Please recommend new keyboard & mouse

[Technique]

With the new PC i've built, the machine is too big to go where the old one did, so i'm going to have to move it at the other end of the worktop. As a result of this, the current keyboard & mouse cabling is likely not going to be long enough, which means i'm going to have to go against my better judgement & go wireless.

I'm not a fan of wireless keyboards & mice after my last experience - very very laggy.

If you can recommend a good realiable [black] combination that doesn't cost ?100000000000s, then it's all good. Failing that we'll have to look at a USB hub & go that route for a wired setup

The setup must be:

* black - everything else is

* reliable - i don't want to be hitting keys & letters don't appear, or moving the mouse & 5 hours later it decides to make half the movement it should do

* would be handy if the keys on the keyboard lit up so they could be seen at night, but this isn't a necessity

* must not cost heaps. Certainly no more than ?50!! I'd rather not even spend ?50, but no more than this!!

* MUST MUST MUST be available within the UK - typical high street store, eBuyer, scan, overclockers, you know the places.

HDMI cables:

Why are some of these so damn expensive & are they really WORTH that much? Just seen one for ?65!! WTF? Was 5m long.

I'm needing a HDMI > mini HDMI cable as my GPU only takes a mini HDMI connector. I have an adapter, but i prefer to work without adapters.

[strelok1911]

Microsoft's Business Hardware Pack

[mak123]

Logitech Wave i thing its good for you.....

[Technique]

Are these pretty reliable in terms of responsiveness? I imagine things have improved since my last experience of wireless keyboards & mice (approx 2003).

I'll also be setting up a video sender to send Sky TV from a nearby TV to another nearby TV. Would this likely interfere?

[Juts]

you could use USB extension cables assuming the distance isn't too great.

And I'm sure if the UK has an equivalent to Newegg or if they ship there, but HDMI cables aren't too bad on there.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=hdmi+cable&x=0&y=0

[Cupcakes]

Originally I would have recommend the Razer Lycosa to you.. but my own keyboard was defective and they wouldn't even replace it. Despite the fact they publicly admitted there were some issues with various serial #s and were replacing them without excuse. Told me mine was outside warranty and that was that.

I'm looking at getting the Logitech Illuminated Keyboard. I've read nothing but great reviews on it and the various video reviews on it show that it looks awesome. Basically my needs (with the Lycosa too) were: backlit keys, soft/quiet keys and it had to be black.

[BoneyardBrew Member]

Originally I would have recommend the Razer Lycosa to you.. but my own keyboard was defective and they wouldn't even replace it. Despite the fact they publicly admitted there were some issues with various serial #s and were replacing them without excuse. Told me mine was outside warranty and that was that.

I'm looking at getting the Logitech Illuminated Keyboard. I've read nothing but great reviews on it and the various video reviews on it show that it looks awesome. Basically my needs (with the Lycosa too) were: backlit keys, soft/quiet keys and it had to be black.

This is a fantastic keyboard. Aside from a few (unfortunately necessary to me) key combinations being blocked it was a joy to use.

As long as you don't plan on gaming with it, or don't mind adjusting some key binds you'll be fine.

[Cupcakes]

This is a fantastic keyboard. Aside from a few (unfortunately necessary to me) key combinations being blocked it was a joy to use.

As long as you don't plan on gaming with it, or don't mind adjusting some key binds you'll be fine.

What were the few key combos that were 'blocked'? Just curious to know :D.

[Nagisan]

Originally I would have recommend the Razer Lycosa to you.. but my own keyboard was defective and they wouldn't even replace it. Despite the fact they publicly admitted there were some issues with various serial #s and were replacing them without excuse. Told me mine was outside warranty and that was that.

I'm looking at getting the Logitech Illuminated Keyboard. I've read nothing but great reviews on it and the various video reviews on it show that it looks awesome. Basically my needs (with the Lycosa too) were: backlit keys, soft/quiet keys and it had to be black.

I had the same issue with the Razer Lycosa, it was a later edition, but right from the get-go it had the same issues that only supposedly plagued the earlier editions. Not to mention the lettering wore off super fast.

