HHKB JP?

[9fiftyfive_]

I currently use an HHKB Pro 2, however, I've always wanted to try the HHKB JP (because of the even more compact layout). Here are my concerns:

Layout
Is it easy to adapt to?
How does my computer detect it?

Design
Are there adjustable feet on the bottom?
How easy is it to disassemble / silence?

Cost
Is it worth the $300 from eBay?

Thanks!

[Puddsy]

Layout
Is it easy to adapt to?
How does my computer detect it?

Just don't buy the blank one.

It's called UNIVERSAL serial bus for a reason. HHKB JP has an EN/JP switch.

Design
Are there adjustable feet on the bottom?
How easy is it to disassemble / silence?

Yes.

No harder than any other Topre, I'd guess.

Cost
Is it worth the $300 from eBay?

Subjective. I'd say no, but I'm also chief of the HHKB haters club. I like my RF.

[9fiftyfive_]

Layout
Is it easy to adapt to?
How does my computer detect it?

Just don't buy the blank one.

It's called UNIVERSAL serial bus for a reason. HHKB JP has an EN/JP switch.

Design
Are there adjustable feet on the bottom?
How easy is it to disassemble / silence?

Yes.

No harder than any other Topre, I'd guess.

Cost
Is it worth the $300 from eBay?

Subjective. I'd say no, but I'm also chief of the HHKB haters club. I like my RF.

Thanks for the input


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[losing_ctrl]

I would say the layout is easy to adapt to, but that is subjective. I was pleasantly surprised how easily my right pinky got used to going a little farther to hit the tiny backspace key, although it took a bit longer for it to hit the ISO style Enter key consistently. I plugged it into my Macs, so like any new keyboard plugged into a Mac, it does its little detection scheme. It wanted to categorize it as JIS, but I selected ANSI and it treated it like it an ANSI board. I put ANSI key caps on it, so that helped me. One thing that bugged me was that different programs would read keystrokes differently, like email would read fn+bs as del, but other programs wouldn't and it would just be bs whether I pressed fn or not. That was annoying.

But typing on it was a real pleasure, what a great implementation of Topre 45g. I sure would love a nice ANSI 104 key Type-S keyboard from PFU built like the HHKB Pro 2 with PCB mounted Topre switches.

[Dyaems]

I own a Pro JP and tried a Pro 2 multiple times:

Is it easy to adapt to?

Depends on which layout you are going to use

How does my computer detect it?

By default, the Pro JP will be detected as ANSI, you need to download and run the magic file* from PFU website in order to switch the Pro JP to JIS layout.

magic file* just a program where it will edit the registry of your OS to JIS, and can also revert it back.

Are there adjustable feet on the bottom?

Yep

How easy is it to disassemble / silence?

Its as easy as your Pro2 when disassembling, havent tried silencing it since it is already "quiet" in my book. Might also add that lubing it is alot easier than MX switches, but you already know that HHKB comes pre-lubed.

Is it worth the $300 from eBay?

Depends if you can spend $300 without any problems whatsoever, or still need to save for quite a while just to spend $300 xD

[9fiftyfive_]

I own a Pro JP and tried a Pro 2 multiple times:

Is it easy to adapt to?

Depends on which layout you are going to use

How does my computer detect it?

By default, the Pro JP will be detected as ANSI, you need to download and run the magic file* from PFU website in order to switch the Pro JP to JIS layout.

magic file* just a program where it will edit the registry of your OS to JIS, and can also revert it back.

Are there adjustable feet on the bottom?

Yep

How easy is it to disassemble / silence?

Its as easy as your Pro2 when disassembling, havent tried silencing it since it is already "quiet" in my book. Might also add that lubing it is alot easier than MX switches, but you already know that HHKB comes pre-lubed.

Is it worth the $300 from eBay?

Depends if you can spend $300 without any problems whatsoever, or still need to save for quite a while just to spend $300 xD

So why do you prefer it over a Pro 2?


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[9fiftyfive_]

I would say the layout is easy to adapt to, but that is subjective. I was pleasantly surprised how easily my right pinky got used to going a little farther to hit the tiny backspace key, although it took a bit longer for it to hit the ISO style Enter key consistently. I plugged it into my Macs, so like any new keyboard plugged into a Mac, it does its little detection scheme. It wanted to categorize it as JIS, but I selected ANSI and it treated it like it an ANSI board. I put ANSI key caps on it, so that helped me. One thing that bugged me was that different programs would read keystrokes differently, like email would read fn+bs as del, but other programs wouldn't and it would just be bs whether I pressed fn or not. That was annoying.

But typing on it was a real pleasure, what a great implementation of Topre 45g. I sure would love a nice ANSI 104 key Type-S keyboard from PFU built like the HHKB Pro 2 with PCB mounted Topre switches.

Where did you get ANSI caps from? Also, you press function with your pinky?


