RACE Keyboard - OFFICIAL PRE-ORDER / PRE-PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS!!

[xquisit]

Thanks for sharing, Dajm.

[TypoVampire]

How much would it  cost to get just a set of white keycaps shipped to New Zealand?

[sth]

this group buy is over, not currently anywhere to buy those white keycaps. the people who ordered them here haven't even gotten them... who knows if we ever will. Vortex is shafting us on this! but don't blame iMav 

[Justin2]

(Let me preface this question by stating that I'm a newbie)

Is there a way to put some type of caps over the white led's to make them a different color (preferably red)?

[Dajm]

(Let me preface this question by stating that I'm a newbie)

Is there a way to put some type of caps over the white led's to make them a different color (preferably red)?

I'd say this is technically opssible, if the keycap has some sort of red film that lets the light through.
But:
1. I haven't seen such keycaps (which doesn't mean they don't exist, just saying that I've never seen them)
2. The true LED color (in this case: white) would still "bleed" through at the bottom (just something to consider beforehand, but who knows, it may even look cool!)

[Dajm]

Just came back from my lunch break and now my X-Key is not lit any more (or maybe it is, but very very low light).

[xquisit]

Not only am I busted with a speeding ticket, but I'm considering selling my:

Pre-Order:
KBT Race /w Cherry MX Blues + Blue LEDs
+ Whtie Key Cap Set

Let me know if you're interested, and you better hurry before iMav gets that email to me about shipping conformation... Thanks.

[xquisit]

Just got an email about the keycaps, forgive me, I am not selling them separately.

[iMav]

The last of the international orders are boxed up and will ship out on Tuesday (monday is a holiday).

There are two or three stateside orders that I have questions about.

If you live in the USA and have an outstanding order, please PM me with the following information:

Name
Address
Order content
Y / N to whether you have paid shippping yet
Requisite paypal transaction IDs

Sorry for the confusion.  There were SO many order transfers in the end that some of the orders really got lost in the shuffle.

Thanks!

++++++++++++++++++++++++

As far as the keycaps are concerned...Vortex has gone silent on me.  At this point, I am skeptical whether we will ever see them. 

[snarlingchicken]

Info sent. Hopefully I get to see my keyboard and the keycaps sometime soon.

[xquisit]

I'm not sure what you mean by outstanding, iMav. Please. help me out; Does this mean if I have paid for a race + keycaps, and have NOT received an e-mail from you about a confirmation about my address, I should PM you?

[xquisit]

Furthermore, what is plan B if they don't give us our keycaps :| ?

[xquisit]

Who hasn't received their RACE, yet?

I'm one of them, but I'm just wondering... is there any legal action we can take towards them if they don't give up our money or keycaps?

[snarlingchicken]

$140 dollars lost vs. international legal fees? I think I'd rather just call it a lesson learned and move on. Unless we got a lawyer in the house willing to represent lol.

[xquisit]

>.>

[xquisit]

Anyone else not receive their race? I don't want to be alone

[xquisit]

The Pain

[snarlingchicken]

Edited: Because I just sounded like a whiny brat in this post.

[sth]

sure hope you're not blaming imav for that

[snarlingchicken]

I'm not. He's working full time, running the site, managing the entire group buy and I'm thankful that he did this for everyone. If anything I'd blame Vortex. Lol. Stuff happens I guess.

[sth]

heh yeah, busy guy. i hope you get your race! i'm not holding out for the keycaps though

[captain]

(Let me preface this question by stating that I'm a newbie)

Is there a way to put some type of caps over the white led's to make them a different color (preferably red)?

Take a <red> Shaprie and color over every LED.

[kvltntr00]

REDACTED

[Dajm]

Damn, the Race seems to have big time quality problems. LED problems (2 or 3 of my LEDs have started to fade) and now several people report theirs to be completely dead.
For those who have the Pure as well: Is the Pure a bit better quality-wise, or are there a lot of reports about problems too?

kvltntr00: When I come to work in the morning and boot my laptop, my Race doesn't work right away (it has always been like that, though). I have to unplug it and plug it back in. Then the Caps-lock LED will light up briefly and then I can use it.

