Thinking about buying a Keyboard, need some help!

[Zantera]

Hello musicians of DTF!
I've had this urge for about 2 years now that I really want to start make my own music and also learn to play some of my favorite songs.
While I have played guitar before (and still have one), keyboard seems to appeal to me a bit more, because the whole writing/playing-process is a bit more interesting, and personally I feel like it's easily the instrument that offers the most variety in terms of sound.

But to the problem, I am a complete noob when it comes to instruments, and I have no idea what to look for.
It would be really cool with a multi-keyboard, something that offers a lot of variety, because I think it's awesome when artists and bands use keyboard, and they change some settings, which results in getting keyboard, piano, almost organ-sounding and electronic-type, all from the same keyboard.
Also something I could maybe hook up to my computer to get more options and variety, and sorta access what I make easier.

So to some of my newbie questions, is it fun to play? any particular brands or keyboards that you could recommend that would work for my "needs"? prices and such?

Thanks in advance.

[Dr. DTVT]

Yes, it's fun to play

Without knowing what price range you have in mind - and that I don't know what the conversion rate is - here is some good advice for keyboard hunting for a beginner:

1) Full weighted keys, get them.  Don't even question this one.

2) Most keyboards will interface with computers through a MIDI to USB cable (sold separately).  I don't know what you mean by "more options and variety", a mid-range keyboard will have well over 500 instruments stored, as well as some basic tools like a pitch bender.  You don't want to be "re-writing" your keyboard unless you really know what you're doing.  Some keyboards will have a custom sound bank where you can make your own sounds, but it seems pretty complicated.

3) Go to a store and play some keyboards.  Get a feel.  Listen to the various sound banks, see if they sound the way you want them to sound.  Find out if you can modify the sound and how.  One of the biggest differences between a keyboard and pianos and guitars is sustain.  Keyboards will often cut out when you release the key, unless you have a way of telling it not to, either through the keyboard software, or more likely, a pedal (again sold separately).

4) This won't be an issue if you are recording through other equipment, but if you plan on using your keyboard's memory to compose, polyphony might become an issue.  You wouldn't want to play 65 keys simultaniously, but if you are putting several instruments in a composition and playing it through your keyboard, you might have an issue.  Polyphony is the maximum number of individual sounds that can be simulataniously expressed.  Again, not usually an issue unless you are recording from keyboard memory - which I don't do, I record each instrument individually.

5) Listen to Orbert if he posts in this thread.

[crawl_away]

It seems you want your keyboard more as an instrument than a midi instrument/controller.

So,

Avoid anything with Midi in it. Not necessary for your applications.

Get something with weighted keys.

Get a sustain pedal!

[Zantera]

Sounds interesting, I'm a newbie at this as I said.
I will probably look around some at various instrument-sites and check prices, then maybe try some in store, but it's a huge jungle of keyboards out there. 

[BlobVanDam]

It seems you want your keyboard more as an instrument than a midi instrument/controller.

So,

Avoid anything with Midi in it. Not necessary for your applications.

Get something with weighted keys.

Get a sustain pedal!

Any keyboard that isn't a kid's toy is going to have midi regardless. It's not really a high end thing that's costing you extra money. And midi is good for future proofing. Then if you want to upgrade the sounds, you don't need to buy a new keyboard, just get some VSTi's and do some recording on the PC.