Kinesis-Ergo Contoured keyboard

Author: John M. Gabriele | back to index

  • Kinesis-Ergo Contoured keyboard

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    This page is about using the Kinesis-Ergo Contoured Classic QD keyboard. Their new USB models are called "Contoured Advantage", but I don't have one of those.

    You program this baby in two ways:

    See the Kinesis manual for in-depth info on using those features.

    Note: On my model, the Mac "Command" key is "under" the 'H' and 'N' keys. If you need to get to it, hit the Keypad button. (On newer models, those Command keys are under the PrintScr and ScrollLock keys.)

    Quick Summary

    Program-key means press and hold the Program key while you tap the other given key. If you've got a keyboard with both dvorak and qwerty symbols on the keys, for the | (bar) and - (dash) keys, use the qwerty ones.

    Description

    key combo

    Remap keys

    Program-F12

    Create a macro

    Program-F11

    Toggle global remap between qwerty and dvorak

    Program-Ctrl-F5

    Toggle enable/disable macros

    Program-F10

    Toggle key-clicky noise

    Program-|

    Toggle audible tone

    Program--

    Reset most remapping and macros

    Program-Ctrl-F10

    Hard reset

    Hold F7 on power-on

    Handy remappings

    The Contoured has one key combo that's a bit uncomfortable for me: Shift-Alt. To do that combo with one hand, you have to cock your wrist outward while stretching your hand to reach both keys. It turns out to be much more comfortable to move the Alt keys down to where End and PgDn are.

    Here's the steps you can follow to do this on the keyboard. Recall, to move keys around, you hit Program-F12 (then lights flash rapidly, waiting for source key), tap source key (then lights flash more slowly, waiting for target key), tap where you want the source key to be. Do 1 or more remaps like this, then hit Program-F12 to quit. 

    Program-F12

Left side:
    Alt  --> End
    End  --> Home
    Home --> Alt

Right side:
    Alt  --> PgDn
    PgDn --> PgUp
    PgUp --> Alt

Program-F12

    Instead of those, another option might be to use the optional footswitch for Alt (I'm guessing this is possible). I don't own and haven't tried the footswitch, and usually have my feet up on a footstool anyway, but still, it might be a good option.

    Finally, if you're a Mac user, you might also pull out the command key from its underground home and put it where the Insert key is.