The problem with 99% of keyboard reviews is they are short-term use reviews, a week at the longest most of the time. You need to look at comments from people who have owned the keyboard for 6 months or more. That being said, I found even the Logitech Iluminated and other similar priced/quality keyboards had generally the same long-term reviews. After a period of heavy use the letters wear off and most of the time the lighting isn't that good on them.

I personally just bought a Deck keyboard, though it is a bit out of the OPs budget (costing $180), but it has mechanical switches for the keys (which quite literally last 50x longer than the rubber domes that 90% of all keyboards use) which come in either clicky (the keys click when they are pushed far enough to register a keystroke to give tactile feedback), or non-clicky, they have the same resistance the entire way through a keypress and, unless you bottom out the key (which you will most likely do just for audio feedback) are completely silent, and it has an LED for every single key, instead of LEDs lighting up a lightbar to illuminate the keys. As such, its LOWEST brightness setting is as bright or brighter than most other illuminated keyboards. They also do the lettering VERY different from any other keyboard. Each key has 2 parts, the outter shell of the key and the core, the core is what holds the letter. Each core has the ink heated high enough that it fuses through the core of the key, so basically the ink is solid throughout every key, if you were to cut a key in half it would look like black plastic instead of clear. As such, the letters DO NOT wear off unless you wear a hole in the keys themselves. On top of all that, this board is designed to be modded. As long as you do not break the electrical components and have decent workmanship, they will replace the keyboard if it goes bad EVEN AFTER YOU MOD IT.

The downside to the deck keyboard is its cost, but I read something awhile ago that the LEDs alone in this keyboard cost something like 2/3rds of the price you pay for it, so they don't have a huge profit margin on these things (105 LEDs + 105 mechanical switches is quite expensive on there own).

Now, as for something in the OPs budget, something like the Razer Lycosa (they work great when you have a working one) or the Logitech Illuminated are both good, but don't get too annoyed if you start wearing the lettering off after a few months or so (depending on how much you use the keyboard), or if the lighting isn't very consistent across the board.

[Samson291]

Check out the Microsoft Reclusa Gaming Keyboard and the Microsoft Comfort Mouse 4500 I got them last month and they are fantastic.

[Cupcakes]

I had the same issue with the Razer Lycosa, it was a later edition, but right from the get-go it had the same issues that only supposedly plagued the earlier editions. Not to mention the lettering wore off super fast.

The problem with 99% of keyboard reviews is they are short-term use reviews, a week at the longest most of the time. You need to look at comments from people who have owned the keyboard for 6 months or more. That being said, I found even the Logitech Iluminated and other similar priced/quality keyboards had generally the same long-term reviews. After a period of heavy use the letters wear off and most of the time the lighting isn't that good on them.

Now, as for something in the OPs budget, something like the Razer Lycosa (they work great when you have a working one) or the Logitech Illuminated are both good, but don't get too annoyed if you start wearing the lettering off after a few months or so (depending on how much you use the keyboard), or if the lighting isn't very consistent across the board.

What serial did yours start with? I had a MT09 which supposedly wasn't affected but it was. It fluctuates on issues but the most recurring (on an hourly/daily basis) were keys not responding through. It's never a specific key. Sometimes the 'o', or 'e' other times it would be the 'alt' key or any other one. Then there would be times it would have a ghost stick where I'm not click on it but it would be stuck in a pressed position. Would also have the touch pad stop working.. I'd be on WSAD and I wouldn't be able to change the light setting on it. Most of the time unplugging the USB code would 'reset' it but it would happen again.. and again.. and again. Drivers didn't do anything for it either.

Definitely agree with the letters wearing off on it though. My 'N' key is one huge smudge now. Most other keys have held up in the 11 months I've been using the Lycosa.

As far as backlight keyboards go, I'm not too perturbed if the lighting for the Illuminated keyboard isn't the best. In fact, I'm not looking for anything ridiculously bright but just enough to get by at night :p.

BTW, that Deck keyboard looks awesome but.. I hate the font they used for the keys! Excluding the price, I'd be more interested in it if it weren't for font. :(

[FiB3R]

This is a fantastic keyboard. Aside from a few (unfortunately necessary to me) key combinations being blocked it was a joy to use.

