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Below are the most frequently asked questions about Deck keyboards. If you don't find an answer here or under
the "Deck Lab" sections of the site (located on the left pane of the page), please email
technicalsupport@deckkeyboards.com or
visit our online forums to request support.
This page was last modified on Apr 30 2008 10:00:08 AM.
Table Of Contents
(Clicking on a question will bring you directly to the answer)
General
Sales
LEDs
Keycaps
Switches
Cases
Support
Functionality
Tech Specs
General Questions
Will other backlighting colors be available on future keyboards models? For example, white backlit?
We do not offer white or other color LED versions because the cost of these LEDs makes the keyboards significantly more expensive than the red,
yellow, blue, and green backlit keyboards. Please keep in mind that the LEDs we use are super-bright; typical inexpensive LEDs won't do the job.
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Which models have tilt feet on the bottom and which ones do not?
The 105-key Deck (The Legend) has adjustable tilt feet on the bottom of the housing. The 82-key and the 21-key numeric pad do not have tilt
feet on the bottom. The reason? Our study shows that they are only used 12% of the time so we chose to leave them off. The industry standard is
0-2 degrees with the tilt feet unextended and 7-9 degrees with them extended. The 82-key and 21-key Deck have a 7 degree tilt angle. This angle was
chosen by our focus group to be the ideal comfort angle. We did not make them adjustable due to the overwhelming 7 degree angle preference and to
help reduce manufacturing costs.
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Will Deck keyboars work with USB to PS/2 adapters? How about KVM switches?
No they will not work with USB to PS/2 adapters. Most (if not all) of these adapters were meant to be replacement adapters for original equipment
that supports both USB and PS/2 interfaces (Deck keyboards only support USB, including the USB version of the 105-key Legend); these adapters will
not simply convert any generic USB keyboard into a generic PS/2 keyboard. To date, the adapters that we’ve examined simply map "USB D-" to "PS/2 Data"
and "USB D+" to "PS/2 Clock" (as well as +5V to +5V and gnd to gnd). KVM switches fall under the same example. If you have a USB Deck, your best bet
is to buy a USB KVM switch (the same applies to PS2 with a PS2 KVM).
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Are there any reviews of Deck keyboards on the internet that I can view to help make a decision?
Yes there are. We have previously arranged them into a page here with snippets of the reviews for ease of viewing, along with a link to the full
review. You can visit that page by clicking here. Currently there are only reviews on the 82-key Deck
but we are looking to have a review of the 21-key and the 82-key done in the near future.
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Sales Questions
What countries do you sell Deck keyboards to?
Currently we only sell Deck keyboards through this site to the United States. In the future we may have the ability to ship worldwide. If you
currently reside outside the U.S., please view the next question of these FAQs about information on where to order a Deck.
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Besides this site, is there any other place I can buy Deck keyboards?
Yes. Some/all of our products are availabe at the following sites: Performance-PCs.com and ActiveKey.eu. These sites should ship internationally. Please check those pages
for specific details about shipping.
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If I feel uncomfortable having credit card operations processed on the internet, is there another way to order a
Deck keyboard?
Yes. Please contact us via phone using the information listed on customer support page.
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Will I receive a tracking number via email after purchasing a Deck online through this site?
Once your order is shipped you should receive the tracking information via email within 24 hours. If you do not, you may want to contact us via email
at technicalsupport@deckkeyboards.com to request your tracking information.
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Will Deck ever make (insert idea for a new or modified product here)?
If you would like to submit an idea for a new product, accessory, or modification to an existing product, please visit our forums and post under our "Suggestions" section. Although we cannot produce every request, we
will take all ideas into consideration.
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LED / Backlighting Questions
Why is the Caps Lock LED in the keycap and not in the upper right like IBM standard keyboards on the 82 key Deck?
We moved it for the 82-key because this is where it actually belongs. IBM took the easy way out when creating the standard 101 key keyboard.
