logitech keyboard lcd display factory
Setting aside the screen for a moment, the G19 keyboard itself is only slightly more impressive than the most recent version of the G15. The core key design provides the same crisp keystrokes, with the same 12 "G" keys on the left edge. As with the G15, the G19 gives you three different switchable modes, so you end up with 36 effective customizable keys, along with on-the-fly macro recording. Logitech also includes another hallmark of its G-series keyboards, a switch that lets you disable the dedicated "Windows" key, so you don"t accidentally switch to your desktop screen during gameplay with an errant key press.
New to this model (aside from the color LCD) is its capability to recognize five simultaneous key presses. Macro-happy gamers and digital artists, in particular, should appreciate that feature, which opens up a greater level of mastery to run repetitive commands. We"re also glad to see that the G19 now has two powered USB 2.0 jacks. The G15 is stuck with USB 1.1, which is not as fast. Anyone who regularly transfers large amounts of data between a PC and a portable storage device or media player will benefit from that added bandwidth.
Other features include a smart drum-style volume control above the G19"s number pad, on top of which you"ll also find a set of easily accessible media play controls. As before, the G19 ties into iTunes, Windows Media Center, and other media software apps. Last but not least among the new, non-LCD-related highlights is the option to select from 16 million different colors for the backlit keys. You customize the colors through the only-somewhat-intuitive Logitech Profile software, which lets you tie three different colors to the three mode buttons for the programmable "G" keys. We wish it had a dedicated button to scroll through at least a few preset colors, though. We also wish Logitech would consolidate its configuration software into one application. Instead you have to bounce around between the G-series Key Profiler for setting up the G keys, and a separate LCD Manager app for the built-in screen. Which brings us, finally, to the color LCD.
As with the G15, the G19 provides you with a secondary display, ostensibly to minimize the number of times you switch out of a game to the Windows desktop to check the time, your in-box, or get other information. Unlike the G15"s two-tone model, the G19 gets full color output and a larger 320x240 screen size. Logitech includes 11 different applications you can use on the screen of the G19, among them a clock, a system performance monitor, an RSS reader, photo and video players, and an app that lets you play YouTube videos. All of those programs have option screens--accessible through both the LCD Manager software and through a set of screen menu controls on the keyboard itself--that let you change content source folders and make other adjustments.
The G19 also comes with built-in support for 46 PC games, and four different applications, including Ventrilo, the popular third-party voice chat software favored by many PC gamers. "Support" for those various titles means essentially that the screen will display different information, such as character stats and ammunition counts. We haven"t tried every game on the list, many of which are outdated, but we never found the game-specific information that handy during gameplay. We can see a few possibilities that would make the LCD screen more useful, such as giving you an extra inventory screen or showing an in-game map, but we haven"t seen those kinds of features implemented in the handful of titles we"ve tried. We do, however, like the Ventrilo plug-in that lets you know who"s talking, which can be useful if you don"t know everyone in your World of Warcraft guild by voice.
Potentially more exciting is that, as with the G15, Logitech also includes a software development kit for the G19"s LCD. It took a while for the enthusiast community to embrace the G15"s kit, but once it did, all kinds of mini apps became available for public download. We don"t expect the G19"s software library to have blossomed in the three months since the keyboard"s release, but without a critical mass of homemade applications, it"s hard for us to say what kinds of programs might come from the community. You can use some of the homebrewed G15 apps on the G19, but not all of them work on the new color screen. We also can"t help but wonder what effect the G19"s high price will have on the adoption rate among the enthusiast community. If fewer people buy the G19, that will surely affect the amount of collective effort behind any software development.
Honestly? I have a G15 now and I"ve never used the screen in TF2. I couldn"t find anything worthwhile for it other than the built-in clock module. The side keys are handy but only use 1 bank, rather than the 3 available. Nothing that couldn"t be handled by an unused key on the keyboard though.
If you play WoW, or some sort of RTS/RPG that requires you to have a full in-depth overview of the game, with all the usual keyboard tricks then this is a good keyboard (my stepdad plays WoW with it and uses the key banks a lot). For casual gaming you probably won"t use much of the features though (but the media keys are handy to have - not uncommon though).
