RGB keyboard LEDs to monitor system status

[Fiery]

This could well go under the Brainstorming forum, but I thought I'd ask your opinion in the Hardware Monitoring forum instead, since many enthusiasts using SensorPanel, LCD and OSD Panel modules tend to visit this forum frequently.

So, we're considering implementing support for Corsair K65 RGB, Corsair K70 RGB, Corsair K95 RGB, Logitech G910 Orion Spark and Razer BlackWidow Chroma RGB keyboards. By individually lighting keys and being able to use custom color for each key, some fancy effects can be achieved. Question is: how should we utilize such capabilities of RGB keyboards? A few ideas we've already come up with:

1) The row or column of F-keys (function keys), G-keys, number keys, or even the numeric keypad or the main QWERTY block may be used as a horizontal or vertical bar. It may be perfect to show such readings like CPU utilization or GPU utilization. I think it would look best if it went from green to red, but it may be possible to use individual colours for min/limit1/limit2/max, just as with the LCD and SensorPanel Sensor Item bars.

2) The main QWERTY block of alphabet keys may be used to show 2, 3 or maybe even 4 big numbers, although the non-regular matrix of keys may make it look a bit odd. And of course, you might have to look at it from a bit of a distance to read the numbers quickly.

3) By combining the F-keys, number keys and the numeric keypad would enable showing 2-digit numbers directly. So for example, 24 Celsius CPU temperature may be represented as lighting up F2 key (to stand for "2"), and number 4 key together in the same time. Considering the F-key row is right on top of the number key row, this solution should be easy to read and interpret. Using the numeric keypad may not be the best idea though, since it would be too far from the location of the other digit (F-key row or number row).

4) It may be possible to put the status of a temperature, voltage or fan speed reading on a single key, without showing the actual readout value. So e.g. the "C" key would be lit green when the CPU temperature is cool, yellow when it's above 50 Celsius, orange when it's above 60 Celsius, and red when it's above 70 Celsius. Similarly, motherboard temperature would be indicated on the "M" key, HDD temperature on the "H" key, CPU fan on the "F" key, etc.

What do you think about those ideas? What else do you think would be a good idea? Do you already own a G910 or a BlackWidow Chroma, and you think you would be interested in using this feature?

Thanks,

Fiery

[ViRuS2k]

this would be a fantastic idea

 

dont forget about us corsair K70/K95 guru`s

also the corsair does not need the software to control the keyboard it can be done by your software if implemented correctly there for gaining full control over it

[Fiery]

this would be a fantastic idea

Which one of the above proposed 4 ideas would you use? We've tried idea #2 on BlackWidow Chroma, but it didn't seem like something you would actually want to use The big numbers were hard to read, even from a distance. The other 3 ideas seem to be more practical.

 

dont forget about us corsair K70/K95 guru`s

also the corsair does not need the software to control the keyboard it can be done by your software if implemented correctly there for gaining full control over it

K70 and K95 do not feature a SDK, and their API is not documented either. However, there seems to be some useful information on the web about how to access them directly, so we'll give that a try

[ViRuS2k]

i just like the idea of gpu usage and temps being shown on the keyboard like you said going from green to orange to red depending on load or temps.

[Grestorn]

One could also use the keyboard matrix as some kind of huge raster display to show some numbers or letters moving over it. 

 

That way, one could show some temperature (or whatever) in some color moving horizontally over the keyboard. 

 

Certainly a strange idea, but there you got it

[Fiery]

One could also use the keyboard matrix as some kind of huge raster display to show some numbers or letters moving over it. 

 

That way, one could show some temperature (or whatever) in some color moving horizontally over the keyboard. 

 

Certainly a strange idea, but there you got it

Yes, that's an intriguing idea, and kind of similar to my idea #2 above Problem is: we've checked it on a BlackWidow Chroma keyboard, and it doesn't seem to work all that well. The main issue is that the keyboard matrix is not a regular matrix, so it's not like a real matrix of LEDs. You would have to look at the keyboard from several meters of distance to make up the displayed characters, and even then it's not just a simple glance. It would be much easier if the keyboard buttons were arranged in a regular matrix, like this:

Fortunately the rest of the ideas seem to work fine, so all we have to do now is implement the whole thing in a new hardware monitoring module

[Grestorn]

Fiery, you're right of course... Your idea 2 is exactly what I had in mind. I missed that.

 

About the matrix: If you look at the keys (at least on my G910), the keys create a slightly tilted, vertical line. Like 3, E, D, C are one line. Or 6, Z, H, N. you could use that to make tilted chars, couldn't you?

[Fiery]

Fiery, you're right of course... Your idea 2 is exactly what I had in mind. I missed that.

 

About the matrix: If you look at the keys (at least on my G910), the keys create a slightly tilted, vertical line. Like 3, E, D, C are one line. Or 6, Z, H, N. you could use that to make tilted chars, couldn't you?

