Author Topic: Physically Remapping Keyboard?  (Read 7527 times)

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Offline henry280

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Physically Remapping Keyboard?
« on: Sun, 29 January 2012, 23:33:12 »
Hey I'm new here.  Not sure if this has been asked before, but how hard would it be to physically remap keys on your keyboard via the wiring?

 I currently play this game that doesn't recognize any keyboard remappings, whether it be from AHK or SharpKeys, it still behaves as though it hasn't been remapped (when CHATTING in the game the keys appear to be remapped, but not when actually playing the game and using in-game commands/controls).  I want to remap some of the keys so that they are more convenient, so given the circumstances I'm assuming the only way is to physically remap my keyboard.  Is this possible and if so, how would one go about doing it, or are there any shops that can do it for me?  Thanks!!

Offline Icarium

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Physically Remapping Keyboard?
« Reply #1 on: Mon, 30 January 2012, 06:43:02 »
You can get a programmable keyboard or just rewire the keys manually. It's not hard.
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Offline henry280

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Physically Remapping Keyboard?
« Reply #2 on: Mon, 30 January 2012, 08:03:31 »
Quote from: Icarium;503080
You can get a programmable keyboard or just rewire the keys manually. It's not hard.

Thanks for the suggestion.  I'll try rewiring it, but I've never done anything like this before, are there any guides online for this?  Tried searching but couldn't find anything.  As far as a programmable keyboard goes, I never knew this would work.  Wouldn't the game block the remappings from the keyboard as well, or does the programmable keyboard remap in a way different from SharpKeys or AHK?

Offline dorkvader

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Physically Remapping Keyboard?
« Reply #3 on: Mon, 30 January 2012, 08:36:51 »
If you experience issues with blocking, you can look into rewiring your keyboard with diodes, to achieve NKRO. You could just solder wires from each row/column to a pin on a Teensy (or other microcntroller) but you'd have the same issues with blocking that you had before. If rewiring with diodes proves to be too much, you can look into optimising your matrix for gaming, but at that point, I think I'd rather just go with building a phontom from the ground up.

Offline laffindude

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Physically Remapping Keyboard?
« Reply #4 on: Mon, 30 January 2012, 08:51:53 »
I think it is better to ask what keyboard he owns first.
Also, I think the blocking he mentioned isn't the blocking we discuss here. It just sounds like remapped keys are not read as such. Probably directinput game that reads pure scancodes, which bypass Windows remapping.

Offline henry280

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Physically Remapping Keyboard?
« Reply #5 on: Mon, 30 January 2012, 09:17:59 »
Quote from: laffindude;503124
I think it is better to ask what keyboard he owns first.
Also, I think the blocking he mentioned isn't the blocking we discuss here. It just sounds like remapped keys are not read as such. Probably directinput game that reads pure scancodes, which bypass Windows remapping.

I have a few keyboards, but the ones I mainly use are the Steelseries 6gv2 and the Das keyboard Model S Silent, but yes you're correct.  I have no problems with NKRO because i just use the PS/2 Adapter, the problem is, somehow the game isn't taking my remappings well.  When I use SharpKeys to remap through registry, it does seem to be remapped when chatting (ex. If I reversed 'a' with 'm' typing 'apple' would actually give me 'mpple') but when I'm actually playing the game, the in-game commands as well as the controls will behave normally like they haven't been remapped at all.

I will consider rewiring, but I dont want to mess up any of the keyboards since they're quite expensive, but if there's guide on how to do it, I don't mind giving it a try.  Otherwise, like Icarium suggested, maybe a programmable keyboard might work?  If so, does anyone have any that they recommend (preferably mechanical, cherry mx red or black)?  Thanks!

Henry

Offline laffindude

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Physically Remapping Keyboard?
« Reply #6 on: Mon, 30 January 2012, 09:35:40 »
You can get a programmable controller like this. It should be possible to program something like a Teensy to act like a scan code translator. So that's an option for non-destructive modding. You'd have to get someone more familiar with Teensy to give you advice on that though.

Offline alaricljs

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Physically Remapping Keyboard?
« Reply #7 on: Mon, 30 January 2012, 09:59:36 »
There's are a couple PS/2 to usb converter firmwares for teensy that you can then do scancode conversions on.
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Offline Icarium

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Physically Remapping Keyboard?
« Reply #8 on: Mon, 30 January 2012, 10:05:06 »
Or you could just get a Tipro on ebay...
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Offline WhiteFireDragon

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Physically Remapping Keyboard?
« Reply #9 on: Mon, 30 January 2012, 16:10:11 »
Hmm I'm interested in the physical rewiring as well. Windows7 does a horrible job remapping to Dvorak layout. It always defaults to QWERTY, so every new application opened needs to be hot-keyed to Dvorak, and it all resets again once the computer is shut down/restarts.

