Dell multimedia keyboard in OSX?

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Level 1

40 points

Dell multimedia keyboard in OSX?

I have a Dell USB multimedia keyboard model SK-8135 that has a volume knob and quick keys for mute, stop, play/pause, etc.

It also has forward/back/stop/refresh/home browser buttons, and email/explorer/calculator buttons.

How can I make this keyboard work better under Mavericks? Furthermore, it would be nice if there was the option to map the calculator button to a certain OSX action, eg. disable/enable Wi-Fi.

Is this even possible??

Mac mini, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6)

Posted on Oct 21, 2016 11:18 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 22, 2016 4:04 AM in response to doug526

Neither Dell, nor Apple, provide the specialized OS X USB driver support that would enable the full Dell keyboard functionality as in Windows. You are left with basic keyboard functionality supported by standard OS X USB driver support.

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Answer 2

doug526 Author

Level 1

40 points

Oct 22, 2016 8:03 AM in response to VikingOSX

Hard to believe there is not a 3rd party solution or app for this.

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Answer 3

Oct 22, 2016 8:46 AM in response to doug526

This is one of those Dell products where they wrote custom Windows-only USB driver code for it, and then slipstreamed that keyboard support into the OEM Windows build that they installed on the computer that shipped with the keyboard.

It is not a Mac intended product, and will remain that way. Nothing hard to believe there at all, when Dell controls the intellectual property for the keyboard.

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Answer 4

Barney-15E

Level 10

116,548 points

Oct 22, 2016 7:06 PM in response to doug526

You could try USB Overdrive: http://www.usboverdrive.com/USBOverdrive/News.html

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