Re: Northgate keyboards, their clones & successors

[Robert Holmgren holmgren@xxxxxxxx]

** Reply to message from jr_fox@xxxxxxxx on Sat, 13 Jan 2001 14:44:06 -0800


> The MCK-142 Pro is close but not an exact replacement. The "function" of
> the Ctrl-Caps-Shift keys can be reassigned under Windows with a keyboard
> remap program we will point you to. But it is not a hardware swap and only
> works under Windows. Also, the key caps cannot be exchanged as they are
> different sizes and there are no extra key caps included with the unit.

Avant Stellar: *All* keys can be reassigned, or have macros loaded
on them, or any damn thing you please, in *hardware* (the keyboard
remembers every assignment, and you can move the keyboard from one
machine to another without losing anything -- the only restriction is
that the software program that makes these hardware changes only runs
under Win9x -- but there is also a manual way of reassigning keys that
requires no program at all, the keyboard only needs to be plugged in
to a machine -- however, the software program is so nifty and easy to
use that I prefer it). Extra keys in different sizes are provided,
e.g. for swapping the CapsLock and Ctrl keys.

One caveat: do NOT software reprogram the Avant Stellar using a
Win9x notebook which has its own integrated keyboard, such that the
Avant Stellar would be a second external kbd -- the software program
sends code that rewrites the ROM in the kbd, and if you have more than
one keyboard attached, you can screw up your PS/2 or USB port but good
(once, when I tried it with a mouse and kbd on a PS/2 Y-splitter, the
software program tried to program my mouse, which yielded interesting
results -- complete crash of everything). You really need to use a
desktop machine to run the reassignment program, THEN move the kbd to
your notebook -- all will be well.

******************
Robert Holmgren
holmgren@xxxxxxxx
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