Silicone covered KB for quiet gaming?

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nakedhand

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My wife hates me I think - well at least she hates my keyboard, and more specifically the noise it makes, which is pretty close to hating me on a personal level.

This means that I am now looking for a completely d̶i̶f̶f̶e̶r̶e̶n̶t̶ ̶w̶i̶f̶e̶ quiet keyboard to use in certain situations. Flexible or not, it does not matter. I have looked at too many to feel any clearer about what to get.

Needs:

  • Minimal sound from fingers hitting keys and/or key travel.
  • A typing experience that is as good as it can be in this category.
  • Keys that can take some punishment while still reliable, especially the WASD keys :D
  • Minimal travel distance, to minimize the "rubber nipple vs. finger fight".
  • Wired, USB or PS2 is fine.
Does anyone here have any experience with silicone keyboards, medical/industrial or just roll up versions? Any warnings are more than welcome as well as pointers.


So far this looks good from a distance.
http://www.wetkeys.com/Washable-Industrial-Full-size-Flexible-Keyboard-p/kbwkfc109-bk.htm

Or non flexible, expensive ones. Looks like long travel distance from here.
http://www.wetkeys.com/Fullsize-Rigid-Industrial-Keyboard-Pointing-Device-p/kbwkrc102-cg.htm

http://www.wetkeys.com/Really-Cool-15-Waterproof-Keyboard-Hygienic-RCK-p/rck.htm?1=1&CartID=0
 
Mechanical keyboard with MX Brown or Red (non-clicky) switches and some rubber O-ring dampers (those tiny rubber bands for braces work too, free at any orthodontist).
 
Kueller said:
Mechanical keyboard with MX Brown or Red (non-clicky) switches and some rubber O-ring dampers (those tiny rubber bands for braces work too, free at any orthodontist).
Click to expand...

That sounds like an interesting solution, thank you.

Will that eliminate the sound being created from finger tips hitting the keys?
 
I'd be more inclined to recommend Matias's Silent line of mechanical keyboards unless you're not against making internal mods to individual Cherry MX switches (latex and trampoline mods to be specific); their silenced modified ALPS variant boards have been reviewed as having the most silent sound profile when put up against other mechanical keyboards including o-ring modded Cherry MX boards and even HHKB's type-S (manufacturer silenced Topre).
 
sharknice said:
Wear gloves.
Click to expand...

hehe - to cover my bony fingers, surely! :D

I could also cover the entire keyboard in foam.. ;)

Skull_Angel said:
I'd be more inclined to recommend Matias's Silent line of mechanical keyboards unless you're not against making internal mods to individual Cherry MX switches (latex and trampoline mods to be specific); their silenced modified ALPS variant boards have been reviewed as having the most silent sound profile when put up against other mechanical keyboards including o-ring modded Cherry MX boards and even HHKB's type-S (manufacturer silenced Topre).
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input. Never heard of Matias. Looks interesting.
 
nakedhand said:
My wife hates me I think - well at least she hates my keyboard, and more specifically the noise it makes, which is pretty close to hating me on a personal level.

This means that I am now looking for a completely d̶i̶f̶f̶e̶r̶e̶n̶t̶ ̶w̶i̶f̶e̶ quiet keyboard to use in certain situations. Flexible or not, it does not matter. I have looked at too many to feel any clearer about what to get.

Needs:

  • Minimal sound from fingers hitting keys and/or key travel.
  • A typing experience that is as good as it can be in this category.
  • Keys that can take some punishment while still reliable, especially the WASD keys :D
  • Minimal travel distance, to minimize the "rubber nipple vs. finger fight".
  • Wired, USB or PS2 is fine.
Does anyone here have any experience with silicone keyboards, medical/industrial or just roll up versions? Any warnings are more than welcome as well as pointers.


So far this looks good from a distance.
http://www.wetkeys.com/Washable-Industrial-Full-size-Flexible-Keyboard-p/kbwkfc109-bk.htm

Or non flexible, expensive ones. Looks like long travel distance from here.
http://www.wetkeys.com/Fullsize-Rigid-Industrial-Keyboard-Pointing-Device-p/kbwkrc102-cg.htm

http://www.wetkeys.com/Really-Cool-15-Waterproof-Keyboard-Hygienic-RCK-p/rck.htm?1=1&CartID=0
Click to expand...


The world is fertilized by the corpses of men trying to keep a woman happy. Buy a keyboard that sounds like gun shots everytime you hit a key and tell her to get ear muffs.
 
nakedhand said:
Does anyone here have any experience with silicone keyboards, medical/industrial or just roll up versions? Any warnings are more than welcome as well as pointers.