As far as typing goes it"s a pretty sturdy keyboard. Standard layout - and perhaps you can find a use for the G1-G6 special keys in your editor if you"re a programmer. If the keyboard comes with the PC then take it, if you"re paying extra you might be wasting your money for things you don"t need though.
I"m considering the possibility of my friend (although he"s being kind of a d♥♥♥ lately & hard to get a hold of) modding the screen from my G19s (the one that is wearing out & I"m attempting to replace) into an external USB case so that the screen can still be used, if not the keyboard itself; the only reason I even considered this was because he"s been known to put backlit, high-definition screens into old handheld game systems, so he"s pretty smart when it comes to this, but it might require leaving the entire board for the keyboard in one piece (if anything, I suppose I could keep the old keyboard connected to the computer for the screen only & use another keyboard that isn"t having the sticking problems)... Of course I still have to use old software/drivers regardless, seeing as Logitech still can"t seem to fix the issue... And just FYI, the G19 also has the capability to play videos (even online videos & live streams) & picture shows on it, however I"ve never used it for that purpose (it was always used for informational purposes in my case). There were a number of functions that were also available, however I didn"t particularly want those running while running games or streams of those games, using more processing power/bandwidth than is necessary.
Even though I didn"t review the G15, I have owned two of them. I was surprised when the G19 showed up in almost the exact same packaging, other than the picture on the front being different. Of course that means you will spot the G19 on the shelves quick. Everything else you need to know can be found somewhere on the package. Specifications are tucked away on the top edge of the packaging along with a feature listing on the back. There are no windows or ways to view the G19 through the packaging, but they made sure there are pictures from every angle on each side of the package. Inside the package, the keyboard was bagged to prevent any scratches. The wires, CD"s, paperwork, and power cord (wait what?) are all tucked away along with the keyboard.
The G19 uses the same software that the previous models use with just a few small updates. The software is broken up into two parts, the LCD manager, and the Key Profiler. The LCD manager controls all of your currently installed Programs for your LCD. You can configure, disable, and enable and of the specific programs. You also have the ability to set the LCD"s brightness and control if the programs will rotate through automatically.
The Key Profiler controls the 12 macro buttons on the left side of the keyboard along with giving you the ability to set the lighting color for each of the three available profiles. The great thing about the G15"s software is the ability to set the G keys to do or run anything. Not only can you use a key to open any program, run any script or macro, type any text block, you can also have it open up folders! Scripts and Macro"s are normal with a gaming keyboard, but some of the features give you the ability to go beyond gaming and even get a little work done.
There is no hard and fast way to test out a keyboard, as with mice, it is very subjective. I spent almost a month with the G19 before I was really able to give it a subjective look. I"ve broken it down by area to make sure I cover everything.
Being the "G"19 obviously you expect it to perform in game, that is what its designed for right? As I talked about before the 12 programmable keys have the ability to do anything you want, this is perfect for someone who wants to take a few things that would do in game and simplify. Personally, I never found the need for 12 macro"s but someone who plays MMO"s a lot may be able to put each to use. I would almost like to see the ability to program all of the normal keys also similar to what Razer has done with their keyboards. This would put the macro keys closer to your normal WASD keys for easy access. The game mode switch makes life a little easier preventing you from opening up the start menu if you bump the windows key. The LCD while in game is a little out of sight and is only functional if you look away from your game. The geek in me loves putting it on performance mode and watching the CPU and Ram usage. None of the games that I personally play has built in software for the screen, but Xfire and media center both do giving me a reason to look down. The built in clock is perfect for someone who needs to get out of game at a specific time (bedtime psssh yeah right!) If you didn"t have a 2nd monitor like I do the screen could show need to know information from outside of game. I think the person who would benefit from the screen the most would be a hard core WoW player, Logitech includes software specifically for WoW that shows all of the info you need to know while in game. Lastly, the keyboard itself responded quickly in game giving the slightest advantage when coming around the corner face to face with an enemy.
With my 2nd gen g15 I did experience an issue with the paint rubbing off of the keyboard after about a year of heavy use. The 1st gen G15 was known even more for this problem. I can"t speak for the overall quality of the G19 without long term testing, but it does look to have a similar surface to the 2nd gen G15. I also noticed a paint chip on one of the keys. The one thing I can attest too is Logitech will stand behind their product, G15 users who experienced the paint issues in and sometimes out of warranty had Logitech send them new keyboard with no questions asked, as long as they continue that level of service you should have nothing to worry about.
