Focus FK-9200 keyboard review (Focus dome with slider)

Skip to 11:06 for a typing demonstration.
Today we look at a vintage programmable keyboard with trackball and calculator, the successor to the FK-9000 I featured recently. Hope you enjoy! :)
My keyboard reviews: bit.ly/1TbOtft
My switch teardowns: bit.ly/2C1QGHz
My TOP X videos: bit.ly/2FmpZfd
My XL typing demos: bit.ly/2OoAW3w
I'm Thomas and I do videos and reviews on mechanical keyboards ranging from the most sickening modern RGB gaming keyboards to vintage hardware relics, or sometimes keycaps or keyswitches ranging from Cherry MX to Alps SKCM to IBM buckling springs and anything in between.
Follow me on Twitter for updates on my keyboard videos! / chyrosran22
The practice sentence was: "Hello my name is Thomas and I'm typing on a Focus FK-9200 right now. This is possibly the most useful keyboard I've ever owned, although it's marred by Focus' usual lack of build quality."

[@RevolverLancelot]

One of the things this keyboard has that I *really really* like is the indicator LEDs *on* the relevant keys. I had an old laptop like that and it's one of the things I miss the most from it.

[@toufusoup]

"Oh hey, a new Chyrosran22 video!" *Remembers the poll* This oughta be good.

[@Chyrosran22]

Toufusoup that one is coming in two weeks :p .

[@TommyFenstermacher5150]

We've already seen that Coolgreen Fold 2000 and that hideous SC leaf spring over membrane board. How could it possibly get worse?

[@Chyrosran22]

Trust me. It's HORRIBLE XD .

[@TommyFenstermacher5150]

Worse than that stupid laser projector keyboard? I mean, I know there's bad shit out there, but worse still? I'm not sure I can handle such fuckness.

[@Chyrosran22]

I'm not sure it's worse, it's just completely terrible in a very different way. Don't worry, I still have a few nightmares lying around ;) .

[@SoulcatcherLucario]

It's like Focus is adamant on integrating a calculator into your keyboard.

[@moofymoo]

we have so many buttons on keyboards, why not use those buttons for calculators? makes perfect sense.

[@NightMotorcyclist]

I remember seeing these back in college in the computer labs for the science department. They were in the process of throwing them out as part of a modernization overhaul of all their equipment.

[@TuxmanXP]

Also, a giant Thumbs Up! for the shown love of battleships. Your channel made me buy a Unicomp PC122 as a replacement for my "full-size" QPAD keyboard just because I can see how useful having 12 extra keys can be (plus, I like to have weird hardware and software to show off ;-)). I wonder how people can do serious work with less than 100 buttons.

[@Chyrosran22]

I know I can't, that's for sure xD . You'll like next week's board, that one has even more buttons! ;)

[@TuxmanXP]

Chyrosran22: Uh. I hope it can't be bought anymore, because money!

[@acebulf]

I use an ergodox, and the answer is to make every weird key into a layer and then you don have to move your hands at all, ever (other than keyboard mouse)

[@azurabayta133]

Oh! Nice to see a review of this board, I have an FK-8200 which is basically the same as this one, minus the trackball. I like using it a lot, the weird keyfeel and sound is actually kind of comforting to me somehow.

[@szdowk]

I have a 9200. It is wonderful. I use it 17 years already, and I got it as used device(!). The only missing for me feature is a LED in KB CAL key to indicate numpad mode.

[@symplesy2056]

that wallpaper is awesome!!!

[@Chyrosran22]

Symplesy it's from an old pc magazine article that discusses IBM PC clones. I have it as wallpaper on my Mac at work as well (in an act of defiance :p).

[@niko1u426]

can you post a link to it ?

[@Chyrosran22]

I don't have the original article link anymore but I uploaded the image: i.imgur.com/M3ZLy8N.jpg

[@niko1u426]

thanks man

[@XalphYT]

9:03 shows "Target: Big Blue" by Alan Gutierrez. It is from the Oct. 1986 issue of Popular Mechanics in the article by Rob Scibilia. (You can find it nowadays on Deviant Art.)

