deskthority

This is going to be a very short review for what is known as Tipro Chameleon.

The keyboard features 16 LCD keys + 12 Cherry MX keys with relegendable keycaps. All of them are fully programmable in 4 layers. Each LCD key can display 32x16 pixels graphics and has its own backlight. The color of the backlight can be customized for each key. Later models support 64 backlight colors (8 colors for older models). Worth noting is that the LCD keys will not function without an external power supply!



You can connect the Chameleon to the PC using PS/2, Serial or both at the same time! According to Tipro, it's even possible to define which connection is used for specific commands, if both are connected. You can of course use it with the Blue Cube in which case you lose the ability to program the unit. However, since everything is stored in non-volatile memory, this isn't really a problem. Unfortunately for some, Tipro ChangeMe will only run under Windows.

I bought the keyboard mainly for Photoshop. To achieve this, I grabbed the icons from PS7, modified them and loaded them up into ChangeMe. Here you can see the result (1st and 2nd Layer):



Programming the unit is very straightforward and well documented.

Thanks for reading!

More info:
Tipro website - Free+ Chameleon Module

Price?

You can buy them new for something like 500eur + VAT kbdfr and I bought them on eBay.de but had to replace the cable to make the unit usable. The cable and PSU were ordered directly from Tipro.

If somebody wants the icons, I will be uploading them in a package as well as the sample .CHM project I created.

Maybe I need to add a picture of a naked girl holding the Chameleon to attract more comments

Do it!

In the mean time; what type of switches are there under the displays?

Not Cherry MX that's for sure!

More details go there:

Half-Saint wrote:More info:
Tipro website - Free+ Chameleon Module

and download Technical_Overview.pdf

Obviously keyboard freaks are not at all interested in fully programmable boards with AWESOME customizable LCD buttons. What has the world come to?

Another possible use for this marvelous keyboard occured to me.

FLIGHT SIMS!

Half-Saint wrote:[...]
Tipro website - Free+ Chameleon Module

It's free +? Does this mean you get a free board and a gift, as well? I'll take one then, I think.

Right

Half-Saint wrote:Right

Although it still is a lot cheaper than this abomination, is it really worth >500€? I cannot really comprehend why you were willing to pay so much money for it (or was the offer on ebay much cheaper?), although I really do not want to devalorise it, since it seems to be a very nice board.
Well, I just got in on the fun, since I got my first mechanical only three days ago and still am amazed at how nice typing is on them, but that really is rather pricey, isn't it? I really don't want to judge you, but fuck, that is expensive.

First of all, where did I state that I bought it new? Second, don't be so quick on passing judgement The retail price is so high mostly because of the very expensive LCD switches.

I bought my unit used and it's a very old model so it was reasonably cheap.

Half-Saint wrote:First of all, where did I state that I bought it new? Second, don't be so quick on passing judgement The retail price is so high mostly because of the very expensive LCD switches.

I bought my unit used and it's a very old model so it was reasonably cheap.

Well, to my defence, I put "(or was the offer on ebay much cheaper?)", "I really don't want to judge you" and "I really do not want to devalorise it, since it seems to be a very nice board" in there.
Honestly, I just didn't think that these LCD-switches would be so costly. Do you know how long these have been in production?

Are these meant to be POS boards as well, or what are they normally used for?

Lustique wrote: Are these meant to be POS boards as well, or what are they normally used for?

They look like they are to be attached to a machine.

Lustique wrote:Honestly, I just didn't think that these LCD-switches would be so costly. Do you know how long these have been in production?

Are these meant to be POS boards as well, or what are they normally used for?

I have no idea.

Certainly not your everyday POS. The board I bought was customized for Siemens. Normally you connect them to a PC.

Half-Saint wrote:Not Cherry MX that's for sure!

Wait wut? In the pdf (although that's on the newer version admittedly) it clearly states it is: but the +-20cn is freaking me out!
So you were prob being sarcastic

off wrote:

Half-Saint wrote:Not Cherry MX that's for sure!

Wait wut? In the pdf (although that's on the newer version admittedly) it clearly states it is:

Code: Select all

model: Cherry MX 
key travel: 3.6mm to 4.0mm total, (2 ± 0.6) mm pre-travel 
actuating force: (60 ± 20) cN 
operating life: 50 millions operations minimum 
reliability (Mean Cycles To Failure): MCTF = 1 billion keypresses

but the +-20cn is freaking me out!
So you were prob being sarcastic

You should have what question Half-Saint answered with "Not Cherry MX that's for sure! ":

Minskleip wrote:[...] what type of switches are there under the displays?

The other switches are Cherry MX blacks indeed.

crap, never noticed the dual key part- thnx