Topre MD01B0

[002]

Some pictures of the Topre MD01B0. It's a pretty uninteresting board and I'm not too fussed about how it feels - if anyone has any picture requests (save opening the board up), then let me know.

Original box (ruined by numerous postage labels and tape):


Box opened, complete with convenient reminders for left and right:


The board itself. My camera has some barrel distortion, but the front edge *is* curved (top edge is straight):


Back label:


PS/2 port and one of the feet extended:


The other side, with cap removed:


I guess that the magic behind the "good feeling of oneness with cup rubber" is in here somewhere:


Keycaps removed:


Closeup of the switch:

[webwit]

It looks kinda meh like all Topre keyboards which were designed by Topre. I really like the HHKB and the uTron though. I wonder why this is. Probably because Topre makes keyboards for banks and offices and such, while 3rd parties would be looking for a high quality switch/manufacturer for their high quality designs.

[002]

I pretty much agree with you. I won't go into too much detail but I've discussed with a Topre rep the situation regarding the availability of their switches. Unfortunately, the answer I got won't impress those eager to see them in 3rd party boards. That could change of course, but I think Topre really want their Realforce line to work.

[Crazy9000]

Do the keys on this have about the same travel distance as the other Topre boards?

[woody]

Key travel seems deceivingly shorter from the pics and the low profile keycap.
But the separation of arrows and navigation cluster just kills this keyboard.

[002]

Do the keys on this have about the same travel distance as the other Topre boards?

IIRC, the travel on these keys is 3mm. It really feels nothing like your standard Realforce board. The keycaps themselves have a very similar feeling though.

[litster]

Is this a brand new keyboard, or used?

[002]

The box had been opened before it was in my possession, but as far as I can tell, the board has never been used.
There's no wear on any of the keys and there's no fluff or dust on the backplate behind the keys. The PS/2 cable looks like it's never been opened and still has the twist-tie around it.

[ironman31]

I really hate the feel of these short throw Topres. Much worse than a scissor switch in my opinion. When I owned my HE0100 I had a bad problem with some of the keys getting jammed due to the lack of any stabilization on any of the small keys.

[002]

I really hate the feel of these short throw Topres.

I think the thing that ruins the feel is the 55g weighting. I reckon they would be a lot nicer at around 35-40g.

[daedalus]

I pretty much agree with you. I won't go into too much detail but I've discussed with a Topre rep the situation regarding the availability of their switches. Unfortunately, the answer I got won't impress those eager to see them in 3rd party boards. That could change of course, but I think Topre really want their Realforce line to work.

I wonder if Topre knows and/or appreciates that if they halved the price of their boards, that they'd increase sales by well over a factor of two...

Then again, as many of us have speculated, Topre is probably not too interested in targeting us peasants. Unfortunately, it is that sort of mentality that kills companies.

[duncan]

it is that sort of mentality that kills companies.

Sometimes true.
On the other hand it can also be a very effective strategy in creating cachet and false scarcity. Look at how it has been working for Apple recently.