Exploring a cheap macro keypad
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- Опубликовано: 18 окт 2023
- I'm hoping this cheap macro keypad can make my video editing faster or at least more efficient.
But before it goes into service, let's see what's inside, and figure out how to program it.
The software can be found on the Aliexpress product page here: pileofstuff.ca/r/kw5tu
Or at this page: sikaicase.com/blogs/support/s...
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This isn't the only way to do it.
It's probably not the best way to do it.
But it's how I did it. 
Наука
Thanks for sharing the link to the software!
Most stores don't even include it on their page, had to search everywhere.
Glad I could help. It took quite a bit of hunting to find it myself.
I got one recently and it is very useful. I printed new keys with idents on my 3D printer. and infilled them with white paint.
Big THanks for your review!!
You are my hero! Thanks!
you sir are amazing. thank you for the great explanation
That's nice and easy to set up.
cool video, thanks for the review and teardown, decided to buy it for myself after watching this video
able to find very similar one for 12$ on my country, very worth the money
I've got a couple of these (9 key variant) to use as a programmable macro keypad for work. I can assign a long keyword to each and instead of spending several seconds typing the keyword, I can simply hit one key. And yeah, they're cheap enough although the software was a PITA to find.
liked n subs cause your the only video that fixed my problem ty
Happy to have helped
I bought this same model from Amazon a few years ago, could never find any software for it, so sent it back. I forgot to read the reviews or I would have known better.
Layers let you assign multiple functions to a single key and access them by switching between layers. I think of it as the Z-axis from Algebra or as a stack of plates from breakfast lunch and dinner.
And how do you active the extra layers when you need them?
@@Mr-R.R. Normally, you dedicate one key to change layers sequntially (1,2, 3 and back to 1). This is the simplest way but not the only way.
@@SteveRobillard gotcha! And do you know which models are capable of taking advantage of the layers? The one I got has 12 keys and 2 knobs. But since it's a Christmas gift I haven't gotten to test it out myself yet
@@Mr-R.R. No sorry.
@@Mr-R.R. the bluetooth models have a dedicated layer button next to the on-off
I have the Vaydeer 9 button keypad with 6 layers. The keys are shown in a small window on your monitor that stays on top and is movable. you can set it many different ways i have it where if i run my video editing software it go's to a certain layer with the keys set to what i want in that program. But that looks like a cool keypad as well. I got mine on amazon when they were having there prim day deals for $25.00 USD
Thanks! I just got one a few days ago.. Wasn't sure how to set up the knob..
You could spin up a windows machine in virtualbox and use USB passthrough. Would end up being fair safer and more convenient.
3:00 The chip can be programmed via arduino IDE via usb
If you like this, you should really look into a macropod with VIA/QMK support. It's not perfect, but the software is so much better than whatever this is. I have 2 Pikatea macropads that work great, but even my main keyboard supports VIA and I can program macro keys by using a layer on the F row.
I think I could use something like that for ardour. I don't have a windows machine though... might have to try doing so in a VM or with wine.
I got one recently it's a three button with rotary on it. I want to add more keys to it by reprogramming the ch552 and try to reprogram the addressable Leds because it only has two commands on the software, which is ok, but I would like to have more to it.
Like ESP chip, these microcontrollers are likely available in different packages with different pin out configurations. An ESP chip has a lot of GPIO's, but if you get it as an ESP1 it is only broken out to 8 pins, and if I recall only 4 were GPIO's on that, but if you broke it out to a bigger development board ,yo uget access to a lot more GPIO's
That makes sense.
Heh, no viruses is fine, but I bet there's more than a few people use that to enter user credentials and I would be wondering what the software was sending back home.
The CH552g is a very capable chip, including touch sensitive gpios. The chip can be programmed with the Arduino IDE. Lovely piece of kit. 👍😀
With the Arduino IDE, you say?
Looks like they're not expensive either.
Hmmm...
how exciting
Hi, i got the 4 key version. It works with the software but how to add delay on each key stroke?
When you programmed the keys, it displayed both the main and shifted values, e.g !1 and @2. Have you tried holding shift when hit a key to see if you get the shifted value?
Also, regarding layers 1, 2, and 3, did you figure those out? Any chance they refer to, for example, layer 2 being ctrl-key and layer 3 being alt-key?
Finally, can you assign the keys to be shift, ctrl, or alt? That could be useful in CAD and drawing programs for modifying mouse behavior.
Thanks, and hope you don't mind all the questions!
The layers thing appears to be for the larger keypads. This one is the most basic one in the product line.
