geekhack

geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: flacman on Wed, 30 January 2013, 22:02:33

Title: Where can I get Topre Realforce 87 keyboards?
Post by: flacman on Wed, 30 January 2013, 22:02:33
I looked in Japan - Sofmap, Yodobashi, Bic Camera.

I've looked around on the internet.

I cannot for the life of me find any stock of the Topre Realforce 87U 45/55g ...other than at Elite Keyboards.

I love the feel of the Topre switches (I think the HHKB is 45g?) but with Windows 8, I'm really starting to miss the arrow and Windows keys.

Help?
Title: Re: Where can I get Topre Realforce 87 keyboards?
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 30 January 2013, 22:22:10
you mean in japan, or in the USA.
Title: Re: Where can I get Topre Realforce 87 keyboards?
Post by: okooko on Wed, 30 January 2013, 22:37:44
I looked in Japan - Sofmap, Yodobashi, Bic Camera.

I've looked around on the internet.

I cannot for the life of me find any stock of the Topre Realforce 87U 45/55g ...other than at Elite Keyboards.

I love the feel of the Topre switches (I think the HHKB is 45g?) but with Windows 8, I'm really starting to miss the arrow and Windows keys.

Help?

Going by location, Aus.
I picked mine up from PCCG when they still had the 87U's in, but its variable.
EK has them, but shipping is about $50 to here so its pretty annoying.
Otherwise try some of the guys here on Classifieds, something might pop up every now and again.
Title: Re: Where can I get Topre Realforce 87 keyboards?
Post by: flacman on Wed, 30 January 2013, 22:52:36
I meant anywhere, really. Elite Keyboards seems to be the only place that sells them.

I settled for a HHKB after not being able to find a Realforce 87U Black in Japan. They were "dicontinued" or what not and most of the available ones were the variable weighted models and the Japanese layout boards.
Title: Re: Where can I get Topre Realforce 87 keyboards?
Post by: webs0r on Wed, 30 January 2013, 23:39:47
With a little bit of courage (/risk/stupidity?) you could get one from Gmarket. I gave it a shot and it worked out alright.

They are an eBay owned Korean online reseller.
Get Chrome to help you sort out your cart. But I used Firefox to checkout.

I picked up a Topre 10th anniversary even-55g and had it shipped to Australia via EMS. Wasn't too bad, received it in about 8 working days or so in a gigantic box. Seriously, the shipping box was 4x the size of the keyboard box. Not the best packing :(

I paid via Paypal. They wanted to verify that I was the one that paid, so I had to send them a photo of some ID.
Strange, not sure what it really proves, and who cares who paid as long as you got paid?? Anyways I wasn't one to argue as I just wanted to try this board out!

They seem to have the largest selection of Topres anywhere that I've seen. (colours, even/differential etc)

If you want you could pick up some other Korean stuff, they have an unbelievably large selection of items!
Title: Re: Where can I get Topre Realforce 87 keyboards?
Post by: fatmav on Thu, 31 January 2013, 00:07:38
Keyboardco in England seems to have some in stock. For example:

http://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard_details.asp?PRODUCT=981
Title: Re: Where can I get Topre Realforce 87 keyboards?
Post by: rowdy on Thu, 31 January 2013, 01:34:24
http://thecomputerwarehouse.com.au/components/keyboards/topre-realforce
Title: Re: Where can I get Topre Realforce 87 keyboards?
Post by: iri on Thu, 31 January 2013, 03:19:02
http://thecomputerwarehouse.com.au/components/keyboards/topre-realforce
holds only variables in stock.
Title: Re: Where can I get Topre Realforce 87 keyboards?
Post by: flacman on Thu, 31 January 2013, 05:22:16
Thanks for all the responses, guys.

I might want to ask? Why are these so rare? Did Topre have some huge run a few years ago and stopped producing mainstream stock of their keyboards?

http://thecomputerwarehouse.com.au/components/keyboards/topre-realforce

wow - haha - I was so excited for one moment there looking at the pricing - but all variable; not that I've tried a variable one out.