Durgod Keyboard - works but not programmable

ondoho · 01-24-2021, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CVAlkan

The utility it provides in Windows intercepts the keystrokes and reinterprets them with whatever you program using their keymapper. Unlike the Kinesis, these remappings are stored in a Windows file, not in the keyboard.

I'm pretty sure this is possible in GNU/Linux, too, with native utilities.

CVAlkan · 01-24-2021, 06:58 AM

True enough, but the key difference is that, with the Kinesis, if you have several macros and/or other key reassignments, and do nothing but attach the keyboard to a different machine or a different operating system, they all continue to work because they're stored within the keyboard itself and don't rely on interception.

On the other hand, if a Kinesis macro was built on a machine that is set up using a standard qwerty keyboard, and then plugged into a machine that is set up expecting that a Dvorak keyboard is attached, the results will be useless.

So it's really an apples to oranges comparison.

In any case, a keyboard only sends key-down and key-up signals (e.g. "Alpha Row B, key 4 DOWN" and "Alpha Row B, key 4 UP"), so context, as they say, is everything.

Another note for Alan: Using xev (you probably have to install it) from the command line can be very informative if you're attempting to figure out what's going on. Google it for more info.

Stay safe!!

dkjer · 02-25-2021, 08:56 PM

There is now support for the Durgod K320 in QMK, if you want more programmability: https://github.com/qmk/qmk_firmware/...ds/durgod/k320

VIA support is also coming soon: https://github.com/the-via/keyboards/pull/588

CVAlkan · 02-26-2021, 06:05 AM

Thanks very much for posting this info; I was completely unaware that such a thing existed.

My first reaction, to be honest, was to immediately check and see if I could flash my ancient Northgate Ultra to turn its "Omni" key into a "Windows"/"Super" key but, sadly, the Northgate predates Windows keys, and is likely older than the QMK developers are, and remapping the Ultra [in the keyboard itself] doesn't seem possible.

From reading about QMK, although it seems useful for semi-permanent remappings, it seems pretty impractical for "on-the-fly" macros and such things. Via seems like a potential answer to this (as the changes seem to end up stored in the keyboard rather than on the PC itself), but I'd need to experiment. Still, it's nice to see work in this area.

The way Kinesis handles portable mapping and programmability is still the "gold standard" I think; with the state of electronics in general, it would be nice if all keyboards were that smart, particularly ones as nice (and affordable) as the Durgod.

Thanks again for sharing - I look forward to experimenting ...