HB85 - Tell me why I don't need this keyboard

https://en.zfrontier.com/products/gray-hb85

I’ve been watching this GB since day 1. I’m a huge advocate of something weird and different. The only thing is, I truly don’t see a way to make good use of those extra keys to the right. (In the original Sony HitBit boards this area had 4 chunky arrow keys)

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With the basic layout, if you use those keys as a tenkey block you’ll be missing all operator keys (keep in mind the rows are shifted so sculpted profiles will be off a bit).

You could use it as a home block with a shifted up arrow cluster (again wrong profile with sculpted), but you would need 2 additional R3 caps.

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The STT layout gives you an arrow cluster and some of your operators back, but the biggest one, the plus key, is missing. Where in the heck could you put it that would be efficient?

The board looks so cool, but I just think the layout is a waste of space for the way I would use this keyboard. The thing is, I keep thinking that it looks too cool to pass up.

This post has gone on too long. If you feel like it, tell me why I don’t need this keyboard.

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I bought on immediately, i dont find my self using plus very much if ever, but i do use a numpad a ton so it has my interest plus its unique and i like that.

Which layout did you choose? Also, what color combo? Also, you were SUPPOSED TO TALK ME OUT OF IT!

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I decided on STT i like the standard alot but i wanted arrow cluster, and i ended up going black/black but i may change that to black/silver im not sure. there all great wish i could buy the insert in another color as an extra.

Yeah I had not considered black and black until I saw the one on the product page. It looks fantastic.

I’m also very surprised that you cannot pick up an extra top.

I love everything about this layout.

Oh, wait, I forgot: don’t get it!

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As you mentioned, sculpted keycaps are going to be off, which probably won’t feel the best. Plus mini-USB? Nah man, she looks nice, but long term? Are you going to want to take her home for Christmas dinner? I mean, she can’t even add…

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These are the comments I was looking for. :kissing_heart:

he shows several pictures and the cap profile across the board is fine on the stt layouts?

Yeah, as long as you shift the numbers down one row like on the stt layout it all works out.

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Think how much cooler an actual HitBit with a DZ60 stuck in it would be. Looks like it’d fit.

You don’t want this, you want a repro of a TI-99. Or, even better, this.

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In all seriousness, the HB85 is freaking cool. I kind of want one.

To be quite honest, virtually nobody needs any of the keyboards you see on this site, including this one

Of course, that is not really a reason not to get it anyway :smiley: This is a hobby! Go hog wild! Enjoy yourself :smile:

(I am not good at not being an enabler)

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Bought immediately as well. STT layout.
Absolutely no need for it but I do love the uniqueness of it. Looking forward to the 60 percent

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A MSX computer! That computer standard was huge in Europe, Japan, and Brazil back in the 1980’s.

also i was talking with the GB runner yesterday hes going to add the option to buy more different colored midsections/inserts to the gb soon.

I just can’t decide what color to get :frowning:

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