CM Storm Novatouch

[radio_killah]

Well, here it is both with hhkb spacebar mods and with novatouch.

It feels so good guys like seriously.

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Looks magnificent. I want to do the same to my HHKB now..

[dorkvader]

So Topre is based in Japan, but recently they have started making cheaper products in China. This means they have a factory in China. It is entirely possible that the entire keyboard is made under that one roof with Topre's approval. Having Topre to make the PCB and domes in Japan and then ship them to China for the rest to be put together would incur a huge expense.

So it's all made by the same company. If you want to call that an OEM you can, but it's not really the same as like when WASD just had costar mail them a bunch of one of their reference keyboards to brand, or like how filco's are a filco / diatec design but manufactured by costar. The OEM / client relationship is a little different in each of these cases so it's really hard to know for sure what the proper term is.

I don't know where you get your info, but I just double checked with cooler master (I'm a novatouch beta tester) that confirmed what they originally told me: PCBs and domes are made in japan and shipped to China where the keyboard is assembled. It's something that is commonly done, I really don't see the problem.

fascinating. I stand corrected. Thanks for the info.

[LechnerDE]

Well, here it is both with hhkb spacebar mods and with novatouch.

It feels so good guys like seriously.

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Nice Mod TJ  :thumb:

I'll guess we'll see a lot of MX HHKBs in the future :D

[slickmamba]

Oh god it is beautiful.  Now to find sets that come with a 6u spacebar!!

[tjcaustin]

Oh god it is beautiful.  Now to find sets that come with a 6u spacebar!!

I got lucky with the orange RF spacebar I found, but it might be easier to plan around the black/white/beige rf spacebars available in topre stem/stab.  The reason being that it's probably harder to find a 6.25x topre stabilized spacebar. 

Or someone could start modding 6x cherry spacebars, too. 

[slickmamba]

Oh god it is beautiful.  Now to find sets that come with a 6u spacebar!!

I got lucky with the orange RF spacebar I found, but it might be easier to plan around the black/white/beige rf spacebars available in topre stem/stab.  The reason being that it's probably harder to find a 6.25x topre stabilized spacebar. 

Or someone could start modding 6x cherry spacebars, too.

Haha, right now, I am thinking penumbra the whole way.  Hopefully the solarized matches the white of the hhkb pretty well.  We will have to see! 

[henz]

is it not time for custom built topre boards soon, asutin, that must have cost a fortune >_<

[tjcaustin]

is it not time for custom built topre boards soon, asutin, that must have cost a fortune >_<

It cost the price of a novatouch.  I think I might start considering pricing either a milled or cast metal case since I've modified the dome weight, stems, stabilizers and controller now.

[Latin00032]

Well, here it is both with hhkb spacebar mods and with novatouch.

It feels so good guys like seriously.

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Cool!!!!

I'm really interested in seeing how you make the stabilizers work for the enter and left shift keys.

[tjcaustin]

Well, here it is both with hhkb spacebar mods and with novatouch.

It feels so good guys like seriously.

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Cool!!!!

I'm really interested in seeing how you make the stabilizers work for the enter and left shift keys.

First, I tried just clipping the little nub things off the novatouch stabs so the actual stem would fit into the hhkb platecase.  They fit fine and respond great.  However, the caps had reduced travel and my enter key was floppy, so I had to drill 2 1/4" holes in the case so the keys would seat properly. 

[Tiramisuu]

A group buy on cherry stems for torpre switches shouldn't be that tough to do.

[davkol]

Made by Topre? Imposiburu.

[_PixelNinja]

Yeah. If you are thinking in dealing directly with Topre that is not going to happen.

[Hypersphere]

Yeah. If you are thinking in dealing directly with Topre that is not going to happen.

Wise words. Sad but most probably true.

[tjcaustin]

A group buy on cherry stems for torpre switches shouldn't be that tough to do.

matt3o has been looking into it for a good 6 months now.  He's got a good design hammered out, just hasn't got it into major production (you can buy them in singles off shapeways for lots of $)

[colomb]

Does anyone know of a place to source the foam pads found in silenced topre boards ( http://imgur.com/a/8vnHb )? I've seen the dental band mod and another where someone punched out the rings out of a rubber mat, but I'd rather have the actual ( or something similar to the ) foam rings pictured in the aforementioned link.

[PointyFox]

You can punch rings out of a sheet in 1 shot with one of those Mayhew punches that let you attach an inner and outer punch.

