The Realforce 104 Euro Tour Reboot!

Muirium · 22 Aug 2013, 17:40

Batmann wrote:that's my LZ mini.
probably my favorite board with my LZ-GH
and yeah I am an LZ fanboy! (bar foot is where it's at)

Nifty. Bare metal cases always catch my eye.

Daniel Beardsmore · 22 Aug 2013, 23:04

Muirium wrote:Yup. Looking forward to it once you're done.

This will be interesting — seeing how you rate Model F and beam spring against Topre variable. And whether you'll hate the variable weight or, as in my case, find it so natural that it's not even apparent. (Though it took me a while to get used to the keyboard.)

002 · 22 Aug 2013, 23:08

I am waiting for Muirium to get the board and think "This is shit". Would be especially funny given that he probably has been the most hype about it

How has the Surprise Bag been going by the way, guys? I have seen no mention of it so far.

Muirium · 22 Aug 2013, 23:11

Wouldn't that be poetry!

The way I dance around the keyboard while typing (insufficient adult oversight / wraps on the knuckles when I learned to type) variable weight is likely going to startle me. But the more switch flavours the better, for trial's sake.

My assumption is the heavier the Topre the more I'll like it. Both the switches and the keyboard. I'm the prehistoric sort that doesn't find buckling spring tiring.

Batmann · 29 Aug 2013, 18:13

So the topre battlecruiser is on its way to Muirium as we speak,
I kept a topre switch from the sample bag to satisfy my urges when they come (I believe I put some cool stuff in the bag too)
Thanks to all of you for this awesome tour, it's a great idea and it feels good to see that such project between remote people that don't really know each other is possible, all hope is not lost!

Muirium · 29 Aug 2013, 18:37

I sense a disturbance in the RealForce…

Thanks Batmann.

Batmann · 29 Aug 2013, 18:58

lol

photekq · 29 Aug 2013, 19:34

Comin' close now..

fireglow · 30 Aug 2013, 06:14

This is exciting!

Batmann · 01 Sep 2013, 18:08

I am confused, did my post got removed or is it just tapatalk messing around?

Muirium · 01 Sep 2013, 18:22

Post, what post?

(DT is pretty good at eating long posts if you write them in your browser. A page reload would often kill every word. This has maybe been fixed recently. I've never used Tapatalk though.)

Batmann · 02 Sep 2013, 21:26

Ok I suppose tapatalk tricked me, disregard!

Muirium · 04 Sep 2013, 18:24

The Realforce is here!

Initial impressions are: light, light, light! It's way lighter to move around than my buckling spring boards. The box practically felt empty! But the caps and build quality are indeed quite similar. And the colour scheme! I knew I'd really like the white one. The variable weighting is definitely as noticeable as everyone says, but every switch on the keyboard is so light anyway that it's not really throwing me off my shoddy typing style. The one exception is of course the nice 55 gram Escape key. I could definitely get used to a board full of those! It feels more like buckling spring than the rest to me. But that's just the shock of the new. I'll have more to say about all this later.

Definitely a nice keyboard you're letting us try here, 002. I'm not at all convinced that I'll feel compelled to go Topre only (like Matt3o) but it's definitely one of the best typing experiences I've laid my hands on yet. I miss the clicks of buckling spring, and the taps of beam spring, but the clacks on this are something to behold in their own right. Time will tell. I've got a lot of typing to do!

gruener_Salat · 04 Sep 2013, 19:13

Muirium wrote: Initial impressions are: light, light, light! It's way lighter to move around than my buckling spring boards. The box practically felt empty!

What would you think about cheap rubberdomes?

Muirium · 04 Sep 2013, 19:25

It's not as light as those. And not nearly as shite either. High praise!

I've just gotten used to battleships disguised as keyboards.

Daniel Beardsmore · 04 Sep 2013, 23:34

gruener_Salat wrote:What would you think about cheap rubberdomes? :D

The closest rubberdome I know to a 45g Topre is a Dell KB1421 — similar weight, decent feel, but you don't get the precision manufacturing or the solid, sturdy plate and case. Or the option of nice aftermarket keycaps for it :)

photekq · 10 Sep 2013, 19:21

Is it my turn yet?

Muirium · 10 Sep 2013, 19:24

I'm still writing my review…

(PM me your address and I'll get it on its way by the weekend.)

photekq · 10 Sep 2013, 19:40

Muirium wrote:I'm still writing my review…

(PM me your address and I'll get it on its way by the weekend.)

Jesus, looking forward to that read! No rush or anything, was just curious. I'll PM you my address now though

Also, who am I sending this to after I'm done with it?

Muirium · 10 Sep 2013, 19:53

OP says:

10. fireglow [Germany]

Who's last in the tour, actually. Glad you're not in a hurry, but I'm naturally such a slow poke it's best to keep the goal in sight…

photekq · 10 Sep 2013, 19:59

Ah. Germany. Which courier would you guys recommend me send the board with? I don't want to send it with royal mail, but at the same time I don't have a lot of money to spare atm.. Looking for a good balance between reliability and cost.

Muirium · 10 Sep 2013, 20:16

Good question. I'm up to much the same thing when I ship the Surprise Bag (or is it a crate by now) to the US, once it's my turn.

Tracking is what you're after. The Post Office can do that, but other options can be cheaper so I've heard.

Muirium · 14 Sep 2013, 14:24

I sent the Realforce down to Photekq. It's due to emerge in Wales from its ride through England on Monday.

Pictures, sounds, and most of the words of my review are together now. Just need to arrange some sense into them. Thanks for the borrow!

photekq · 16 Sep 2013, 16:16

Received the Realforce from Muirium! I'll post some pictures and a typing video sometime this week.

Muirium · 16 Sep 2013, 17:32

I'd better get mine finished! Ah, deadlines and that fantastic whooshing sound they make as they fly right on by…

Daniel Beardsmore · 16 Sep 2013, 19:54

For some reason I'm still surprised just how tactile the Topre switch is.

Muirium · 16 Sep 2013, 19:59

What's their magic sauce, compared to regular domes, anyway? Besides potentially secret, I guess…

Daniel Beardsmore · 16 Sep 2013, 20:22

It's not completely secret — anyone with a Mr Interface sample pack will have one to examine (assuming you have a small enough screwdriver :)

That said, all domes are tactile. The difference is that dome keyboards are usually 60 cN, and Topre have reduced the force requirement to something more amenable. It's interesting that people want stiffer switches (like all-55 cN) while I find 35/45/55 variable to be stiff enough (possibly atrophied fingers from years of using Cherry switches!) A whole keyboard of Escape keys (the one 55 cN) switch seems rather overkill to me.

I'm still wondering why I keep getting doubled-up Os (or even triples) on my Filco(s) regardless of whether I'm typing, or just prodding an out-of-reach keyboard — I had this a year or so ago with 'R', and it seems like I have some sort of finger jitter that's blocked by the comparitively stiff switches in a Realforce, compared to soft Cherry switches — possibly an example of when high hysteresis would be useful. Either that, or another switch has gone (I think both Filcos are doing it, so it must just be me).

webwit · 16 Sep 2013, 22:42

I think the magic sauce lies in the capacitive nature. This changes the requirements and design of the rubber dome.

Daniel Beardsmore · 16 Sep 2013, 22:52

I assumed he meant, what makes the dome so smooth? You'd have to study the dimensions. If I took Mr Interface's sample apart, I could compare the design with the Topre conductive domes 002 sent me.

Based on this photo (maybe a photo competitor will cover Topre domes), the shape is quite different:

The top half of the capacitive dome is shorter and flat-topped, instead of tall and hollow and with a spindle in the centre: