Filco Majestouch 2 Camouflage Edition

squarebox

01 Sep 2011, 10:55

Image
Image

Filco Majestouch 2 Camouflage Edition comes in Black, Blue and Brown switches.
Filco have add multimedia functions into the keyboard.

Source:
104 : http://www.diatec.co.jp/products/det.php?prod_c=804
87 : http://www.diatec.co.jp/products/det.php?prod_c=810

User avatar
CeeSA

01 Sep 2011, 10:57

phuii, this is not my taste at all

User avatar
webwit
Wild Duck

01 Sep 2011, 11:05

Wow, finally they added a real new thing..multimedia functions.

woody
Count Troller

01 Sep 2011, 11:06

There is a camouflaged surprise - a "Fn" button instead of LWin, and what appears to be media legends on the F-keys.

Younguns should be happy.


P.S. Har, webwit was first while I was typing.

User avatar
The Solutor

01 Sep 2011, 11:12

webwit wrote:Wow, finally they added a real new thing..multimedia functions.

I'm sure the filco fanboys, that have always depreciated them, suddenly will find the media keys a main feature... :lol:

squarebox

01 Sep 2011, 11:13

Personally, I'm not a fan of multimedia keys. I prefer to have my LWIN key.

User avatar
webwit
Wild Duck

01 Sep 2011, 11:21

I don't like extra media keys, especially the array of fugly little media keys found at the top of rubber dome keyboards. But I do like to operate volume from my keyboard. Of course, I do that by simply mapping my keyboard for certain combinations. The way Filco did it seems elegant, although my guess is people will complain about the location of the Fn key.

User avatar
The Solutor

01 Sep 2011, 11:30

webwit wrote:I don't like extra media keys, especially the array of fugly little media keys found at the top of rubber dome keyboards. But I do like to operate volume from my keyboard. Of course, I do that by simply mapping my keyboard for certain combinations. The way Filco did it seems elegant, although my guess is people will complain about the location of the Fn key.

Frankly the media keys in second function are just useless.

A volume knob like the one present on the X6 or on the Reclusa would be a way better idea.

Not bad is the choice made by lenovo and logitech on some boards where the F row is reversed (media keys in first function, function keys in second function)

woody
Count Troller

01 Sep 2011, 11:36

The Solutor wrote:Not bad is the choice made by lenovo and logitech on some boards where the F row is reversed (media keys in first function, function keys in second function)
What? Based on statements like this your typing seems to be limited to spamming forums, not real work.

User avatar
The Solutor

01 Sep 2011, 11:42

woody wrote: What? Based on statements like this your typing seems to be limited to spamming forums, not real work.
Genius what have to do the media functions with the "real work" ?

You may not be aware that since the 1980 or so the computers are used also for entertainment purposes

User avatar
webwit
Wild Duck

01 Sep 2011, 11:44

The Solutor wrote:Frankly the media keys in second function are just useless.

A volume knob like the one present on the X6 or on the Reclusa would be a way better idea.
I agree, the volume knobs as found on some cheap keyboards work best. It's all I need really, volume up, down and mute (just turn the knob all the way). I'd like a little wheel hidden on the side of the Filco, so it's functionally present but not a visual eye soar.

User avatar
The Solutor

01 Sep 2011, 11:53

webwit wrote: I agree, the volume knobs as found on some cheap keyboards work best. It's all I need really, volume up, down and mute (just turn the knob all the way). I'd like a little wheel hidden on the side of the Filco, so it's functionally present but not a visual eye soar.
Agreed completely.

For now I use volumouse to quickly control the volume with the mouse wheel. Try it ! Is quick and effective.

Optionally you can use also 3RVX to have a visual feedback

User avatar
daedalus
Buckler Of Springs

01 Sep 2011, 12:27

Being the odd chap I am, I always used the volume knob on my speakers...

The Fn key placement is a bit silly. Many people will make use of the left hand Win key, why sacrifice that instead of the right hand one, or that silly context menu button that nobody uses?

User avatar
The Solutor

01 Sep 2011, 12:44

daedalus wrote:Being the odd chap I am, I always used the volume knob on my speakers...

Not all the speaker came with an volume knob, I had a couple of sony mini bass reflex boxes that had just the on/of button, the multimedia monitors have also some incredibly unhandy controls.
The Fn key placement is a bit silly.


Not a bat choice for gamers, here they cloned mionix not xarmor...
Many people will make use of the left hand Win key, why sacrifice that instead of the right hand one, or that silly context menu button that nobody uses?
With the FN placed on the right and the media controls placed on the left you have not only to use the keys in 2nd function but also you have to use two hands.

A good way should be FN on the right and media controls on the arrow cluster.

Or a switch to swap FN and win key to match the user liking. But this would require years of research, and would rise the keyboard price to 400$ :lol:

itlnstln

01 Sep 2011, 13:22

That's a pretty weaksauce camo pattern. Digicamo or GTFO.

Actually, camo of any kind on a keyboard should GTFO, but that just my personal opinion. At least they stretched the limits of engineering a bit for the media keys.