As long as you don't plan on gaming with it, or don't mind adjusting some key binds you'll be fine.

Could you elaborate on that please?

I personally just bought a Deck keyboard

Been looking at those for ages, the small size would be great for me too.

EDIT: I was referring to these ones http://www.deckkeyboards.com/product_info.php?products_id=30

but don't get too annoyed if you start wearing the lettering off after a few months or so (depending on how much you use the keyboard), or if the lighting isn't very consistent across the board.

I didn't think keyboards with individually lit keys had any ink on the keys at all!

Are any of the keyboards mentioned here wireless, as requested by Technique?

[neoraptor]

IMHO all those pricey keyboards are useless. I've been using same old black compaq keyboard for the past 10+ years without breaking a single key (and all letters are there too). I'm considering getting wireless just to have one cable less, but apart from that, the simplicity and durability of the oldschool keyboards is splendid.

There should be models for people like me with no multimedia keys, no 5 more keys on the mouse etc.

[FiB3R]

IMHO all those pricey keyboards are useless. I've been using same old black compaq keyboard for the past 10+ years without breaking a single key (and all letters are there too). I'm considering getting wireless just to have one cable less, but apart from that, the simplicity and durability of the oldschool keyboards is splendid.

There should be models for people like me with no multimedia keys, no 5 more keys on the mouse etc.

There are.

[BoneyardBrew Member]

What were the few key combos that were 'blocked'? Just curious to know :D.

Could you elaborate on that please?

Holding down Shift and W at the same time was one the of the key combinations that wouldn't register. That was the combination that I was referring to earlier that was a problem for me as a gamer. I nearly forgot that there were other very important key combinations that were blocked that one could run into during regular use.

The problematic combos are outlined in this Amazon review of the keyboard perfectly. I'll post the important part here for an easy read.

Most manufacturers put up this "key blocking" on infrequently used sequences of keys, like "dgf." So, most of the "key blocking" will never be experienced by the user. Logitech, however, has put up "key blocking" on these sequences of keys: "n't" and "ine" -- this means that when fast typers type words like: don't, won't, can't, etc, the "t" will get dropped from the output, because the "n" and apostrophe will "block" the letter "t." Also if you type words like: fine, dine, wine, etc, the "e" will get dropped. Please see my video review for a lengthy explanation of this phenomenon, and just how it is impossible for fast typers to type certain words with the Logitech illuminated keyboard.

So if either of you are fast typers you'll be in a world of frustration while typing out the above combinations with this keyboard. I currently type close to 100WPM, and at the time I probably typed around 80WPM, and experienced troubles with this keyboard.

I've read that some have gotten lucky and received a keyboard without these issues, but unfortunately most who buy one run into these blocked combos.

[+bomberh Subscriber²]

I use the

Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop 6000 V2 - Keyboard - wireless - RF - 105 keys - ergonomic - mouse - USB wireless receiver

It is a very good keyboard and mouse set and is wireless too.

The keyboard has good key action and the keyboard and mouse are very good for playing games too.

[FiB3R]

Holding down Shift and W at the same time was one the of the key combinations that wouldn't register. That was the combination that I was referring to earlier that was a problem for me as a gamer. I nearly forgot that there were other very important key combinations that were blocked that one could run into during regular use.

The problematic combos are outlined in this Amazon review of the keyboard perfectly. I'll post the important part here for an easy read.

So if either of you are fast typers you'll be in a world of frustration while typing out the above combinations with this keyboard. I've read that some have gotten lucky and received a keyboard without these issues, but unfortunately most who buy one run into these blocked combos.

Well that's that out of the window for me, thanks for the heads up.

This looks interesting, multi touch too. http://dbrothonline.com/Visenta-Super-Slim-2.4-GHz-Wireless/M/B003IWHM9E.htm

As for the HDMI cables, they are a rip off. Go for the cheaper ones.

It's a digital signal, either it gets through or it doesn't, so the quality of the image will be the same no matter how much you pay for it.

[McCordRm]

Originally I would have recommend the Razer Lycosa to you.. but my own keyboard was defective and they wouldn't even replace it. Despite the fact they publicly admitted there were some issues with various serial #s and were replacing them without excuse. Told me mine was outside warranty and that was that.

