QUESTION · MEDIA PRODUCTION Q&A

Are there any utilities for Mac OS that will translate or remap keyboard commands to new ones? Problem: have an XKeys controller for Playback Pro that I'd like to use with Miti. Some of the commands translate, but not all.

ASKED BY · David Brady · NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK · 23 OCT 2026 · ▶ 00:09:08

THE PANEL'S ANSWER
Jason BachePANELIST

Jason recommended using XKeys in hardware mode with full keyboard mapping, or alternatively Better Touch Tool or Karabiner Elements for key remapping, and suggested using macOS shortcuts for simple ASCII remaps.

Summarised by AI from what the panel said. Watch the moment for the full answer.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

From the transcript.

Machine-transcribed, so it may contain errors. Every timestamp opens the episode at that second.

8:41the front can open up like you're looking at a book, or if you want it covered, it'll still cover it, and I like that this has a little It's so big, you have to put it in a bag to carry it around. Again, this is my wife's case from my wife's phone, and my wife will put it in a bag. So I will report back in a week about what software has done a good job.

9:08That is if you're still married. What's the future? I mean, she's put up with me this long. I think I'm stuck. Next question. All right, David Brady in New York City, New York, is asking, Are there any utilities for Mac OS that will translate or remap keyboard commands to new ones? Problem. Have an XKeys controller for Playback Pro that I'd like to use with Miti.

9:29Some of the commands translate, but not all. Jason. Oh, this is the whole horse to water but can't make it drink thing. Okay. So the XKeys Mac app, if you put the XKeys in hardware mode and then actually just monitor the output with full keyboard mapping, mapping whatever is wrong like you will be able to correct so that that will fix it but if you if

9:54you really just want to play around with it um yeah better touch tool can do this um but again like it's going to be more work there's also another keyboard customizer um called carabiner elements k-a-r-a-b-i-n-e-r that i've used to get through some it's lighter weight than keyboard keyboard maestro not as powerful but if you're looking for simple key remapping that might be

10:21the best uh might be the best bet Jason um you know the other way to do this is with a mac OS shortcut but again like don't five code this like you need a button that does a thing like it's just an ASCII remap but again like x keys in hardware mode and reflash the firmware for mac OS and I I think you'll just be done.

10:40Next question. All right, next up from Paul Vahos in Austin, Texas. Would this work better than a paint stick for my lav mic at a shoot? I also just want to briefly make a comment that I love David's question and how quickly and accurately it was answered. And that's like peak office hours, I just want to say. Alexander, let's talk about the paint stick.

READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT →
MENTIONED IN THE ANSWER
XKeys→Better Touch Tool→Karabiner Elements→Keyboard Maestro→
ALSO IN THIS EPISODE

10 more questions
from Office Hours | Friday | October 23, 2026.

The whole episode →
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