I personally found reading out those big characters from a close distance quite a bit of a challenge. Even from a distance it's not quite as easy as I would have hoped. Truth be told, I was using a BlackWidow Chroma, and not a G910, since our G910 still hasn't arrived. Maybe the G910 is better in this regards, we'll see when it gets here...

[Fiery]

Here's the first AIDA64 beta with the new RGB LED module working:

http://www.aida64.com/downloads/latesta64xebeta

You can enable it from AIDA64 / main menu / File / Preferences / Hardware Monitoring / RGB LED.

The new module is designed to be used on per-key RGB LED keyboards. It currently supports Razer BlackWidow Chroma and Logitech G910 keyboards only. We're planning to implement support for Corsair RGB keyboards in the next AIDA64 beta update.

For Razer keyboards the currently beta state Razer Chroma SDK has to be installed. IMPORTANT: In order for the beta Chroma SDK to work properly, Synapse has to be closed! Hopefully the stable build of Chroma SDK will eliminate this limitation.

For Logitech G910 the latest version of Logitech Gaming Software has to be installed. It's also recommended to update the keyboard's firmware to the latest version.

We've basically implemented 3 out of the 4 proposed ideas, and a variant of idea #3. So, you can use the RGB LED module in 4 ways right now:

1) Single Key: You can display a temperature, voltage, fan speed or other monitored value on a single key of the keyboard, by altering the colour of the key based on the actual value. You can set the limits in the same way that you set the limits for bars on the SensorPanel or LCD.

2) Row of Keys: You can use a row of keys, like Function Keys or Numbers to make a bar that changes its length and colour as well, based on the actual value of the monitored item. Due to different localized keyboard layouts, we had to define a larger set of rows than the usual 5 rows of Function Keys, Numbers, QWERTY..., ASDFG... and ZXCVB...

3) 2 Digits: By using the Functions Keys and Numbers rows, you can display a value using 2 digits. The first digit will be displayed on the Functions Keys row, and the second digit will be displayed on the Numbers row. However, in order to enable quicker readout, AIDA64 will try to display both digits on the Numbers row whenever it's possible. 12, 35, 79 and other numbers will be displayed that way, but 54, 82, 97 (etc) will be displayed by using both the Function Keys and Numbers row. There's also a setting to let you divide down the measured values by a factor. So, e.g. by using a divisor of 100, you can display fan RPM by having just 2 digits. 1820RPM will then be displayed as "18".

4) 3 Digits: A variant of the 2 Digits solution, by also using the Numeric Keypad (NumPad) for the 3rd digit. Just as with 2 Digits, this feature will also try to display as much digits as possible by using only the Function Keys and Numbers rows.

Please let us know what you think. By using this feature you will quickly realize that it is more basic and more limited than other monitoring modules of AIDA64, but keep in mind that this is only a start. If there's a considerable interest in this feature, we'll improve and extend it to make it more practical and also more fun to use it

[Fiery]

We've implemented support for Corsair K65 RGB, K70 RGB and K95 RGB keyboards in the following new AIDA64 Extreme beta update:

http://www.aida64.com/downloads/latesta64xebeta

Please note that Corsair keyboards require a bit more complicated handling, e.g. separate code path for international keyboard layouts. We have very limited documentation on the issue, so right now the RGB LED module only supports the US layout. In theory it would work with any layouts, but there may be issues with QWERTZ vs. QWERTY vs. AZERTY key indexes. If you find a bug or glitch about the layout, please let us know exactly which keyboard with which international layout do you have, and we'll fix it up.

[D-E]

Really appreciate the support of hardware probably a very few people use .

 

Just tried it on my newly bought Logi G910, seems to work as intended.

 

However, theres one thing which will probably have me stick to the more convential methods of displaying hardware values:

Having the LGS Software set to "let other applications control the lightning" (something like that, i´m guessing from the german LGS) is obviously required, however this gives the control over all of the keys to the external application, meaning my own lightning profiles are disabled then.

I´d really like to have my own lightning profiles as set in LGS and Aida only "overwriting" this profile only with the keys i defined there, but i guess this has to be made possible by Logitech with their SDK which will probably never happen (for understandable reasons, this would probably be a pain in the ass to code) ?

[Fiery]

As far as I know, neither SDKs (Logitech LED and Razer Chroma) allow multiple applications to concurrently handle the keyboard LED matrix. So when a software takes over the keyboard, the other ones cannot handle it anymore and has to wait for the application to quit. I'm not sure if Logitech or Razer would like to allow concurrent access at all, but it may worth a try asking them about this.

[Grestorn]

There seems to be an error with the key rows on my german QWERTZ keyboard: 

 

If I select QWERTZUIOP, actually the Y key is lit instead of the Z key. But if I select QWERTYUIOP, the correct line is used, i.e. the Z key is lit. 

 

Also, at least on my system, the minimum size of the AIDA64 preferences window is HUGE, 1582x1175 to be exact. I cannot make it any smaller than that.  