[deci]

You can get .5 mm foam discs made in China.
$50 for 500 (moq) cheaper for more.

I looked into it but decided I prefer stock lubes. Need longer stem like the type s to have no change in feel.

[nubbinator]

A group buy on cherry stems for torpre switches shouldn't be that tough to do.

matt3o has been looking into it for a good 6 months now.  He's got a good design hammered out, just hasn't got it into major production (you can buy them in singles off shapeways for lots of $)

You know, that could be a good use of the machine shop my cousin works at.  If he can get a nice mold model made from the model he has now, I may be able to get a mold made for resin or injection molding for a lot cheaper than going elsewhere.  For injection molding, it would then just be an issue of finding a place that can do POM injection molding at a decent price.  I know there are some places near me, but I don't know what their rates are.

[argcargv]

Well, here it is both with hhkb spacebar mods and with novatouch.

It feels so good guys like seriously.

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I'd like to see what you did with left shift and enter key stabilizer setup, those MX keys have 3 posts where the stock Topre have only one?

They're just chilling on one stab atm.  I'll probably drill out the case and use some novatouch stabilizers I didn't clip when I get my next novatouch to finish my second hhkb.  Enter is wobbly to use.

So the left shift key and the enter key still has the hhkb sliders in them? because I noticed these two sliders are different than the rest. Smaller and without the stub. (at least on my type s)

[tjcaustin]

Well, here it is both with hhkb spacebar mods and with novatouch.

It feels so good guys like seriously.

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I'd like to see what you did with left shift and enter key stabilizer setup, those MX keys have 3 posts where the stock Topre have only one?

They're just chilling on one stab atm.  I'll probably drill out the case and use some novatouch stabilizers I didn't clip when I get my next novatouch to finish my second hhkb.  Enter is wobbly to use.

So the left shift key and the enter key still has the hhkb sliders in them? because I noticed these two sliders are different than the rest. Smaller and without the stub. (at least on my type s)

No, they have novatouch sliders that I clipped the tabs off of.  My next one, I'll leave the novatouch sliders whole and just drill a couple small holes in the case

[argcargv]

No, they have novatouch sliders that I clipped the tabs off of.  My next one, I'll leave the novatouch sliders whole and just drill a couple small holes in the case

Thanks!
I want to do your mod to my hhkb too, I'm seriously considering getting a nova touch now 

I read your previous posts and you said that the enter and shift keys are a little wobbly? Do you think your next mod when you drill holes into the hhkb will help prevent that?
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[Limewirelord]

Is there any way to get 55g spring replacements for the Topre switches?  I tried it at PAX and it felt wonderful to type on but I wanted just a slightly heavier key press.

[HPE1000]

Is there any way to get 55g spring replacements for the Topre switches?  I tried it at PAX and it felt wonderful to type on but I wanted just a slightly heavier key press.

The domes are what is different between weights, not the springs.

[tjcaustin]

No, they have novatouch sliders that I clipped the tabs off of.  My next one, I'll leave the novatouch sliders whole and just drill a couple small holes in the case

Thanks!
I want to do your mod to my hhkb too, I'm seriously considering getting a nova touch now 

I read your previous posts and you said that the enter and shift keys are a little wobbly? Do you think your next mod when you drill holes into the hhkb will help prevent that?
Modify message

I know it will, I later drilled holes in the hhkb pictured and it fixed the wobble right up.

[Limewirelord]

The domes are what is different between weights, not the springs.

Oh, really?  I'd wager a guess that being able to buy a different rubber layer isn't possible then.

[tjcaustin]

The domes are what is different between weights, not the springs.

Oh, really?  I'd wager a guess that being able to buy a different rubber layer isn't possible then.

The cups are only salvageable from other topre boards.  For instance, my hhkb got its 55g cups from a rf88ub.

[Sempre]

The cups are only salvageable from other topre boards.  For instance, my hhkb got its 55g cups from a rf88ub.

55g hhkb with GMK caps,  you've got it all figured out huh 

[Puddsy]

my RF is 45g domes from a 45g RF

it used to be 55g

[Hypersphere]

@tjcaustin: Kudos for bravery and skill in transplanting Novatouch stems to a HHKB. I need to get a lot more surgical practice on lesser boards before attempting such a feat.

In the meantime, I am readying my new Kul ES-87 with mx clears for sale (I very much like the quality and features of the Kul, but I don't like mx clears), and having fun with my CM Novatouch.