[@brooksrownd2275]

The similar (1997?) FK7200 was my "daily driver" for about 5 years in the early 2000s. It had the old style AT and 9 pin dsub serial port connectors. I LOVED the trackball in the middle of the space bar, which was so easy to use with a thumb without having to move my hands off of home row. It was VERY cheap, but decently tactile.

[@compu85]

I picked up a FK6200 today, which looks to be the "standard" version of this keyboard. I was rummaging at the used computer store, and after seeing what I thought were alps mount doubleshot keycaps I nabbed it. Dangit why did Focus have to change the Alps mounting just a little bit!

[@Chyrosran22]

Yeah, the 6200 was the successor to the FK-6000, which was its second-gen counterpart.

[@Deadite9405]

I just found a FK-6200 with the same switches in a thrift store. They're definitely clicky, though the click is REALLY soft, and the clack very much covers it up.

[@Ferrichrome]

Hey Chyros, do you think you could do a video going over your whole collection of keyboards? I think the boxes you made for some of them is particularly interesting.

[@Chyrosran22]

Yes, I plan on doing one very soon!

[@movax20h]

I would love this keyboard, just without numpad section. The built in calculator is reall useful for data entry people, but even for casual quick calculations it is cool to have it). I am searching for narrow mechanical keyboard with at least additional row of function keys that either can be programmed in keyboard to send strings (macros), or send unique keycodes so I can do something with them in my OS.

[@bland9876]

I had a keyboard back in the late 90's early 2000's that had a tiny trackpad with the buttons strangely to the right my perants had a trackball mouse hooked up so i never got to use it also the keyboard was split making the spacebar split in 2

[@pumm1]

What's the USB converter you are now using that you mention in the video? With quick googling can't find it

[@bland9876]

Wonder what your least favorite keyboard is that's still somewhat normal (so no cellphone keybords or the xbox 360 chatpad etc)

[@nanocoffeebean]

If you want to have separate sensitivities for different mice, get eithermouse (as long as you use windows).

[@minh5044]

5:46 PhD? What did you specialize in if you don't mind me asking :)

[@Chyrosran22]

Chemistry.

[@olik136]

What was the name of the working usb converter? - I have the same problem with my (unbranded) converter (it is the 3rd one I tried and they all have a different problem...)

[@Chyrosran22]

Oli K it's a Soarer's.

[@ShadowlordDio]

those have alps keycaps. i would love to be able to customize the keycaps with pudding oines and add adressable rgb led strips below it. i have similar keyboard

[@TuxmanXP]

I'm confused: 3:47 Why do smaller (Alps) switches fit the longer (Focus) mount? Wouldn't it be the other way?

[@XalphYT]

TuxmanXP The answer is looking you in the face at your time stamp: The stem on the Focus keycap is too wide for Alps key switches. Push as hard as you want. It won't fit. Reversely, an Alps stem will fit on this Focus board with wiggle room to the left and right of the stem when mounted, which accounts for the loose fit.

[@TuxmanXP]

XalphYT Hmm, I seem to be dumb. I thought longer (Focus) switches fit smaller (Alps) stems with some room...

[@ipullstuffapart]

I have one of these, though without the trackball. Sadly, over time a number of the keys stopped working, and the stabilisers on a few of the larger keys broke at their mounting points and made the keyboard useless to type on.

[@Chyrosran22]

ipullstuffapart IIRC the one without the trackball is the FK-8200.

[@ipullstuffapart]

Yep! That's the one. The very keyboard I learnt to type on back in the 90's

[@ottolinden371]

How can i get the wallpaper at 9:00 in the video?

[@nohero178]

I would love to have a trackball like that. Pretty cool.

[@Make_SPQR_Great_Again]

I have a focus 8200 which is basically the one without trackball. Mine, however, has double shot on all keycaps.

[@Vintodrimmer]

Not only a better placement but an actual trackball instead of some crappy trackpoint? Why did this not catch on? Though I do think they could have made it even better with split spacebar and bigger ball.

[@Chyrosran22]

The split space bar? No, other companies used Ease-Erase as well.

[@bland9876]

Trackpoint is supposed to make the keyboard smaller like on a laptop I'd seen keyboards before with track pads on them and no I'm not talkin about those tablet keyboards

[@henrikgustav2294]

When i press Prog in calculator mode, it changes to zero. So im not sure how to set the time

[@supertoasting1011]

This would be a really good keyboard to have at the office. It's not too loud and has a lot of utility.

