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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: nubbinator on Wed, 25 March 2015, 21:29:37

Title: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: nubbinator on Wed, 25 March 2015, 21:29:37

(http://i.imgur.com/TA5PGtW.jpg)
Overview of the keyboard.


(http://i.imgur.com/2JfmA5p.jpg)
VDS branded.


(http://i.imgur.com/Gd4RPE9.jpg)
8 pin connector


(http://i.imgur.com/5ByQ7pQ.jpg)
Bottom of the keyboard.


(http://i.imgur.com/5zc6iDT.jpg)
Feet


(http://i.imgur.com/Lprom0k.jpg)
Lable


(http://i.imgur.com/al5qF72.jpg)
Topre switches


More pics for those interested (http://imgur.com/a/vk16E)


I haven't seen this board before, so I had to take pictures.  It's a cool board.  Plate mounted, feels like 45-55g to me (stiffer than my HHKB).  It has some double sided tape on the plate on the back of the board, so I didn't pop it off and take pictures of the back of the PCB.

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: Lastpilot on Wed, 25 March 2015, 21:31:14

This is freaking awesome, I hope to find one of these in the future. Very nice get!

How would you compare the switches to other Topre boards?

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: Halverson on Wed, 25 March 2015, 21:33:19

I hate hate hate you.....

My god I'm jelly, so much jelly! Looks so good!

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: nubbinator on Wed, 25 March 2015, 21:36:52

Quote from: Lastpilot on Wed, 25 March 2015, 21:31:14

This is freaking awesome, I hope to find one of these in the future. Very nice get!

How would you compare the switches to other Topre boards?

It feels heavier than my HHKB, but that could be the plate.  I need to do some measurements, but it's definitely heavier feeling than the FC660C and the Novatouch I tried.  That could be the plate, age, or just me not remembering.  They feel nice and smooth.

Quote from: Halverson on Wed, 25 March 2015, 21:33:19

I hate hate hate you.....

My god I'm jelly, so much jelly! Looks so good!

I need to take proper photos later and try and get some PCB shots.

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: SpAmRaY on Wed, 25 March 2015, 21:37:56

Did you notice the lube on the slider of the key with the led right of the space bar?

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: Halverson on Wed, 25 March 2015, 21:38:01

Quote from: nubbinator on Wed, 25 March 2015, 21:36:52

Quote from: Lastpilot on Wed, 25 March 2015, 21:31:14

This is freaking awesome, I hope to find one of these in the future. Very nice get!

How would you compare the switches to other Topre boards?

It feels heavier than my HHKB, but that could be the plate.  I need to do some measurements, but it's definitely heavier feeling than the FC660C and the Novatouch I tried.  That could be the plate, age, or just me not remembering.  They feel nice and smooth.

Quote from: Halverson on Wed, 25 March 2015, 21:33:19

I hate hate hate you.....

My god I'm jelly, so much jelly! Looks so good!

I need to take proper photos later and try and get some PCB shots.

You want me to take some pics? Just send it my way ;)

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: saturnotaku on Wed, 25 March 2015, 21:38:17

Dem legends...

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: ghostjuggernaut on Wed, 25 March 2015, 21:40:26

 :eek:

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: nubbinator on Wed, 25 March 2015, 21:48:49

Quote from: SpAmRaY on Wed, 25 March 2015, 21:37:56

Did you notice the lube on the slider of the key with the led right of the space bar?

Just popped the cap, now I did.  I also noticed the slider is different (two teeth in the slider versus one in the standard) and the housing is shaped differently as well.

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: JinDesu on Wed, 25 March 2015, 22:08:24

That's quite an interesting layout. I'm jealous!

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: Hyde on Wed, 25 March 2015, 22:12:26

Damn this look amazing.  :eek:

Although Japanese layout might be confusing but it still look amazing ~~~

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: a_ak57 on Wed, 25 March 2015, 22:19:08

Dat spacebar.

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: Joey Quinn on Wed, 25 March 2015, 22:31:40

Ray snagged the second one before I could complete the purchase.  :( Hopefully more will show up.

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: SpAmRaY on Wed, 25 March 2015, 22:38:43

Quote from: Joey Quinn on Wed, 25 March 2015, 22:31:40

Ray snagged the second one before I could complete the purchase.  :( Hopefully more will show up.

For the record I hesitated briefly :P

Sadly mine is scuffed up with some stains on it.

Not as clean as nubs.

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: Joey Quinn on Wed, 25 March 2015, 22:39:40

Quote from: SpAmRaY on Wed, 25 March 2015, 22:38:43

Quote from: Joey Quinn on Wed, 25 March 2015, 22:31:40

Ray snagged the second one before I could complete the purchase.  :( Hopefully more will show up.

For the record I hesitated briefly :P

Sadly mine is scuffed up with some stains on it.

Not as clean as nubs.

It's ok, I'll gladly take it.   :rolleyes:

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: Novus on Thu, 26 March 2015, 04:16:27

topre topre stain stain

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: Yoe on Thu, 26 March 2015, 05:35:45

Sweet board!

