Input Device compatibility testing with KVM & KM switches

[Wootenblatz]

Yesterday I got a 44 key Koolertron key pad (B076LZJ5JS on US Amazon) and have tested it with the ShuOne 8 port and the AIMOS 8 port. Here is what I have experienced so far. I've only tested this with a single player at the moment. While I do not expect the AIMOS results to change with multiple characters playing, I'll update my post if that ends up being the case.

With ShuOne: BAD Completely unusable as the KM sync ignores the device entirely, even for basic movement keys. Likely incompatible due to the VID/PID hiding feature on the ShuOne.

With AIMOS 8 Port: Somewhere between GOOD and OK. Very much usable with the exception of single button port swapping. All of my basic keys work, as do the hotkey buttons that send a keystroke with modifiers. You can use a burst key configuration with NUM* and NUM0 to turn sync on/off.

Round robin key actions also work, which was one of the things I wanted this device for. This lets you define a button where one of three different keys are sent in sequence. Each key press sends the next key each time you press the button. My intention is to use this as a totally EULA compliant IWT key. My sequence sends move back (bound only on melee chars), my IWT key and then my DPS key.

A burst key configuration did not work for direct port access like it did for Sync On/Off. I believe this is because the sync on/off hot key does not require you to let go of NUM0 before letting go of NUM*, which is how the direct port access hot keys work. This does not mean you cannot direct swap ports, you just need to be sure to allocate keys to NUM* and NUM1 ... NUM5 (or however high you need to go). You will need to get used to the release pattern to properly swap the port as the # key must always be released before NUM*.

Here is a screenshot of my current configuration:


Here is how I have my Sync On burst key configured:


I tried many of the other types of key configurations to enable single key port swapping with no luck, this include Two Key Click configurations. If the proper key values can be determined for NUM* and NUM1 through NUM5 it should be possible to create a macro to swap ports with a single key. After spending over an hour on that I have not gotten one to work.

Based on my experience thus far, I do not think the "Press/Release" options in the macro script editor will work. Using that option seems to bypass the AIMOS's interpretation of the key being pressed. When I run such a macro in this window I see the key output and the AIMOS does not switch. Example if I press my macro key to switch to port 2 :

*2 

I'm very new to Koolertron devices but this behavior seems to indicate the device is sending the value outputted by the key that was "pressed" as opposed to registering the key itself, if that makes sense?

If a macro can be crafted to switch ports, it will likely have to be use the KeyDown and KeyUp actions. Unfortunately it has proven somewhat challenging to decipher the included USB HID key table PDF for activating the numpad keys. The software is not clear if you're supposed to use the decimal, hex or AT position key values. The HEX option seems off the table as that generally resulted in Key00 showing up in the macro. If anyone knows more about the proper place to find a definitive list of KeyDown/KeyUp for use in Koolertron Macro Script, please share.

[Wootenblatz]

Yesterday I got a 44 key Koolertron key pad (B076LZJ5JS on US Amazon) and have tested it with the ShuOne 8 port and the AIMOS 8 port.
...
If a macro can be crafted to switch ports, it will likely have to be use the KeyDown and KeyUp actions.

After a number of unhelpful back and forth emails with Koolertron support, I believe I have accidentally figured out how to do proper key up key down macros with the Koolertron. All of my email exchanges gave me the sense that the person on the other end simultaneously thought I was an idiot while also assuming I knew some baseline knowledge about how the device works. It kind of drove me nuts.

This applies to the AIMOS 4 port and AIMOS 8 port.

Anyway, I say I discovered this accidentally because no where in the manual or in my emails with support did it ever become clear where the numbers for a key up/down "key value" should come from. When I specifically asked support this question I got this in response:

The parameter after the Keydown command is the row and column number of the key. To use the keyboard to enter the number, you can enter this parameter .

In retrospect this makes total sense. However at no point did this person say "use the row/column key position on the physical device". Hence my comment about "baseline knowledge" I mentioned earlier.

Last night I happened to notice the top of the pop up window you get when assigning a key type to a key. This is when I remembered the cryptic mention of "row and column number of the key". Seeing this finally made everything click into place for me:



As it turns out the "key value" part of macros refers to the physical key position on the device. The 44 key unit has 6 rows of keys with 8 columns of keys. So the top left key is key value 11. The last key in the top row is 18. Keys that take up multiple spots seem to be referenced by the first location they occupy. In my image below the black CTRL key is Key 51 and occupies spot 51 and 61. The "window" key in the bottom row is key 62.

To create a proper direct port swap macro on the Koolertron 44 key unit you'd need to bind one key for NUM* and five keys for NUM1 through NUM5. You'd probably want these out of the way because the macros themselves also need to be bound to keys.

Then you'd need to bind the macro for each PC swap key to 5 additional keys. You'd end up having to dedicated 11 keys up to attain a single button port switch for 1 through 5.

Here is one example of how that might look if the top row dedicated key 3 through 8 to the macros assignments. I'm not showing those keys but instead showing a macro that should swap to the port for PC1. Key 12 is NUM*, Key 21 is NUM1.



