A Software Version of Elgato's Stream Deck for PC?

[Deactivated] on 05/02/2023 - 22:31
Last edited 06/02/2023 - 00:19 by 1 other user

Howdy

For a few months now I've had a Stream Deck and it's improved my productivity greatly and made my life so much easier. Convinced my manager to approve me to get one for work (thumbs up) however IT absolutely refuses to enable USB port for my work laptop (thumbs down).

Does anyone know of a software solution for PC? Say I trigger it with Win+Space and an overlay comes up and there's a grid of 6x4 (or whatever) buttons which I can customise with images and clicking on each triggers an action/script/shortcut/etc, bonus if it's application sensitive.

I did some digging but couldn't find anything, I know there are alternatives that uses your phone/tablet as the device but I'm looking for something entirely software based.

Thanks!

Computing Computer Peripheral Elgato Keyboard

Comments

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 05/02/2023 - 22:42
    +12

    Maybe it’s late but I totally read this as steam deck lmao

    Me: bro my productivity has been WAY down since getting a steam deck and taking it to work…

    • donga100 on 05/02/2023 - 23:08
      +2

      That's exactly how I read it too. Was going to suggest the Steam desktop application. I couldn't believe this guy got his manager to approve one for work!

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 05/02/2023 - 23:10
        +6

        Manager with rgb background lighting in office, secretlab omega chair, triple monitor 4k Alienware monitor setup:

        • I’ll allow it *
    • [Deactivated] on 05/02/2023 - 23:39
      +2

      Haha, if you can script a proposal for me to bring it to my manager I'll give it a go, that'd be a dream :P

  • 7ekn00 on 05/02/2023 - 22:44

    AutoHotKey, can script almost anything you want in the way of shortcuts, etc

    See:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spyUi5rNGac
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdI_IeP1K3o

    • [Deactivated] on 05/02/2023 - 22:53

      Nah not what I'm after, the Stream Deck is amazing as you get a visual button quickly telling you what it does instead of having to remember a bunch of shortcuts, thus why I'm trying to find something with visual customisation.

      • 7ekn00 on 05/02/2023 - 22:55

        AutoHotKey has plenty of visuals, icons and even scripts to make a Bluetooth StreamDeck out of an Android phone …

        But good to see you discount it without any research :P

        • [Deactivated] on 05/02/2023 - 23:00

          I did find quite a few solutions using a phone/tablet as a secondary device but didn't want one of those. Can you share a link that allows the creation of a software overlay using ahk? I've been using it for a little while and have only experience with it working with a specific key combination as opposed to a visual window with clickable buttons?

  • AustriaBargain on 05/02/2023 - 22:46
    -1

    Couldn't the same thing be achieved by pinning the same icons in your taskbar/dock? Or putting them in a folder and then docking the folder. $220 for physical buttons for those icons can't save that much time. Looks cool though, but takes up actual desktop space instead of virtual desktop space. $220 could get you an extra monitor where you could put all those icons, swinging your mouse cursor to that monitor has to be faster than taking your hand off the mouse to press a button.

    • [Deactivated] on 05/02/2023 - 22:57

      Depending on usage I guess, I too was super hesitant before pulling the trigger but I use the absolute shit out of mine now that I have it, applications like Davinci Resolve benefits so damn well when you can nest shortcuts within folders and have access to everything with a few button push. It's not for everyone, but if you need it it's a life changer.

      • AustriaBargain on 05/02/2023 - 22:59

        I do like the Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro, so I probably would like it. What I like most about the TouchBar is that like you can tap the volume or brightness "button" and then swipe left or right to raise or lower the setting and fine tune it.

        • [Deactivated] on 05/02/2023 - 23:22

          Absolutely, the first time I saw the touch bar I was like omg this is genius and it's application sensitive too why isn't this in everything!

          • AustriaBargain on 05/02/2023 - 23:24

            @[Deactivated]: It looks like Apple is getting rid of it. I think the current 13 inch still has it but after the 13 inch gets a design update it might be the end of it all, until the tech to put OLED screens in individual keys gets cheap enough. The glass touchpad is another place that they could put it, but your hand is always covering it so it would have to be pretty cheap to implement for Apple to bother.

            • [Deactivated] on 05/02/2023 - 23:37

              @AustriaBargain: I know some non apple laptops have it but Apple's full colour implementation is just so sweet. I'm surprised not more desktop keyboards have this but it's probably quite a niche and expensive product to gain mass attraction thus why I went with the Stream Deck, one of the best purchases I've ever made and in retrospect I'd have paid RRP for it years ago if I knew it was this good and I'd get so much out of it.