[@minoanlight4545]

Using the words such as "fuck" and "fucking" without self censoring and even without a shred of hesitation. Fucking awesome!

[@nofreenamestoreg]

Thanks fot the review!

[@illitero]

I saw the thumbnail and immediately said, "this keyboard needs to chill the fuck out."

[@soakedcardinal1234]

@Chyrosran22 what do you do in your free time

[@svetoslavivanov7905]

I think its keyboard related :)

[@Chyrosran22]

Write scripts, film reviews, edit footage xD .

[@riflemanm16a2]

The box says it has three windows keys. Where's the third one!?!? Is it counting the menu key as one?

[@Chyrosran22]

Riflemanm16a2 yes, probably.

[@JoVeda_xo]

Im looking for trackball keyboard with backlit

[@captapraelium1591]

My only interest in this board was hearing your expletive description.

[@Chyrosran22]

Capta Praelium I said that one was going to be in two weeks from now xD .

[@Robo10q]

I have never used a dome switch that I liked better than a tactile switch. Are there any that are even in the same league?

[@Chyrosran22]

Rob Ostry personally, I like some good ones, like BTC and Scorpius, better than some really bad mechanical switches, like Cherry MX brown.

[@sirrobin]

Would love to know where you got that wallpaper

[@Chyrosran22]

I uploaded it here: i.imgur.com/M3ZLy8N.jpg

[@XalphYT]

You can find it directly from the artist on Deviant Art. It's called "Target: Big Blue" by AlanGutierrezArt.

[@sirrobin]

Chyrosran22 thank you! I have been working there for a short while. My coworker are sure to love it.

[@devjock]

Don't use putty. Use Sugru. Heck, not even for mounting keycaps, but for actually MAKING keycaps. Pretty damn awesome stuff. When cured, you can drill into it, paint it, Dremel it, etc.. It's amazing stuff.

[@Chyrosran22]

Shouldn't be hard-mod, that was you can never remove them anymore!

[@jacekruzyczka3058]

Spanish / Catalan layout?

[@GurtTarctor]

The sound reminds me a little of a scrabble bag, quite like it actually.

[@LaskyLabs]

Galaxy brain putting his passwords on a macro key. I'd do the same, don't worry.

[@IanThatMetalBassist]

I'd love to have an entire keyboard in the same blue color as the trackball

[@Chyrosran22]

The trackball is actually bright green xD . There are keysets that use a similar colour :) .

[@bybod]

There shoud be new big keyboards

[@ShoelessJP]

I don't understand why Focus integrated so many clocks/calculators into their boards. I guess it's largely a product of the era they are from.

[@Chyrosran22]

Jonathan Patten they were basically just trying to innovate.

[@an2qzavok]

Maybe they had parts in stock and needed to put them to some use.

[@LouisOrangeCat]

The Ç layout

[@JOELwindows7]

Vintage Twitch capable keyboard. Maybe...

[@supertoasting1011]

Ugh that spacebar is hideous.

[@yanguYT]

you are a god

[@nateofnazareth7785]

Ah, focus peerless

[@hemogoblin3076]

Oh shit, I'm early as hell

[@judithrobson826]

Oooh a focus fk9000 really?! LOL

[@unknown96565]

This keyboard is still perfect for office usages.

[@Krieger22FS]

SECOND

[@captapraelium1591]

knowyourmeme.com/memes/first

[@obiscotchkenobi6195]

Third!

[@captapraelium1591]

knowyourmeme.com/memes/first

[@jphili]

I can't believe this video exists. I just saw someone trying to hock one of these piece of trash keyboards on ebay for over a hundred bucks... So I checked here to see if there was some amazing thing I forgot they could do that has been lost in time. Nope. Nothing. There is absolutely nothing special about these crappy old keyboards and there is absolutely nothing that could possibly warrant anyone purchasing one of these "vintage" keyboards that isn't being done as well or better than any cheap keyboard on the market today. These still belong in the garbage. Lol.

[@hikari9837]

OwO I’m i first?

[@captapraelium1591]

knowyourmeme.com/memes/first

[@hikari9837]

Capta Praelium Lmao