Got my HHK2 today!

[totallymonkey]

Hi all,

I'm typing this post on my new HHK2.  My first impression was kind of, 'what did I just spend 300 bucks on!?'.  After typing on it for awhile, I can feel the keys breaking in I guess and am starting to get a sense for the topre switches.  I think it's quite nice!  The layout is taking a bit to get used to, especially the Backspace key, as I keep hitting the ~ key instead.  I'm sure I'll adapt.  I really love the compact layout though, as this thing looks TINY compared to my choc mini.  I'm guessing the keys will start to feel even nicer when I get them more broken in, is that how everyone else felt with this board?

Now, a quick question.  I was trying to flip the alt and meta key for use in Windows so I turned switch 5 on.  This makes the meta key work as alt, but it seems to not allow the alt key to function as the meta key.  Has anyone run into this?  Is it possible something is faulty here?

So far I feel this board is worth the price of admission, but I will post more thoughts as I use it more!

[longweight]

Welcome to the club!

You don't break them in, they won't change for years it is just your fingers getting used to the feeling.

[TheProfosist]

Once u get used to HHKB style keyboards you dont go back!

[totallymonkey]

Now do you not go back because of the topre switches or because of the layout?  Or both?  Or because you spent a trillion dollars on a keyboard!? 

Anyway, I figured out my switch problem.  When I flip switch 1 it makes the meta key work again in Windows.  Very happy now!

[longweight]

Both are equal reasons for me!

[mikelanding]

I had to go to Kinesis Advantage Split keyboard even I got Type-s. This is because RSI hit me hard
But the typing feel is far superior that the brown switch.

[pli]

Welcome to the club!

You don't break them in, they won't change for years it is just your fingers getting used to the feeling.

That's not what I've heard. They supposedly require somewhat less force after the first weeks of use according to measurements, since the domes give way a touch.

[hakujin]

I write code for a living and after trying pretty much every switch type and layout available I'm confident that the HHKB is the best keyboard on the market for my use case.  I'm sure you've heard this a thousand times before, but let me beat it into your head once again: make yourself stick with it for 4 weeks. That will give yourself time to adjust to both the layout and switch type.  Resist the urge to take the easy way out and learn the FN key combos!

Congrats, and enjoy the new board.

[pli]

I write code for a living and after trying pretty much every switch type and layout available I'm confident that the HHKB is the best keyboard on the market for my use case.  I'm sure you've heard this a thousand times before, but let me beat it into your head once again: make yourself stick with it for 4 weeks. That will give yourself time to adjust to both the layout and switch type.  Resist the urge to take the easy way out and learn the FN key combos!

I'm a programmer too and agree with the switch type being quite nice (disregarding my ongoing troubles with the uneven weights documented in my thread), but I want to point out that layouts are mostly a software thing. You don't have to buy a HHKB to use a layered layout like that. Take a look at http://neo-layout.org/ for example. It has the navigation keys mapped on the 4th layer, which is activated with R.Alt (or the extra key in the 88/105 keyboards) which essentially acts as the Fn key.

The reason I got a Realforce instead of a HHKB is that on my custom layout I use Caps Lock (which is quite conveniently placed) as my mode switch for the navigation layer. The HHKB has omitted the keys in the usual Ctrl positions, with no real advantage outside of looking minimal, so it does not have enough keys for mode switches. Additionally the Fn key is a hardware feature instead of a standard key so it can't be mapped. Say you want to add Mute on one of the unused keys or want to change the arrows to jkil instead... you're out of luck. To me it's like making your text editor a hardware part built into the processor instead of software you can select later. I wish there would be a HHKB model with at least the two missing Ctrl position keys and maybe just an emergency hardware Fn layer, so you could map it all like you want. I'd buy one in an instant

This isn't supposed to be me talking down the HHKB, and I know it's a very good tool for many people. It's just supposed to be a reminder that you can get the HHKB special layout on any $5 keyboard, so that should not be a deciding factor. If you like MX Blues more for example, but feel the HHKB layout would be of use to you, you probably should get a $100 MX Blue board and copy the layout... map the navigation keys on the right side and F-keys on the numbers and even backspace on \ and Esc on ~ if you want -- keys are just key codes and layers are just layers.

