Tipro Chameleon programmable keyboard

User avatar
Half-Saint

05 Dec 2011, 21:03

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!

Image

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):

Image Image

Programming the unit is very straightforward and well documented.

Thanks for reading! :)

More info:
Tipro website - Free+ Chameleon Module

User avatar
sixty
Gasbag Guru

05 Dec 2011, 21:43

Price?

User avatar
Half-Saint

05 Dec 2011, 21:56

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.

User avatar
Half-Saint

06 Dec 2011, 21:34

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

User avatar
Minskleip

06 Dec 2011, 22:05

Do it!

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

User avatar
Half-Saint

06 Dec 2011, 22:11

Not Cherry MX that's for sure! :D

User avatar
kbdfr
The Tiproman

06 Dec 2011, 22:45

More details go there:
Half-Saint wrote:More info:
Tipro website - Free+ Chameleon Module
and download Technical_Overview.pdf

User avatar
Half-Saint

09 Dec 2011, 21:07

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

User avatar
Half-Saint

01 Jan 2012, 09:46

Another possible use for this marvelous keyboard occured to me.

FLIGHT SIMS!

User avatar
Lustique

01 Jan 2012, 12:36

Half-Saint wrote:[...]
Tipro website - Free+ Chameleon Module
It's free +? Does this mean you get a free board and a gift, as well? :o I'll take one then, I think.
Spoiler:
:mrgreen:

That's probably a really nice "macro board", right?

User avatar
Half-Saint

01 Jan 2012, 19:26

Right :)

User avatar
Lustique

01 Jan 2012, 20:59

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? :shock: I really don't want to judge you, but fuck, that is expensive. :mrgreen:

User avatar
Half-Saint

02 Jan 2012, 11:20

First of all, where did I state that I bought it new? Second, don't be so quick on passing judgement :P 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.

User avatar
Lustique

02 Jan 2012, 12:14

Half-Saint wrote:First of all, where did I state that I bought it new? Second, don't be so quick on passing judgement :P 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. :D
Honestly, I just didn't think that these LCD-switches would be so costly. :oops: 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?

User avatar
trax

02 Jan 2012, 22:23

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.

User avatar
Half-Saint

02 Jan 2012, 22:34

Lustique wrote:Honestly, I just didn't think that these LCD-switches would be so costly. :oops: 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.

User avatar
off

02 Apr 2012, 14:57

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

User avatar
kbdfr
The Tiproman

02 Apr 2012, 15:16

off wrote:
Half-Saint wrote:Not Cherry MX that's for sure! :D
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! :D ":
Minskleip wrote:[...] what type of switches are there under the displays?
The other switches are Cherry MX blacks indeed.

User avatar
off

02 Apr 2012, 16:07

crap, never noticed the dual key part- thnx

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