Experience with the HHKB and hasu BT controller?

face · 05 Jul 2016, 19:06

Hey,

at the moment I am thinking on what to spend my money. GH60 or HHKB. Initially I wanted to go for a GH60, split RShift, split backspace, but the HHKB kinda sounds tempting. Thanks internet...

The thing is, the only way I could use the HHKB is when it were programmable, so I would have to use the hasu controller. Does anyone have experience with it, especially with the bluetooth version? If I have to go without the USB-ports I want at least bluetooth...

Kind regards
Max

czarek · 06 Jul 2016, 10:34

I don't have any experience with Hasu's controller but I can tell you HHKB stock layout is pretty damn good. I use the same layout (+ some extras) on my GH60. The only downside of the stock HHKB is that the media keys don't work in windows no matter what you do.
Also to me Hasu's controller has one more downside, complete lack of USB hub. The one in HHKB is pretty useless, but it's always good to have couple more USBs at hand, and my OCD would not stand having useless holes in a case

face · 06 Jul 2016, 12:55

czarek wrote: I don't have any experience with Hasu's controller but I can tell you HHKB stock layout is pretty damn good. I use the same layout (+ some extras) on my GH60. The only downside of the stock HHKB is that the media keys don't work in windows no matter what you do.

Thats a pity. Especially when you are paying that much money... My main problem will probably be that I scroll in PDFs a lot while learning and a dedicated arrow key is very useful for this. With the GH60 that would be a no-brainer (taking the lower right three buttons and the one from the split rshift).

czarek wrote: Also to me Hasu's controller has one more downside, complete lack of USB hub. The one in HHKB is pretty useless, but it's always good to have couple more USBs at hand, and my OCD would not stand having useless holes in a case

Yeah, I would not be happy with this too. Is the USB hub in the HHKB really that useless? I have read that you cant even connect a USB-stick. I would like to use it for the bluetooth adapter from my Logitech mouse.

To be honest, the HHKB seems like a pretty shitty keyboard, given the price. Its just the topre switches that really tempts me, since I am always that impatient waiting for the Cherry switches to get broken in.

cookie · 06 Jul 2016, 13:57

You sure can connect USB Sticks to the hub but well... who does that anyway?

You don't buy an HHKB for it's media keys neither for the USB hub, you buy it for the amazing layout, caps, switches, quality and reliability!

face · 06 Jul 2016, 14:04

Yeah, it would be nice though.

czarek · 07 Jul 2016, 14:56

It's a mixed bag with the USB hub. Some sticks work, and most of the mice work. For sticks though I mostly use USB 3 nowadays so that rules out the HHKB in this regard. It also can't power my Mionix Castor mouse, but works fine with Deathadder, Kensington Expert Mouse and any wireless receiver I've ever connected to it. Also supports my SD card reader just fine making it kinda useful for this single purpose. I also used small USB microphone plugged in to the keyboard before I switched to large standalone condenser mic.

cookie · 07 Jul 2016, 15:16

Yes I can confirm that the hub doesn't take every mouse.
I guess it depends on the power consumption, I could run an IE 3, MX518 and Logitech g9 without problems. The g402 and Steelseries sensei will not work

I've stopped to use the mouse via the BT hub anyway.

Wodan · 07 Jul 2016, 21:01

Well the HHKB is about 2-3x the price of a common GH60 build, especially if you are already considering getting a HASU controller.

I have two HHKB both with HASU controller since I use a layout that cannot be configured with the DIP switches of the HHKB.

The "loss" of the USB hub is a lot less annoying than the availability of replacement keycaps. Haven't found any DE keycaps for TOPRE in the white HHKB design ever

face · 07 Jul 2016, 21:19

Wodan wrote: Well the HHKB is about 2-3x the price of a common GH60 build, especially if you are already considering getting a HASU controller.

I have two HHKB both with HASU controller since I use a layout that cannot be configured with the DIP switches of the HHKB.

The "loss" of the USB hub is a lot less annoying than the availability of replacement keycaps. Haven't found any DE keycaps for TOPRE in the white HHKB design ever

Which layout do you use? I will probably use it with a german layout too... is this unusable for any reason or are you just missing the <>|-key?

I am considering getting the BT-version of the HHKB, but there you can't install the hasu-controller, so that is an interesting question for me.

cookie · 07 Jul 2016, 23:39

If I had the HASU controller I'd immediately swap page up/down with home/end. Very tempting.

Wodan · 08 Jul 2016, 00:14

I just map the missing ISO <> key to the split right shift key. One function layer is more than enough for me.

But i use control/capslock as the FN key and a function layer that is based on the Pok3r function layer with a couple of additions/changes. Since I switch keyboards a lot I have to use the same function layer everywhere or i get crazy.

The HHKB BT doesn't work with any hasu stuff so far. But it has a muuuuuuch longer battery runtime than Hasu.

cookie · 08 Jul 2016, 00:47

If it had a regular HHKB case and internal power pack instead of that Dildo... I'd be in for one!

face · 08 Jul 2016, 08:01

Wodan wrote: I just map the missing ISO <> key to the split right shift key. One function layer is more than enough for me.

But i use control/capslock as the FN key and a function layer that is based on the Pok3r function layer with a couple of additions/changes. Since I switch keyboards a lot I have to use the same function layer everywhere or i get crazy.

The HHKB BT doesn't work with any hasu stuff so far. But it has a muuuuuuch longer battery runtime than Hasu.

Ah, ok. The first thing is something I would do too - buuut, OS X maps these letters correctly to other keys when using a ansi with german layout and on Windows I could use Autohotkey.

Bluetooth would be nice, but I would feel very "restricted" with the hasu battery life, I think.