Technical Description
Das Keyboard Model 4
CONTENTS
Introduction & Figure 1 (All parts of a keyboard) page 3
Keycaps page 4
Mechanical switch with figure 2 page 5
PCB with figure 3 page 6
Plate page 5
Keyboard Stabilizer page 6
Gaskets page 6
Total case page 6
Mechanical Keyboard DAS Keyboard Model 4 features
Cherry MX Brwon & Blue Switch page 7
Volume Knob & Dedicated Media Control with figure 4 page 7-8
Figure 5 with full model picture page 8
USB 3.0 Super Speed Hub page 8
N-Key Roll Over page 8
Foot bar = Roller page 8
Extra Long Cable page 9
Bibliography page 10
Introduction: Keyboard is an input device which sends signal to the electrical device to perform certain work or command (Tyson, Jeff, 2024). Keyboard acts like a tiny computer with a processor and circuits. These circuits form a grid (key matrix) under each key. When anyone presses a key, it completes a circuit, sending a signal the processor understands. The processor uses a built-in “codebook” (character map) to translate this signal into the correct letter, symbol, or action (like capitalizing a letter with Shift). Keyboards let you type, use shortcuts, and more. They have different layouts depending on purpose (desktop, laptop) but similar key sizes and layouts. Most keyboards have 80-110 keys with number keys. Pervious keyboards were normally much bigger compared to today’s short size and some specific work could just be done. Today’s keyboards work up to various functions.
Das keyboard model 4 is a premium wired mechanical keyboard available in several variations for the users who prefer a minimalist look with the keyboard.
Keycaps: The keycaps are the main buttons which the user press to work on a keyboard (Staff, D. K. 2024, January 12). They sit on the top of switches which follow mechanisms that register the key stroke. Both the keycaps and switches are located above a plate with holes that allow them to connect to the circuit of the keyboard. The keycaps are made from a variety of materials with common being PBT and ABS. PBT is known for durable fading and ABT is known for brighter color and crisper legends. All keycaps are single shots where they are made from a single piece of plastic and double shot where multi coating is used from two layers. Some keycaps are dye simulated to use printing on the legend. The keycap profiles show different types of profiles in their shape. For example, space bar has bigger length than other keyboards whereas the numbering key and the letter key have same length and height. Keycaps from the corner side have usually bigger lengths for users to have benefit while typing.
Mechanical Switches: For the keyboard, switches play the most important role in terms of being a mechanical keyboard and it’s the specialty of this model whereas the users feel better while typing (Staff, D. K. 2024, January 12). They have a better transferring rate of signal to PCB board through the intersection point. The sound while felt in typing depends on the parts inside a keyboard. As they are RGB switches, they come through different styles where they are comprised of upper housing, stem which keycaps travel through passing and connects to the PCB and have a dedicated spring to each with a housing base and a LED pipe for lighting in front of the letters and numbers.
Printed Circuit Board (PCB): The PCB or printed circuit board is the heart of the keyboard (Staff, D. K. 2024, January 12). It translates the keypresses into electric signals which is understood by computer. It is composed with the glass fiber and copper. The thin board also controls the features like RGB lighting and volume control. PCB parts include components to include USB port to connect to the computer which the device works on. Switches are soldered to PCBs. With extra stabilization, PCB are hot swappable and mounted to the plates. All the electronic components connect to the device on the copper traces.
Plate: the case or plate supports the switches contacting PCB (Staff, D. K. 2024, January 12). This plate strengthens the keyboard by putting the switches in place and preventing them from moving around. It also acts as a shield for the circuit board keeping it safe from dust, dirt and other objects which might fall through the gaps between the keys. The case is made with 60% Aluminum which has made the keyboard much lighter.