              It's just so tough for products like these where absolutely no brick and mortar store are stocking them for one to try out before buying. These gadgets costs a pretty penny so it's not like I can return it if I don't like it. I'm sure there are lots of cool perpherials out there but the barrier of entry to give them a shot is quite high.

              • AustriaBargain on 05/02/2023 - 23:42

                @[Deactivated]: Apple's desktop keyboard probably never got it because Apple prioritised battery life for the iMac's wireless keyboard. I think that's why the wireless keyboard isn't even backlit.

  • ihfree on 05/02/2023 - 22:55

    Depending on the how the restrictions are implemented, you could consider a macro pad which identifies as a keyboard

    • [Deactivated] on 05/02/2023 - 23:02

      The USB port is disabled entirely, a macro pad was what I considered before getting the Stream Deck but the keys aren't visual, thus why I'm looking for a software only solution that allows for customisation of icons to assign to the shortcut/script.

      • wasdw246 on 05/02/2023 - 23:14
        +1

        Do usb mouse and keyboard work? surely you use a USB mouse and keyboard (and not touchpad)

        • askbargain on 05/02/2023 - 23:17

          Maybe the USB port is not disabled entirely is what I was thinking too!

          • [Deactivated] on 05/02/2023 - 23:20

            @askbargain: It doesn't even provide any charging which is super annoying. I can't remember the name of the software they use but I do have an admin account which I used to disable the restriction software ages ago, however there's additional software in place to report to IT when an in place restriction has been altered and I got a stern email from IT telling me to stop messing around with stuff.

        • [Deactivated] on 05/02/2023 - 23:21

          It's a laptop so I use its keyboard, and the mouse is a MX Master 3 so no dongle required, that's self purchase as the default dongleless mouse work provides is a total pos.

  • Mechz on 05/02/2023 - 23:28

    Disabled USB completely is dumb, they could have just disabled mass storage but I guess some moron likes to power trip all over productivity.

    My Logitech G110 keyboard (USB I realise) has the software to program the macro keys but you can also click them as if you are typing, but only when the keyboard is plugged in.

    • [Deactivated] on 05/02/2023 - 23:32

      Yeah tell me about it, it's super annoying.

      I was considering upgrading to one of those Logitech keyboards that's super customisable for macros but ended up going with the Stream Deck as the customiseable visual button is leaps and bounds better than having to remember what each key combination did especially when you have a collection of them.

  • scrimshaw on 06/02/2023 - 00:27

    Have you looked at MacroDeck?

    https://macrodeck.org/

    Just grab yourself a cheap Android phone or tablet and install this on Google play. Description: "Macro Deck is a open source software to use your smartphone, tablet or almost any touch screen device with a internet browser as a simple macro pad or even as an powerful automation solution for streaming, gaming, content creation and more."

    • [Deactivated] on 06/02/2023 - 00:32

      Yeah I saw quite a bunch of solutions using phone/tablet but I was hoping for one that's entirely software based, pretty surprised that this is not a thing.

      • scrimshaw on 06/02/2023 - 00:36

        I was hoping for one that's entirely software based, pretty surprised that this is not a thing.

        I believe the reason it's not a thing is because you will need to alt-tab out of the active window you're working on (example Microsoft Excel) and when clicking on the button to execute your macro, you'll just end up sending the recorded keystrokes into the wrong program (because Excel is in the background, not the foreground).

        That's why this implementation has you tapping a button or screen on a seperate device, so you don't lose focus on the active window.

        • [Deactivated] on 06/02/2023 - 00:45

          That's fair, alas not unbypass-able with an obscure trigger say Win+* which it's pretty safe to assume almost no program has this hotkey and allow an overlay program to come to the foreground and upon clicking an overlay icon carry out a predefined set of instructions to affect whichever active program(?)

      • Mechz on 06/02/2023 - 12:30

        Can't you emulate Android apps in Windows now?

  • apsilon on 06/02/2023 - 06:37

    If IT have gone to the trouble of disabling USB ports I doubt they're going to let you install software so IMO you're better off putting together a business case to have them allow the tool you know will do the job.