[iMav]

xquisit and SnarlingChicken's orders are in the mail.  Three other outstanding orders are packed up and ready to go.  (although I still need their PP email addresses to request shipping payment)

If you have NOT received your RACE keyboard, please PM me.  All the overseas keyboard orders just went out recently...but it doesn't hurt to verify that your order has been shipped.

[Lord de Seis]

thanks for the invoice, larry. glad i'm finally receiving my order!

[iMav]

thanks for the invoice, larry. glad i'm finally receiving my order!

This whole thing has been a cluster. 

At this point, I have three orders to send out (yours being one of them).  If folks have not received their RACE keyboards in about a week from now, it is safe to assume their order has not shipped and they should contact me immediately.  (and, as stated before, it doesn't hurt to PM me now if there is concern).  No clue on the keycaps...Vortex asked if they could substitute the keycap orders with generic 104-key replacements.  And who knows what will happen with the DIY order.  I can't believe they approached me with a "special GH-only" offering and then can't even follow through with the order. 

[Dajm]

What's weird is that it's not like Vortex has to produce white keycaps JUST to fulfill this keycap-order here on GH. They have the white limited edition Race which comes with white keycaps. So they can and have produced them! I don't get what's so hard about producing a few more to fulfill this order.

Thanks, iMav, for letting us know about the status!

[Lord de Seis]

might as well gives those who ordered white keycaps a LE RACE, jajaja

[snarlingchicken]

Thanks for the update iMav. Lol. I had thought my order had been lost or something because I assumed it was shipped out a while back. Soooooooo. Yeah. Edited my post up there and just wanted to say thanks again. Regardless, this is still probably the last Vortex product I'll ever buy.

[xquisit]

I am very thankful you told me my RACE is in the mail, and now I can wait happily.

I'm concerned about the keycaps, it was the
main reason I wanted the board (yeah yeah, I'm wierd).  Can't we demand them to make it(just like a member stated, they do have to produce the LEs)?

Are we going to take a poll on this ladies and gentlemen, thanks in advance!

P.s. For vortex messing up our orders, delaying, bad QC, and missing items: they should replace the white key cap order with a full zinc or the cool aluminum looking keycap sets (hah, like they would do that!)

[xquisit]

To add on...
(tell me if this is a good idea)

They should include Vortex Wired Key Cap Pullers for EVERYONE who ordered White keycap sets...

[sth]

i would be wary of asking for more than what we paid for from these buttholes... i'll be content when they ship the keys, after which i will finally have nothing to do with them and things will be good.

[xquisit]

STH, don't we deserve some compensation?
 [Don't answer that, we all know the answer!]

What in the world do these "generic" keycaps look like?
Will they fit in our RACE's perfectly?
Will the LEDs illuminate through the legends (I believe that's what they are called)?
What color will they be?

(as I mentioned, I seriously only bought the race to have white keycaps and a black case... so I am hoping people will stay strong and demand our original order + a wired key cap puller)

[sth]

i dont think we deserve anything that we didn't pay for... but i get where you're coming from.
 honestly i just want this to be over so we can all ignore vortex from here on out.
the generic sets will probably not be compatible with the race, and i doubt they'd have translucent legends...

the wired puller is almost nothing, you can get them from wasd or just make your own out of paperclips. in fact, most of the keys on the race are easy enough to pull off with your fingers.

[xquisit]

Some of my friends don't know what a group buy is.. They're like where is your keyboard, it's been almost a year.  (So they think I got scammed) [AND THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH iMAV!!! He is a great person for putting this group buy together.]

I'm just fed up with these Vortex "business men and women."

I don't mind waiting, because I truthfully believe the best things in life are worth waiting for; Unfortunately, the quality control on these boards may be bad (or members are unlucky)... so I guess I might've went a little overboard asking for a $5 wired key cap puller, but I'm just sad I might not get the keyboard I anticipated for so long.

