Hello and welcome to the home page of the Prodikeys PC-MIDI Linux Driver.

 Disclaimer: This website or its contents are in no way affiliated with CreativeLabs or any of its affiliates.

 

Prodikeys® is the trademark of a range of Multifuction Musical Keyboards by CreativeLabs. They come in three flavours.

• Prodikeys® - The original Prodikeys® keyboard. Features an odd shape, bulkiness and interfaces to the PC via PS/2 port which is effectively a dead interface.

   

  SPECIFICATIONS

  Hardware

  • Standard 104 keys
  • IBM compatible computer keyboard
  • Integrated 37 MIDI keys
  • Pitch Bend and Volume Control wheels
  • Fun button for starting Creative Prodikeys software
  • Connects directly to computer’s PS2 keyboard port

   
  

    
  

• Prodikeys® DM - The second Prodikeys® keyboard.  Features a better shape than the original, less bulkiness, but still interfaces to the PC via PS/2 port which is effectively a dead interface.

   

  SPECIFICATIONS

  Hardware

  • Standard IBM compatible PS/2 computer keyboard
  • 37-key MIDI keyboard (MIDI Controller)
  • Removable palm rest
  • Multimedia Hot Keys
  • Programmable Hot Keys
  • Internet Hot Keys
  • Sustain buttons
  • Octave Shift buttons
  • Pitch Bend Wheel
  • Volume Control Wheel
  • Music button

   

   

• Prodikeys® PC-MIDI - The third and current Prodikeys® keyboard. Features a lot more compact shape and a USB 1.1 interface. 

   

  SPECIFICATIONS
  Hardware

  • Standard USB-compatible keyboard
  • 37 mini-sized music keys with touch-sensitivity
  • Removable palm rest
  • Snap-On colour faceplate
  • Enhanced F-Key lock
  • 10 customisable hot keys
  • Log off and Sleep buttons
  • Media playback buttons
  • Volume control wheel with integrated mute function
  • Dimension : 50.5 cm (19.88”) x 24.5cm (9.64”)x 3.5 cm (0.88”)
  • Weight : Approximately 1.5 kg (52.91 ounces)
  • Colour : Metallic Grey
  • Connectivity : Universal Serial Bus (USB) 1.1

 

Here is a table comparing the three versions.

 

While I liked the general idea of the keyboards the two initial offerings were a no go due the the aforementioned bulkiness and interface choice. When The PC-MIDI was released, I thought “mmm.. very nice”, then I waited until the price dropped to something I could justify (£29.99) and bought one for my daughters birthday. All was well with the world, until I installed Linux as a dual boot (virus free) option for the kids. I found that not all the Qwerty & Multimedia keys worked and neither did any of the Musical keys. I let this bug me for a couple of years, then one day bored I decided to do something about it and the result a working driver for Linux. At which point I bought another for my son.

 

This page is a work in progress, so check back once in a while for protocol info etc. I’ll add the info as and when I have some time.

 

Getting the driver.

If you are running kernel version 2.6.34 or above then the driver (slightly updated) is already included in your kernel. If not simply reconfigure your kernel and enable the hid-prodikeys module. You will still need the UI App (see below).

The driver is available for download at source forge project page Prodikeys PC-MIDI linux driver. It specificially supports kernel 2.6.29 - kernel 2.6.33 but may work on earlier kernel versions. Build instructions are included in the download pack. The resultant module will be named “hid-creative.ko”

Also included with the driver is a UI application that allows control over octave shift,sustain, and midi output channel.

There is also a patch in the Tracker section that fixes Unicode builds (namely Ubuntu) and fixes the install path of the UI app.