So far this looks good from a distance.
http://www.wetkeys.com/Washable-Industrial-Full-size-Flexible-Keyboard-p/kbwkfc109-bk.htm

Or non flexible, expensive ones. Looks like long travel distance from here.
http://www.wetkeys.com/Fullsize-Rigid-Industrial-Keyboard-Pointing-Device-p/kbwkrc102-cg.htm

http://www.wetkeys.com/Really-Cool-15-Waterproof-Keyboard-Hygienic-RCK-p/rck.htm?1=1&CartID=0
Click to expand...

You don't need one of those unless your wife has keyboard neurosis. Just get a good keyboard made for adults who work in offices with other adults, like http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/en-ca/p/sculpt-ergonomic-desktop/L5V-00002 -- they're plenty quiet.
 
I got some cheap o-rings for my code keyboard (cherry mx-clear's) and its made it basically silent. Its similar in volume to those cheap gel membrane keyboards.
 
Last edited:
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Mechanical keyboards even using non clicky switches and rubber o-rings are still much louder than a membrane style keyboard.

For example, going from my original Logitech G15 (membrane keyboard) to a Logitech G710+ (Mechanical, Cherry Brown switches with rubber dampening o-rings) the new G710+ is much louder, thought the typing experience is also much better.

I think something like this: http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-...qid=1409330760&sr=8-3&keywords=quiet+keyboard

Might work well for you.
 
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Cooler master has a fairly new model called the Novatouch TKL that incorporates silicone dampers around every switch.
 
serpretetsky said:
What keyboard do you currently have?
Click to expand...

I have a few different cheap ones Fujitsu, Lenovo, Logitech (all three membrane) and an Enermax Micro Aurora Wireless which is very quiet but wireless. Oh and my trusty old Model M (LOUD!).

lilfiend said:
I got some cheap o-rings for my code keyboard (cherry mx-clear's) and its made it basically silent. Its similar in volume to those cheap gel membrane keyboards.
Click to expand...

If I ever buy a new mechanical (something that would probably coincide with getting a man cave) I will keep this in mind.

bAMtan2 said:
You don't need one of those unless your wife has keyboard neurosis. Just get a good keyboard made for adults who work in offices with other adults, like http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/en-ca/p/sculpt-ergonomic-desktop/L5V-00002 -- they're plenty quiet.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately she does have keyboard neurosis AND the best hearing in town. My gaming rig is in the adjacent room to the bed room and the sound of my fingers on the keyboard travel through to the bedroom. Incredible.

Kueller said:
Cooler master has a fairly new model called the Novatouch TKL that incorporates silicone dampers around every switch.
Click to expand...

Thank you, I will check this out! :)
 
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nakedhand said:
My gaming rig is in the adjacent room to the bed room and the sound of my fingers on the keyboard travel through to the bedroom. Incredible.
Click to expand...

If this is the case, you may be able to hang a thick blanket or other thick porous material (foam sheets work great) on the wall to dampen the sound. Just cover the wall and it should help quite a bit.
 
Skull_Angel said:
If this is the case, you may be able to hang a thick blanket or other thick porous material (foam sheets work great) on the wall to dampen the sound. Just cover the wall and it should help quite a bit.
Click to expand...

Indeed, thanks. And block the gap between the door and floor. We have hard wood floors and quite a lot of sound escapes through that way.

Tonight I will debut the Enermax wireless and older Logitech G9 mouse setup, that by now is very muted in the clicks. Hopefully it will enable me to game a bit on a Sunday night :) otherwise I have to get one of these silicone abominations and do some modding to the mouse.
 
nakedhand said:
Thank you for the contribution, how old are you?

So you use your keyboard when masturbating - good for you.
Click to expand...

Sorry. My wife doesn't complain about the noise of my keyboard. a small fan on in the room shes in will easily drown out any noise if shes that cranky about light noises. if she's cranky about your attention not being on her or what you could be doing on the computer that she might not agree with no soundproofing is going to prevent the issue she has with your keyboard use. I work 3rd shift on occasion and use one to drown out my noisy kids when I sleep during the day.
Good luck!
PS I'm 32 and not in denial like most people.
 
Erasmus354 said:
Mechanical keyboards even using non clicky switches and rubber o-rings are still much louder than a membrane style keyboard.
Click to expand...
My experience would be the contrary to that statement.

Kueller said:
Cooler master has a fairly new model called the Novatouch TKL that incorporates silicone dampers around every switch.
Click to expand...
You seem to be confused with the membranes of Topre switches; they are not dampeners. The Novatouch uses optional O-Rings.
 
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