Given that you can turn sync on (NUM*+NUM0) with a single key in burst configuration mode, I'd recommend that so you can save a key if you do create direct port swap macros.

In closing, I have not actually tested these exact configuration. I did test a number of other macros that behave in a similar way. I do not want to dedicate 11 keys to direct port swapping on a keypad. I'm generally not turning off keyboard sync in combat with my current setup.

[nodoze]

Wootenblatz, I was unable to get any Koolertron macros to fire for me so I don't have much insight to share. You may want to import some of the sample macros that should be in the smkd72\Example\Example_Macro folder and see if they can give you any insights.

The initial post at the top of the thread has been updated with everything up to this post. Thanks for submissions thus far and please post to the end of this thread any corrections or new submissions. Please link to original sources if from other threads/sites and I will try to include the links in the summary.

[nodoze]

Wootenblatz, I was unable to get any Koolertron macros to fire for me so I don't have much insight to share. You may want to import some of the sample macros that should be in the smkd72\Example\Example_Macro folder and see if they can give you any insights. ...

I was kinda bummed that the 48 key Koolertron only supports 8 macros so I also ordered the 23key Koolertron that supports 24 macros (more than 1 per key) so the entire keypad is hardware macro-able.

Was pretty bummed that the macros on the 23 key Koolertron also did not seem to work (like my 48 key Koolertron) when testing late last night...

I then turned off everything in my system tray and they started working (at least on the 23 key Koolertron as I haven't retested the 48key Koolertron)... So it looks like one of the many utilities I have been testing is somehow interfering with my Koolertron macros... If I decide to keep using either Koolertron and figure out by trial and error which of those utilities is causing the issue I will try to remember to report back...

Mainly sharing the info that if you are testing a Koolertron and are having issues with macros not working I suggest you turn off things in your tray and retest to see if you have conflicts like I did.

[Wootenblatz]

Wootenblatz, I was unable to get any Koolertron macros to fire for me so I don't have much insight to share. You may want to import some of the sample macros that should be in the smkd72\Example\Example_Macro folder and see if they can give you any insights.

The initial post at the top of the thread has been updated with everything up to this post. Thanks for submissions thus far and please post to the end of this thread any corrections or new submissions. Please link to original sources if from other threads/sites and I will try to include the links in the summary.

Also, you can include the Red Dragon M990 Legend Chroma as GOOD for the 8 port AIMOS. I've been using it constantly since I got my 8 Port and it works identically to the 4 port.

I can test the K585 Red Dragon keypad and K588 tenkeyless Red Dragon keyboard soon. I'll update this post once I can do that. I think it is safe to say that anything that works on the 4 port AIMOS will work the same on the 8 port. Unless we find an indication they're somehow different, you might be able to combine them to save space in the posts?

[nodoze]

Also, you can include the Red Dragon M990 Legend Chroma as GOOD for the 8 port AIMOS. I've been using it constantly since I got my 8 Port and it works identically to the 4 port.

I can test the K585 Red Dragon keypad and K588 tenkeyless Red Dragon keyboard soon. I'll update this post once I can do that. I think it is safe to say that anything that works on the 4 port AIMOS will work the same on the 8 port. Unless we find an indication they're somehow different, you might be able to combine them to save space in the posts?

Thanks and I look forward to the updates. I may combine them and just denote a 4 or an 8 (or 4+8) for which switch we have confirmed testing for.

I think part of the issue with the space is that it may be counting the text of the URLs that I am including as hyperlinks to the original source thread/post where the testing was documented (even if in this same thread). Maybe I can also replace the regular/full URLs with some Tiny URLs.

[nodoze]

The initial post at the top of the thread has been updated with everything up to this post. Thanks for submissions thus far and please post to the end of this thread any corrections or new submissions. Please link to original sources if from other threads/sites and I will try to include the links in the summary.

[bloodshot]

After seeing Wootenblatz's post on getting koolertron working with the Aimos 8 port, I decided to retest it on my side and managed to get my 48 koolertron to work with the Aimos 4 port. The problem I seemed to have was with the boot process. When I initially tested the koolertron, I customized a few keys and saved over the default profile. I also kept plugging it into the ShuOne which would halt the boot process. I'm not exactly sure which is to blame but after this, I started to experience random boot issues where the koolertron would get stuck and do nothing even when directly connected to my PC. To solve the issue, I restored the backup I had over the default profile and the boot issues seemed to go away. I then retested with the AIMOS and the basics seemed to work good! As for as the advanced features, I refer users to see Wootenblatz's earlier post as I have not had a chance to dive deeper.

[sgtopus]

steelseries Rival 500 mouse all buttons work with Shuone 8 port/Aimos 4 port confirmed FYI after running it through test

[bloodshot]

steelseries Rival 500 mouse all buttons work with Shuone 8 port/Aimos 4 port confirmed FYI after running it through test

Thanks for the update! I just returned my Razer Naga Trinity as it wasn't ergonomic and the synapse software is terrible. This seems like a perfect candidate to update from my G502. I just ordered it off amazon =)