I'm still enjoying my RDOPM

[sth]

too bad your first buy / first mech had to be in this group buy. i would probably feel the same way.
but now you know what's out there and you can start trying other stuff

[snarlingchicken]

Well good news. I just got my RACE finally. Came in yesterday and I picked it up today. Out of the box it was pretty good. Though it feels like I have the same issue as one of my friends with the backplate/PCB being a little loose/not well secured. I get a slight creaking if I press down hard on my keys. (but since I'm using reds I don't really need to bottom out). Also the metal sticker came in a completely random/weird position as it did with many others. Looks like it doesnt even properly fit in the spot it was made for.

Overall though, I'm happy. All my LEDs seem to be in working order. Left em on the brightest setting for a few hours just to give it a little stress test to see if one would burn out. Looks like I got lucky with the soldering on this one. I guess it's not as solid as my Leopold but it's good overall. Thanks for everything iMav! (And for putting up with our constant bickering, really).

[sth]

The PCB flex is totally normal. that sounds like good news for xquisit though

[sth]

Cherry boards are manufactured better .
What I meant to say is that PCB flex is normal, even expected on KBT/KBC boards. My poker flexes as well. The race is just a big bigger so the flex is more pronounced.

[xquisit]

The race is just a big bigger so the flex is more pronounced.

"Wachu talkin' 'bout Willis?" + *the face the kid gives after he says it*

I thought there was an extra screw on the RACE to hold down the PCB, to reduce the squeaking noise, compared to the Poker.

[snarlingchicken]

I mean compared to my Leopold I guess. I get flex/squeaking lol with keypresses. I don't consider that to be normal either.

[sth]

The race is just a big bigger so the flex is more pronounced.

"Wachu talkin' 'bout Willis?" + *the face the kid gives after he says it*

I thought there was an extra screw on the RACE to hold down the PCB, to reduce the squeaking noise, compared to the Poker.

yeah but due to the design of the case there will always  be a little flex. it's really not worth worrying about on a $100 mechanical but w/e. i know $100 is a lot for a single product but it's not much in the keyboard game (when it comes to these kinds of 'original' designs), especially when you start considering $200 aluminum replacement cases that eliminate or lessen the flex.

[xquisit]

Thanks for sharing, sth!

I'm not sure how "ready" I am for an aluminum case.

No regrets, but I could've put that $140 to use, and possibly added another $100, and got a used iPad2 (because I can't afford a laptop). Luckily, I went to Frys and had a chance to try a mechanical keyboard.  I'll stick to my unstable deskstop, from 2009 that I made, and wait for that RACE. 

If it doesn't die on me, and believe me.. I'm knocking on wood (right now) then it should be a good purchase; because like my 15 year old Dell Quietkey, I have a 15 year old desk that I hate. I want to eliminate the numeric keypad in order to take full advantage of my mouse movement on my keyboard tray.  Unfortunately, I am afraid the placement of the right shift will be extremely hard to get use to on the RACE, because I only use the right shift key, and I press the very right of the key.

[sth]

No regrets, but I could've put that $140 to use, and possibly added another $100, and got a used iPad2 (because I can't afford a laptop).

totally understand. here's hoping you at least get the board this week!

[xquisit]

much appreciated, /cheers

[Delirious]

I have yet received any confirmation for shipping invoice, since iMav's post about outstanding orders I pm'ed him twice to no avail. My guess is that his inbox probably getting flooded and he might overlook them. So i'm posting here hopefully you can see it and let me know, iMav. Thank you.

[xquisit]

Don't have any worries, Delirious.

iMav, is a busy person; I'm sure he'll respond to you by monday.

[xquisit]

just got my race, and its literally my first time typing on it... wow, its hard to get use to

so far, the metal plate on the back is aligned perfectly O_O

i just need to turn on the LEDs <lets check> where is the damn function key

omg, the clicky noises - i love it... but wait, the fn key... i must turn on my leds (CURSE THIS RIGHT shift LOL)

yes, and wow..these leds work and they are bright..

;0
my only gripe is the right shift, and its going to take a lot of getting use to

thank you so much imav! this means a lot to me, it really does!

[sth]

right next to backspace dude