Obviously the G19 isn"t an ergonomic keyboard but the wrist rest does make it considerably more comfortable. My only issue is with the mushy keys, each key stroke you bottom out the keys because there is no defined click or action to the keys. Bottoming out each key effects your comfort over long periods of time.
So the G19 has a long list of kickass features that are useful for both gamers and workaholics alike. Of course not all of them are the most helpful, and with a price of just under 200 bones the G19 is out of range of most budget minded gamers. But! as with most things that us enthusiasts buy, the G19 has a wow factor that no other keyboard can hold a candle too. If you"re looking to add to your e-pen0r you can"t go wrong with the g19. For those World of Warcraft players out there, Logitech has you covered also. With all of those extra features mean you have to plus the keyboard into a power outlet on top of the normal USB connection.
Re-released in 2017. The new model uses Logitech Options instead of SetPoint, and the programmable thumb button got removed. 3-year battery life on 2 AA batteries.
A wireless addition to Logitech"s Pro Line of Products. While it is named very similarly to the Pro Gaming Mouse, It uses a different shape. Has fully customizable RGB lighting. Used by around 27% of professional gamers.
Update to G PRO Wireless with lighter weight design and omission of right side buttons and DPI button. Widely regarded as one of the best gaming mice from Logitech.
The ball diameter of the TrackMan [Marble] Fx measures exactly 2 inches, which rounds to 51 mm. On Logitech"s Japanese website the ball diameter is (was) listed as 50 mm.
The Wireless Trackball M570 has a resolution of 540 DPI according to its Logitech Product page, but a resolution of 400 DPI according to its Logitech Support page.
Professional 6DoF device built by the Logitech subsidiary LogiCad3D. In 2001 Logitech bought Labtec and LogiCad3D was merged with Labtec"s 3D Motion Control Technology Group (the former SIMC/STI of SpaceBall fame) to form 3Dconnexion. (See 3Dconnexion for 3D mice after 2001.)
Features a folding blue backlit 160×43 pixel monochrome LCD-display, "game mode" switch (which disables the "Windows" keys), and a 2-port USB 1.1 hub.
Logitech ScanMan Color 2000 (1996) -- Hand-held, 24bit color scanner, 400x800 DPI (1600x1600 DPI interpolated); connector: DB-25F or DB-36F Centronics.
The successor to Logitech’s iconic G15 is finally here, and though it pickpocketed my wallet on the way back home, there’s a sense of compassion for the Logitech G19 charm and tender glow. Read on this review to find out the macros, color LCD applets, custom backlighting, and a power supply through this in-depth review after the jump.
Logitech sought to address many of the issues raised by gamers about the G15s when developing the next-gen G19, and by all measures, they have succeeded in doing so. First up is the footprint: measuring 19.5 inches wide, the Logitech G19 retains the “petite” design of the second-generation G15 in order to fit inside keyboard trays and not encroach on mousing surfaces. Though there’s only a 2″ difference between the G19 and behemoth G15 v1, the difference is most definitely one to be appreciated.
The G19 uses the same dome-switch technology that’s likely to be found in the very keyboard you’re using now – quiet but believed to be mushy at times. Despite this technological setback, the G19’s keys still feel very responsive and not as mushy as your typical office keyboard. Still, Logitech could further improve the G19’s gaming feel by using mechanical Cherry or buckling spring key switches like the classic IBM Model M keyboard. Nothing beats the clackers.
The keyboard’s layout was scored well in familiarity, maintaining the classic three-column layout for the arrow keys, PrtScr row, and six-key Ins/Del group. The only noticeable layout change has been to the Escape key, now positioned flush with the left edge of the main keygroup and not offset as is typical with other Logitech keyboards. That much takes some getting used to, but isn’t enough to cause frustration.
On the underside of the keyboard is a series of trenches for cable routing that can help manage cable clutter from mice, gamepads, and headphones. Trench exits are located on the top, sides, and bottom of the keyboard with a groove cut out in the detachable wrist rest. Unfortunately, the trenches have hardly changed from their earlier G15 incarnations, making them practically useless if the keyboard is propped up using the rear feet; there still aren’t any sliding clips to hold cables in place.
