Hex and a Colon: IPv6 and keyboards

[daaelar]

First, let me start with a thank you.  Thanks to the members here at geekhack and all the amazing posts, I've decided to ditch my crappy domes and a get a nice mechanical board.

I've been using an Apple Aluminum at work and a Logitech MX3200 at home, and while I like the Apple board, the Logitech feels like garbage and is starting to get stuck.  I like the wristrest on the Logitech though, so I guess they have something going for them.  Normally, I will always buy a full keyboard as opposed to tenkeyless.  However, I do a ton of work with IPv6 (yes, I'm a network engineer, and yes, IPv6 DOES exist :-P ) and this brings along a few interesting issues.  I normally type IPs on the tenkey section, but since there's no hex (A-F) or a colon, typing IPv6 addresses is a painful process.

I've been considering picking up a Filco (or maybe a Leopold) with some Browns.  I'd be willing to go tenkeyless, IF I could find a separate keypad with hex digits and a colon (insert rectal jokes here).  So the question I'm putting out here is, has anyone ever seen a keypad that has this setup? I've never personally seen one, but I see no reason that A-F couldn't go vertically to the left of the keys, with a colon taking up half of the + space.  In any case, since I'm new to the scene, I'm hoping someone has either seen something that would work or know a good way to rig something up.  If it doesn't exist, I'd accept that and just go with a fullsize.

Thanks again for the amazing resources on this site!  You bastards just consumed the last two days of my life reading all of it :-P

[Findecanor]

So the question I'm putting out here is, has anyone ever seen a keypad that has this setup? I've never personally seen one, but I see no reason that A-F couldn't go vertically to the left of the keys, with a colon taking up half of the + space.

You could get a programmable keypad with relegendable key caps. With these key caps, you put a piece of paper with the key's legend underneath a clear cover on each key cap.
There are several options. There are models from Genovation, and then there are several point-of-sale/cash-register ("POS") keyboards that are relatively small.
Not so inexpensive to buy new, but more so on the second-hand market.

The Cherry G80-1800 has the nav cluster keys above the key pad, and maybe you would be comfortable with replacing those with relegendable keys and reprogram the keymap in software in the host computer. When I type on my G80-1800, I tend to use the nav keys on the keypad instead of that cluster, because the ordinary nav cluster is so far away.
A used one with Cherry MX Black switches and USB with German layout can sometimes be found on German eBay for 5 Euro. Some German member has/may resell to keyboard enthusiasts outside Europe/Germany. It should also be available in US-ANSI, french and UK layouts. The light grey models have keys of PBT and black models have keys of POM.

... yes, IPv6 DOES exist :-P

I think it is sad that you have to point that out. The Internet should have migrated to IPv6 years ago.

[IvanIvanovich]

The goldtouch gtc033 keypad has a colon, but on a 2nd layer which you need to press a fn key on it to use. Otherwise there are some fully programmable 10key out there like the Cherry g80-3700 wher you could assign a colon to the + key for example.

[kps]

I put a hex keypad on my IBM Model F. The mapping is done by the terminal-to-USB converter; USB has dedicated key codes for hex digits.

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I also intend to put a hex number pad on an upcoming project keyboard. Group buy Round 4 includes an appropriate kit.