vpr Matrix Button can be Useful!

[TroyG]

Well, I was able to figure out how to make the vpr Matrix "experience" button do something useful...

I have a vpr Matrix 185A5 with Win XP Pro SP1. For the "keyboard driver", I installed the 200A5_vprMatrixKeyboard.exe file. Like many others, I noticed that the logo/button now takes me to a web-site - specifically http://www.vprmatrix.com. Nifty - yes. Useful - no.

I did a tiny bit of digging, and found that if you go through the registry, you can change which site it goes to. Nifty - yes. Useful - yes.

Here's a step by step...

Select Start --- Run...
Type regedit and press Enter
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Chicony\0133BestBuy\De fault\0
There you will see a LinkTo entry with http://www.vprmatrix.com
Double-click to edit, and enter a web page you wish to frequently go to.

Personally, I entered about:blank (with no space) which opens up a new, empty web browser, but use whateve' you'd like.

This brings up two questions though...
<1> Has anyone figured out how to open up something other than a web page?
<2> What does teh 200A5_vprMatrixKeyboard.exe file do?

Enjoy...

Troy

[Ioman]

I plan on reformatting my system and putting XP pro on it, so if I do that, and there is no VPR specific software on it, whill it render that button useless?

[TroyG]

Before I added the software, the button did nada.

Regarding other drivers (and I realize your 200 is different from my 185), I had to add the vpr Touchpad driver since Windows didn't have anything useful built in, the vpr Wireless one because it was "acting up" without it, the vpr Video driver (obviously), and the vpr USB drivers (see my other post). I'm not sure if I needed to put the vpr Audio one on, but I did.

Troy

[Yuniverse]

you can download and install this to configure your keyboards

for 200A5 (http://www.vprmatrix.com/downloads/200A5_vprMatrixKeyboard.exe)

180B5 (http://www.vprmatrix.com/downloads/SENSkeyboard.exe)

[Angus]

The VPR button will indeed be useless until you install the two keyboard drivers. Well technically only one of them (the one NOT called Dritek) will make your VPR button work. The other set of keyboard drivers will make your front panel buttons for play, pause, etc have an onscreen display. Take note, they WILL work once you install the first keyboard driver, but you won't have the nice OSD to see what exactly is being changed.

When i installed Win2k Pro on my system the first time I neglected the DriTek drivers and wondered why I was missing the OSD. Needless to say, on my second 200A5 I installed everything from VPR and everything works like a charm. NOTE: I'm using Win2k and if it works for me it should work just fine for the rest of you with XP Pro.

EDIT: Oh yeah, if you just change the www.vprmatrix.com entry in the regestry to something like "cmd.exe" you can launch any program. I'm still trying to figure out how to get the button to trigger hybernate mode though.

[Ioman]

Originally posted by Angus
The VPR button will indeed be useless until you install the two keyboard drivers. Well technically only one of them (the one NOT called Dritek) will make your VPR button work. The other set of keyboard drivers will make your front panel buttons for play, pause, etc have an onscreen display. Take note, they WILL work once you install the first keyboard driver, but you won't have the nice OSD to see what exactly is being changed.

When i installed Win2k Pro on my system the first time I neglected the DriTek drivers and wondered why I was missing the OSD. Needless to say, on my second 200A5 I installed everything from VPR and everything works like a charm. NOTE: I'm using Win2k and if it works for me it should work just fine for the rest of you with XP Pro.

I am a little confused, what should the installation order be then?

[Angus]

1. VPR Matrix Keyboard
2. Dritek Keyboard

[Ioman]

Originally posted by Angus
1. VPR Matrix Keyboard
2. Dritek Keyboard

Awsome thanks. Hopefully I should get my laptop back soon and I can reformat and reinstall it with XP pro.

[x5kid]

hey i have a 200a5 but my vpr button brings me to the video....how do i get rid of the video? i already went into regedit and changed it to a website but when i press the button the video just starts. Any ideas?

[Yuniverse]

Originally posted by Angus
1. VPR Matrix Keyboard
2. Dritek Keyboard

is the dritek driver only for 200A5, or is it ok to install it on the 180B5?

Also, if you need a hybernate mode button, couldn't you just change what the power button does from the Power control panel?

[Angus]

I believe the Dritek is the same for the other widescreen VPR notebook. Getting rid of the video can be done by uninstalling the player, just follow the instructions on the FAQ over at VPR's website (towards the end). If you uninstall the video and player you will not be able to reinstall it without ordering a CD from VPR. Like anyone cares about it that much... haha!

Hybernate on my computer is now setup for when I close my screen. And eyah, I could just set my power button to do this too, though I already have it setup to just turn the computer off. Problems solved.

[likecheese]

Here's how to make the button execute any command, even with parameters. You have to use a shortcut, and embed the command within the shortcut.

1. Right-click in a folder, select New, then Shortcut.

2. Enter your command string, including any parameters.

3. Give the shortcut a name and save it somewhere.

4. In the "Link To" registry entry described above, enter the path and name of your shortcut (e.g., c:\data\myshortcut).

5. Exit from registry editor. Your VPR Matrix button should now execute your chosen command!

I have set mine to automatically go into standby using the following string within my shortcut (without the quotes):

"rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState"

This may also work for hibernate mode, depending on your settings (see following link).

http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBM/tip6400/rh6465.htm

[ECA]

There are progs out there to tottally REconfigure your KB.
Windows all load all the language KB's you want, and you can customize any of them.

http://www.tucows.com/preview/327616.html

http://www.tucows.com/preview/300296.html

[Madgenius]

I've added wireless lan to my 220a5 (d-link 520+) but the toggle button on the side does not work. Does anyone have a reg edit for getting the switch to enable/disable Wi Fi?

-S

[Jimmm]

you can change the function of the vprmatrix button by opening regedit, HKEY_Local_machine\software\chicony\0133bestbuy\de fault\0

Change the "function" dword value to just the numbers listed, dont type in the function:

3 volume down
4 volume up
5 mute
10 eject cd
11 screen saver
12 suspend
13 close focused window
15 email program
17 opens my documents
18 opens command prompt
19 shutdown
20 might open ms word

[flecrone]

When I first got my 200A5, I could play the video by pressing the VPR button. I installed XP Pro (Japanese version) and all the drivers (including the 2 keyboard drivers). All the registry entries seem to be there, but the VPR button now does nothing. I'd really like to set it to eject the CD. Has anyone else who's upgraded to Pro gotten the button to work? I wonder if it's something with the Japanese version of XP.

[Madgenius]

I run XP Pro w/ no issues for any hardware. Thanks Jimmmm for the tip, works great. This is a great laptop.

[Madgenius]

Does anyone know how to get the toggle button on the left side of the NB to work w/ a Dlink WiFi card installed?

[oopl]

the 180b5 uses the Sens Keyboard Launcher to configure the 3 buttons.

[ct]

Originally posted by Jimmm
you can change the function of the vprmatrix button by opening regedit, HKEY_Local_machine\software\chicony\0133bestbuy\de fault\0

Change the "function" dword value to just the numbers listed, dont type in the function:

3 volume down
4 volume up
5 mute
10 eject cd
11 screen saver
12 suspend
13 close focused window
15 email program
17 opens my documents
18 opens command prompt
19 shutdown
20 might open ms word


This does not work for me at all. I am using XP Professional (and yes I installed all the keyboard drivers). I can get the button to execute bringing up a blank web page but not any of the other functions listed here.

[ECA]

I posted a MS link in another thread on a prog to make keys work, you may need to ask VPR.