2 device from their aux jacks? I don't think there's a "USB 2.0 keyboard protocol"… Mine enters OF with no problem.

As for the Logitechs, they probably don't work because they can't / don't send a Mac command-key + option combination until the keyboard kext is loaded. Remember the first time you plugged them in you had to identify the kbd to the computer by pressing a certain key? Just another example of "Think Different".

And you thought that was just a marketing slogan…