Bluetooth mod for HHKB

fossala · 19 Jul 2012, 09:27

I know there is a bluetooth mod for the HHKB made by hasu. As geekhack has lost the article in the wiki, I can't see if it feasible.
Can anyone shed any light on the mod?

002 · 19 Jul 2012, 10:06

Have you tried hitting him up on IRC?
I noticed you are both idling on #deskthority. Perhaps he kept his own notes?

megnin · 19 Jul 2012, 11:44

fossala wrote:I know there is a bluetooth mod for the HHKB made by hasu. As geekhack has lost the article in the wiki, I can't see if it feasible.
Can anyone shed any light on the mod?

I too, would love to have a bluetooth modded HHKB!

hasu · 20 Jul 2012, 05:05

Unfortunately I have no copy of the article in hand. I hope geekhack wiki pages will get back.

You can find circuit diagram and some info on repository.
https://github.com/tmk/tmk_keyboard/raw ... ircuit.jpg
https://github.com/tmk/tmk_keyboard/blo ... /iWRAP.txt
https://github.com/tmk/tmk_keyboard/issues/7

This mod is very immature and ad hoc and depends heavily on Bluegiga iWRAP4 beta firmware.
To do the mod yourself you will need to read my messy code and Bluegiga's datasheet and application note.

I subscribed this thread now. If you need help post here.

uberben · 26 Nov 2012, 05:10

I'm currently working with hasu's code to do a bluetooth mod for my Kinesis contoured keyboard. Right now, I'm just trying to get the USB portion working (I think I have the code modified correctly, I just need to wire up my matrix breakout boards). The next step is getting the bluetooth working. After that, I hope to update hasu's code to work with the official iWRAP 5 firmware and improve power consumption (code comments imply that it isn't great right now). If I can get that all sorted out (or at least the basic bluetooth part) I am considering making my own teensy-like dev board with integrated bluetooth module and perhaps integrated Li-Po charger as well.

Hasu: I might be bugging you more as I get to the bluetooth stage of my mod, especially now that I know you are on IRC

hasu · 27 Nov 2012, 12:51

Nice. Looking forward.
I believe iWRAP5 has better support for HID and stability.

HHKB switches requires 5V other than 3.3V while Kinesis will work at only 3.3V without problem.
This requirement of HHKB is very disadvantage in terms of power consumption. I have to say HHKB is not best for bluetooth mod. I would use cherry switch board for my next bluetooth mod, if any.

huttala · 19 Dec 2012, 01:56

So whats going on here, have you done som emagic and found out how to make a BT HHKB2 ?

Muirium · 09 May 2013, 14:59

Looks like there is a ready made piece of kit to do this!

Could also be well behaved with a Topre capacitative board's power draw. All right!

cookie · 23 Sep 2013, 17:11

This Topic became quite interessting for me in the last weeks.
I'd like to build a wireless HHKB lite to use it with my HTPC connected to my TV...

The Geekhack thread is dead.... Attachments are missing... all gone

Is there a posibility to Attach them here?

Thanks

hasu · 23 Sep 2013, 20:44

The missing attachments was just pics of my dirty work like this. http://i.imgur.com/4YXc8SF.jpg

You can still get source and txt files here.
https://github.com/tmk/tmk_keyboard/tre ... board/hhkb

This is schematic.
https://github.com/tmk/tmk_keyboard/blo ... /iwrap.txt
https://github.com/tmk/tmk_keyboard/blo ... ircuit.jpg

Muirium · 23 Sep 2013, 21:57

Ooh, cool! I thought this one was lost the mists of time. Thanks Hasu, and best of luck to Cookie if you try this too. I need a backup plan if Bluetooth doesn't show up in the next HHKB.

cookie · 24 Sep 2013, 16:43

Thanks a lot HASU, I am currenty looking for a method to connect a teensy controller via bluetoots.
Because I am looking forward to modify a HHKB lite, I will not have that much struggle with the layout.

@Mu: Are there any release dates about the new HHKB out yet? BT HHKB would be killer!

Muirium · 24 Sep 2013, 17:50

Mere speculation, based on what I want to happen, rather than anything I've heard. I'll be mighty pissed off if the HHKB 3 comes out without it! Bluetooth is the one killer feature I can see them doing for real. Unlike multi layouts and programmable controllers…

Filco's going Bluetooth now. Come on PFU and Topre!

matt3o · 24 Sep 2013, 18:10

I'm not a big fan of bluetooth due to latency, but I'm all in for wireless HHKB!

cookie · 24 Sep 2013, 18:44

HHKB 3... lets see if this will happen soon.

Bluetooth or any other kind of wireless connection plus the option to use it with cable (USB) would make this little thing even more portable!
Programmable controller? Killer! I'd love to change the arrow cluster and add some special characters to the function layer to have smart and pain free access to all the important characters for programming.