 

And, as D-E said, it's always very appreciated that you try to find new ways of making us geeks happy

[Fiery]

There seems to be an error with the key rows on my german QWERTZ keyboard: 

 

If I select QWERTZUIOP, actually the Y key is lit instead of the Z key. But if I select QWERTYUIOP, the correct line is used, i.e. the Z key is lit.

Such issue can happen with Corsair RGB keyboards where each international layout would require us to add a separate layout table. The lack of standard SDK/API makes our lives a lot tougher than with Logitech and Razer RGB keyboards And as I've stated above, currently AIDA64 supports only the US layout for Corsair RGB keyboards, but it will work with other layouts as long as you keep in mind that some keys may be mixed up. What keyboard model do you have?

 

Also, at least on my system, the minimum size of the AIDA64 preferences window is HUGE, 1582x1175 to be exact. I cannot make it any smaller than that.

Do you also use RemoteSensor or Logitech Arx? When you use those modules, AIDA64 will try to keep the Preferences window as large as possible, to let the LCD layout editor/preview fit without too much shrinking (zoom-out).

[Grestorn]

I've got a Logitech G910. 

 

And, yes, I'm using a large RemoteSensor page and I realized that the preference window will only shrink as far as allowing to see the whole page. Well, fortunately my WQHD monitor is big enough, but a normal Full-HD display would already have a problem with that window size...

[Mystriss]

I just hooked this up on my Corsair Vengeance K95 RGB and it appears to work well enough.

Only minor issue is that the sensor led information shuts off temporarily if I use Corsair's standard lighting effects. I use their type lighting one, it comes back a few seconds after I stop typing. If I leave the standard lighting effects off it appears to work great though

[midloo]

I created an account so that I could reply to this thread. 

 

I was excited to come across this feature after finishing my latest PC build, which included a logitech G910.  Of course Aida64 is valuable software for many reasons, but I appreciated this particular addition very much.  It demonstrates the Aida64 team's desire to tinker and design features.  I love it.  Thanks very much!

[Fiery]

I created an account so that I could reply to this thread. 

 

I was excited to come across this feature after finishing my latest PC build, which included a logitech G910.  Of course Aida64 is valuable software for many reasons, but I appreciated this particular addition very much.  It demonstrates the Aida64 team's desire to tinker and design features.  I love it.  Thanks very much!

Thank you for your kind words. BTW, the whole AIDA64 RGB LED module idea came from one of Logitech's hardware engineers who is a big fan of AIDA64 and wanted to see what can we do about supporting their LED SDK and the great G910

[Thallanor]

This is pretty neat. I've used AIDA64 for awhile and just picked up a Blackwidow Chroma and this similar to what I was looking for. This might be less desirable in general, but how difficult would it be to light the entire keyboard with a colour based on criteria like CPU temperature, CPU usage, etc., instead of a single key? And likely even less desirable, but have you given thought to extending this to RGB mice too? I'm not sure how different the SDKs are between, say, a Blackwidow Chroma and Mamba Chroma. Just curious. Keep up the great work!

[Fiery]

Those are indeed intruiging ideas We'll work on them Do you own an RGB mouse?

[Fiery]

We've updated the RGB LED module with the following improvements:

- new item type: All Keys

- new item type: Mouse

- support for Corsair Strafe RGB keyboard

- support for Logitech G13, G19, G19s keyboards (has to be configured as All Keys)

- support for Corsair M65 RGB, M65 Pro RGB, Sabre Optical RGB, Sabre Laser RGB, Scimitar RGB mice

- support for Logitech mice (has to be configured as All Keys)

- support for Razer Chroma mice

- support for Razer Chroma SDK v1.1

It's available in the latest beta version of AIDA64 Extreme at:

http://www.aida64.com/downloads/latesta64xebeta

[Thallanor]

Those are indeed intruiging ideas We'll work on them Do you own an RGB mouse?

I do! I have a Razer Mamba Chroma. I see there is an update for all keys - I'm gonna check this out! Thanks so much. You guys are the best!

[dragonjah]

Hello, i have a corsair strafe rgb silent. I have tried to use aida 64 rgb, but nothing work, no color change to my keyboard. I use aida 64 5.70.3800, windows 10 pro, CH layout and Corsair Utility Engine installed. Do you have a solution? Thanks in advance.

[Fiery]

Hello, i have a corsair strafe rgb silent. I have tried to use aida 64 rgb, but nothing work, no color change to my keyboard. I use aida 64 5.70.3800, windows 10 pro, CH layout and Corsair Utility Engine installed. Do you have a solution? Thanks in advance.

Please right-click on the bottom status bar of AIDA64 main window --> System Debug --> USB Dump. Copy-paste the full results into this topic, or attach the results as a TXT file to your post. You may need to enable status bar in AIDA64 / main menu / View first.

Thanks,

Fiery

[dragonjah]

Thanks for your quick answere.

 

here is the txt

 

Thanks

usbdump.txt