These issues were the main motive behind my thinking on the matter. Since adding those holes might come with some slight acoustic cost (they’d be the most open area between the interior and exterior of the housing) and would definitely come with added R&D time and costs given that the idea only occured to me somewhat late in the process, I figured I’d just go with the good stock experience for most people and just let the modders mod.
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Another thing to consider long-term for the stabilizer housings is offering a “Type-S” plate that uses the taller Realforce model -S housings for the 2.25u keys (and this could extend beyond just a HHKB plate).
I may be totally wrong here (full disclosure: I’ve never owned a Type-S HHKB model), but currently one of the biggest drawbacks to the HHKB is that you can’t easily silence the stabilizer keys on it without noticeably tanking the key travel because it uses standard-height housings for those keys. There does exist a quasi-solution where you sand down the sliders and use a standard 1u foam disk, and it does help in reducing noise, but there’s just not enough material on the stabilizer to be able to sand it down and use the big boy 2.25u foam disc that the good lord Topre intended to be used. So having a plate that integrates those taller housings would easily allow for the usage of the OEM Realforce 2.25u sliders/discs and really turn this into a true Grail for those noise-conscious thockers.
For the 1u sliders, they just have a thinner base/longer barrel to compensate for the ring. But on the 2.25u stabilized sliders, they use a thicker foam ring (roughly double the height), and so they also increase the height of the housing to compensate.
I don’t have any pics on hand, but years back when I sold/traded some purple sliders, there was definitely a noticeable difference in the height of the housing (and slider) between Realforce silenced and Realforce stock. I have a bunch of keyboards arriving Friday/Monday, so I may be able to take pics if there’s any interest (will have stock sliders/housings, Rev B purple sliders/housings, and ancient Rev A purple sliders/housings).
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Interesting. I’ve never actually used a silenced Topre keyboard or seen its internals before. I prefer the stock sound. But I’d like to take one apart eventually and inspect the differences.
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I’m surprised that this issue hasn’t been raised yet:
The HHKB 2 Professional has a Mini USB interface, the trend with new keyboard design is USB C, will this case be for the Mini USB interface or for the USB C interface?
One of the key features listed in the original post was two versions:
…one for the HHKB Pro 2 and another for the HHKB Pro 3 Classic (non-bluebooth) HHKB models
I am assuming the Pro 2 version will have a cutout meant for mini-USB, while the version meant for the newer classic will have one shaped properly for the current USB-C.
Excited for this groupbuy. I always felt that the hhkb deserved a high end housing. My main question is in regards to the hhkb 3 “classic” version. I did not like the protrusion on the back of the case for the bluetooth variants, so I opted for the classic version. I’m disappointed that this version lacks the functionality to reprogramme keys. Is there a controller available for purchase that will allow this functionality and is compatible with the new classic hhkb to pair with this norbauer housing?
Precisely.
Not from me, but I believe this controller from Hasu would do what you want. However, it has a USB-C port and in order to use my housing with that Hasu breakout PCB (which has the Pro 2 standoff locations), you would need to order the Pro 2 version of my housing. And the description for that Hasu board says you might need to sand your Mini port a bit to get it to work with the USB C port. Sanding is harder on a finished aluminum housing than an ABS one, so I would definitely not call this an officially supported approach for my housing. Better to use a USB-to-USB controller or do your key remapping in the OS.
You can reprogram the stock controller on the HHKB Classic by googling “Remapping the 2019 HHKB Classic” and following the instructions in the resulting geekhack thread (I can’t link directly to the thread because my account here is brand new).
It’s basically just a toggle option in the keymapping software itself (lol), not an actual limitation of the controller in the Classic.
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I haven’t bought any keyboard cases in a while, but I’m so in for this. I hope purple or even a cyan case is available since that would match my keycaps on my Type-S.
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Here is a philosophical question in the same vein as: Ship of Theseus - Wikipedia
How much of a HHKB can you change before it is no longer a HHKB?
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When it stops having a 6u spacebar.
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God damn, I wish I wasn’t out a couple hundred due to medical stuff. I’d pick this bastard up for sure!
Particularly, I think the hhkb is still an hhkb if: Topre, still have hhkb layout, have an abs, or close, plate.
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If it helps, I found out today that the first article tests actually won’t be ready until next month, so we’re probably looking at a late July or August GB. The reason is that factory had to adopt a different mold-making strategy, which comes with some nice technical improvements but means it’s taking longer to fabricate than usual (more of the work has to be done with wire EDM).
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There’s a pretty detailed thread on deskthority about the different Topre sliders. @norbauer not sure if you’ve seen it before but maybe you’d get a kick out of it too.
hmm I’m in 2 minds about this. Aesthetically I like it, love the just-for-render-sake pink plate, it is dope! And yes, I’m one of those with multiple Norba’s - my poly Norbaforce is still unbuilt haha.
Functionally though, not having bluetooth support is definitely a big deal for me as I dislike wires a lot nowadays. And then not having out of the box support for MX sliders on stabiliser housing is not ideal. Sure I could drill the holes myself and I did that for the Realforce but then it was just a stock housing - came out functionally great, visually awful. I know the keycaps cover it but I know that it doesn’t look great. So yeah I would not want to destroy this custom plate.
I guess I should get a HHKB first to get a point of reference on that dampened typing feel. Signed up for the IC anyways so eager to see the final version of this case. I want to vote with my wallet for you and you know that, just give me more reasons 
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Very excited for this, I absolutely adore my HHKB. I hope that pink finish is included!
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650 usd for a plastic replica + 200 usd for the original keyboard? wow, I didn’t know injection molding in low quantities was so expensive.