Some possibilities suggest themselves, but I shall refrain.

Suffice to say that my purchase this week of a NOS (New, Old Stock) version of Pianoteq turned out to be Version 2.1 - only discovered after opening the box.
I was able to upgrade to V4.0.2 within minutes of registering my serial number.
I may have tin ears, but I think I can detect significant improvements :-D

I wonder if the O/P would like to comment on their impressions from Sept 2007 against their physical  Ds
and how they feel about 4.0.2

i have a yamaha p-155.  it's alright.  but it doesn't give that bounce that is needed for fast repeated notes and trills. 

i sent back two of the kawaii mp8ii pianos because the keys were clicking and were uneven.  i don't think they are made very well.  the yamaha p-155 is made well, i think.  i'm happy with it, i guess.  i haven't played on anything better. 

that new yamaha cp1 got my hopes up.  i thought that was going to be great, but it's not.  it's awful.  the keys are so light.  it feels nothing like a real piano.  i don't know what they were thinking.  i guess if you want to play the titanic theme song, it's good.  but for scarlatti, forget it.

i also tried the roland v-piano.  it was ok.  but action-wise no better than the yamaha p-155. 

i don't understand why someone hasn't made a midi keyboard that feels just like a real grand piano.  i'm no craftsman, but it seems like something that is very doable.  you take a real piano, throw away the strings and the soundboard and have the hammers hit sensors instead.  the hammers need to be the same length as a real piano.  so the keyboard needs to be a bit deeper than they make them now.  am i asking for something that is unreasonable?  do they really not have something like this already? 

have you guys seen those midi organs?  those are serious instruments.  4 keyboards, buttons, full wooden pedal board, everything.  and they sell for about $2700.  to me that is reasonable.   they need something like that for pianists.  get rid of all those knobs, switches, speakers, and flashing red-lights.  built-in demo songs?  who wants to listen to elevator music when they are not in the elevator?

that's what pianoteq needs to do next!  make a keyboard.  that would be hot.

There have been "Strings free" electronic pianos in which the hammers hit transducers.
There is a LOT of cost in the soundboard, case, strings, plate, etc of a physical piano, plus skilled labor, but good key beds and actions aren't cheap either (WNG, etc.).

Organs really are very different in this respect, their keys are simple on/off switches, there is no velocity component.

www.midiworks.ca IS worth browsing though, just for casual interest :-D

http://www.fatar.com/studiologic/Pages/NUMANERO.html

They are primarily organ parts suppliers, so be careful that any sensors come in 88 not 61 size sets and have VELOCITY, remember that organ keys are basically on/off.

Don't get distracted and start building a 5 manual plus pedal board instrument with 150 (virtual) ranks :-D

Start here;
http://www.midiworks.ca/index.php/products

why do you say it is awful?  does it not work well with pianoteq?

I'm sure it will work at the best with pianoteq and every other sw pianos... but it has an ugly looking! Just an opinion, of course!

thanks for the information. 
that does appear to be what i'm looking for.
why do you say it is awful?  does it not work well with pianoteq?

sorry, i haven't played on the ca 63/93.  if i do i will let you know

http://www.petrof.com/midi-grand-piano.html

Anyway, I would like to know your opinion on the new Kawai RH3 action.

Actually, according to most, new Kawai pianos CA 63/93 look to provide  the best piano feeling.

i sent back two of the kawaii mp8ii pianos because the keys were clicking and were uneven.  i don't think they are made very well.  the yamaha p-155 is made well, i think.  i'm happy with it, i guess.  i haven't played on anything better. 

that new yamaha cp1 got my hopes up.  i thought that was going to be great, but it's not.  it's awful.  the keys are so light.  it feels nothing like a real piano.  i don't know what they were thinking.  i guess if you want to play the titanic theme song, it's good.  but for scarlatti, forget it.

i also tried the roland v-piano.  it was ok.  but action-wise no better than the yamaha p-155. 

i don't understand why someone hasn't made a midi keyboard that feels just like a real grand piano.  i'm no craftsman, but it seems like something that is very doable.  you take a real piano, throw away the strings and the soundboard and have the hammers hit sensors instead.  the hammers need to be the same length as a real piano.  so the keyboard needs to be a bit deeper than they make them now.  am i asking for something that is unreasonable?  do they really not have something like this already? 

have you guys seen those midi organs?  those are serious instruments.  4 keyboards, buttons, full wooden pedal board, everything.  and they sell for about $2700.  to me that is reasonable.   they need something like that for pianists.  get rid of all those knobs, switches, speakers, and flashing red-lights.  built-in demo songs?  who wants to listen to elevator music when they are not in the elevator?

that's what pianoteq needs to do next!  make a keyboard.  that would be hot.