The difficulty comes in making a lighted key. With the goal to save time and money, IBM took some shortcuts. Due to popular demand, It is
located on the upper right hand section on the 105-key (The Legend).
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Can you make the backlighting brighter and dimmer? How?
Yes. The keyboard has 8 levels of brightness: "1" (dimmest) through "7" (brightest) with "0" being off. There are two ways to change the
brightness level. The first step in either method is to press and hold the "Fn" key down. The "Fn" key is located just to the right of the spacebar.
The first method incorporates the "up" or "down cursor" keys to brighten or dim the brightness respectively. With the "Fn" key held down, if you press
one of these cursor keys, the brightness will step one level in the corresponding direction. If you continue to hold the cursor key down, the level
will continue to step in that direction at a rate of about 3 steps per second. However, there is no "roll-over". For example, once you reach maximum
brightness, the brightness level will not "rollover" to off and then continue getting brighter. This first method of changing the brightness is
relative - you don't know your current brightness level; you just want to either brighten or dim the brightness.
The second method is absolute - you know the brightness level that you want and you want to get there directly. The method incorporates the numerical
keys located just below the function keys. Again, start by holding down the "Fn" key, then press either "0" for off, or "1" - "7" for on brightness
levels.
No information will be sent to the PC while the "Fn" key is held down and either the "up" or "down cursor" keys, "0" or "1" - "7" keys are pressed.
In other words, the keyboard doesn't tell the PC these keys are being pressed. It also doesn't matter which key you release first. However, any other
key press will be reported to the PC regardless of the state of the "Fn" key.
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What is the default brightness level and can it be changed?
On the 82-key and 21-key Deck, the default brightness is level 7, or on at full brightness. This default brightness level is stored in ROM and
cannot be changed.
On the 105-key Deck (The Legend), the keyboard has non-volatile memory to save the backlighting level as well as the brightness mode of the Num,
Caps and Scroll Lock LEDs (status LEDs). There are two status LED modes. The first mode has the status LEDs dim along with the backlighting LEDs of
the keys. The second mode is a “daylight” mode in which the status LEDs remain bright at all backlighting brightness levels - even if the backlighting
is turned “off”. Please note that the status LEDs will dim slightly as the backlighting levels decrease toward level 1. The status LED mode is toggled
by pressing “Fn” followed by “Caps Lock” key. Just as with the dimming operation, no “Caps Lock” key information is sent to the PC when the “Fn” key
is down. If the non-volatile memory fails, the default power-on settings are level 7 brightness and the status LEDs dim along with the backlighting of
the keys.
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Can I make the Caps Lock LED be either off or on at full brightness (not dim)?
On the 82-key Deck, this is possible, but requires disassembling the keyboard, unsoldering the resistor at location with designator R80_D, and
soldering it at resistor designator R80_5V. Both of these resistors are located between the caps lock and left shift keys on the component side of the
circuit board.
More details regarding how this applies to the 105-key Deck (The Legend) will be added soon.
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How long do the "back lights" or LEDs last?
They last 200,000 hours because we drive them at 5.25 mA maximum, which is well below their rated current of 20 mA. 200,000 hours is equivalent to
22.8 years!
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Why doesn't the Caps Lock LED come on when I press the Caps Lock?
Try increasing the brightness of the backlighting. The caps lock LED brightness dims along with the rest of the keyboard. The caps lock LED will
not turn on if the backlighting is completely off (level 0). On the 105-key Deck (The Legend), the lock status LEDs may be turned on or off when the
rest of the backlighting is turned off. This is done by pressing the FN key and the caps lock key. This also toggles whether the lock status LEDs are
bright or dim when the backlighting is on.
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Keycaps Questions
How do I install the skull and crossbones keycap?
Please refer to the section under "Modify" on the left-hand pane about removing keycaps, or click here.
Be sure to unplug the keyboard first.
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How can I get other "cool" keycaps like the skull and crossbones or other accessories?
