X-Keys

[skienblack]

I was looking at the X Keys Professional, which is a 58 key programmable key pad to use with Eos client. Whats everyone opinion on the 58 key version? It seems like it would be a good investment when using Eos client. I also see they have this one with a joystick. Does anyone know if the one with a joy stick work with a ETC Eos family console? If you could hook it up to the board it would make a GREAT addition to an Element console.

 

[len]

I used an X-key once and I thought it was really well made. Not your specific model, and I don't know if it will communicate with that desk, but perhaps worth a try. I would check with X-keys to ask about their return policy in case it doesn't communicate before I bought it.

 

[Footer]

From what I recall, the joystick only worked with software that was designed for it. Usually those were the flight sim programs and stuff like that. I know many people have tried to get it working with HogPC and software like that to no real benefit. The keyboard works great though, they really are a great thing to have around. There is a HogPC setup you can get for them, I assume there is one for Chamsys as well. Because X-Keys maps to standard keyboard inputs, there is no reason why it won't work with your software. Some consoles even support it directly.

 

[jhdesynz]

I was looking at the X Keys Professional, which is a 58 key programmable key pad to use with Eos client. Whats everyone opinion on the 58 key version? It seems like it would be a good investment when using Eos client. I also see they have this one with a joystick. Does anyone know if the one with a joy stick work with a ETC Eos family console? If you could hook it up to the board it would make a GREAT addition to an Element console.

The only supported version on the EOS line (includes Element) is the 58 key pro. Make sure the one you get is a USB model and not the PS/2 version. They can be purchased from an ETC dealer or found pretty cheap on Amazon.

Couple of things. If you buy it from anywhere but ETC, you will have to "program" it for the console. ETC does have free software in the download section of the site for this. Just search for EOS x-keys. Their tech support department can walk you through it too.

If you do get one, you may want to ask ETC tech support if they will send you a key cap kit for the Element for free. They work great on the X-keys and ETC usually doesn't have a problem with that.

 

[epimetheus]

The only supported version on the EOS line (includes Element) is the 58 key pro. Make sure the one you get is a USB model and not the PS/2 version. They can be purchased from an ETC dealer or found pretty cheap on Amazon.

Couple of things. If you buy it from anywhere but ETC, you will have to "program" it for the console. ETC does have free software in the download section of the site for this. Just search for EOS x-keys. Their tech support department can walk you through it too.

If you do get one, you may want to ask ETC tech support if they will send you a key cap kit for the Element for free. They work great on the X-keys and ETC usually doesn't have a problem with that.

Umm...a little clarification here is perhaps in order. Since X-keys maps standard keyboard commands to any key on the X-keys, any USB model will work. The reason the 58 key Pro model is recommended is it's layout is the closest match to the Eos/Ion/Element main keypad layout.

Also, ETC does not provide the programming software for the X-keys. They provide a configuration file only. You have to have the software from PI Engineering to load this config file to the X-keys.

Now before I get flamed or anything, I do own the X-keys Pro model and it does work well with the offline client. I tried ETC's config file, but decided to customize one myself instead. Since you don't have enough keys to cover all the console buttons, you have to select the ones you want, and my choices differed from ETC. This applied to the key cap template they provide as well; I just printed my own using the template file from PI Engineering.

jhdesynz, are you saying that ETC will provide a physical key cap set, or just the word document template they have on their website?

 

[jhdesynz]

Umm...a little clarification here is perhaps in order. Since X-keys maps standard keyboard commands to any key on the X-keys, any USB model will work. The reason the 58 key Pro model is recommended is it's layout is the closest match to the Eos/Ion/Element main keypad layout.

Also, ETC does not provide the programming software for the X-keys. They provide a configuration file only. You have to have the software from PI Engineering to load this config file to the X-keys.

Now before I get flamed or anything, I do own the X-keys Pro model and it does work well with the offline client. I tried ETC's config file, but decided to customize one myself instead. Since you don't have enough keys to cover all the console buttons, you have to select the ones you want, and my choices differed from ETC. This applied to the key cap template they provide as well; I just printed my own using the template file from PI Engineering.

jhdesynz, are you saying that ETC will provide a physical key cap set, or just the word document template they have on their website?

Thanks, forgot about the need for the PI software too. Its been a while. You are correct that any usb keyboard device will work with the console. My statement is more to the effect that the joystick model won't function as an encoder.

 

[jhdesynz]

jhdesynz, are you saying that ETC will provide a physical key cap set, or just the word document template they have on their website?

If you buy the X-keys from ETC (or if you are nice about it) and ask, they will give you a set of the plastic key caps for the x-keys. You do have to ask though.

 

[elvisbus]

I'm not so interested in duplicating the ION hard keys so much as making shortcut keys to group, position, color, gobo and effect as these functions are not, 'at the ready,' if you don't have a touch screen. Is anyone doing this and where can I find some info on how to program in this way?
Also does anyone know if you can use an X-key pad for multiple consoles? (HOG, Grand MA, ETC ION) It would be great to load it up in accordance with the console of the week!

 

[metti]

Also does anyone know if you can use an X-key pad for multiple consoles? (HOG, Grand MA, ETC ION) It would be great to load it up in accordance with the console of the week!

Nothing stopping you. The software for loading config files isn't particularly tricky. The biggest issue is that removing the key caps is a little bit of a pain so I wouldn't want to try and rearrange the keys frequently. Unfortunately, different consoles have different keys so this could be a bit of an issue but if you just wanted the common ones (number pad, REC, etc) you could do that no problem.