[hakujin]

This isn't supposed to be me talking down the HHKB, and I know it's a very good tool for many people. It's just supposed to be a reminder that you can get the HHKB special layout on any $5 keyboard, so that should not be a deciding factor. If you like MX Blues more for example, but feel the HHKB layout would be of use to you, you probably should get a $100 MX Blue board and copy the layout... map the navigation keys on the right side and F-keys on the numbers and even backspace on \ and Esc on ~ if you want -- keys are just key codes and layers are just layers.

This is solid advice. Xmodmap/Scancode Map will will increase your productivity on pretty much every keyboard out there.

[metalliqaz]

The point of a HHKB is that you don't have to move your hands a lot.  By mapping special keys to a Fn layer, you can keep your fingers near the home row instead of moving all the way to the arrows, for example.  This keeps you "in the zone" and can increase speed and reduce fatigue.  To that end, the 60% layout would be good to combine with COLEMAK.

I'm not entirely convinced, though.  The HHKB layout is old and I can't shake the feeling that it was created not by any design for the perfect layout, but simply to mimic an old-school Apple keyboard.  I also like the fact that I can sit down at just about any keyboard and feel just as at home as I do on my Realforce or Filco.

[hakujin]

I'm not entirely convinced, though.  The HHKB layout is old and I can't shake the feeling that it was created not by any design for the perfect layout, but simply to mimic an old-school Apple keyboard.  I also like the fact that I can sit down at just about any keyboard and feel just as at home as I do on my Realforce or Filco.

The HHKB was created by Eiiti Wada with a considerable bit of research into the layout (which is based on the Sun Type 3, not Apple).

[dorkvader]

I'm not entirely convinced, though.  The HHKB layout is old and I can't shake the feeling that it was created not by any design for the perfect layout, but simply to mimic an old-school Apple keyboard.  I also like the fact that I can sit down at just about any keyboard and feel just as at home as I do on my Realforce or Filco.

The HHKB was created by Eiiti Wada with a considerable bit of research into the layout (which is based on the Sun Type 3, not Apple).

I dunno.... Looks more like a sun type5 to me.


It's true, though, that it's pretty different from most older apple keyboards I've seen. I'm no vintage apple expert, but the M0115/M0116 spring to mind, and the HHKB has always been closer to SUN than either of those in layout.

[Beta32Delta]

Hi all,

I'm typing this post on my new HHK2.  My first impression was kind of, 'what did I just spend 300 bucks on!?

Ya I still kinda get that feeling.... least it appreciated unlike the vast majority of tech.

[hasu]

He referred both of Sun Type3 and Macintosh keyboard in this essay.
http://www.pfu.co.jp/hhkeyboard/pfutechreview/section4.html

HHKB looks similar to M0110 while HHKB layout clearly is derived from Sun3.

[NKRO]

Now, a quick question.  I was trying to flip the alt and meta key for use in Windows so I turned switch 5 on.  This makes the meta key work as alt, but it seems to not allow the alt key to function as the meta key.  Has anyone run into this?  Is it possible something is faulty here?

I found that I have to switch the keyboard into "Mac" mode for the meta keys to function as Windows keys, at least in Windows 7/8.

This is slightly annoying, as it enables the use of Caps Lock (along with a number of other keys) which I have managed to enable a couple of times since receiving mine, but other than that, there doesn't really seem to be much difference.

[Rinsaku]

Congrats on getting your HHKB! I sold mine on here awhile ago because i needed the money at the time. But i began to notice a void in my heart.. my fingers missed the feel, and my ears missed the sound. By far of all the switches I've typed on, I feel Topre is superior when it comes to wrist stress relief. I'm currently waiting on my black one to come in with an extra set of white/gray keycaps.. can't wait!

[HolidaySHRIMP]

Welcome to the cool kids club. You'll absolutely adore it over anything else you have. You'll never love another.

<3

[trentva]

got my hhkb p2 recently i like the realforce boards more the hhkb keys feel stale where the realforce is buttery smooth imo