Offline Gawkbasher

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Physically Remapping Keyboard?
« Reply #10 on: Mon, 30 January 2012, 16:15:09 »
Quote from: WhiteFireDragon;503512
Hmm I'm interested in the physical rewiring as well. Windows7 does a horrible job remapping to Dvorak layout. It always defaults to QWERTY, so every new application opened needs to be hot-keyed to Dvorak, and it all resets again once the computer is shut down/restarts.

In the Region and Language settings for the Language Bar, did you try moving Dvorak up above US layout?  (The Move Up/Down buttons on the side).

You can also remove US layout and always have Dvorak.
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Offline WhiteFireDragon

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Physically Remapping Keyboard?
« Reply #11 on: Mon, 30 January 2012, 16:39:51 »
Quote from: Gawkbasher;503514
In the Region and Language settings for the Language Bar, did you try moving Dvorak up above US layout?  (The Move Up/Down buttons on the side).

You can also remove US layout and always have Dvorak.
Yes I already did that, but It still defaults to QWERTY after windows boots. There must be some kind of bug. I also loose my hotkey setting for Dvorak once I open up the setting panel again. It's quite frustrating, so that's why I'll probably be doing a physical remapping of the keyboard at a later time when I'm more confident with the Dvorak layout.

I guess I could completely take out the US layout, but I'm going to stall on that for a bit. At this moment, I need my QWERTY typing speed for the next critical month. I type less than 20 wpm on Dvorak right now :(

Offline Gawkbasher

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Physically Remapping Keyboard?
« Reply #12 on: Mon, 30 January 2012, 16:49:47 »
Quote from: WhiteFireDragon;503540
Yes I already did that, but It still defaults to QWERTY after windows boots. There must be some kind of bug. I also loose my hotkey setting for Dvorak once I open up the setting panel again. It's quite frustrating, so that's why I'll probably be doing a physical remapping of the keyboard at a later time when I'm more confident with the Dvorak layout.

I guess I could completely take out the US layout, but I'm going to stall on that for a bit. At this moment, I need my QWERTY typing speed for the next critical month. I type less than 20 wpm on Dvorak right now :(

Try this: Control Panel > Region and Language > Keyboards and Language Tab > Change Keyboards > at the top here is a "Default Input Language" dropdown.  Is this set to Dvorak or English - US?
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Offline dorkvader

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Physically Remapping Keyboard?
« Reply #13 on: Mon, 30 January 2012, 20:35:47 »
Quote from: WhiteFireDragon;503540
Yes I already did that, but It still defaults to QWERTY after windows boots. There must be some kind of bug. I also loose my hotkey setting for Dvorak once I open up the setting panel again. It's quite frustrating, so that's why I'll probably be doing a physical remapping of the keyboard at a later time when I'm more confident with the Dvorak layout.

I guess I could completely take out the US layout, but I'm going to stall on that for a bit. At this moment, I need my QWERTY typing speed for the next critical month. I type less than 20 wpm on Dvorak right now :(
Even after completely removing Dvorak from my language in win7, it still defaults to that on the login screen. Good thing I know my password in both!

I'd recommend soarer's PS2 to USB with NKRO, which you can also have a scancode translator in.

Offline henry280

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Physically Remapping Keyboard?
« Reply #14 on: Mon, 30 January 2012, 21:37:20 »
Thanks for all the responses.  Looks like there's a few options out there then.  A few of you suggested PS2 to USB converters for Teensy, and I have no clue what it is or how it fixes it ( as you can see I'm really new to this stuff ).  How do I get started with this?  Do I have to make this myself or is there somewhere I can buy it?  What do I do once I have it?
Also, if anyone knows of a good fully programmable mechanical keyboard (cherry mx black or red), I might just skip all the trouble and get one.  Thanks!

Offline laffindude

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Offline boli

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Physically Remapping Keyboard?
« Reply #16 on: Tue, 31 January 2012, 03:03:51 »
Quote from: dorkvader;503758
Even after completely removing Dvorak from my language in win7, it still defaults to that on the login screen. Good thing I know my password in both!


I had the same issue with Colemak. Following Apply regional and language settings to reserved accounts fixed it. Sorry if this is obvious, to me it wasn't, as I use Windows only for gaming (Skyrim ATM), and use OSX for everything else (games too if they're available... SC2 FTW).
Keyboard: Kinesis Ergo Advantage (two LF editions with red Cherry switches, one regular with brown switches)
Keyboard layout: basically Colemak, with some remapping to end up with my custom Kinesis Advantage layout
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Offline Icarium

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Physically Remapping Keyboard?
« Reply #17 on: Tue, 31 January 2012, 03:23:17 »
Quote from: henry280;503836

Also, if anyone knows of a good fully programmable mechanical keyboard (cherry mx black or red), I might just skip all the trouble and get one.  Thanks!


Tipros have MX blacks.
I had a sig once but it's gone. It used to display an icon of a Kinesis. Just imagine that.

Offline mbc

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Physically Remapping Keyboard?
« Reply #18 on: Tue, 31 January 2012, 10:08:42 »
Quote from: Icarium;504037
Tipros have MX blacks.

Access, too