The media keys have been moved from the center of the keyboard to the right corner in order to accommodate the taller LCD profile, thereby eliminating a large portion of the unused space found in the G15. The standard variety of Play/Pause, Stop, and Next/Previous buttons are all here and angled in such a manner that they’re pointed straight at you instead of the ceiling – a nice touch. Underneath the playback buttons are the volume controls which consist of an oversized mute button and a non-ratcheted volume roller similar to what’s on the G35 headset. The keyboard’s roller is an improvement over simple volume up/down buttons, but is still lacking compared to the original G15’s volume wheel due to its low resolution and non-continuous movement.
Of course, the one downside to having a powered USB hub is the need for a supplemental power source, and Logitech really dropped the ball when it came to the keyboard’s power supply. If the last outlet on a strip isn’t available, then the wall wart AC adapter is best suited for power strips with outlets aligned in a row instead of a vertical column. Not only does the adapter take up the outlets directly underneath its bulk, but on some power strips it also can also block the above-ground socket as well! By detaching the AC adapter from the ‘Y’ junction it’s possible to use the keyboard without power but then the LCD, backlighting, macros and USB hub functionality will be disabled.
One criticism of the keyboard in other professional reviews and felt the need to address is the lack of analog headset pass-through jacks found on a handful of gaming keyboards from Razer, SteelSeries, and Saitek. However, headset jacks would not only add to the thickness and inflexibility of the G19’s already-wide cable, but also but be redundant considering that most gamers already have front audio ports on their towers – that’s a standard feature even on the cheapest Dell and HP desktops.
The first gamer-centric point of interest on the G19 is the aptly-named “Gaming Mode” switch, effectively disabling the Windows and Contextual Menu keys on demand to prevent minimization of a game during that one crucial moment. (It’s always a crucial moment). Indeed, a toggle switch is certainly more elegant than the alternative of prying those blasted keys from the keyboard.
The next gaming feature is one that’s more likely to be appreciated by the hardcore FPS junkie, and that’s the ability to press virtually any combo of six keys at once. All you really need to know is that when certain groups of keys are pressed, the matrix circuitry of older keyboards would generate a phantom keystroke also known as ghosting. Newer keyboards somewhat addressed this issue by blocking phantom keystrokes, but were still limited to pressing only 2-5 keys at once instead of the maximum six allowed by USB. The original G15, for example, was unable to press the ‘1’, ‘2’ and ‘3’ keys on the numpad at the same time.
Logitech advertises the ability to press any combination of five keys at once on the G19. In the tests using the Keyboard Viewer built into OS X, no matter what combination of keys pressed, the keyboard would always register all six. Using modifier keys would allow this number to climb as high as 10. So why is this handy? Well, the next time you hit jump, you’ll actually jump instead of being blown up by a rocket.
Illuminated keys has long been a staple of the gaming keyboard, and the G19 is no exception. The entire keyboard to include the Game Mode switch is beautifully backlit through laser-etched keys, and can be configured to shine in almost any color via an RGB mixer that’s built into the drivers. LAN party-goers will surely appreciate the ability to match their keyboard with their gaming rig’s lighting scheme.
There’s no real brightness control to be had for the backlit keys; the only way to configure this is by tweaking with the black level. The backlighting and LCD can be quickly disabled, however, by pressing the toggle switch to the right of the screen, which is great if you sleep in the same room as your computer. Up to three colors can be programmed into the keyboard – one for each M-key that’s used as a toggle. This is useful for heavy macro users who need to be reminded which set of macros is currently available for execution, e.g. red for killing and white for healing. Though there’s no multi-zone lighting as there is on Saitek’s Cyborg keyboard, curiously enough Logitech chose to limit the M-keys, LCD controls and indicator lights to a single color: orange.
One of the Logitech G19’s strongest selling points is its ability to record and perform macros, handled by a section of “G-keys” on the left side of the keyboard. Despite using the same 19.5″ footprint as the G15 rev 2, Logitech was able to successfully squeeze in a second column of G-keys for a total of 12, falling in-between the G15’s 18 keys and the second generation’s meager 6. This should strike an even compromise between the macro-loving MMO crowd and the first person shooter crowd that’s less concerned with macros than they are with the LCD display.