User avatar
The Solutor

01 Sep 2011, 13:30

I did a camouflage work on a keyboard some time ago, I wasn't able to find the keyboard anymore. :lol:

itlnstln

01 Sep 2011, 13:54

I can't remember who did the mod, but there was a Model M done in camo that looked pretty decent. I think the beige caps or the fact that it was a Model M made the difference. That, and I think the greens were darker.

burr

01 Sep 2011, 14:09

Geekhack member pfink did camo mod a SSK, Link to the post.
Image

mintberryminuscrunch

01 Sep 2011, 14:32

CeeSA wrote:phuii, this is not my taste at all
I second that. Really icky

Sent from my Milestone using Tapatalk

User avatar
webwit
Wild Duck

01 Sep 2011, 14:37

IBM wins again!

Konrad

01 Sep 2011, 14:50

So this product is attempting to steel away some of the Steel 6G gamers?

I personally think it's fail. Camo paint aint gonna compare against gamer's WASD and macros and backlighting and bling, it's also the wrong "theme" for many games/mods. Maybe it'll go somewhere if this is only the first offering from a wave of pick-your-colour paintjobs sold the way Dell sells laptops.

I do like their approach to media keys. And one less Windows logo in your face can only lead to good things.

User avatar
The Solutor

01 Sep 2011, 14:52

Konrad wrote: And one less Windows logo in your face can only lead to good things.

Nowadays you should be worried whenever you see the apple logo...

User avatar
The Solutor

01 Sep 2011, 14:56

webwit wrote:IBM wins again!

Sooner or later you should try this

http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?2129 ... rubberdome

xbb

01 Sep 2011, 20:09

The Solutor wrote:
webwit wrote:IBM wins again!

Sooner or later you should try this

http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?2129 ... rubberdome
Is it 100% rubberdome? because I thought it was like some sort of custom switch designed by olivetti.

User avatar
The Solutor

01 Sep 2011, 21:58

xbb wrote:
The Solutor wrote:
webwit wrote:IBM wins again!

Sooner or later you should try this

http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?2129 ... rubberdome
Is it 100% rubberdome? because I thought it was like some sort of custom switch designed by olivetti.

Never opened one, never seen a broken one.

The only images seen of the keyboard inside are not deep enough

http://a2.pluto.it/a21091.htm

Btw clearly is an Olivetti design

User avatar
webwit
Wild Duck

01 Sep 2011, 22:44

I had an Olivetti with that kind of keycaps, but I had to destroy it because it sucked so badly. It was yet another ordinary, sucky rubber dome. Are you sure you aren't attaching magical qualities to a product, because it is from an Italian company?

User avatar
The Solutor

01 Sep 2011, 23:00

webwit wrote:I had an Olivetti with that kind of keycaps, but I had to destroy it because it sucked so badly. It was yet another ordinary, sucky rubber dome.
I'm sure you haven't touched one, then... :lol:

The "clomp" emitted by those marvels is just an erothical experience.
Are you sure you aren't attaching magical qualities to a product, because it is from an Italian company?
Italian based...

They had not only their know how, but the one arrived from the absorbed companies.

Underwood from the US, Triumph-Adler from Germany, Acorn from UK and so on..

And when you touch an Olivetti keyboard you can really feel the difference

User avatar
webwit
Wild Duck

01 Sep 2011, 23:34

Meh, the only good rubber dome I know of is the Topre, because it is fundamentally different due to its capacitive nature. The problem with all other rubber domes is that they are both used for tactile feeling, and to make contact. The Topre uses a spring and a capacitive contact, and the domes are used only for tactile feeling, without the need to bottom out. So they feel better and last much longer, both in feel and functionality. This and the best quality control of the business set them apart. The Olivetti I tried however, was like all the other rubber domes that came with all the PCs of that period. The idea here was solely to lower production costs at the expense of quality, in order to be more competitive in the PC price wars of the time. So I doubt Olivetti somehow found the holy grail of a keyboard made to be cheap and with the same limitations as other rubber domes, but nevertheless beating that and providing a superior feel.

User avatar
The Solutor

01 Sep 2011, 23:56

webwit wrote:Meh, the only good rubber dome I know of is the Topre, because it is fundamentally different due to its capacitive nature. The problem with all other rubber domes is that they are both used for tactile feeling, and to make contact.
Which can be considered an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on the personal taste, surely the activation at the bottom came first, on the mechanical typewriters.
The Topre uses a spring and a capacitive contact, and the domes are used only for tactile feeling, without the need to bottom out. So they feel better and last much longer, both in feel and functionality.
Surely a switchless keyboard like a topre will never have a broken switch, but the lasting time depends here like on the other RD boards, on the plastic quality, on the tolerances, and on the rubber quality and design.

Now while we all know that zillions of Olivetti boards can feel like new after 25 years, almost no one has tested a Topre board for so long time, the Olivetti durability is a fact, the Topre durability is a reasonable hope.
The idea here was solely to lower production costs at the expense of quality, in order to be more competitive in the PC price wars of the time.
The competing Model Ms were built to be more expensive ?

Olivetti and IBM did exactly the same thing, they lowered the production costs using their unmatchable knowledge, the only difference was that the Olivetti HW was also nice looking.
So I doubt Olivetti somehow found the holy grail of a keyboard made to be cheap and with the same limitations as other rubber domes, but nevertheless beating that and providing a superior feel.
Surely they managed to build keyboards with a feeling on par, if not better with model Ms, making them also silent maybe not the holy grail but really close.

ripster

02 Sep 2011, 02:00

Are your posts getting longer or is it my imagination?

Personally I don't go Commando. My balls get irritated.

Post Reply

Return to “News”