Keycap sets are now available under the "Products" section of the site which can be accessed by the link on the top pane of this page, or
by clicking here. We printed the most requested keycaps and offer them in two varieties - standard and
Mac. We also include one blank keycap for your own personal customization.
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Can I get a Deck keyboard with the DVORAK key layout? Can I do it myself?
We no longer offer Deck Keyboards with a DVORAK layout from the factory. If you would like to convert it to the DVORAK keycap layout, you can remove the keycaps as described in the keycap section under
"Mods", or by clicking here. NOTE: While the appearance of the board may change, the input from the board will
not. You need a third party application to switch the input on the computer side to the DVORAK standard. This should be built into Windows XP and Mac OS X,
but you may need to check with your software manufacturer first. A simple Google search for DVORAK turned up many results such as this one
that describe the DVORAK conversion process very well.
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Can I see what the artwork that gets printed on the keycaps looks like before I buy one?
Yes. You can view them in the actual size by visiting the "Your Support" link on the left hand pane of the page or by clicking here.
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Will the accessory keycap sets fit all the different Deck boards?
Yes they fit all currently available Deck boards on any key that is the single square (1x1 as we call them) size. They will also fit onto switches that
have larger keycaps (such as the shift, enter, etc.) but will not fill in all the space around it.
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Will the letters on the keycaps wear off eventually?
NEVER! Characters can't chip off the key caps or wear down because we use a sublimated negative printing process which drives the ink into the plastic
keycaps at 525°F. This means permanent printing from the inside out, not on, and gives the letters a permanent place inside the plastic.
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Key Switch Questions
What kind of key switches are used in Deck keyboards? How long do they last?
We use Cherry MX gold cross point key switches. More specifically they are Cherry MX1A-11NN linear switches (no mechanical tactile response). These switches have a 50-million cycle rating which averages out to be around 20 years of normal
usage. To put it into perspective, the keyboard you are using right now most likely has 1 million cycle switches and no gold.
Case Questions
Can I buy different color or replacement housings?
Extra housings for your Deck can be found under the "Products" section of the site located on the top-hand pane of this page, or by
clicking here. They come in 6 colors: red, yellow, blue, green, black (opaque) and clear (translucent). Deck 105 housings come only in the standard charcoal color at this time.
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Can I paint my housing? What kind of paint can I use?
Yes you can paint your housing. Please view the "Paint" page under the "Modify" section of the site, or click here.
You can also view a few examples that we created here at Deck keyboards and posted on the message board by clicking here
and here.
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Support Questions
What is the return policy?
There is a 30 day trial period. You can return the keyboard anytime within the 30 days for a refund (minus shipping and handling) provided that it has
not been modified. It must be returned in the condition that you received it. Please do not simply return the keyboard to us - you must obtain an RMA
number first. To obtain an RMA number, please click here and follow the instructions on that page.
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What is the warranty and what does it cover?
The warranty period is for one year from the date of purchase. We ask that you log onto the website and register. Non-destructive modifications are
okay, subject to our discretion. To view more information on the warranty, please click here.
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What is your privacy policy?
Deck's privacy policy can be viewed here or from the link at the bottom of any page in this site.
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Who do I contact for technical support? Is it free?
Technical support is free and the easiest way is through email. Deck's technical support can be emailed at
technicalsupport@deckkeyboards.com.
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Functionality Questions
What is the "FN" key?
The "FN" key is used internally within the keyboard for a couple of reasons. The first is to change the backlighting brightness (see "
Can you make the backlighting brighter and dimmer? How?). Secondly, it is used to choose between "PAUSE/BREAK" and "PRTSC/SYSREQ" functions.
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What is the "PAUSE/PRTSC" key?
We've combined the "PAUSE/BREAK" and "PRTSC/SYSREQ" keys into a single key on the 82-key Deck. If this key is pressed after holding down the "FN"
key (which is located to the right of the spacebar), the key will behave like the "PAUSE/BREAK" key. If this key is pressed without the "FN" key being
pressed, it will behave just like the "PRTSC/SYSREQ" key.
