HHKB Pro JP and Windows 7

[alipstadt]

Just thought I`d post this in case anyone else is having this problem.  I just got a HHKB Pro JP today and had a devil of a time setting up the keyboard to use the Japanese layout that is printed on the keys - which was annoying when I couldn't find little things like the pipe key.

Just installing the Japanese keyboard input was not sufficient - the bindings were still standard US 101.  After some trials and tribulations, I figured out the solution by piecing together various posts and some trial and error.

First install the Japanese keyboard (not IME) using the regional settings.

Then go to Devices and Printers - not Device Manager - and right click on the HHKB entry and select Keyboard Settings.  From here, select the Hardware tab. Highlight the Standard PS/2 entry and click Properties.  In the General tab, click Change Settings.  In the window that opens, choose the Driver tab. Hit Update Driver and in the wizard dialog that comes up, choose Browse my computer for driver software.  

[EDIT: As per below, faster solution:
Go to Device Manager, Select Keyboards, Select the Standard PS/2 device and continue as above...]


In the next window, hit Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.  Now uncheck the Show compatible hardware.  On the left side of the next window, choose (Standard keyboards) - which should be the default focus.  On the right side scroll up to Japanese PS/2 keyboard (106/109 Key Ctrl + Eisuu), click that entry and then Next. Click Yes on the Update Driver Warning dialog.  You will then be prompted to reboot.  It`s probably not strictly needed, but do so anyway.

When Windows restarts, use Alt+Shift to switch to JP input.  The HHKB should now function as the key labels indicate.

Sorry if this was common knowledge, but I googled quite a bit for this and I still needed to figure this out on my own.  Hope this helps someone as many posts here have helped me over the years.

[chimera15]

Just thought I`d post this in case anyone else is having this problem.  I just got a HHKB Pro JP today and had a devil of a time setting up the keyboard to use the Japanese layout that is printed on the keys - which was annoying when I couldn't find little things like the pipe key.

Just installing the Japanese keyboard input was not sufficient - the bindings were still standard US 101.  After some trials and tribulations, I figured out the solution by piecing together various posts and some trial and error.

First install the Japanese keyboard (not IME) using the regional settings.

Then go to Devices and Printers - not Device Manager - and right click on the HHKB entry and select Keyboard Settings.  From here, select the Hardware tab. Highlight the Standard PS/2 entry and click Properties.  In the General tab, click Change Settings.  In the window that opens, choose the Driver tab. Hit Update Driver and in the wizard dialog that comes up, choose Browse my computer for driver software.  

In the next window, hit Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.  Now uncheck the Show compatible hardware.  On the left side of the next window, choose (Standard keyboards) - which should be the default focus.  On the right side scroll up to Japanese PS/2 keyboard (106/109 Key Ctrl + Eisuu), click that entry and then Next. Click Yes on the Update Driver Warning dialog.  You will then be prompted to reboot.  It`s probably not strictly needed, but do so anyway.

When Windows restarts, use Alt+Shift to switch to JP input.  The HHKB should now function as the key labels indicate.

Sorry if this was common knowledge, but I googled quite a bit for this and I still needed to figure this out on my own.  Hope this helps someone as many posts here have helped me over the years.

Glad you got it, I coulda helped you.  It's a pain to do it.  You have to redo the driver every time you replug it in in a different usb/ps2 slot.  I usually like using the alps japanese usb driver.

Different Japanese keyboard drivers will assign different codes to the special keys, so be careful about that.

[alipstadt]

You know, I first tried to solve the problem by Regional Settings, then by identifying the HID entry and switching it for a USB Japanese Keyboard.  I didn't realize that the Device Manger groupings had changed.  Faster solution than above:

Go to Device Manager, Select Keyboards, Select the Standard PS/2 device and continue as above...

"Fortunately," my laptop only has one USB port, so no issue there.

I`ll get around to a review once I`ve spent some time with this board.  Quick impressions:

You know, I don`t know why they even bother printing letters on these keys; they are practically invisible.

Layout wise, it will take some time for me to get used to this, but there are some very computer - *nix - friendly attributes, at sign, colon, and semi colon being the unshifted states of their keys being one. Space bar is not at all the issue I thought it would be.  I probably will also buy the Lite (US) version, and consider the HHKB 2 Pro, but I miss dedicated PGUP/DN so much, I don`t know how I would deal without arrow keys (outside of vim, of course).

[alipstadt]

Also, note that Microsoft`s apparently literacy challenged, outsourced customer support couldn't answer (or apparently understand) the same question...

[alipstadt]

The collection grows... :rapture:






(not to comparable scale)

[ricercar]

Is that a Fujitsu tablet or an UMPC they are all connected to?

[alipstadt]

Both, arguably. Its a Fujitsu U820 (1.3 lbs., 5.6" 1280x800 resistive touchscreen, convertible format. Atom Z 1.6Ghz, 1GB RAM. GPS, Biometric reader, FM transmitter. Stock 4200RPM HDD was swapped for a Mtron 32GB SLC SSD).

[alipstadt]

I should explain. One of my favorite use modes for the U820 is to turn the screen away from the keyboard, and partially angle it back, but not all the way, and then pair it with an external keyboard and an MS Bluetooth mouse.

This provides a third way to use the machine (besides tablet and conventional clamshell notebook), one I particularly like.

[chimera15]

I should explain. One of my favorite use modes for the U820 is to turn the screen away from the keyboard, and partially angle it back, but not all the way, and then pair it with an external keyboard and an MS Bluetooth mouse.

This provides a third way to use the machine (besides tablet and conventional clamshell notebook), one I particularly like.

Yeah, that's the same way I use a lot of my tablets.  I've actually built angled lifts for them out of foam board though, So I can still write on the screen and it will be solid though.

[alipstadt]

Could you post a pic of your inserts?