It is interesting how the sound and feel of the Novatouch changes with different keycaps and with or without O-rings. Right now, I've installed another dye-sub thick PBT set. This one is from geek_feng: white alphas with blue legends, blue mods with black legends, white arrow keys with black legends, and the right control replaced with a light gray menu key with a blue legend. These caps fit much better than the loose-fitting ones from Imsto, and the board looks, sounds, and feels great.

My only remaining quibble with the CM Novatouch is the Fn key, which is fixed and cannot readily be reprogrammed or remapped. In contrast, the Kul has a handy DIP switch setting for changing the Fn key to menu, which can then be remapped using remapping software. With the Novatouch, I remapped right control as Fn; I can then map Fn to have various functions to my liking, but the board ends up with the original Fn key as a dead key. I hope that CM will take note of this and perhaps incorporate DIP switches into their next refresh of the Novatouch, or just leave out a Fn key and have a Menu key that could then be remapped using remapping software.

Other than the Fn key issue, I am liking the CM Novatouch more and more. To me, it does not sound or feel like any of my other Topre-switch keyboards (including my RF 87u 55g, RF 87u 45g, Leopold FC660C, or HHKB Pro 2), but it has a unique sound and feel of its own, which can be modulated by installing different keycaps with or without various types of O-rings. I definitely like the CM Novatouch better than any Cherry mx keyboard I have tried. It provides the unmatched tactile feedback of a light Topre switch with the ability to accommodate Cherry mx keycaps.

I will soon be selling all my Cherry mx boards, but keeping the Novatouch as the new home for my best Cherry mx keycaps. I've tried mx brown, blue, vintage black, green, and clear, and I have not liked any of them. I might still give reds and contemporary blacks a try before giving up on Cherry mx switches altogether. However, there is no question about liking Topre switches, including those in the CM Novatouch.

[Limewirelord]

The cups are only salvageable from other topre boards.  For instance, my hhkb got its 55g cups from a rf88ub.

Shame

[skuko]

i need the novatouch in the EU ffs. :X any of the beta testers willing to send me theirs for a week or so?

[wes1099]

I am waiting until the price drops to buy one of these. Hopefully it goes down to at least $150 or so. Right now they are $239 on amazon in the US...

[tjcaustin]

I am waiting until the price drops to buy one of these. Hopefully it goes down to at least $150 or so. Right now they are $239 on amazon in the US...

Then go direct.  There's a code in here somewhere for 10% off and they're retailing at $200.

[Hypersphere]

I am waiting until the price drops to buy one of these. Hopefully it goes down to at least $150 or so. Right now they are $239 on amazon in the US...

Yikes! They have increased the price. It started out at 200 USD on Amazon, and with Amazon Prime, it was free shipping.

I am typing on my Novatouch now. I like it, and it is fun to modulate its appearance, sound, and feel by outfitting it with various Cherry mx keycap sets and different O-rings; however, the range of Topre Realforce boards is $199 to $245, depending on options.

[intelli78]

Yikes! They have increased the price. It started out at 200 USD on Amazon, and with Amazon Prime, it was free shipping.

The Amazon price is around $190 right now, the $240 is a third-party seller.

[colomb]

Been using the Novatouch all week with IMSTO thick PBT caps and still enjoying it. Less thock than I was hoping though.

This evening, I added the o-rings that shipped with the board, and I'm pleasantly surprised at the result. The only other topre board I've used is an HHKB Pro 2 Type-S. With the addition of these o-rings, I'd say the feel of the Novatouch resembles it much more now.

[deci]

Been using the Novatouch all week with IMSTO thick PBT caps and still enjoying it. Less thock than I was hoping though.

This evening, I added the o-rings that shipped with the board, and I'm pleasantly surprised at the result. The only other topre board I've used is an HHKB Pro 2 Type-S. With the addition of these o-rings, I'd say the feel of the Novatouch resembles it much more now.

Yeah, the o-rings made it feel much more topre like to me as well. Glad it wasn't just in my head.

[skuko]

Been using the Novatouch all week with IMSTO thick PBT caps and still enjoying it. Less thock than I was hoping though.

This evening, I added the o-rings that shipped with the board, and I'm pleasantly surprised at the result. The only other topre board I've used is an HHKB Pro 2 Type-S. With the addition of these o-rings, I'd say the feel of the Novatouch resembles it much more now.

this is what i want to use it with, imsto thick PBT. can you please make a couple of photos? how is the fit of the caps? are they loose/tight?