I wish I could get mine to work. I got the 3 button with 1 knob version from amazon. Initially it programmed just fine, but then later I found that I wanted to change one of the button functions. As I was trying to reprogram the one button I slowly lost function of the others to the point now it does nothing. The software says success after I click download but the buttons never work. Super frustrating, It really make my job smoother. I do a lot of copy/pasting and salect all.
Tried adding phrases to the keys, eg "Greetings & Salutations" etc, for word processing, sadly only accepts 5 characters per key and no more. wonder if you could reprogram it or if its a memory limit thing?
That was what I had in mind as I have to answer a lot of mails and often type the same praises over and over. But this 5 char limit rules that out unfortunately.
maybe the word processor has macro options, so if you send "M1234" or "G&S" it does "greeting and ....."
hello! can you use the knob to for midi mapping parameters in music software?
If your MIDI software can interpret normal computer keyboard hotkey inputs, then it should.
Hey, thanks for the video, man. I'd like to know if it can loop the macro. For example you click the button and it keeps pressing assigned letter untill you click again to stop. Thanks!
I don't think it'll latch like that, but it will repeat the keypress for as long as you hold the key in the same way a normal keyboard can.
@@pileofstuff thank you
You can use a script to do that lol 😅
mine isnt connecting :((((
for me mine shows not connected on software even tho i had windows pop up i connected it any ideas ?
I winder if it would work as a CNC controller?
It can emulate a normal keyboard or mouse buttons.
If that's how your CNC is controlled, then it should work.
I mean the program does what needs to, but I you can't use it for like Push to Talk on Discord. It doesn't recognise it as a constant key press. :(
All the custom programs for it on github are all for Linux and I'm too stupid to learn how to do that.. xD
I just got the 16key version. The program seems to only allow key sequences of 5 keys. I'm not sure why. any help would be nice.
Cheap products cheap software 😂😂
What screwdriver do you use?
This powered one is a Kaiweets ES20
pileofstuff.ca/r/qwslg
Is it possible to assign laptop power button and when the laptop is shut down can we power on laptop via this product?
I don;t think so, unless that is something you can access through standard keyboard commands.
My experiences with shady software tells me that you should probably immediately set fire to that computer...just be sure to remove the battery first! Scary that I'm talking about GatesOS instead of that other random software you downloaded!
Or just erase the whole drive easy! Dont have to waste hardware. But ofcourse the software could also be in the bios or firmware of the motherboard but that could be removed with some effort
didi you know if there is a mac program!
I wasn't able to find one.
I made a few out of a 32U4 and they work with windows and Mac fine. But not with linux. I only have 1 Widose Box and 1 mac, but a dozen linux boxes. Oh well.
I did a 32U4 based interface for an original NES controller a couple of years ago, and it worked on every computer I tried it on. ruclips.net/video/KwTWbf5OROM/видео.html
I told my wife the 3 button keypad was specifically for Windows (CNTL+ALT+DEL). I get blamed for making her laugh as she is taking a drink of her coffee.
WCH is a large and reputable company. I use their mcus and trust their software.
They can be trusted! But not the one who wrote the code for the mcu which is probably not wch but some other company or the one who made the software
Ahh yes :D
@@309electronics5
Get a elgarto stream deck. Its just soooo good. (And get the XL from the start)
Sure, but this was $20, not 400...
And it takes up a lot less desk space.
As he already said: This thing is just 20 dollars and not the 400 for a streamdeck. This is for the people who dont need a lot of controls, just simple audio and program switching
@@309electronics5 Yes i know what you meen, bot you can get then 2nd hand (I do that) And its like 1/3 price.
The virus doesn't come via the software; it comes via the USB port.
Excuse me, what do you mean? The virus in this macropad?
Your mission if you choose to accept it. Laser engraving the keys.
I've 3D printed a few keycaps with different textures so I can identify them by feel.
maybe the software works with wine ? .. I think there is a project with open source firmware for these keypads.. there is one at hackaday.
I tried WINE on one of my machines and it didn't open. There may be tweaks to get it to work, but this was a quicker solution.
@@pileofstuff hm,, ran out of the box for me.. wine-staging 8.18 .. fresh prefix .. no extras ..
I've had inconsistent results with WINE across different machines over the years. Never cared enough to spend the time and dig deep into why.
@@pileofstuff I do not have the luxury of windows users in my household so I have to cope with it ^^ .. but it is true, wine sometimes needs a little fiddling and is not so easy to install on some distributions... But I feel that has improved quite a bit over the last years.