Okay, I am thinking about ordering one or two keyboards. One as a present and maybe one for myself. The keyboard is a Unicomp buckling spring 'Model-M' type. As I live in the UK, I will have to get them imported from the US. This will make the keyboards very expensive. Around $150 for one (inc. P&P), or $250 for two (inc. P&P). As we get a good exchange rate this will bring the price down slightly but they will still be pretty expensive. Anyway these keyboards come with either a USB or PS/2 connector. With certain security issues surrounding USB recently coming to light and the legacy status of PS/2 I am not sure which one to go for. Any input or advice would be much appreciated.
Don't forget the Taxman and Royal Mails slice of the pie on those keyboards if you're importing to Blighty!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=byjPd28KegM
(I like PS/2 as you can power down the PC from the keyboard, think you can only go into sleep/hybinate with USB, but sure I will be corrected if I'm wrong)
I have imported many things and never once got tax slapped on top, thankfully. I have seen the warnings many a time though. I am not sure how they decide on what to tax. I think if they taxed everything it would stop me from importing items, which would be a terrible thing. As after P&P it would be unfeasible.
You could go with the PS2 one and buy a USB to PS2 cable that way you can use it on a system with out a ps2 port.
For anything from outside the EU (where duty is applicable and over £9) they go by the declared value on the tax deceleration form.
I import a lot of gear (my business is mail order) and get stung about one out of every five packages.....the big insult is not the 20% VAT charge, but the Royal Mail fix handling fee of £8 for anything worth £15 or more!
Its worth factoring it in, as they will get you one day! (bastards!)
*IF* you are using the two keyboards for two separate computers, there is a program called synergy that allows the use of one keyboard and mouse. if one computer is not your gaming PC, use the PS/2 mouse on your game machine and use the non-gaming machine as the client.
I am not an expert on these matters, but I don't think I have to be to see that that is disgusting.
Thank you for your input Billgatez. Something to definitely factor in.
One keyboard was actually going to be a present for someone else, the other for myself. That looks like a really interesting utility though. The name kind of rings a bell. May have to look in to it sometime if such a situation arises. Thanks ProSonicLive.
So do they seem to just indiscriminately tax random items or do the heavier, bigger, more expensive ones get hit more?
Bigger packages tend to get the duty slapped on them, rather then thing that fit though the letter box. I assume this is something to do with how they are sorted, as it Parcelforce deal with large packages and Royal Mail the smaller, (but head plenty of small packages taxed too.
no problem, It has been a very valuable asset to me.
It states that the couriers are FedEX. Hopefully this should avoid any Royal Mail handling fee.