Kinesis Advantage OS X media keys

Question

I recently started using a Kinesis Advantage with my MacBook and one of the things I've really missed since switching from my Apple keyboard is having the functionality of the OS X media keys.

I know the Advantage keyboards are pretty customisable but having Googled for quite a while I haven't been able to find any sources saying that it's possible to map the function keys on the Advantage to the appropriate OS X function.

Has anyone had any success in getting something like this to work? Any tips would be hugely appreciated.

Answer 1

I stumbled upon the solution for this while reading through the Kinesis manual, although it's not explicitly called out.

Hold down the equals key, =, on your keyboard and then press F10. Repeat this sequence with F11. For me at least, this made F10 work for volume down, and F11 work for volume up. I did the same thing with the scroll lock and pause break buttons to get the brightness controls to work.

This solution allows your to selectively enable media keys functions for only a subset of the function keys. Leaving the other function keys unchanged.

NOTE: This was with a Kinesis Advantage USB/LF keyboard. Your mileage may vary.

Answer 2

I have added this to private.xml in KeyRemap4MacBook:

<autogen>__KeyToKey__ KeyCode::COMMAND_R, KeyCode::COMMAND_L, ModifierFlag::COMMAND_L | ModifierFlag::CONTROL_L | ModifierFlag::OPTION_L</autogen>
<autogen>__KeyToKey__ KeyCode::KEY_1, VK_CONTROL | VK_OPTION | VK_COMMAND, KeyCode::VK_CONSUMERKEY_BRIGHTNESS_DOWN</autogen>
<autogen>__KeyToKey__ KeyCode::KEY_2, VK_CONTROL | VK_OPTION | VK_COMMAND, KeyCode::VK_CONSUMERKEY_BRIGHTNESS_UP</autogen>
<autogen>__KeyToKey__ KeyCode::KEY_6, VK_CONTROL | VK_OPTION | VK_COMMAND, KeyCode::VK_CONSUMERKEY_MUSIC_PREV</autogen>
<autogen>__KeyToKey__ KeyCode::KEY_7, VK_CONTROL | VK_OPTION | VK_COMMAND, KeyCode::VK_CONSUMERKEY_MUSIC_PLAY</autogen>
<autogen>__KeyToKey__ KeyCode::KEY_8, VK_CONTROL | VK_OPTION | VK_COMMAND, KeyCode::VK_CONSUMERKEY_MUSIC_NEXT</autogen>
<autogen>__KeyToKey__ KeyCode::KEY_9, VK_CONTROL | VK_OPTION | VK_COMMAND, KeyCode::VK_CONSUMERKEY_VOLUME_DOWN, ModifierFlag::OPTION_L | ModifierFlag::SHIFT_L</autogen>
<autogen>__KeyToKey__ KeyCode::KEY_0, VK_CONTROL | VK_OPTION | VK_COMMAND, KeyCode::VK_CONSUMERKEY_VOLUME_UP, ModifierFlag::OPTION_L | ModifierFlag::SHIFT_L</autogen>

The first line remaps the right command to control + option + command. I mainly use it as a modifier key for opening applications, but it serves as a substitute for fn in this case. I didn't use the F-keys, because key repeat is disabled for them, and they are harder to press without looking.

Answer 3

Another, more general purpose workaround is to use Quicksilver to control iTunes playback. The iTunes plugin for Quicksilver can do everything the multimedia keys on a Mac do (Play/Pause, Skip Song, Previous Song, iTunes Volume Up and Down, etc), plus a bunch more.

The functions I use most, beside Play/Pause and Skip/Previous, are rating the current song and displaying the current song in a little popup bezel. Of course you can assign custom keys to all of these functions, which I find very useful with the non-standard layout of the Command, Alt/Option & Control keys on the Kinesis Advantage keyboard.

Answer 4

Yes, the two options provided in the first answer are a combination of what I do. There may be a problem with F15 (Pause/Break) since you would need to press it repeatedly to raise/lower brightness or volume rather than just hold it down.

But here's more info: Everything Kinesis Advantage

Answer 5

Have you tried the multi media features of the keyboard? If you press and hold the equals key and tap the letter "n" (=n) it will enable multi media keys, refer to page 41 of the user's manual (http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/support/advantage-usb-manual_09-11.pdf).

Also, if you want to customize some function keys to preform dashboard, etc., you can do so by going to System Preferences/Expose & Spaces (or Mission Control on the latest OS).