Setting up the Vortex Race 3 for Mac

published on 2024-01-08 in computing

Every year or so, my Vortex Race 3 keyboard seems to reset itsself. Not sure if it's me, or a combo of how my various docks interact w/it, but I find myself stuck on the default layout and having to research how to set it up for a Mac again. For posterity and anyone else having this issue, here's my steps to a Mac user's minimal maintenance setup on the Race 3:

Keys look like this:

[ L1 ][ L2 ][ L3 ][ Space ][ R1 ][ R2 ][ R3 ]

We're going to reset it, swap to a programmable layer, switch to windows mode (it's the least problematic) and then swap the alt and command keys (L2/L3). That's it.

  1. Reset everything by pressing L3+R1 for 5 seconds. Left LED will blink white color while you're holding the keys. Release them after it stopeed blinking.
  2. Get into one of the programmable layers (R2+RShift) – red is fine.
  3. Put the keyboard in Windows Mode (R2+W), it's the least problematic one.
  4. Go into programming mode: Fn+R3 right LED should light up white.
  5. Then hit the L2 then L3, then Pn (LED shines white) to finish first move.
  6. Then hit the L3 then L2, then Pn (LED shines white) to finish 2nd move.
  7. R2+R3 to get out of programming mode (LED goes off).

References:

Tags: keyboards computers