I'd add a PBT spacebar on the list for the HHKB!
And a official retailer for Europe!

Muirium · 24 Sep 2013, 18:54

Now that's a wish list!

I agree with Matt that Bluetooth isn't perfect. But I hate dongles much more than I do the latency, even with a mouse. Bluetooth's a total win for me with a keyboard. No wire swapping, no dongling, no detectable lagginess or errors; and it works with every computer, phone and tablet that I have. Add the natural backup USB option for charging and the dream is complete!

But PBT spacebar? That's a tall order…

matt3o · 24 Sep 2013, 19:44

Muirium wrote:But I hate dongles much more than I do the latency, even with a mouse.

I'm really torn between latency and dongle. If I'm using an external keyboard it means that 99% I'm on my desktop, so I don't mind an additional dongle (while on the go they are unbearable). The benefit of an almost-zero latency easily outclass a little dongle that I don't probably even see while on my desktop.

cookie · 24 Sep 2013, 19:54

Usually I don't mind a cable if I am on a Desktop PC, so I'd probably go for Bluetoot with the option to connect to USB and Charge the thing over it. Have my HHKB connected to my smartphone or Notebook? How BOSS is this!

Man I wish the guys at PFU would read this :/

It's a pitty Mu, my spacebar is already verry shiny

ne0phyte · 24 Sep 2013, 19:55

cookie wrote:It's a pitty Mu, my spacebar is already verry shiny

COUGH COUGH I actually prefer the feel of the blank space

ne0phyte runs away

matt3o · 24 Sep 2013, 19:57

that being said... I don't think we will see a HHKB 3 any time soon

cookie · 24 Sep 2013, 20:11

Maybe we will see such a keyboard from a different company but I am afraight those features are to special :/
@ne0 you mean shiny space?

ne0phyte · 24 Sep 2013, 20:20

I do! I swapped my shiney black space bar with the white one from my other keycap set and it felt really weird so I'm using the shiney one again

cookie · 25 Sep 2013, 10:52

So you have 2 sets of keycaps? The white and gray caps on a black HHKB looks verry nice! Where did you get if from?

Muirium · 25 Sep 2013, 11:00

matt3o wrote:that being said... I don't think we will see a HHKB 3 any time soon

Maybe not. But it's certainly due. According to the infallible Wikipedia the HHKB Pro came out in 2003, the Pro 2 replaced it in 2006, and the Pro 2 S appeared in 2011. It's been crickets and tumbleweed ever since.

cookie wrote: Man I wish the guys at PFU would read this :/

They might not read us, but they surely keep an eye on Filco, their prominent Japanese competitor. The Minilia is no HHKB, but it's evolving rapidly.

matt3o · 25 Sep 2013, 12:16

Muirium wrote:They might not read us, but they surely keep an eye on Filco, their prominent Japanese competitor. The Minilia is no HHKB, but it's evolving rapidly.

A shame that the keyboard sucks

anyway I'm seriously thinking to get the bluetooth minila just to rape the controller

ne0phyte · 25 Sep 2013, 13:59

cookie wrote:So you have 2 sets of keycaps? The white and gray caps on a black HHKB looks verry nice! Where did you get if from?

Yep. I organzied a little GB: http://deskthority.net/marketplace-f11/ ... t5860.html

Here is a picture from work that shows the keycap-config on my HHKB

Spoiler:

cookie · 25 Sep 2013, 14:48

I must say that I don't like the Minila at all

Don't like the layout, don't like the housing, don't like caps, don't like the color... But yes you are right, maybe the guys at PFU have a watchfull eye on Filco and let them inspire by the new Minila line? The HHKB is for portability and nowdays all portable devices have bluetooth! GOGO PFU it's about time!

@ne0 Looks nice, I'd replace the black caps with those from the white set

nourathar · 01 Oct 2013, 02:38

I recently got a Siig minitouch and I like it so much that I was thinking to do a bluetooth mod. And then I stumbled onto this piece of gear that is not expensive, nice and small. My feeling is that it should not be too difficult to hook up to Soarer's converter. Did anybody here try this ?

from:
http://learn.adafruit.com/introducing-b ... d/overview

matt3o · 01 Oct 2013, 07:59

I saw that just few days ago. The firmware is ready for very simple applications, all you need is to connect to the RX pin and send ASCII data from the teensy. All we need to verify is if it works with modifier keys.

My impression is that this is good for joypads more than keyboards, but I might be wrong.

hasu · 01 Oct 2013, 09:19

It is exactly what I thought. It is unclear how it send press and release event of modifier with UART interface.
Its commands seem to be too simple to be used for full fledged keyboard in comparison to Bluegiga and Roving Networks' HID modules.