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[losing_ctrl]

Here is where I got my Type-S...

http://www.smartimports.net/happy-hacking-keyboard-professional-jp-type-s/

...same place where I got my ANSI caps for it:

http://www.smartimports.net/pfu-happy-hacking-keyboard-extra-key-set-white-labeled/

They also sell the HHKB non-type-s for much less than $300:

http://www.smartimports.net/happy-hacking-keyboard-professional-jp-japanese-layout/

I didn't mean to state that I hit the fn button with my pinky, just that my pinky had a learning curve to be able to hit Back Space and Enter keys consistently, since I am very used to the longer (and therefor closer to my pinky) version of those keys on ANSI. I was also worried that I'd be missing the tiny spacebar as I typed, but since I always use my right thumb for that, I had zero issues with that.

Do you plan to use the board in ANSI format or JIS? Do you feel like you can adapt easily to slightly changed key positions? It might drive you crazy, or it might be no big deal. It is a great board though!

[9fiftyfive_]

Here is where I got my Type-S...

http://www.smartimports.net/happy-hacking-keyboard-professional-jp-type-s/

...same place where I got my ANSI caps for it:

http://www.smartimports.net/pfu-happy-hacking-keyboard-extra-key-set-white-labeled/

They also sell the HHKB non-type-s for much less than $300:

http://www.smartimports.net/happy-hacking-keyboard-professional-jp-japanese-layout/

I didn't mean to state that I hit the fn button with my pinky, just that my pinky had a learning curve to be able to hit Back Space and Enter keys consistently, since I am very used to the longer (and therefor closer to my pinky) version of those keys on ANSI. I was also worried that I'd be missing the tiny spacebar as I typed, but since I always use my right thumb for that, I had zero issues with that.

Do you plan to use the board in ANSI format or JIS? Do you feel like you can adapt easily to slightly changed key positions? It might drive you crazy, or it might be no big deal. It is a great board though!

I'm not sure. I though I was going to have a tough time learning HHKB layout and I had it down in a day. Do you think it would be worth it to possibly trade my Pro 2 (first mechanical keyboard) for an HHKB JP on mechmarket? I fear that I might not like the layout and it'll be too late to get my prized HHKB back


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[9fiftyfive_]

Here is where I got my Type-S...

http://www.smartimports.net/happy-hacking-keyboard-professional-jp-type-s/

...same place where I got my ANSI caps for it:

http://www.smartimports.net/pfu-happy-hacking-keyboard-extra-key-set-white-labeled/

They also sell the HHKB non-type-s for much less than $300:

http://www.smartimports.net/happy-hacking-keyboard-professional-jp-japanese-layout/

I didn't mean to state that I hit the fn button with my pinky, just that my pinky had a learning curve to be able to hit Back Space and Enter keys consistently, since I am very used to the longer (and therefor closer to my pinky) version of those keys on ANSI. I was also worried that I'd be missing the tiny spacebar as I typed, but since I always use my right thumb for that, I had zero issues with that.

Do you plan to use the board in ANSI format or JIS? Do you feel like you can adapt easily to slightly changed key positions? It might drive you crazy, or it might be no big deal. It is a great board though!

Also, what would the ANSI layout look like? I noticed there are extra keys to the right of the big-ass enter


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[davkol]

HHKB Pro* needs a hasu's replacement controller IMHO. Then, the JP layout is brilliant.

[Dyaems]

So why do you prefer it over a Pro 2?


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Can't say I prefer it, as I have been using JIS layout for a long time. Pro 2 has a very good layout which is why it is popular, while the Pro JP is... welll.. the same JIS layout. The arrow keys on the Pro JP is important to me though.

[9fiftyfive_]

So why do you prefer it over a Pro 2?


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Can't say I prefer it, as I have been using JIS layout for a long time. Pro 2 has a very good layout which is why it is popular, while the Pro JP is... welll.. the same JIS layout. The arrow keys on the Pro JP is important to me though.

For my wallet's sake, I'll stick with my HHKB Pro 2 for now


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[losing_ctrl]

Here is where I got my Type-S...

http://www.smartimports.net/happy-hacking-keyboard-professional-jp-type-s/

...same place where I got my ANSI caps for it:

http://www.smartimports.net/pfu-happy-hacking-keyboard-extra-key-set-white-labeled/

They also sell the HHKB non-type-s for much less than $300:

http://www.smartimports.net/happy-hacking-keyboard-professional-jp-japanese-layout/

I didn't mean to state that I hit the fn button with my pinky, just that my pinky had a learning curve to be able to hit Back Space and Enter keys consistently, since I am very used to the longer (and therefor closer to my pinky) version of those keys on ANSI. I was also worried that I'd be missing the tiny spacebar as I typed, but since I always use my right thumb for that, I had zero issues with that.

Do you plan to use the board in ANSI format or JIS? Do you feel like you can adapt easily to slightly changed key positions? It might drive you crazy, or it might be no big deal. It is a great board though!

Also, what would the ANSI layout look like? I noticed there are extra keys to the right of the big-ass enter


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Here was my set up (I've since sold the board). I dyed the ANSI key caps green as my first experiment with dying key caps. So the green keys are active, along with most of the grey modifying keys. Along the bottom row, fn, alt and the diamond key worked. The other keys did not do anything when pressed (other than space bar).

[consolelog]

I had a JP for a little bit before... couldn't get used to R4 being shifted a few millimeters to the left. I would constantly mistype .