Hi.
First post. I've been a lurker for probably over 20 years, though! Put this under Software / Windows because I think it's a software question (although strongly hardware-typed!)
I'm aware that various keyboards have multimedia keys. Sometimes they're standalone buttons (or even knobs) and sometimes they're "modifiers" of existing keys (using an "Fn" key). My keyboard has no such keys, and no Fn key, but I thought it would be convenient to have the ability to mute volume or switch it up / down without messing around with the mouse.
There are software solutions, such as macro creation tools, but my areas of interest are the challenges of building a piece of hardware, making it USB, and 3D printing an enclosure.
Even this has been done before. I was partly inspired by several Arduino-based projects which claim to be successfully operating the Windows volume controls. I've done enough work to realise that there are actual keyboard scancodes which are sent to the HID driver, whose purpose is to modify volume, etc. What I believe is absent is the connection between the keyboard driver and the Windows volume controls. I'm increasingly confident that where folk have build the Arduino-based device to adjust their volume controls, it works because their keyboard driver relays the settings to the Windows audio mixer.
NB, I also know that I can buy a USB volume knob, but where'd be the fun in that?
Many thanks.
First post. I've been a lurker for probably over 20 years, though! Put this under Software / Windows because I think it's a software question (although strongly hardware-typed!)
I'm aware that various keyboards have multimedia keys. Sometimes they're standalone buttons (or even knobs) and sometimes they're "modifiers" of existing keys (using an "Fn" key). My keyboard has no such keys, and no Fn key, but I thought it would be convenient to have the ability to mute volume or switch it up / down without messing around with the mouse.
There are software solutions, such as macro creation tools, but my areas of interest are the challenges of building a piece of hardware, making it USB, and 3D printing an enclosure.
Even this has been done before. I was partly inspired by several Arduino-based projects which claim to be successfully operating the Windows volume controls. I've done enough work to realise that there are actual keyboard scancodes which are sent to the HID driver, whose purpose is to modify volume, etc. What I believe is absent is the connection between the keyboard driver and the Windows volume controls. I'm increasingly confident that where folk have build the Arduino-based device to adjust their volume controls, it works because their keyboard driver relays the settings to the Windows audio mixer.
- Can anyone confirm this, please? Or educate me?
- The cherry on the cake (if I'm correct) would be if someone can point me to a generic keyboard driver which accepts the mulitimedia controller scancodes and sends them onwards to the mixer!
- Otherwise, can anyone tell if the USB "mock keyboard" I'm building needs to advertise itself as a speficitype of HID, or something?
NB, I also know that I can buy a USB volume knob, but where'd be the fun in that?
Many thanks.