mini keyboard

**Alphared** · 01-24-2003, 02:17 PM

Well, i've seen post on how to convert a mini keyboard (thumb board) for the pda to pc. Yet none shows how to do so. I got one and opened it. The set up looks like a ps2 keyboard, but has 3 wires instead of 4. Other differences is that it takes somewhere like 3.5v to power it, unlike the 5v for a regular board. So, have to step down the voltage with a transistor type voltage regulator (like one dollar from radioshack) The other is that pretty sure that without software drivers the keyboard will not work. Due to the compact size, numbers and other keys can only be used with a function key, SO the pc have to be able to understand this.

One of the simpler way is to find a membrane type mini keyboard and use the decoder form a regular keyboard as most have done with buttons.

Other suggestion for space saving is to use the onscreen keyboard provided by win2k and xp.

**ShinkunoNamida** · 01-24-2003, 03:25 PM

http://www.tapspring.com/default.htm

A lot of cool things, among which, a way to convert a mini keybaord to ps2

**CA 3000GT** · 01-24-2003, 04:30 PM

ShinkunoNamida, that site is awesome! thanks for the link.

Alphared, please keep looking, I would kill to have a thumb-board-key-board!

**CA 3000GT** · 01-24-2003, 08:20 PM

Ok... heres a real hack...

get the crique keypad ($14.95)
http://www.cirque.com/products/pocket.html

get the palm adaptor: ($4.95 each)
http://www.cirque.com/products/pocket_adapt.html

get the palm to ps2 converter ($19.95)
http://www.tapspring.com/Order.htm

or, I suppose just use the
http://www.tapspring.com/Order.htm
converters on one of those really really tiny snap in palm keypads (not the fold out kinds, those are too big..)

Total Cost: ~$40+shipping
Total Hacks: 2
Chance of working: who knows... seems like it should...

The thing is I dont know how the tapspring folks emulated the palm keyboard, so its hard to know if there solution is a general one and will work for all palm keypads, or just the fold out one.

**Alphared** · 01-24-2003, 10:38 PM

I don't know, I'm pretty sure you need some type of driver inorder to use it. I've check pretty much alot of other ppl's way to it, and no one really did a thumb pad. That crique pad has its own battery, so voltage stepdown wouldn't be needed, so I'm not sure if it can work with a ps2 plug (maybe a resistor to draw current, but not sure) And its still not really like a regular keyboard, so thats why I said it needs some type of drivers to map the keys correctly. You can give it a try and let us know if it works, I'll do the same with the palm thumb board.

**Alphared** · 01-25-2003, 06:53 AM

CA 3000GT

http://wearables.blu.org/wear-hard-02/20026251.html

take a look at that. It shows how to use the crique keypad to hook up to serial. but no talks about drivers, so not sure if it'll work.

**CA 3000GT** · 01-25-2003, 06:45 PM

Alphared: Yes! I think that one is worth a shot.. Im going to hold out a little longer for something that is confirmed to actually work on a pc, and then I am going to buy that stuff, and see if I can get it to work!

Thanks!
Dan

**thenominous** · 01-25-2003, 09:09 PM

Sod the keyboard interface, I wanna hook up my phone to open my car up

Dave

**Charliey** · 01-25-2003, 11:39 PM

hmm, that would be interesting. it might be possible to get a cellphone to work if it had bluetooth, and if the computer had a bluetooth adapter.

i dont quite know what bluetooth enables, i think you might need special apps to run on the phone and the computer, but it doesnt seem beyond the realm of posibility.