Anyone use a US keyboard in the UK?

[strumpusplunket]

And if so how much of a pain is it?

I'm looking to dip my toe into the world of mechanical keyboards as I think my old membrane board is on its last legs and I've been thinking about it for a while.

As it will be my first experience of such, I'm looking to find something at the budget end to see if I like the switch type I think seems most suited for me and the general feel of a non-membrane keyboard. So I'm looking to keep the outlay pretty minimal.

I have seen a Velocifire board with brown switches for around £40 new and it looks pretty good quality and reviews well.

BUT... it's US layout.

So, if I were to get it I think my options would be:

1. Use it in UK mode but have the shift functions on keys 2, 3 and 4 mislabelled (not a huge deal) and lose the ability to input \,|,# and ~ (possibly a bigger deal, especially the backslash and hash keys...)

2. Use it in US mode but not be able to input a £ easily (potentially the most annoying option...)

3. Use some software to try to mitigate the downsides (a bit unclear on what would be the best way to configre this and what impacts it would have on general system performance, input lag, etc.)

Is that about the size of it?

Anyone with any experience care to share their thoughts?

 

[Bluecube]

I’ve used US/ international Mac keyboards before. There’s not that much of a difference between them and the UK ones. If I remember right, getting the pound sign was a matter of pressing Alt and 3. It’s not a deal breaker as far as I’m concerned.

 

[strumpusplunket]

I’ve used US/ international Mac keyboards before. There’s not that much of a difference between them and the UK ones. If I remember right, getting the pound sign was a matter of pressing Alt and 3. It’s not a deal breaker as far as I’m concerned.

Oh, really? I never knew that! Well that really is no problem then.

Cheers. Think I'll give this one a go.

 

[Bluecube]

Quick update. Windows is different from MacOS though. You can get the £ sign but it seems to involve typing in the ASCII code on the keypad. Not quite as straight forward but in my opinion still not a dealbreaker!

 

[Uncle Petey]

I'm using a TKL US layout KB. FWIW, I can input # and ~ on the key labelled \ |
£ is on the 3 key (using shift as normal), but labelled #.
@ & " are swapped.

 

[strumpusplunket]

Quick update. Windows is different from MacOS though. You can get the £ sign but it seems to involve typing in the ASCII code on the keypad. Not quite as straight forward but in my opinion still not a dealbreaker!

I Googled this once you said it was possible by pressing alt and it looks like it should be possible using Right-Alt, Shift and 4. Not 100% on that, but it looks like it.

I'm using a TKL US layout KB. FWIW, I can input # and ~ on the key labelled \ |
£ is on the 3 key (using shift as normal), but labelled #.
@ & " are swapped.

Is this in UK input mode in Windows? How do you type a backslash?

 

[Uncle Petey]

It's in default Windows input mode. Changing it to English doesn't seem to make any difference.
I can't type a backslash AFAIK, but I'm sure there's an an ALT+number code you can use if you have a numpad.

 

[strumpusplunket]

It's in default Windows input mode. Changing it to English doesn't seem to make any difference.
I can't type a backslash AFAIK, but I'm sure there's an an ALT+number code you can use if you have a numpad.

Right. It sounds to me like that's what I'd expect with the default input set to UK English when setting up Windows, with the £ being on the 3 key.

Sounds like it doesn't bother you too much in everyday use? I think I might prefer trying to set it to US English input and using the shortcut to get the £ sign, but hard to say until I've tried it I guess.

Cheers.

 

[Uncle Petey]

No biggie for me, but I guess it would be if you need to use backslash a lot.

 

[strumpusplunket]

No biggie for me, but I guess it would be if you need to use backslash a lot.

Yeah, I think I only use that in cmd windows, which I use once in a blue moon, tbh.

After reading your last post I did a little check (don't know why I didn't think of that before really) and it's actually so easy to switch between US and UK input modes I can't see it being an issue to switch to UK when I need a £ sign and back again once I've finished.

Cool. That does open up my options for cheap keyboards quite a bit as there are a decent number that are US layout I've been finding.

 

[rhysduck]

Alt-92 is the ASCII shortcut for a backslash.

I have a TKL US layout Logitech keyboard. Set to UK layout in Windows. never have to bother with swapping it over.

 

[tamzzy]

I use the US layout on my home computer....but only because I've been brought up with it.
Though at work it's (obvs) UK layout.
Not really noticed much of a difference or problems tbh. If I need the £ sign, it's Alt-0163

 

[strumpusplunket]

Alt-92 is the ASCII shortcut for a backslash.

I have a TKL US layout Logitech keyboard. Set to UK layout in Windows. never have to bother with swapping it over.

How do you do the £ sign without using Alt+ the 0163 ASCII code on the numpad?

Given I only use the £ sign in specific documents it seems quite straightfoward to swap and then swap back (just alt+shift), but if there's an easier way than the Alt+numpad code that would be good to know. (I tried alt-gr, shift and 4 and it didn't work for me when set to US)

 

[rhysduck]

How do you do the £ sign without using Alt+ the 0163 ASCII code on the numpad?

Given I only use the £ sign in specific documents it seems quite straightfoward to swap and then swap back (just alt+shift), but if there's an easier way than the Alt+numpad code that would be good to know. (I tried alt-gr, shift and 4 and it didn't work for me when set to US)

You don't need to bother with ASCII code for a £ sign. Just Shift+3 as you would normally. The key itself doesn't show the £ sign but as you have Windows set to UK Keyboard it'll act as if a UK keyboard was connected.

PS: TKL = Ten Keyless. I.e. no numpad

PPS: I only both with the backslash alt command as my keyboard doesn't have that key.

 

[strumpusplunket]

You don't need to bother with ASCII code for a £ sign. Just Shift+3 as you would normally. The key itself doesn't show the £ sign but as you have Windows set to UK Keyboard it'll act as if a UK keyboard was connected.

PS: TKL = Ten Keyless. I.e. no numpad

Sorry - I smushed together your post and the following one in my head! I was wondering how you do the numpad ASCII code for the £ sign given you have no keypad and are in US layout! I now see, of course, you're using UK layout and it's @tamzzy who uses US (on presumably a 104 key board) with the ASCII code for the £ sign...

 

[tamzzy]

and it's @tamzzy who uses US (on presumably a 104 key board) with the ASCII code for the £ sign...

haha yeah

 

[Uncle Petey]

Just found that ctrl+alt lets you type \ and ctrl+alt+shift is | on the US labelled key that would normally be ~# on a UK board.
You guys probably knew that, but you never know

 

[strumpusplunket]

Just found that ctrl+alt lets you type \ and ctrl+alt+shift is | on the US labelled key that would normally be ~# on a UK board.
You guys probably knew that, but you never know

I didn't know that, actually!

But all this has been helpful. Just ordered a 104 key US keyboard with red switches (last minute change - figure they can't be worse for typing than this old membrane thing and I like light activation for gaming). Only £41 so no biggie if I find I don't like the switches that much.

Cheers guys.

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Could use macros
So when you press whatever key
It will type what you want
Regardless of what the keyboard
Key is labelled

 

[tamzzy]

But all this has been helpful. Just ordered a 104 key US keyboard with red switches

just realised you're in brum.
i'd have let you try mine (US + red switches) lol