Vortex PC66 Keyboard Notes

Here’s the manual.

Bluetooth

1. Fn + Home until LED is solid blue.
2. Now press any one of these to enter Pairing Mode.
   • PgUp for Device 1
   • PgDn for Device 2
   • End for Device 3

Youc an now use Fn + PgUp, PgDn, or End to switch between devices

Shortcuts

• Fn + Esc = `
• Fn + Shift + Esc = ~
• Fn + 1 = F1
• Fn + 2 = F2
• Fn + 3 = F3
• Fn + 4 = F4
• Fn + 5 = F5
• Fn + 6 = F6
• Fn + 7 = F7
• Fn + 8 = F8
• Fn + 9 = F9
• Fn + 0 = F10
• Fn + - = F11
• Fn + = = F12

Navigation and System Controls

• Fn + Backspace = Delete
• Fn + ; = Insert
• Fn + P = Print
• Fn + [ = Scroll
• Fn + ] = Pause
• Fn + A = Previous
• Fn + S = Play/Pause
• Fn + D = Next
• Fn + F = Mute
• Fn + G = Volume -
• Fn + H = Volume +

Arrow Keys

• Fn + I = Up
• Fn + J = Left
• Fn + K = Down
• Fn + L = Right

Special Functions

• Fn + ? = 66key:Menu / 68key:Windows
• Fn + > = Windows_R
• Fn + Z = 66key:Windows / 68key:Menu
• Fn + Win = 68key:Winlock
• Fn + Spacebar = Capslock

Layout and OS Switching

(LED will flash a white color)

• Fn + any Alt + PgUp (press 2s) = Colemak
• Fn + any Alt + PgDn (press 2s) = Dvorak
• Fn + any Alt + End (press 2s) = Qwerty
• Fn + any Alt + HOME (press 2s) = Switch OS

Factory Restore

Fn + Alt_L + Alt_R (press for 3s)

Problems

Missing Tilde and Backtick :/

The I use the tilde and backtick keys a lot. They’re physically missing on this keyboard and it’s a PITA. On macOS, this means that I cannot use Command+` to “move focus to the next window” (i.e. cycling between instances of the same app).

The solution was the lovely Karabiner 🥰 Since I use Esc so little, I mapped it to tilde/backtick. Then mapped Ctrl+Esc to the real Esc. Pure Value™. Here’s the config:

{
  "profiles": [
    {
      "name": "Default profile",
      "selected": true,
      "virtual_hid_keyboard": { "keyboard_type_v2": "ansi" },
      "complex_modifications": {
        "rules": [
          {
            "description": "Map Esc to ~ and `",
            "manipulators": [
              {
                "type": "basic",
                "from": {
                  "key_code": "escape"
                },
                "to": [
                  {
                    "key_code": "grave_accent_and_tilde"
                  }
                ]
              }
            ]
          },
          {
            "description": "Map Ctrl+Esc to Esc",
            "manipulators": [
              {
                "type": "basic",
                "from": {
                  "key_code": "escape",
                  "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": ["control"]
                  }
                },
                "to": [
                  {
                    "key_code": "escape"
                  }
                ]
              }
            ]
          },
          {
            "description": "Remap (Command + Esc) to (Command + Backtick) so you can 'Move focus to next window'",
            "manipulators": [
              {
                "type": "basic",
                "from": {
                  "key_code": "escape",
                  "modifiers": {
                    "mandatory": ["command"]
                  }
                },
                "to": [
                  {
                    "key_code": "grave_accent_and_tilde",
                    "modifiers": ["command"]
                  }
                ]
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  ]
}

Connecting Wirelessly

When not connected via a cable, macOS will think this is an Apple-made Keyboard. This has apparently been a problem since macOS Ventura. The Karabiner config above addresses this issue as well 🌸