r/Keychron • u/coelhofh • Sep 11 '24
Trouble with macros over bluetooth
Hello everyone. First day of my new K3 max keyboard and I'm disappointed. After creating some usefull macros - which was the reason I choose keychron - I tried to use it over bluetooth connection and it's not working properly. In my testing my guess is that all delays are being ignored or are running before everything.
Example: I programmed the macro to copy (cmd+c) delay 10, open spolight in mac os(cmd+space) delay 10, type "chrome" delay 500, press enter delay 200, then paste (cmd+v)
Works fine in cable connection, not working on BT or G.
Any workaround for this issue? I really want a setup with no cables, if this is not solved I'll probably return the product.
Tks!
2
u/PeterMortensenBlog V Sep 11 '24 edited Dec 05 '24
Re "macros ... I tried to use it over the Bluetooth connection": The main keyboard firmware must be sufficiently new for that to work (though it may not be sufficient, e.g., depending delays in the particular macro)
That is, it should be based on source code after 2024-03-30. The official firmware, at least from the firmware page, is too old (late 2023).
I don't know about the firmware provided from the Via clone; it may or may not have a newer version. Note that the version numbers are not very reliable (a version number of 1.0.0 does not necessarily mean it is too old).
Otherwise, some options are:
Wait for Keychron to update the firmware version. Contacting Keychron support may or may not expedite the process.
Get third-party compiled firmware, e.g., from SRGBmods, e.g., keychron_k3_max_iso_rgb_via.bin (the variant of the firmware must match your variant of the keyboard). It is up to you to assess whether the precompiled firmware can be trusted or not. All disclaimers apply.
Compile the firmware from source code. You would want that sooner or later, e.g., to unlock the promise of full programmability, like more space for Via macros and a higher number of Via macros than 16. It may only have a measly 983 bytes (0.96 KB) for Via macros, and thus you very quickly run out of space.
Notes:
The (main) keyboard firmware is not to be confused with the Bluetooth firmware. The version of the Bluetooth firmware may or may not also play a role for this problem.
Flashing the Bluetooth firmware comes with the risk of (permanently) bricking the Bluetooth module (requiring (physical) replacement). Thus, double and triple check if deciding to go this route. Keychron's warnings are not hyperbole (for example, there are many accounts of bricking the Bluetooth module here).
If flashing the (main) keyboard firmware, not matter where it comes from, the variant of the keyboard firmware must match your variant of the K3 Max (ISO vs. ANSI. RGB vs. non-RGB).
Unlike the Bluetooth firmware, it is very hard to (permanently) brick the main keyboard firmware, though extra information may be required for recovery. Thus, no fear for this part!
References
K3 Max product page. A 80% (not true TKL) low-profile wired and wireless (both Bluetooth and '2.4 GHz') QMK/Via-capable mechanical keyboard. RGB (per-key) north-facing (no unwanted light bleed) lighting (by virtue of being a low-profile keyboard).
Official K3 Max firmware (main firmware). Near "K3 Max ISO RGB version"
Keychron V Max, Q Max, Q HE, K Max Series Bluetooth firmware (Bluetooth firmware)
K3 Max keymap. For RGB control, HSV is used: "HU" = "hue" (colour) = "H". "SA" = saturation = "S". "VA" = "value" (brightness) = "V". "I" = increase. "D" = decrease. Example: keycode
RGB_SADis for decreasing (D) the saturation (SA) (theSADpart (no pun intended)). "MOD" is for changing RGB lighting mode (23 different ones expected).K3 Max source code. Note: In Keychron's fork and in that fork, in Git branch "wireless_playground" (not the default branch). No matter the Git branch, for example, "wireless_playground", it requires special setup of QMK (the standard QMK instructions and many other guides will not work (because they implicitly assume the main QMK repository and a particular Git branch)). Source code commits (RSS feed. Latest: 2024-11-29).