I'm looking at getting the Logitech Illuminated Keyboard. I've read nothing but great reviews on it and the various video reviews on it show that it looks awesome. Basically my needs (with the Lycosa too) were: backlit keys, soft/quiet keys and it had to be black.

That's exactly the keyboard I've been using for just over a month now. I even Game with it.

The thing is sexy as hell and I haven't had an issue with delay or anything like that.

[Nagisan]

What serial did yours start with? I had a MT09 which supposedly wasn't affected but it was. It fluctuates on issues but the most recurring (on an hourly/daily basis) were keys not responding through. It's never a specific key. Sometimes the 'o', or 'e' other times it would be the 'alt' key or any other one. Then there would be times it would have a ghost stick where I'm not click on it but it would be stuck in a pressed position. Would also have the touch pad stop working.. I'd be on WSAD and I wouldn't be able to change the light setting on it. Most of the time unplugging the USB code would 'reset' it but it would happen again.. and again.. and again. Drivers didn't do anything for it either.

Mine started with the same, MT09. Just like you, the most recurring issue was keys would stop responding, they wouldn't just not respond on a press, they would stop responding period until you unplug the keyboard and plug it back on, such a pain in the ass.

It would also, like yours, the touch pad would stop working and what not. I would say maybe it was just a bad batch of MT09's and we both got one from that batch, but I only had my Lycosa for about 4 months before I got my Deck.

Definitely agree with the letters wearing off on it though. My 'N' key is one huge smudge now. Most other keys have held up in the 11 months I've been using the Lycosa.

As far as backlight keyboards go, I'm not too perturbed if the lighting for the Illuminated keyboard isn't the best. In fact, I'm not looking for anything ridiculously bright but just enough to get by at night :p.

My A and S keys on my Lycosa were gone, my D key was starting to go, and thats only roughly 4 months after purchase. For backlighting, I was annoyed by the inconsistency of the Lycosa, most keys looked great, but some of the others were pretty dim. And from what I read, it is similar to that on most backlit keyboards unless they have an LED for each key.

BTW, that Deck keyboard looks awesome but.. I hate the font they used for the keys! Excluding the price, I'd be more interested in it if it weren't for font. :(

I kind of like it, nice and large/easy to see, and its unique looking too. To each their own though.

Been looking at those for ages, the small size would be great for me too.

EDIT: I was referring to these ones http://www.deckkeyboards.com/product_info.php?products_id=30

Yeah, I thought about getting the small one but thought it might be a little too small for me. I can definitely understand the interest of someone with limited desk space and what not.

I didn't think keyboards with individually lit keys had any ink on the keys at all!

They have to in some form. I think its clear plastic with black ink forming the outline of the letters, but I really do not know how you could have a 2-color key without ink period unless you make the letters inserts or something that are made out of a clear plastic while the rest of the key is made out of black plastic. Either way, the way they made the letters there is no wearing off of the keys because they are solid all the way through the key itself.

IMHO all those pricey keyboards are useless. I've been using same old black compaq keyboard for the past 10+ years without breaking a single key (and all letters are there too). I'm considering getting wireless just to have one cable less, but apart from that, the simplicity and durability of the oldschool keyboards is splendid.

There should be models for people like me with no multimedia keys, no 5 more keys on the mouse etc.

Older products were probably made with higher attention to detail than newer products. Remember, the older something is, the higher chance it was handmade vs assembled by a robot. I don't know how you haven't worn any keys out though, in the past year I have been through 2 keyboards and am on my third right now (which, if the reviews are semi-accurate, should last a few years at the least). A lot of the newer stuff pays more attention to aesthetics and functionality vs reliability and quality, sure you may not use media keys and what not, but many others will, that is who the pricey keyboards are made for. Mine was a decision of value over time rather than aesthetics or functionality. Deck is also a child company of one that makes keyboards for harsh environments like police cars and hospitals, which is why I am quite confident that I got what I paid for in terms of quality.

Like I said though, it really comes down to functionality, if your not going to use media keys and do not want a backlit keyboard, then go ahead and spend $10 on a keyboard, but for those of us who do want those features, theres little choice but to spend more.