[Hypersphere]

Been using the Novatouch all week with IMSTO thick PBT caps and still enjoying it. Less thock than I was hoping though.

This evening, I added the o-rings that shipped with the board, and I'm pleasantly surprised at the result. The only other topre board I've used is an HHKB Pro 2 Type-S. With the addition of these o-rings, I'd say the feel of the Novatouch resembles it much more now.

this is what i want to use it with, imsto thick PBT. can you please make a couple of photos? how is the fit of the caps? are they loose/tight?

Here is a pic of my NT w/ Imsto dye-sub thick PBT caps. They were a bit loose; in fact one of the caps was so loose that it would pop off when the key was released suddenly. I remedied this with a piece of Saran wrap on the keycap stem. Now I have another dye-sub PBT set from geek_feng on the board. These fit a bit more snugly with no keycaps so loose that they pop off. The sound and feel is fine without O-rings.

[colomb]

Been using the Novatouch all week with IMSTO thick PBT caps and still enjoying it. Less thock than I was hoping though.

This evening, I added the o-rings that shipped with the board, and I'm pleasantly surprised at the result. The only other topre board I've used is an HHKB Pro 2 Type-S. With the addition of these o-rings, I'd say the feel of the Novatouch resembles it much more now.

this is what i want to use it with, imsto thick PBT. can you please make a couple of photos? how is the fit of the caps? are they loose/tight?

When putting the IMSTO caps on, they feel looser than the stock ones, but no looser than when they were on my QFR. That being said, I can't feel any looseness when typing. I can reproduce what Hypersphere is talking about, but only if I remove my finger off a pressed key in an extremely exaggerated fashion.

[Matter]

Where can I get some keycaps for the topre boards?

I'm ordering the HHKB soon and will be ordering the spare keycaps but just wondering if there are other places that i can order keycaps from?

[rowdy]

Where can I get some keycaps for the topre boards?

I'm ordering the HHKB soon and will be ordering the spare keycaps but just wondering if there are other places that i can order keycaps from?

There's two of me

[feizor]

Where can I get some keycaps for the topre boards?

I'm ordering the HHKB soon and will be ordering the spare keycaps but just wondering if there are other places that i can order keycaps from?

There's two of me

(Attachment Link)

Seeing doubles

[SpAmRaY]

Where can I get some keycaps for the topre boards?

I'm ordering the HHKB soon and will be ordering the spare keycaps but just wondering if there are other places that i can order keycaps from?

The novatouch is the first topre board to use MX caps.

But widebasket on eBay had some realforce sets the other day.

[MJ45]

Where can I get some keycaps for the topre boards?

I'm ordering the HHKB soon and will be ordering the spare keycaps but just wondering if there are other places that i can order keycaps from?

There's two of me

(Attachment Link)

A clear case of "Avatar Infringement" going on here.

[HPE1000]

Where can I get some keycaps for the topre boards?

I'm ordering the HHKB soon and will be ordering the spare keycaps but just wondering if there are other places that i can order keycaps from?

There's two of me

(Attachment Link)

LOL

[Matter]

Where can I get some keycaps for the topre boards?

I'm ordering the HHKB soon and will be ordering the spare keycaps but just wondering if there are other places that i can order keycaps from?

There's two of me

(Attachment Link)

LOL

Removed my avatar!

I liked the clack which is why I used it.
Hope it doesn't offend anyone here!

[MJ45]

Where can I get some keycaps for the topre boards?

I'm ordering the HHKB soon and will be ordering the spare keycaps but just wondering if there are other places that i can order keycaps from?

There's two of me

(Attachment Link)

LOL

Removed my avatar!

I liked the clack which is why I used it.
Hope it doesn't offend anyone here!

I was just joking but I'm sure you'll find another Avatar, I forgot to say Welcome to Geekhack!!!

[dorkvader]

I did a full teardown and photoshoot of the review sample I'm looking after before the passaround.

Some things:
1. It has the exact same stabilizer design as a normal realforce KB. I have photos of both.
2. Stabilizer rattle is about the same. Looking at the design, I can see what causes this and have a few ideas for mitigating it. Sadly it will have to wait until I can get a novatouch of my own.
3. I now know what that guy was talking about on the bottoming out thing. It's pretty tough on 45g to not bottom out. I will have to work on it a little I think.

Full review coming soon. Pictures are a little blurry as my phone was dying so I may have to re-shoot them.