Keyboard Stabilizers: The stabs help some special keys like enter and shift to type smoothly (Staff, D. K. 2024, January 12). These little stabs stop keys from tilting when the user presses them off center position. They basically balance the bigger keycaps by reaching across the bottoms and making sure the key presses down straight and even. Where the stabilizer is not present, while pressing those keys the keys will tilt down. There are two types of stabilizers used in the keyboard model which are costar stabilizers and cherry stabilizers with three different styles plate-mounted attached to the plate, screw in which connects straightly to PCB and snap in same way that connects to PCB. The work function load like at a time many presses on the keyboard pass many electric signals at a time work smoothly on a mechanical keyboard for the functionality of the keyboard stabilizer. Serious gamers, programmers, developers, and other users like this keyboard for the excellent functionality of the stabilizers.
Gaskets: This part helps the keyboard components protect from dust, water, and other liquids (Staff, D. K. 2024, January 12). They are made from rubber and can resist minor spills. The bottom housing resides the electronics parts and circuit under the case with numerical keys and the function keys and typically lay on the plate.
Total Case: A wooden case is the most outer part of the keyboard with a top and bottom case used as housing of all the materials of the keyboard (Staff, D. K. 2024, January 12). The keyboard case is made of BAS plastic which has made the model lighter.
Das Keyboard Model 4 has some features which introduces the keyboard model with specific descriptions. These could be,
Cherry MX Brown and Blue switch: Cherry MX Brown switches are known for their pleasant bump in the middle of pressing a key. This makes the keyboard feel responsive without being too loud (www.daskeyboard.com, 2005-2024). In terms of blue stiches, when keycaps are pressed, a tactile pump works with activation. This increases the typing speed while pressing the key down.
Volume Knob & Dedicated Media Control: Das keyboard 4 goes beyond just typing with built-in features to enhance the multimedia features with this button having effortless volume control while a user is on fine-tune the sound on fly or use music as a form of entertainment (www.daskeyboard.com, 2005-2024). The knob works as a resistor where it increase and decrease resistance depending on electric signals depending on volume up and down. This button has mute, pause, previous and next track setup to control the media instantly without interrupting the workflow. With a low power back mode, a user can effortlessly work with a single press on that keyboard during absence and then wake it back easily.
USB 3.0 Super Speed Hub: Normally, the data transferring takes so much time on file transferring rate (www.daskeyboard.com, 2005-2024). This keyboard has a dedicated blazing two port 3.0 USB Hub to transfer music, high resolution pictures and videos at up to 5 Gb/second which is 10 times faster than USB 2.0.
N-Key Rollover: Gamers and programmers or who need to type fast will love to hear that this keyboard has a supportive NKRO over USB where there is no need to use PS2 adapter (www.daskeyboard.com, 2005-2024). Functionally pressing shift and mute user can toggle NKRO. This works with every operating system.
Foot bar = Roller: das keyboard model 4 ditches the previous flimsy plastic kickstand and comes with a revolutionary magnetically detachable foot bar (www.daskeyboard.com, 2005-2024). This scale elevates the keyboard to a perfect 4 degree typing angle for enhanced comfort.
Extra Long Cable: the keyboard gives a long cable to easily connect with the monitor or computer to keep the users workspace easy and tidy which works as only cable to power keyboard and transfer the data at a same time (www.daskeyboard.com, 2005-2024).
Conclusion: Overall, the keyboard is a device for typing the content for different users but mainly to serve the purpose, but nowadays it has different functionality with better uses for example, we can type smoothly and having sound of fun with light and for the typing, functionality has made our workload lighter. Das Keyboard Model 4 is a mechanical keyboard with many features and is a dominating mechanical gaming keyboard useful for coders and gamers. As a mechanical keyboard, it has a bigger weight with proper hardware security.
Bibliography
- Staff, D. K. (2024, January 12). All the Parts of a Mechanical Keyboard Explained. Das Keyboard Mechanical Keyboard Blog.
- www.daskeyboard.com. (n.d.). Das Keyboard 4 Ultimate Mechanical Keyboard. https://www.daskeyboard.com/daskeyboard-4-ultimate/
- HowStuffWorks, Inside the keyboard, https://computer.howstuffworks.com/keyboard2.htm
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