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What is the "WINDOWS" key? (Windows is a trademark of the Microsoft Corporation)
Please see this page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_key. (Thanks Wikipedia!)
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Why is the "WINDOWS" key in the upper right hand corner instead of the traditional location on the 82-key Deck?
(Windows is a trademark of the Microsoft Corporation)
Feedback from gamers prompted us to move this key to its current location. We found that having it on the lower row of keys that it accidentally gets
hit by mistake. It is less likely to get hit by mistake with it in the upper right hand corner.
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Technical Specifications Questions
What size are the screws?
The screws for the 82-key and 21-key Deck are #6 Phillips panhead, 3/8" long. Information about the screws for the 105-key Deck (The Legend) will be
added at a later date.
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Will the keyboard work with my computer and operating system?
Deck keyboards will work under Windows Vista (all versions), XP, 2000, ME, and 98; Windows Server 2008, 2003 and 2000; Mac OS X and OS 9; Linspire, Ubuntu, RedHat
Fedora Core 4, and possibly other distributions of Linux (although untested at this time). There are a million PCs and a large
number of operating systems out there, and we don't have the chance to test our keyboard on every one of them. Generally it will work on almost every computer that supports the USB protocol as it uses the standard HID drivers bundled with most every OS. So far, we have never heard of a system that
the keyboard does not work with - please let us know if you find one.
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Is there a software driver?
The keyboard is designed to be compliant with USB's Human Interface Device (HID) class. This means that we don't need to ship a software driver with
each keyboard, or provide a download link on the website because the proper driver should already be on your system's operating system disk.
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Which version of the USB specification do Deck keyboards meet?
USB revision 1.1. USB keyboards are low-speed devices, so they don't need to meet the high-speed specifications of USB 2.0.
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Will there be a PS/2 interface for the 82-key Deck?
As of today we have no plans of making a PS/2 version of the 82-key Deck keyboards. We currently only offer the 105-key Deck (The Legend)
with the option of having the PS/2 interface.
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Will there be a wireless version? Will there be a smartphone, pocket PC, or other version for battery-powered devices?
No. Given the current consumption of the LED backlighting, battery powered backlit keyboards are not practical. But the look of the LED backlighting
speaks for itself; it would not be possible with other means of backlighting.
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Can I change the data cord to increase it's length?
You can on the 82-key Deck and the 105-key Deck (The Legend). The data cord on the 82-key Deck has a Type A USB plug on the computer side and a Type B USB plug on the keyboard side which makes it easy to change the data
cord without soldering equipment. The USB specification limits the length of the date acord depending on the wire gauge of the power pair (VCC and Ground),
as well as the amount of electrical current passing through the cord. With a 24 AWG gauge power pair, the data cord can be about 15 ft. and still meet the
requirements of the USB specification. With a 26 AWG power pair, the length of the cord is reduced to about 10 ft. Don't know the wire gauge of your data
cord? The bottom line is if it works for you - use it. If it doesn't work, or works intermittently, follow our guidelines.
More information about the 105-key Deck (The Legend) and it's data cord will be added in the future.
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I am using a Mac with (specific OS version). Will these keyboards work for me? Will I lose any functionality?
Please view this question listed above about compatibility with different operating systems. As far as functionality,
there will be some slight differences in the way a Deck keyboard operates and the way a standard Apple keyboard are layed out and the way it operates.
Some of the main differences include:
- There is no "EJECT" key or any keys to control power functions such as sleep, power on, or shut down
- "NUM LOCK" and "SCROLL LOCK" keys will not function
- Cursor functions on the numeric pad will not function
- There are no downstream USB ports located within the keyboards (with the exception of the 21-key numeric pad)
- The artwork on the keycaps may differ from a standard Mac keyboard, along with the key layout. To view the layout and art for a specific board, please
click here.
If you find other operational-related issues, please let us know about them by emailing us at technicalsupport@deckkeyboards.com
so we might make our product more useable for the wider customer base in the future.
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