Free Standard Shipping in the US on orders over $99

Programming KBD Keyboards via Bootmapper Client (TMK guide getting added soon here!)

Mar 15, 201733757 VIEWS

I'm used to paying $350+ for custom aluminum keyboards, but was totally shocked when I received my $160 KDB75. The keyboard was packaged extremely well and arrived from China with no flaws, and weighted far more than I was expecting. It weighs more than my RS96. I never was really into the 75% layout, but I was never into the 96 key layout until I tried it, so I figured I'd give it a try since the price was definitely right.
But enough of the "review" part, lets get on to programming this guy. I always like to do guides because I know that being intimidated by programming a custom can often lead to people skipping buys they would otherwise join. This is a very easy one to program, so nothing to be afraid of here!
The first step is to simply download the Bootmapper client found here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3bn9flirkb49ahz/BootMapperClient.zip?dl=0
After downloading it and running the .exe (I'm on Windows, there is an OSX version as well) you should see something like this:

The very next thing you will need to do is press the "Download" buttom:

This essentially grabs the layout that is currently on the keyboard and imports it into the Bootmapper program. You should see something like this now:

This is showing you the current matrix. Don't worry, you don't have to edit the layout by finding the key you want to change directly from here, there is a much more intuitive way. Simply click the "Toggle bootmapper" button:

Now that the bootmapper button is active, you will not be able to type normally. So during this process you can't swap back to browsing the web or typing in Slack, etc.
Once this is active you will press the key you want to remap, and it should get highlighted in red within the matrix. Simply click on the key you want to change it to from the selection of keys at the bottom. It should look like this, using Caps Lock as an example:

Make sure you uncheck "Apply to all layers" if you are doing anything on one of the FN layers! Otherwise this will change the key on every layer!

Now, speaking of FN layers you have up to three available, as you can see in the top left corner. This works just as programming any layer, simply click the layer button first, and then while in bootmapper mode hit the key you want to reprogram. Just be sure toset a FN button on your main layer so that you can access it. Bootmapper gives you easy toggle buttons for layers 2 and 3 (meaning hit it once and it stays on, hit it again to turn it off). This can be very useful for alternate layouts like DVORAK or if you want to set up a full layer of macros for a particular game.
One more very important thing to point out is lighting controls. You will probably want to put these on the normal FN layer. RGB mode controls the SMDs on the PCB for underglow, and LED mode, LED BrUp, LED BrDN only affect in switch LEDs. the LED on/off affects both.
Moving on to lighting!

To access the lighting features (both under PCB SMDs and in-switch LED's) go to Options from the main tab selection. You should see this screen:

At this menu the left side is all for controlling the SMDs for underglow. There are five effects: Fading, Immediately, Sequential, Static, and Flow. In-switch LEDs only have a Fading effect, or on/off at adjustable brightness levels.
Now lets head back to the main tab to flash the new layout to the keyboard. Make sure "ps2avrGB & ps2avrGB_split" is selected as the target:

After you have everything set just as you want, return to the main tab and click the "Upload" button. Make sure to have "Reboot after uploading" checked. This will now flash the new layout to the keyboard, and immediately restart it, leaving no need to unplug and replug the keyboard in.

Hopefully this got you off to a good start programming your keyboard! As always there is more that Bootmapper is capable of and I will document some of the more advanced features soon! Fow now feel free to ask any questions you may have though and I'd be more than happy to lend a helping hand!

100% upvoted

33.7K

livingspeedbump

6721

KeyChatter’s Owner and Editor-in-Chief

Sort by: Newest

Odin_De

Aug 19, 2020

I know that your post is already a few years old but I have just encountered a big problem. I accidentally hit "Upload" instead of "Download" right after opening Bootmapper Client and now the keys on the keyboard are not registering anymore. Restarting my PC didn't help. Did something similar happen to you? Do you know how to fix it? Thank you

Vote

View 1 More Reply

Odin_De

May 3, 2021

Hi mate, Unfortunately, I did not.

Vote

Odin_De

Jul 12, 2021

hi mate, I don't know if this is still relevant to you but I found an easy fix. You just have to check "toggle bootmapper" on the top. Afterwards you can reassign the keys.

Vote

samleezh

May 30, 2020

Thanks so much for this guide! It really helped me get started with my new keyboard haha. Just wondering, is it possible to have set different underglow lighting schemes so i would be able to identify which layer im in?