I got in contact with italian Doepfer dealer and they have just replyed me. It looks a positive response!

Now I'm waiting a quotation for:

TP/40W mechanic

with:

- AFT: 2 strip of monophonic Aftertouch
- ES: mechanical Escapment Touch Feeling Kit
- chassy  (www.fatar.com/Pages/Chassy.html)

If someone is interested, I'll keep you informed.

There is one company though, called Doepfer, who can order a Fatar keyboard on customer's request. But then there's no service included; i.e. guarantee for spare parts in future etc. Doepfer also delivers the Fatar TP10 with service. They use this keybed in their own products.
Doepfer also delivers the electronics to connect the keybed to computer via midi or usb (depending on model and requirements).

The story first then there are questions.

Fatar advertise a TP/40Wood but this is a chassis keyboard, does anyone know anything about this?  I have tried to get a response from Fatar but no luck and I don't speakl Italian. Is ti possible that this is the Yamaha CLP280 keybed? Is it sold in any other Midi keyboard????

If it was possible to buy a TP/40wood chassis from Fatar how complex will it be to get a MIDI output from it??? Does anyone know??

Hi, I'm exactly interested in the same. I'm italian and I've already written to Fatar, asking how to buy a bare TP/40W mechanic, but no answer so far.

It's really interesting, because it's available with optional escapment kit that neither NUMA Nero has.

AVAILABLE OPTIONALS:
- AFT: 2 strip of monophonic Aftertouch
- ES: mechanical Escapment Touch Feeling Kit

Any news from other sides?

TY

So I tend to get excited by features for live performance instead of the " perfect " action which after 3 decades still doesn't exist on anything but a real Piano. No problem. I have endurance issues after 2 hours on a real Piano, so these fake peices of crap we use at the gig are a breeze.

The VAX77 looks different, and I will test that out at their booth in 5 weeks. PAT and many new features look promising, but so far it only talks the talk.

On the other hand for live guys, the CME UF50 w/ WIDI looks to be a fierce little performer.
If you notice it has wireless MIDI ( WIDI ). Big deal right? Actually it is for a gigging musician. Plenty of controls and a little secret most guys don't know is the MIDI Solutions F8. Wireless connected gear is easy with this as it has 8 x outputs for pedals, so the days of having to velcro your pedals and plug them in the back are gone.
Using the F8 and new wireless technologies that are emerging make live gigs lots of fun.
I have used the F8 for a few years for keyswitching live. I need both of my hands when I play and I never liked the one hand on the wheel solo jive anyway.Expression pedals and footswitches are far better suited IMO. Use the F8 to control note on/offs instead of wasting an entire left hand to do a horn section swell, etc.
I will still go and see the same regurgitations from the " real Piano " action claims, but it will be the same as it has everyyear.
If these same companies would spend more on new technologies instead of marketing slogans we might get something eventually.
Sadly only new companies are brave enough to break out of the current consumer products mold. How many years can the same little jpeg's of virtual hammers and useless techno babble work...?
Yamaha, Roland, Fatar, Korg, M Audio seem to think for at least another decade as their current controllers demonstrate.

Here are 2 more MIDI controller keyboards that you might look at (I use both):

M-Audio AXIOM
Yamaha KX

The Axiom has been around 2 years or more -- "semiweighted" synth feel, aftertouch.
The Yamaha is new, light, no aftertouch, simplified, no weighting. 

Both have USB powered computer connections, MIDI in/out, control wheels.   The Axiom is about twice the weight of the Yamaha.