Topre Space Thock--moving from BS to Topre/HHKB2

[Clicky Kat]

Hi,
Newbie here. Oh. My. Freaking. Clicky-Clackity. Gourd. Absolutely love this forum. Like many here I'm sure, I love trying out new keyboards and am always searching for the One True Keyboard to Rule Them All. I thought I found it in the Model M (I have seven of various flavors and models, a couple NIB from ClickKeyboards--pics and probably sell/trade posts to follow), but not having a Windows key is a bit of a drag when working on a Mac so I got the Unicomp Customizer, which is pretty good.

Thought I'd try out the das keyboard, but I find it sounds a bit weird to me and I seem to make more typos on it than usual. For gaming, I use the Razer Tarantula that came with my Blackbird 002. (Yes, I know, not a terribly great board, but it does the job--looking for a new gaming board; suggestions welcome.) (Ahh, the voodoo/hp Blackbird 002. Kind of a love-it-or-hate-it kind of case though. Not much middle ground.)

Sorry went into Extreeeme Rambling Mode there--to the point, for those who have shifted to buckling spring to Topre Realforce boards, how do you find the transition? Is it just me, or is that space bar really "thocky"? Thock, thock. I had to find a quieter keyboard than the Model M because we're changing the office layout. My co-workers find the Model M a bit disturbing so they would probably find a way to brain me with it. They are happy with their Dell and Logitech mushboards, but to be fair, they aren't really that bad. Some of the bare-bones budget Logitech boards hold their own for dome boards I think. Personally, I'd love to try using a 84-key IBM AT board, but I haven't been able to find one anywhere. Probably would wake up the dead and ping right on to the spirit world, but still.

So I took an (expensive) gamble with the Realforce 103UB. I'm finding it very nice. Nice feedback; less pressure involved; pretty smooth and silky typing experience. I'm not really getting that nuanced pressure difference in the keys, but I'm used to pounding away at the Model M.

I also have the HHKB2 in black on the way because I really want to try the compact layout.
How do non-coders/non-hackers/non-programmers/non-code wizards like it?

How long did it take you to get used to layout?

Cheers and happy keyboarding.
Clicky Kat
Niftoramic sig and ultra-geekily splendorific plasma-powered profile pic to come.
__________________
Mouse of choice--MX Revolution
Current keyboard: Realforce 103UB (work); Model M 1390131 (13 Mar 1987) (home)

[itlnstln]

Welcome to GeekHack!
 
I'm glad we were able to help you find a keyboard or 13 you like.

[Rajagra]

There are some threads about gaming keyboards you can search for. Personally I think a Deck looks good for gaming.

I did stumble across the Roccat Valo earlier. It looks like a Logitech G15 killer to me, but I have doubts about the key type and whether it has acceptable key rollover abilities. And the layout ... won't be to everyone's taste, to say the least.

[ed_]

Hi,
Thought I'd try out the das keyboard, but I find it sounds a bit weird to me and I seem to make more typos on it than usual.

It has scan issues that cause it to occassionally register key strokes in the incorrect order.

[kyamei]

Wait until you get the HHKB2 - pull the spacebar and you'll see it has some rubber dampers.  So if you like the HHKB2 spacebar better just stick some similar dampers on the Realforce.

Dampers or not, the HHKB's spacebar is a whole lot louder than the Realforce's.

[Clicky Kat]

Thanks for the tips and info everyone.
That Roccat Valo looks like it belongs in a NASA control center. What an explosion of keys. Wow. Macro empire building material there.

Though a pricey maneuver, I thought the best way to decide on these keyboards is just buy 'em and try 'em. My credit card is feeling a little abused though. Probably end up keeping more than I should. I need some kind of keyboard rotator like a cd-changer for keyboards.

Or maybe the next step is storing all of the regular keyboard in a keyboard vault and using the μTRON until full brain assimilation is complete. Hmmm. Not yet. Not quite yet. Soft mushy brain matter not ready. Credit card? Nope.

I'm getting used to the Topre thock but it's nice to know there are ways to soften that a bit. I definitely like the smooth (thock) key touch.
As for the shiny das, I've been reading about those scan issues. And here I thought it was just me. I guess I'll just return it. At least the company lets you do that after 30 days.

I am about to start selling some of the boards in my collection and I will finally eBay some of the vintage adventure games I have been hoarding for years (things like Neverhood, Gabriel Knight, Obsidian, assorted classic point-and-click adventures). I was almost a collector for a while, but now not so much. They now all come with the mini-game "Ancient Game vs. Advanced OS".
Played some text adventures (aka interactive fiction) for a while. Now I like to blow stuff up. Fallout 3, UT2k4/UT3, Bioshock. HL1/2 ep1/2. Yummy.

[rdjack21]

I tend to agree that the space bar on the Realforce boards makes a little more noise than it should on my 86U the 87U is fine. The space bar on the HHKB Pro just sounds good to me. But neither of them really bother me or the cube mates around me when I'm pounding on them.

Like you I started out on a BS board but have learned to not bottom out my Topre boards and now I find that my fingers start to hurt when I try to type on my BS boards so I really don't use them any more. But I just can't seem to convince myself that I should sell them so they are sitting in a corner unused but still loved.

[rdh]

I tend to agree that the space bar on the Realforce boards makes a little more noise than it should on my 86U the 87U is fine.

Interesting... What kind of noise is the spacebar on the 86U making?   Can you tell how the spacebars differ between the two?

[rdjack21]

I have not taken it apart yet but I think the stabiliser is rattling a little and needs some more grease added to it. Right now it is at work but I'm planning on taking my HHKB to work next week so I can bring it home and take a look and see what the issue is. I also want to bring it home so I can take some pictures of the inside of it and maybe pull one of the key housings out of the plate again for pictures. Need them for the Topre wiki I'm working on.

[Mazora]

How would you not bottom out on a Topre switch ? Is that humanly possible? Lets say you type 1000 words , how much would you bottom out? 0% !?

I tend to agree that the space bar on the Realforce boards makes a little more noise than it should on my 86U the 87U is fine. The space bar on the HHKB Pro just sounds good to me. But neither of them really bother me or the cube mates around me when I'm pounding on them.

Like you I started out on a BS board but have learned to not bottom out my Topre boards and now I find that my fingers start to hurt when I try to type on my BS boards so I really don't use them any more. But I just can't seem to convince myself that I should sell them so they are sitting in a corner unused but still loved.

[bugfix]

Wow a vintage thread.

[Mazora]

i recently acquired a HHKBP2 and I must say I always bottom out. I feel the initial pressure recquired to move the switch is high enough so that I always bottom out.

[woody]

HHKB P2's key feeling is nothing to write home about. Except if one is raised on mediocre rubber domes.

[keyb_gr]

Wow a vintage thread.

With the necro job involving a bottom fullquote no less.