IAmNewHere

Jun 29, 2023

samleezhI have the same question. Did you ever figure it out?

Vote

DaKeebTypes

Nov 13, 2019

Hey guys I've just got my new Alt yesterday and am already having some teething issues with it. Initially I plugged it in to USB 2.0 standard keyboard port on my work desktop. After using it awhile, the keyboard just goes to sleep and the orange light appears at the bottom. What does that mean? And no keystrokes will work after that unless I unplug and replug my keyboard. So I decided to try using USB 3.0 on my desktop. Incase the reason behind it was that the 2.0 wasn't providing enough power to the kB. I left my desk for a moment to chat to someone for around 5-10 mins. When I came back to my desk my CPU went to sleep which is normal, however the keyboard is now showing the orange light at the bottom and doesn't wake up unless I unplug and replug the cable again. Does anyone have experience with this issue? If so please help. Thanks guys. Happy clacking!

Vote

Riskymilk

Aug 23, 2019

Im getting the following error :"Error setting action: communication error with device" when i hit the download button

Vote

Braveshock

Jan 3, 2018

Hi All, I'm interested in KBD75 keyboards. I'm using MBP with OS and Win10 as well (Boot camp). Could you tell me if there is any option to program this keyboard with two programs - first for Mac OS and second for Win10 and switch them using only two keycaps? Thanks

muni_chang

2710

muni

Nov 21, 2017

I am KBDfans :P

Paul1

Nov 13, 2017

Thanks for your tutorial! I've never programmed a keyboard befor... sorry if this is a stupid question: Can I use a nordic layout with bootmapper too, let's say to use "Umlaute" like äöü? Is it possible to use one key for different functions without changing the layer? For example: Capslock+i for pageUp, Capslock+k for pageDown?

Vote

RobotRogue

244

Oct 28, 2017

Anyone who just got the latest round of KBDFans75 boards - I wrote a half-ass "How To" guide to get the keyboard programmed. Find it here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1USoAn8FIGihK8RNVE1zbtbQ0aKB6MBenvmyz6DUD3qs/edit?usp=sharing

RobotRogue

244

Oct 26, 2017

Has anyone who recently bought a KBDFans75 run into trouble with trying to download the initial keymap? Some of us are running into an error of: "Error opening ps2avrGB device: The specified device was not found"

View 8 More Replies

RobotRogue

244

Oct 28, 2017

Rad, thanks again! **scurries off to program a keeb**

Vote

chingchongjingjang

Mar 29, 2018

RobotRoguesame problem mate

Chri5

Aug 14, 2017

Hi, any chance you can provide me with .hex layout file for the KBD75 for bootmapper? I accidentally deleted my layout pressing upload instead of download. Silly me! Just an brick of aluminium ATM... :(

Vote

IAmNewHere

Jun 29, 2023

Chri5Six years later maybe you can unbrick that keyboard this way https://drop.com/talk/1392/talk/2828044?utm_source=linkshare&referer=9SZYJE

Vote

Showing 25 of 43

Newest

43 OF 43 POSTS

Oldest

HoffmanMyster

Mech Keys How-To - Table of Contents

As we publish more articles in the "Mech Keys How-To" series currently ongoing, navigating the various topics and finding previous articles will only become more difficult. This thread will serve as a table of contents to help add some structure to the whole project. Feel free to also suggest future topics in this thread, as it will surely be easier to identify gaps and opportunities for further exploration when viewing everything as a whole. Mechanical Keyboards Introductory Topics Mechanical vs Membrane Sizes and Layouts of Mechanical Keyboards Short Intro Into Split Keyboards (dovenyi) Staggered and Ortholinear Layouts Low-Profile vs High-Profile Keyboard Designs Build Materials and Other Case Design Considerations Selecting Your First Mechanical Keyboard (The_Manic_Geek) Keycaps Keycap Materials Keycap Profiles In Defense of MT3 (StoryBoardTech) How To Design a GMK Keycap Set (GMK_Andy) The GMK Color Matching Process (GMK_Andy) Switches Introduction to Mechanical...

