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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: TheGrey on Tue, 05 February 2013, 09:03:18

Title: Hardware Programmable Keyboards?
Post by: TheGrey on Tue, 05 February 2013, 09:03:18

Dear all,

I know of the Rapoo V7, but are there any mechanical keyboards around that allow you to store custom key functions?

Cheers,
TheGrey

Title: Re: Hardware Programmable Keyboards?
Post by: davkol on Tue, 05 February 2013, 09:21:16

I can think of only custom designs (ErgoDox, the Korean stuff), some vintage/POS keyboards, and the Kinesis Contoured.

Title: Re: Hardware Programmable Keyboards?
Post by: hoggy on Tue, 05 February 2013, 13:22:35

Pos boards - both tipro and access-is are programmable.   The access will be nkro if it's ps/2.

Title: Re: Hardware Programmable Keyboards?
Post by: SmallFry on Tue, 05 February 2013, 13:28:21

The Filco tenkeyless boards are custom programmable if you put in an HID Liberator.

Title: Re: Hardware Programmable Keyboards?
Post by: Acetrak on Tue, 05 February 2013, 13:34:43

Phantoms yo

Title: Re: Hardware Programmable Keyboards?
Post by: SmallFry on Tue, 05 February 2013, 13:35:52

I thought that was covered in Davkol's post, hence why I didn't include it.

Title: Re: Hardware Programmable Keyboards?
Post by: rknize on Tue, 05 February 2013, 13:36:38

If you are looking for something you can pick up right now in retail, then only the POS boards come to my mind.  If you are willing to build your own kit, then there are some options now (Phantom) with more to come.  Then there is the aftermarket controller for Filco, as SmallFry mentioned.

Title: Re: Hardware Programmable Keyboards?
Post by: SmallFry on Tue, 05 February 2013, 13:38:58

Also, Biphany may be working at getting a few other drop in replacement controllers in the future including the QFR, the Rosewill RK9* series, and Filco Fullsize(may be the same as Rosewill).

Title: Re: Hardware Programmable Keyboards?
Post by: davkol on Tue, 05 February 2013, 13:53:37

I guess Roccat Ryos should be programmable, but I'm not sure about release date. If you don't need mechanical switches, Cherry G86 are quite common.

Title: Re: Hardware Programmable Keyboards?
Post by: Acetrak on Tue, 05 February 2013, 14:00:50

Autohotkey is also an option, however your mappings will not be saved at the keyboard level, but rather the computer you are using. Could be a simple solution for what you might need though.

Title: Re: Hardware Programmable Keyboards?
Post by: sordna on Tue, 05 February 2013, 14:04:01

The Kinesis Advantage as well the Comfort Keyboard System are programmable from the keyboard itself, no software or drivers needed.

Title: Re: Hardware Programmable Keyboards?
Post by: iri on Tue, 05 February 2013, 14:19:38

pos, pos... which ones?

Title: Re: Hardware Programmable Keyboards?
Post by: davkol on Tue, 05 February 2013, 14:32:08

Quote from: iri on Tue, 05 February 2013, 14:19:38

pos, pos... which ones?

Most if not all models by Tipro, Access-IS, Elcom,... Some Cherry keyboards as well (especially higher-end G86).

Title: Re: Hardware Programmable Keyboards?
Post by: rootwyrm on Tue, 05 February 2013, 15:54:11

In theory, any keyboard is programmable to a limited extent. The problem is that you have a fixed set of scancodes which are valid, a fixed set of memory, and potential layout issues. (e.g. impossible to create certain Function Layer combinations in matrix layouts without true dioded NKRO.)
Roccat Ryos is probably going to be your best bet, depending on how open the SDK is - 94 key layer and 2MB of addressable memory for layers. There was another keyboard - Korean IIRC - we were recently discussing that offers a high level of programmability but the name escapes me.