Recommendations for Editing Keyboard

Hi all,

I'm looking to buy a FCP usb editing keyboard, can anyone recommend which one is best?

Thanks,

Clay

The best one is... the one you have!
Don't worry about these fancy keyboards with colors.... They look cool sure and impress clients but the truth is that if you spend enough time editing you won't be looking at the keyboard, the same way you don't look at it when you type.
Plus, you will create your own keyboard shortcuts. If you use a mouse, a trackball or a tablet, you won't use your keyboard the same way and you will want to be able to create your own shortcuts, that will be comfortable for you. So you don't want to be stuck with symbols and colors on uyour keyboard.
And you'll save a few bucks

> Don't worry about these fancy keyboards with colors.... They look cool sure and impress
> clients but the truth is that if you spend enough time editing you won't be looking at
> the keyboard

That's true, and the colour-coded keyboards tend to be a lot less ergonomic. I've also suspected for years that they're not as touch-sensitive (typist-oriented keyboards have subtle differences in the keys that allow your fingers to distinguish one key from another by touch).

But, the colour-coded keyboards are excellent if you're still mouse-oriented and want to start learning a lot more shortcuts on a systematic basis. In a way, you buy those keyboards and use them so that soon you won't need them anymore.

The fact is, though, aside from the labelling, I have never found an editing keyboard that's comfortable.


www.derekmok.com

I for one love the Mac white keyboards. with the clear tray shell. I was fortunate enough to come across someone who had bought a couple of Macs for servers and had the keyboards sitting around unused. I asked and he gave them to me. I bought key caps for AVID and FCP that were designed for those keyboards. A solid long lasting keyboard that is useful as long as USB is around for keyboards.

ak
Sleeplings, AWAKE!

Thanks All, good information! I was thinking of getting one because I edit on a laptop and some of the F keys double up, but I guess I can just turn them off in preferences if there isn't any advantage to having an editing keyboard.

-Clay

I've heard nice things about the Bella FCP Keyboard with jog shuttle. Anyone here use one?

[www.bella-usa.com]

I just prefer the old slim Apple low profile extended keyboard. I bought 3 when they first came out to replace those clunky old key ones.



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

Yeah, I used it...
Not exciting... Too much back and forth between the mouse, the wheel and the keyboard.

On the last Bella I used the put the scroll wheel where the cursor buttons should be. I use cursor buttons far more than the scroll wheel. It's also not a great scroll wheel by my reckoning. The ones on Mackie Controls and the Euphonix panels are more like proper scroll wheels for shuttling up and down timelines.

The good parts of the Bella keyboard are the extra buttons to perform shortcuts. On specific gigs I was able to launch those go to folders quickly but day to day those things get changed frequently and with Expose and other tools (iPhone!) I haven't ever wished I had a Bella of my own. (an inadvertent Twilight reference for you youngsters out there.)

ak
Sleeplings, AWAKE!

I'm with Andrew. I use the clear-cased, white-keys keyboard that came out before the slim aluminum ones, and I have a black kbcovers cover with colored FCP indicators. The cover keeps the dust out of the crevices and also looks cleaner over time than the white keys.

On another system, I use the newer slim aluminum keyboard without a cover. That works well too, and is very comparable to the Macbook keyboards.

I definitely like having a full size keyboard, with a 10-key. It makes entering numbers quick, like when shifting something a few frames or changing the length of a dissolve, and the enter key on the lower right is conveniently located. I like using the wireless Logitech Trackman, with the scroll ball where the thumb is positioned (this is probably right-handed only). It's incredibly ergonomic, especially compared to a standard mouse, on a large monitor or dual-display setup. While you can adjust the sensitivity of a mouse to move across a large monitor with little effort, it becomes problematic when you need fine control. I actually find this trackball more ergonomic than the trackpad on my Macbook Pro. Because the Trackman doesn't have to move all over the desk like a standard mouse, I can position it close to the lower right of the keyboard. This way, the 10-key and enter key are close at hand.

Then there's the ability to do THIS with your keyboard. Of course that's one of those crystal case ones, they were dirt traps.

ak
Sleeplings, AWAKE!

I'm very happy with the new slim chiclet keyboard. When I have to edit on my laptop-- I use the full size keyboard!!

- Loren

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