VERY Mini Keyboard Solution --Cheap!

**joelw23** · 01-28-2005, 11:07 AM

I'm leaving work in 20 min. to go pick one up....I'll let you know...

**BigSteve** · 01-28-2005, 11:24 AM

I went and bought one last night and it does come with a clip. The fn and symb buttons do work. SYMB for the numbers and symbols over the letters and Fn for F1-F10 for the top row of keys. I tried looking for keyboard remapping utilities but I couldn't find anything. But the thing works great. I will also be flush mounting into the console, but it will still be able to be pulled out of its place to hold in your hand. I'm working on it this weekend.

Edit: I just saw the mapping utility at the top of the thread, I'll try it out tonight.

**tj!2k4** · 01-28-2005, 12:50 PM

I just picked up the mini keyboard and tested with the Tradekeys app, and it works.

Since the higher F-keys are no use to me, I mapped my my keys like this:
F6->Win-Key
F7->Ctrl
F8->Alt
F9->Del
F10->Escape

You cannot perform the three-finger-salute (Ctrl-Alt-Del), however two-key combinations such as Alt-F4 DO work. With my mappings, Alt-F4 is: Fn+F8+F4 (all at the same time, just make sure to hit Fn+F8 first).

Good find on the keyboard.

**Arathranar** · 01-28-2005, 12:56 PM

Could you map a single button to do a 3 button effect?

It *is* possible to write software to generate a ctrl-alt-delete action programmatically. That could certainly then be triggered by a single key press being detected - such as F10. Maybe I'll look up how to do that.

**tj!2k4** · 01-28-2005, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by Arathranar

Could you map a single button to do a 3 button effect?

Not with this piece of software, but I'm sure one of the resident coders can whip something up for folks who'll be using this keyboard..

**Skipjacks** · 01-28-2005, 01:18 PM

I just picked my keyboard up. I'm shocked at how small it is! It's even smaller than it looked in teh pictures!

**Skipjacks** · 01-28-2005, 01:25 PM

I was just thinking...if you could find a mini trackball that somewhat fit with this keyboard without alot of fabrication (or with alot of fabrication for that matter)

You'd have a whole remote control for the entire computer. With the clip on it to hook it up to a PS controller, it's almost begging for an additional device to be added to it.

I don't suppose there's a playstion 'style' controller for a computer that's got a USB connection in there? You could almost rework the programming of it to let teh thumbsticks be the mouse and the L1 and R1 buttons to be the mouse buttons. If you knew how to do a thing like that....which I don't.

**Arathranar** · 01-28-2005, 01:32 PM

I have a ps/2 mini track ball that's 1.7"x1.7"x0.8". That might fit the bill. I was intending to use it to control my car pc but I'm not sure that it's sufficiently easy for use whilst driving.

**fallnangel** · 01-28-2005, 01:35 PM

i went to go get mine at the store and all they had was the ntype controller and that was like $40.oh well guess ill order it online.

**WebDog** · 01-28-2005, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by Arathranar

I have a ps/2 mini track ball that's 1.7"x1.7"x0.8". That might fit the bill. I was intending to use it to control my car pc but I'm not sure that it's sufficiently easy for use whilst driving.

dont you think you would pull over when trying to type?