  • SnowDragon on 06/02/2023 - 07:53

    Can you get a Bluetooth numpad? Or is that disabled as well

    • [Deactivated] on 06/02/2023 - 10:16

      Bluetooth is enabled yes, but now that I've used the visual buttons of a Stream Deck and it'll change contexually depending on which program I'm using it's impossible to go back to normal buttons!

  • ceeto on 06/02/2023 - 09:37
    +1

    Would Stream Deck Mobile solve your problem? https://www.elgato.com/en/stream-deck-mobile

  • davidmwilliams on 06/02/2023 - 09:47

    Can you share some of the ways the Stream Deck aids your productivity? It will be interesting to hear how you are using it.

    Re IT, I'd ask your manager to intercede on your behalf. If it's been approved by management it's unreasonable for the IT team to be so bloody-minded. I can understand they don't want USB enabled to prevent data leakage, but they surely must allow USB keyboards, mice, etc.

    • [Deactivated] on 06/02/2023 - 10:08

      I'm only using the standard software for now and it's to string together a bunch of actions that I'd otherwise do one at a time in sequence, for Davinci it's a life changer, yes you can assign shortcut keys with autohotkeys etc as is but you can customise each button to have a visual label so I have something like an icon with a turtle on it with 50% showing to indicate slow down to 50%. It sounds small but a whole bunch of those quickly adds up.

      I attribute it all down to the visual buttons, you can be techy enough and be fluent in shortcuts but it's still a barrier of entry as you have to take the time to remember each and every one uniquely to each and every application, depending on the applications you use perhaps this is not a problem for you but I doubt most people are fluent with more than a dozen, or, more generously, a dozen and half shortcuts when there are really trying to be proficient in it. I can nest buttons inside folders so I assign one folder to colour grading for example, and in there is 2 dozen shortcuts, etc, etc.

      It's hard to quantify, thus why I never pulled the trigger earlier on one of those as I had only YT for reference, but it's an absolute godsent of a product.

      All mice are bluetooth and keyboards are just the laptop built-in, it's been like this forever so I'll be convincing no minds unfortunately!

      • davidmwilliams on 07/02/2023 - 08:54

        That's great; I love hearing about ways people optimise their workflows like that.

        Is your company a big global corporate or a smaller business? I ask simply because if you have the head of IT off in some other country there's probably not much success to be had in appealing against such policies - but if your IT team is local I'd hope you could approach someone and demonstrate how it helps you and ask them how the Stream Deck can be exempted.

        Anyhow, maybe it's not a fight worth having but it's disappointing when internal IT teams forget their role is to aid the rest of the business in being optimised in how they do their jobs. I say that as an IT Manager.

        Yes, security is important, but blocking the Stream Deck is not aiding security.

        I once worked at a company where the IT Manager was a real dumbass. He blocked the Microsoft Snipping tool because he said "it is a security risk" (seriously) and people could copy/paste data. I thought they were joking at first! I said but I can use print screen, then paste into Paint and edit and he said, "yes, but that's more work." Anyhow, I spoke to others and they told me they all use the OneNote Win+S shortcut. His policy simply impeded people's work but yet didn't provide any security at all.

        Another time he decided FTP was a risk so he blocked the app Filezilla. He was too stupid and incompetent to block outbound port 22 in the firewall. So, any FTP app that was not named "filezilla.exe" worked fine.

        Fortunately, he got fired.

        • apsilon on 07/02/2023 - 12:00
          +1

          I ask simply because if you have the head of IT off in some other country there's probably not much success to be had in appealing against such policies

          The global corps I've worked for have had procedures to log a request for an evaluation of any hardware or software that was an exception to the SOE. You just submit a case as to why the same can't be done with an existing solution and gather some standard info and it it passes the first stage it then proceeds to an actual install in an isolated environment where it and the changes it makes are evaluated and if all is well approval is granted for you to purchase and install. The biggest hurdle to the whole thing is most end users just don't want to be bothered and would rather just complain they're not allowed to do whatever they want.

        • [Deactivated] on 07/02/2023 - 21:57

          Nah it's a biiig corporation. I do have a local admin account that I created ages ago that allows me to install a program every now and again. And I've tried to disable the software (can't remember name) that IT use to disable all features etc but then there's an additional software on top to monitor if anything has been changed by a user with elevated access who shouldn't have one.

          There's a scheduled task set up to report if that software has been tempered and resets perimeters daily. I've not really spent much time and look, I'm sure the interwebs out there can bypass this but it's just not worth the effort :-/

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