The G-series Key Profiler software included with the keyboard allows for some interesting and complex macros to be created. A simple keystroke, complex macro, duplicate M-key, Lua script, application shortcut or text block with return character support can all be assigned to the individual G-Keys. The Key Profiler will automatically scan a computer for known AAA games and install corresponding profiles that have basic game functionality such as movement and weapons already mapped. Though, these predefined functions could to be too simplistic and you may end up creating your own macros anyway. It’d be nice if Logitech were to implement a database for user-created macros to simplify finding and sharing profiles between gamers.
Though everything that’s been said so far about macros also applies to the older G15 keyboards, one of the new features exclusive to the G19 and G13 Gameboard is what’s known as Game-Settings-To-Go. GSTG stores profiles in the keyboard’s onboard memory, somewhat similar to the Razer Tarantula. What’s different between the G19 and the Tarantula, however, is how the memory is used. On the Tarantula, it’s possible to embedded the macros so they can be used on computers that don’t have the appropriate drivers installed. With the Logitech G19, macros are entirely dependent on the drivers to run; the onboard memory is memory is used for synchronizing profiles to computers that already have the software installed.
Of course, the main draw to the G19 is its iconic LCD display. Out of the box, Logitech ships with nine color LCD applets: a clock, countdown timer, CPU/memory monitor, media display for iTunes/WinAmp/WMP, movie player, picture viewer, POP3 checker, and YouTube player. All of the applets are bright and colorful, serving up bite-sized chunks of information that are best suited for an external display.
That being said, a few of the apps could still use a little more work from the developers. The RSS reader, for example, will usually show the headline but not an excerpt of the news clipping in most tested RSS feeds. Likewise, picture scaling isn’t the greatest, the POP3 reader requires a hack in order to support SSL connections (necessary for Gmail), and Media Display’s volume indicator will not appear unless a recognized media player like iTunes is running. Truth be told, only the clock, countdown timer and CPU monitor feel rock solid at this point. At least, the core functionality is there for the rest of them.
The Logitech G19 is powered by the same GamePanel software as the G15 keyboard, Z-10 speakers and Dell M1730 laptop, thus making it backwards-compatible with virtually every applet created for those devices. As of May 2009, over 45 commercial games officially support the GamePanel display either out of the box or with a patch.
On the other hand, titles like Crysis Wars make such poor use of the second display that it’s simply more convenient to use the on-screen HUD. There are also times when a developer will embrace the mini display in one game, only for the sequel to abandon it as was the case Unreal Tournament 3. Some game developers Valve Software have yet to make any GamePanel-enabled titles whatsoever. In these cases it’s best to look at the community forums for user-created applets like TF2Stats that can report on vital statistics, but these programs may not always be available or as well-maintained.
Indeed, Logitech has done an excellent job creating a mass-market external display and making it openly accessible to programmers with a free SDK and emulator built right into the drivers – it’s not necessary to own the keyboard to develop for it. This dream-and-build spirit lives on with the G19, and it’s certainly interesting to see what future games and utilities are in store for the new color display. Though the GamePanel LCD is more or less a technology enthusiast’s toy. It’s unlikely that the next AAA game will support the G19. But for those occasional titles that do come out with GamePanel support, it’s always been a refreshing moment to supplement the utility LCD applets.
The Macintosh sticker on the Logitech G19’s box was quite a surprise after having seen countless forum posts begging for Mac support with the G15. Yet, the G19’s software’s design and functionality seems almost identical to that on Windows. Macros can be just as complex with lengthy commands and variable time delays, the GamePanel software works and includes an SDK to be used with XCode, and the media applets integrate perfectly with iTunes and Quicktime.
If you’re a PC gaming enthusiast, Logitech G19 is the gadget to have. Powerful macro scripting, customizable key backlighting, and the best external LCD platform on the market make for a great keyboard. The powered USB 2.0 hub and stylish design is just icing on the cake. The only two major drawbacks that the keyboard suffers from are its bulky AC adapter and high suggested retail price in a time of economic downturn. Is the G19 worth $200? Yes. A more appropriate question would be whether or not you’re able to justify the purchase. It’s up to you to deliberate on, but if any more killer LCD apps like Okio’s VLC plugin are released, there might not be much left to deliberate about.