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Saitek Overlay Keyboard User Manual

Page 10

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Chapter 5 Using Overlay Keyboards

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Table 5-3 Overlay Keyboard driver software features

DRIVER SOFTWARE

Overlay

Keyboard

Text

C

ont

rol, Modif

ier

& Cu

rso

r Keys

Mouse C

ont

rol

Input Acceptance Fi

lt

er

P

o

st Acceptance Fi

lt

er

Repeat Fi

lt

er

S

ti

cky Keys

A

udit

o

ry Feedback

D

igit

ised sound out

put

S

p

eech output

Pr

int

-out

O

v

e

rla

y

BBC

BBC Concept

Concept
Keyboards

Acorn

Conform+

Concept
Keyboards

Acorn, Windows PC

Informax

Concept
Keyboards

Mac

Intercept

Concept
Keyboards

Windows PC

Concept Plus

Concept
Keyboards

Windows PC

Concept Plus
Multimedia

Concept
Keyboards

Mac, PC

Intellikeys

Intellikeys

Mac, PC

Overlay Maker

Intellikeys

Mac

Ke:nx

Key Largo,
Discover:Board
Ke:nx On:Board

Which overlay keyboard is best?

To choose an overlay keyboard you have to specify the functions needed by the user, the curriculum
and learning tasks, and then select the most appropriate combination of hardware and software. Cost,
the computer and software that you want to use, and the ease of use of the keyboard and software are
also key issues.

Acorn

The most popular overlay keyboards for Acorn RiscOS computers are the Concept Keyboards with
either Informax or Conform+ software. If you wanted to create overlays for detailed pictures or maps
then the Informatrix with 4096 keys, with Informax software, would be the best choice.

It is possible to plug in the IntelliKeys device into A7000 or RiscPC machines as they have ‘PS/2’
keyboard connectors, but you can only use the standard overlays – the OverlayMaker software does
not run on Acorn RiscOS.

Macintosh

If you were working on a particular curriculum topic and using a program like ClarisWorks
Templates
on a Mac, then the Concept Universal might be most suitable as the Templates are
supplied with ready-made overlays, and the keyboard itself is cheap.

But if you wanted an overlay keyboard to work with all programs on the Mac, and replace all the
functions of the standard Macintosh keyboard and mouse, you might choose Intellikeys or
Discover:Board in preference to the Concept Keyboards with Intercept software, because the latter