Jan 24, 2023

Mech Keys

Guides

Drop Updates

TBNRnooch

Don't Buy A Mechanical Keyboard... Yet

My mechanical keyboard journey started when I fell into the rabbit hole around August 2020. Since then, I have tested over forty different switches, built or modified over twenty keyboards, and experimented with many different layouts. I usually carry a mechanical keyboard with me, and have built keyboards for friends and family members. Many consider mechanical keyboards superior to normal membrane keyboards due to their feel, sound, looks, layout options, software, and various customization options. While many swear by mechanical keyboards, they are expensive, and the landscape of mechanical keyboards is confusing and hard to navigate. That said, if you do decide to look into and possibly build one, here is some more information to guide you through the rabbit hole. The first thing you will probably notice while looking through videos about mechanical keyboards is the sound. Many people build their custom keyboards with sound in mind, and because of this there are endless jargon...

Nov 29, 2023

Mech Keys

Guides

ThereminGoatMK

About That List of Every Switch Ever…

Figure 1: While this is a good start from user destohfaeda, this isn't anywhere near complete... After having collected switches for almost five consecutive years now, I can say with confidence that everything switch related comes and goes in ever-looping cycles. Strong tactile bumps towards the start of the downstroke were once novel and popular, faded out of the limelight over the past few years, and are only just now starting to make a comeback. Huge leaps in housing aesthetics happened back when the first custom colored MX-style switches began being offered in 2018, and now five years later these massive leaps in design capabilities are surging again. Even things contextually related to switches rotate around and around in cycles. One such switch-related phenomenon which repeats in a (much faster) loop is that of people wanting to make a complete list of “every switch ever”. Almost on a monthly basis for every single month since I started collecting, at least one new...

Nov 1, 2023

Mech Keys

Guides

Drop Updates

storyboardtech

In defense of MT3, the most misunderstood and possibly greatest keycap profile.

Offices are tense spaces, there’s no way around it. Whether they’re silent, museum-like tombs or raucous zoos filled with energy. In this place of distraction, and often discomfort, it’s important to have tools that make you more efficient, comfortable and focused. Personally, I am lucky to work in a happy, healthy work environment with amazing coworkers, but my office is filled with distraction and on my best days it’s a challenging ecosystem in which to create. I’ll be honest, I’m no gamer, and it wasn’t the speedy, silent linear switches or 8000Hz polling rates of gaming boards that drew me to this hobby. It was the spirit of clickety-clackety typewriters of the past and a desire to craft my words on a surface that deserved them… one that amplified my ideas and provided a comfy ambience that encouraged creativity. I don’t feel old, and certainly don’t act old, but I’ve been a designer for 25 of my 43 years and in that whole time I’ve hated the keyboards I’ve used. With the...

Oct 5, 2023

Mech Keys

Guides

Drop Updates

ThereminGoatMK

We Know Nothing About Switch Materials

Figure 1: A fantastic Kailh switch photo from Blitzenx51! There’s any number of different details people look into when they’re trying to pick out switches for their next keyboard build. However, arguably none of them are as vague and mysterious as the materials used to make housings and stems. Yes, even as manufacturers are iffy about their spring weights and newer brands are sketchy about who actually made their switches, differentiating POM from Nylon from Polycarbonate remains to this day the least understood parts of mechanical keyboard switches. For what it’s worth, I don’t have a fix for that either. As someone who has completed a master’s degree in chemical engineering focusing on polymer science, I understand full well that attempting to reverse engineer the formulas of even the most simple keyboard switch materials would take months on end and nearly free-range access to numerous analytical instruments that companies simply won’t hand over to you. However, that...

Sep 27, 2023

Mech Keys

Guides

Drop Updates

Kenshiro70

Getting good backlighting with CSTM and other south-mount keyboards

Drop's had a pretty good history of creating RGB-friendly keyboards. But even with the new south-mount CSTM keyboard line, it is possible to set up a reasonable backlit solution. Level-set Just to get everyone on the same page, "north-mount" LEDs refers to LEDs positioned at the top of the switch socket, which requires mounting the switch with the LED "window" on top and the pins towards the bottom of the keyboard. With certain switches and keycaps, the keycap can contact the top of the switch, resulting in a bad typing feel. "South-mount" switches have the LED on the bottom, allowing the switch the be rotated 180 degrees, with LED window on the bottom and pins on the top. This avoids the contact problem. These days, many switches have a shortened or hollow LED window, sidestepping the contact problem, but there is still a general preference towards south-mount. The Problem Due to its "g4m3r" keyboard history, RGB backlighting has long had a bad rep with serious...

Oct 18, 2023

Mech Keys

Guides