Asus N56 media keys customisation

Does anyone know how to change the function of the media keys on the N56 series laptops? Specifically the arrow keys which show Play, Stop, Next and Previous. Originally they were controlling AsusDVD, and once I'd uninstalled that, the controlled Windows Media Player. I'm wishing to use the keys to control MediaMonkey, which I use for all my music. I've disabled WMP, but the keys don't register when trying to assign them within the MediaMonkey program.

Any ideas?

Much appreciated.

 

I think the mapping conflicts with some other functionality in MM. Here's a discussion on the software's message board: MediaMonkey Website • View topic - Media Playback with Arrow Keys

It would seem they removed mapping the arrow keys for playback. I think there's another program you can try using called MediaKeys, but I don't have any personal experience with that, and it has been awhile since I used MediaMonkey.

 

Imo, most elegant solution so far is this:
Controlling foobar2000 with Asus G73 multimedia keys | zaak@blue:~$

The package has a config file where you can assign window classes and then give that class focus before triggering the functions. So it'll work with spotify, itunes, etc., if they respond to normal "media keys" trigger type events. And you can also bind those events to a specific program, etc. Not sure if it skips the second match if there are more than one open, but can't have everything. ..wouldn't have hurt if Asus wrote a tool that did pretty much exactly that in the first place, though..

The problem here, as with all of the library replacement solutions, is that the osd.. on-screen display triggers, are triggered by function calls to the osd program (a service, you see it in the task-manager). I.e., they run something like volume up key event & draw osd "volume up increment". So you basically lose the popups if you want to customize the keys. ..unless you want to write your own tool, while adhering to asus' own extremely specific and curious scancode table.. Which changes between two keyboards in the same series of laptops, even..

Kind of makes you wonder a bit when any random other laptop has a "keyboard keys" tab, that you can assign. And where the "media keys" actually are mapped to reasonably generic and somewhat often used "media functions". But that's basically the default setup.. Asus just locked it to the Windows media player, specifically, and that window class - instead of the "media->function" schema...

 

When trying to configure "hotkeys" within my [latest] version of MM, the arrow keys register. However, when the "fn" key is held down, the arrow keys do not register.. Not an issue with MM it seems then.

 

@nipsen Thanks, that looks promising. When I have time next week (lots of uni coursework to do), I'll try it out and report back.