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: SpAmRaY on Thu, 26 March 2015, 08:05:19

Nubs, do you have any plans of trying to adapt this board to use?

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: Doyniish on Thu, 26 March 2015, 08:27:49

So jealous! If only I could find one of these laying around...

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: Dee1 on Thu, 26 March 2015, 08:39:26

This is really neat! :D

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: nubbinator on Thu, 26 March 2015, 08:47:31

Quote from: SpAmRaY on Thu, 26 March 2015, 08:05:19

Nubs, do you have any plans of trying to adapt this board to use?

I might try.  I haven't done a Soarer's mod before, so I'd need a little help figuring that out or might hit up hasu and see if his HHKB controller work would transfer over.  Fortunately it appears that the pinout is pretty clearly labeled on the PCB.

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Thu, 26 March 2015, 10:36:21

No need to convert, just get an SGI system to plug it into :))

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: nubbinator on Thu, 26 March 2015, 11:21:20

Quote from: IvanIvanovich on Thu, 26 March 2015, 10:36:21

No need to convert, just get an SGI system to plug it into :))

Oh you

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: ctm on Thu, 26 March 2015, 16:29:21

The keycaps also look like PBT. What a great deal! Where did you buy it?

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: Photekq on Thu, 26 March 2015, 16:33:28

I want topre for $30 :'(

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: SpAmRaY on Thu, 26 March 2015, 16:35:30

Quote from: Photekq on Thu, 26 March 2015, 16:33:28

I want topre for $30 :'(

I wants stacks of cherry boards. (not really)

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: nubbinator on Thu, 26 March 2015, 17:51:40

Quote from: ctm on Thu, 26 March 2015, 16:29:21

The keycaps also look like PBT. What a great deal! Where did you buy it?

Outside of the Type Heaven, I think all Topre are PBT.

eBay.  You've got to have the eye.

Quote from: Photekq on Thu, 26 March 2015, 16:33:28

I want topre for $30 :'(

I want sub $70 OG Cherry ANSI dyesubs.

It will be closer to $50-60 to make it useable.

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: Photekq on Thu, 26 March 2015, 18:02:26

Quote from: nubbinator on Thu, 26 March 2015, 17:51:40

I want sub $70 OG Cherry ANSI dyesubs.

Lol, so do I.

All mine have been $250+

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: Tyrosh22 on Thu, 26 March 2015, 19:08:22

Noice! :D

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: Firebolt1914 on Thu, 26 March 2015, 20:45:15

I can never tell if a vintage keyboard has topre or not just by looking at it :\

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: nubbinator on Thu, 26 March 2015, 20:50:05

Quote from: Firebolt1914 on Thu, 26 March 2015, 20:45:15

I can never tell if a vintage keyboard has topre or not just by looking at it :\

You get to know by learning what caps generally look like.  Sometimes you're wrong, sometimes you're right.  The LED holes and cap shape and profile all hinted at mechanical to me.  The LED holes looked like the Sony BVE-9100 which had Omrons or Topre, round holes on Topre.  My gut feeling was Topre, but I waited for confirmation. 

Just browse the DT wiki and spend some time trying to spot traits of certain switches and the boards and eventually you start to get an idea.  You can be way wrong sometimes, but sometimes you also get happy mistakes out of those errors.

I kind of wish I had bought both though, one as donor for my HHKB, one to try and restore to USB.

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: hwood34 on Fri, 27 March 2015, 08:26:15

Man, all you guys with your cool Topre boards almost make me want to get my own. Almost ;)

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: SpAmRaY on Fri, 27 March 2015, 08:31:09

Quote from: hwood34 on Fri, 27 March 2015, 08:26:15

Man, all you guys with your cool Topre boards almost make me want to get my own. Almost ;)

doit.gif

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: ideus on Sat, 28 March 2015, 00:27:20

Nice board! even better catch!

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: livingspeedbump on Sat, 28 March 2015, 17:44:36

you lucky, lucky man. very nice!

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: rowdy on Sun, 29 March 2015, 02:59:21

Quote from: SpAmRaY on Fri, 27 March 2015, 08:31:09

Quote from: hwood34 on Fri, 27 March 2015, 08:26:15

Man, all you guys with your cool Topre boards almost make me want to get my own. Almost ;)

doit.gif

SpAmRaY_jumping_on_the_gif_bandwagon.gif

Title: Re: My $30 Topre discovery
Post by: nubbinator on Sun, 29 March 2015, 20:12:30

Updating with better higher res photos:

(http://i.imgur.com/nj9pjE2.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/OtLU2vj.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/4EtPecC.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/0GLRNsX.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/LbsLRXv.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/z8DP6Kq.jpg)


Internal Case Shots:

More

(http://i.imgur.com/Goyb3w1.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/gwoU0OU.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/dx59nQp.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/xgad25K.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/OrUuk3M.jpg)

Internal PCB Shots:

More

(http://i.imgur.com/JL3wWEF.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/BuIP9pt.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/SWPmNWf.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/LiBY9aW.jpg)