Author Topic: Question for those who have the Camo Filco Keyboard and running Mac OSX (Read 4929 times)

file_id · « **on:** Thu, 20 October 2011, 22:32:46 »

I'm curious. I noticed that there is a function key to control media keys only on the camo board. Does that same FN key allow control for media keys on a mac?

noodles256 · « **Reply #1 on:** Thu, 20 October 2011, 22:41:32 »

my bwu media keys work on my mac and i got the windows edition

file_id · « **Reply #2 on:** Thu, 20 October 2011, 22:51:46 »

Yeah, I have the mac edition of the Razer Blackwidow Ultimate. You have to install the razer software in order for F1-F4 to work correctly right? but I was curious of the camo filco if hitting FN-F12 for example would change the volume, etc.

noodles256 · « **Reply #3 on:** Thu, 20 October 2011, 22:52:28 »

i didnt install anything and i have windows edition

file_id · « **Reply #4 on:** Thu, 20 October 2011, 22:57:15 »

Well, that is crap. Anyway, I dislike using the keyboard for starcraft. Can't get used to the function keys on the left side.

pitashen · « **Reply #5 on:** Fri, 21 October 2011, 02:47:12 »

usually, media keys such as volume control and mute should work on both windows and mac, usually.

I have had experiences using mac keyboards (one apple branded, one third party) on windows (running natively on PC, no bootcamp crap) as well as a window specific keyboard on mac. Volume control and mute work.

Clickey · « **Reply #6 on:** Fri, 21 October 2011, 16:04:53 »

Short answer, don't use Mac.

arplod · « **Reply #7 on:** Fri, 21 October 2011, 20:22:07 »

Wouldn't KeyRemap4Macbook give you more control in any case?

EDIT: If the F keys can be scanned as normal F keys on the Camo then you can enable Apple keyboard F-key behaviour (i.e. F8 = play/pause, F12= VolUp, etc) using KR4M.

woody · « **Reply #8 on:** Sat, 22 October 2011, 08:37:34 »

Quote from: ripster;436371

BTW the media keys are kinda useless on this Filco Camo. The increments they use and time to autorepeat is too imprecise. I use a Griffen powermate.

With USB there is no autorepeat from the keyboard's standpoint, it is wholly OS' decision about this. I am currently at 250 msec / 30 cps, but could increase the repetitions a bit.
There is no increment, too - just a keycode sent. But you already know this.

arplod · « **Reply #9 on:** Sun, 23 October 2011, 05:45:45 »

Does the Filco just ship with software to map the F keys to media controls, or is it electrically different (as in actual media keys) from a regular Filco? I wasn't clear on that point.

If they're media keys, they might actually work as OS X responds to every media-key-equipped Windows keyboard (and headset) I have, in terms of the transport controls and volume.

In either case, if the F keys can be made to work like normal F keys in Windows without software, I would imagine you can get KeyRemap4Macbook to work.

http://pqrs.org/macosx/keyremap4macbook/

Grond · « **Reply #10 on:** Sun, 23 October 2011, 06:00:37 »

I also suggest keyremap4macbook, it's the best option I found so far.

Bertross · « **Reply #11 on:** Wed, 15 February 2012, 23:41:37 »

Quote from: arplod;437231

Does the Filco just ship with software to map the F keys to media controls, or is it electrically different (as in actual media keys) from a regular Filco? I wasn't clear on that point.

If they're media keys, they might actually work as OS X responds to every media-key-equipped Windows keyboard (and headset) I have, in terms of the transport controls and volume.

In either case, if the F keys can be made to work like normal F keys in Windows without software, I would imagine you can get KeyRemap4Macbook to work.

http://pqrs.org/macosx/keyremap4macbook/

This works 100% i just got it working.

Rumudiez · « **Reply #12 on:** Thu, 16 February 2012, 19:27:09 »

mac media controls work with the same codes as the F row--it's just software that changes. if you have the default setting for F2 to brighten your screen without a modifier key, it will work no matter what keyboard you use. i'm not sure about how it would behave with the Fn setting and no Fn key, although the (useless) SysRq, Scroll Lock, and Pause/Break keys do something related to volume or brightness by default...

captain · « **Reply #13 on:** Mon, 16 April 2012, 07:59:33 »

Quote from: ripster;436371

BTW the media keys are kinda useless on this Filco Camo. The increments they use and time to autorepeat is too imprecise. I use a Griffen powermate.
(Attachment Link) 29439[/ATTACH]

Thanks for that photo! Now I can see that the stupid FN key actually does change the behavior of about five F-keys. Of course, I run my audio out the S-PDIF port, so mute, vol-up, vol-dn have zero effect, and I don't need FF/REV keys at all. I think the Camo version is the ONLY Filco to change the useful Command key into a FN key. It sucks to only have a right-side Option key.

Ideally, we could REPROGRAM the Filco, so that FN returns to it's function as listed on EVERY other Filco. Does anyone know if there is a way of reprogramming the key? Remapping the FN key seems like a back to standard Filco Alt/Command (whatever it normally is, which I remap to Option) seems like a recipe for bork-your-entire-system.

BTW, the F keys work fine, without the Fn key pressed. Only those six-or-so keys appear to be affected by Fn. Also, Print Screen, Scroll Lock, Pause are seen as F13, F14, F15 in OSX, and F14/F15 are brightness controls.

KeyRemap4MacBook doesn't even see the Fn key! This appears to require a keyboard hardware firmware rewrite. Do we have a Filco rep. (or firmware expert) on board here?

Why is the camo the only Filco to do this idiocy?

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Author Topic: Question for those who have the Camo Filco Keyboard and running Mac OSX (Read 4929 times)

woody