Kinesis Advantage settings

A reminder for me about how I configure my keyboard
Published

May 30, 2023

I have a kinesis advantage (not pro) which has served me well. It is quite configurable and this morning it was in a bad state. As such I had to reset it.

This post details the key combos I had to invoke to get it working well again. If you are not me then this is unlikely to be interesting.

Manual

The manual is available here and I have copied it here.

Factory Reset

  • Hold Progrm, Hold Shift, then Hold F10
  • Lights start flashing
  • Release keys
  • When lights stop flashing memory has been reset

Resetting keyboard memory (Note: change from previous keyboards) If the keyboard behaves strangely or you just want to re-create the factory settings, the first thing to try is a memory reset. If you have the Advantage Pro model, be sure the memory locking switch (see drawing later in this chapter) is to the right (unlocked). “Instant Configuration” settings are not affected by resetting the keyboards “On-board Programmability” features. Two different memory reset procedures are available:

Memory reset, Option One (Progrm + Shift + F10) This procedure will erase all remapping and macros, but will not change macro memory settings or switch Dvorak back to QWERTY. Press and hold the Progrm key, then add one of the Shift keys, and finally add the F10 function key so that all three keys are depressed. The lights on the keyboard should begin flashing. Release the keys and when the flashing stops in several seconds, the keyboard’s memory has been reset.

(Page 26)

The memory reset approach worked for me so I didn’t need the more severe approach.

Restoring Layout

There are only three changes I need to make:

  • Turn off the speaker
  • Remap the modifiers
  • Remap one modifier even more

Turn off Sounds

Yeah this keyboard has a speaker. They chose to make key presses noisier by playing a tone every time you type. Yes, really.

  • Hold Progrm, Tap - (top right key) to turn off change of state tones
  • Hold Progrm, Tap # (below top right key) to turn off key click

Turning on and off audible tones (Progrm + hyphen) The keyboard includes change-of-state tones for Caps Lock (A), Num Lock (1), Keypad, Scroll Lock (9) and Insert. When the keyboard is used with a PC, tones sound twice when a tone- linked action (e.g. Caps Lock) is turned on, and once when it is turned off. To disable these tones, hold down Progrm and press the hyphen (-) key. If you wish to turn on the tones again, simply repeat the process.

Turning on and off the key click feature (Progrm + backslash ) By default, the keyboard includes an audible key click for all keys, including the function keys. To turn off the key click, hold down Progrm and press the Backslash key (“”) located just below the hyphen key). If you wish to turn on the key click again, simply repeat the process.

(Page 26)

Use PC (non windows) layout

  • Hold =, Tap p

This makes the top thumb keys into Ctrl and Alt only. The right thumb alt key will be Alt Gr.

It’s documented on Page 13 and 40.

Remap Alt Gr to Alt

  • Hold Progrm, Tap F12
  • Lights start flashing quickly
  • Press Alt key
  • Lights flash more slowly
  • Press Alt Gr key
  • Lights flash quickly
  • Hold Progrm, Tap F12
  • Lights stop flashing

Remapping The on-board remapping feature allows you to move, swap, copy, or even inactivate single key actions. Remapping changes both the unshifted and shift actions for a key. The Remapping process (Progrm + F12)

Hold down the Program key and tap F12, then release both keys. The keyboard’s lights will begin flashing rapidly. To copy a key, first tap the “source” key whose action you want to copy somewhere else. The lights will begin flashing slowly. Now tap the key where you want the new action to appear. The lights will resume rapid flashing. To swap two keys, you can repeat this sequence for each key without exiting from remapping mode. When you are done making changes, exit with Program plus F12. The lights should immediately stop flashing.

Default layout always available when remapping When you are in remapping mode, the default key layout is always active. Therefore you cannot “lose” a key action by remapping it. Any changes you make by remapping are only implemented when you exit remapping mode.

(Page 28)