teamhasnoi's Journal: Northgate Omnikey Software Search

Help me, O /.ers! I have been looking for months(year) for the windows(95/98) software for the Northgate Omnikey Keyboard.

FTP searches have come up with nothing except OS/2 drivers and the DOS software - the windows software is nowhere that I can find :( and as we may all know, Northgate has been 6 feet under for years.

As I have a *pile* of these keyboards, the software would come in rather handy, especially since I had it at one time and know the nifty things it can do.

Help me /.ers, you're my only hope - and there could be a Omnikey in your future ;)

Two things:

[Elwood P Dowd]

1. Your sig isn't pointing to the right place.
2. No.

Re:Two things:

[teamhasnoi]

Thank you sir, I have fixed my sig.

Software?

[cybermace5]

Your Omnikey needs drivers? My Northgate Omnikey Ultra is about 13 years old, and uses a bank of DIP switches. But then, all it can do is adjust key repeat, switch to Dvorak, become Amiga compatible, program the top row of function keys to be alt- or ctrl- or shift-Fx, adjust capslock and Ctrl key positions, and lock comma and period keys.

The only thing necessary to use it is an AT to PS/2 adapter....

However, the Avant Stellar is supposed to a remake of the Northgate keyboard, built from original designs specs with the same manufacturing process. You can pick up a new one for under $200. Or, perhaps you could try the programming software: Avant Stellar and Prime Programming Software [cvtinc.com]

If that doesn't work, the FAQ there has some hints that might help you program the boards without using the software.

Re:Software?

[teamhasnoi]

The Avant software doesn't work with the Northgate, sadly. They changed something in it to only work with their boards. grr.

Re:Software?

[cybermace5]

Does the macro programming thing work? You know, in the PDF document on that page, where they describe a process involving hitting the Control key four times or something?

Re:Software?

[teamhasnoi]

That works, but it is rather cumbersome. I usually have to go through many tries before I get it right. I just miss the pretty pictures, and it's so easy to do with the w95 software.

Re:Software?

[cybermace5]

Ha. Ha. I wonder who found something funny in this thread...I guess it's funny for people to be discussing ancient keyboards that would cost $200 to buy the modern equivalent?

?

Another thing:

[cybermace5]

I don't know if you've tried the DOS software, but I believe the programmable Omnikeys kept the configuration in the keyboard. So you could make a DOS "Programming Disk" which would allow you to load up whatever you need your keyboard to do. Also, the AT-PS/2 keyboard protocol is pretty simple, and a reasonably bright individual with appropriate tools could probably decode what the DOS software is doing.

How about this?

[Anonymous Coward]

Not sure exactly what it is (ie. if it's what you're looking for) but there's a download on this page called "Northgate Omnikey keyboard utility"....maybe?

http://www.illogical.dk/Hobbes/HVM400.html

-di

Re:How about this?

[teamhasnoi]

I found that :)

It's for OS/2 :(

Thanks.

Here's the current vendor

[drteknikal]

CVT now makes and sells the Avant Prime and Avant Stellar -- next generation revisions of the Northgate OmniKey keyboards. I do not know if the software currently available (http://www.cvtinc.com/products/keyboards/software .htm) will work with the older Northgate OmniKey keyboards or not, but if anyone can answer your question, I suspect they can.

Re:Here's the current vendor

[MentholMoose]

I have an Avant Prime and a Northgate OmniKey. The software for the Prime does not work for the OmniKey.

I might have what you're looking for...

[MentholMoose]

I bought an "OmniKey 101P" on eBay a few years ago and the seller included the Win9x software for it. I never actually used it but you can try it, here [csupomona.edu].

Re:I might have what you're looking for...

[teamhasnoi]

That's it! You are 'da man! Thanks much.

I'm planning on hosting this file somewhere so others may not suffer like I have ;)