Re: Looking for a new USB-A PC104 keyboard.

Ant <[email protected]> wrote:

> Now, I am going to focus on getting a new USB-A keyboard. Which one 
> though? 

Mechanical keyboards tend to be pricey.  I used to have a Rosewill
mechanical keyboard, but one day I smashed it too hard.  Usually a
keycap would pop off that I could press back on, or the wire bail under
the spacebar key had to get reseated, but one time I hit it too hard,
and needed a new keyboard.  Rosewill was no longer producing a
mechanical keyboard, so I had to look elsewhere, and the prices for
mechanicals was too high.  I keep a spare keyboard for when I break the
current one.  I then got the Logitech K845 for around $54 back in
December 2025 at Walmart.  Now it's $60.  It's even more pricey at
Newegg ($80).

The K845 does not have the bottoms of its keycaps below the deck of the
keyboard; that is, the keycaps do not extend down into the keyboard's
case.  Instead the bottom of the keycaps are about 1/4" above the deck.
This makes if far easier to clean debris from under the keys either by
using a tweezers, or just blowing with a can of compressed air.

> Do I want wired or wireless (always typing on my desks)? 

If your keyboard isn't moving, there's no point is bothering with
wireless hookups, and having to replace a battery that eventually dies
in the keyboard (but keyboard operation gets flaky when the battery gets
weak).  The K845 is wired.

> I don't want to configure keys and use software like drivers and apps
> to use the keyboard. 

There are no programmable keys on the K845, so no extra software is
required to program the non-existent programmable keys.  

There are media keys on the K845, so technically this is a media
keyboard: web search, calculator, music play, rev/pause/fwd, volume
up/down/mute, along with keys to control lighting.  This is a lighted
keyboard (USB port provides the power), so you can see the keycaps in a
dim or dark room, or if you're shadowing the light from behind you.  

No software is required to use the media keys.  You press FN+Fkey for
the media keys that share the F-keys.  These are the standard scan codes
that are pre-registered in the Windows registry for those events (and
you could edit the registry to start other events or programs).  A
couple of the Fn key combos control the lighting: Fn+F1 dims the light
intensity, Fn+F2 increases intensity, and Fn+F12 changes the lighting
effects (on, off, snaking across the keys, etc).  They could've used 1
key to toggle between the various lighting settings.  I don't use any of
the lighting effects, and just have the lighting at max intensity.
There are no instructions with the keyboard, so I had to discover what
the other Fn+Fkey "media" keys did.  

I used Sharpkeys to redefine a couple other keys (PrintScreen and
ScrollLock which I never use) to replace the missing Fn+F1 combo for Web
(brings up web browser) and Fn+F2 combo for e-mail (brings up default
e-mail client), but you don't have to bother with with redefining any
keys if you only need to use the mouse to click on shortcuts to load
your web and e-mail clients, like pinning icons to the taskbar.  

> I'm old school and loved clicky standard PC104 keyboards with 
> multiple computers (Windows, Linux, and maybe future Macs) since the 
> early 90s. 

The K845 that I got has blue key switches.  That gives me the tactile
feel that I like, but it is a clacky keyboard.  I prefer a quiet
keyboard, but this makes the noise you like.  Because I'm a fast typist,
others have commented is sounds like a Geiger counter at my workstation.

> Any recommendations on a good keyboard online that is low cost and
> easy to return in So., CA, USA? 

If a mechanical keyboard isn't a requirement for you, look at the cheap
membrane keyboards.  I've used several of the Logitech K120 (had to get
another after smashing during frustrating game play) which are cheap at
around $15, and $10 at Target, but you'd have to check on shipping cost.
However, the K120 is a membrane keyboard, so no clacky noise that you
want.

> Seeing and trying out in person in retail stores would be nice, but
> they (e.g., Fry's Electronics) are gone. :(

In my area, all the brick-n-morter computer stores disappeared.  Nowhere
to go to tryout the keyboards.  There is one shop, MicroCenter, that
does have a few keyboards for demo, but not all keyboards are available.
In your area, Fry Electronics liquidated a few years ago.  At office and
retail stores selling keyboards (e.g., Staples, Walmart), they're in
boxes, and unboxing them to test them is probably frowned upon,
especially if you have to break shrink wrap or seals to get inside the
boxes.