Modding Project all-plexi keyboard --KONG is a god!! -- no really! he is!!!

ok just printed that one out onto transparency and overlaid it on the keys-- works like a charm (well as far as fitting over the sensors goes lol

 

no offense, because I have really high hopes for this mod...but I personally feel the keylayout is a bit sloppy...other than that, rock on!

 

yo malcs, no need to be mean, but dude.. dont you think that those keys are gonna be a lil far apart from each other? they kinda look spaced out far... imagine yourself typing on that... if you are really gonna use it, make sure you actually can get used to typing on it... maybe get the CNC to route traces onto a scrap sheet and see if its easy to type with (pretend) yea, use your imagination... anyway, make sure you will enjoy the design... because i dont kno if id like to type on that thing =P if ya kno what i mean...

good luck by the way

 

i said that i have the use of the CNC every thursday-- that means that i can afford to do a few practice runs and get the design perfect.. btw i printed it out onto a big transparency and overlaid it on the traces and tried typing... it works really well all the keys are dead in in the right places

 

OH thats what that meant =P

well, my foot is in my mouth

i hope it comes out awesome.

i cant wait to see this beast cut...

kinda makes me think though.... the thing is gonna be CNC'd? hmm... isnt the plexi gonna have a frosted effect from the CNC? i cant imagine you buffing out all the little corners and the sides of those keys really well =\ maybe itl diffuse the light better that way. hmmm oh well.

good luck!

 

Hope your gonna be using white LEDs in this...

Sweet progress btw, hope this goes well.

 

OK i couldn't do the actual CNC but it is now properly up in a CAD file ready for routing when i next get access


also i need to work out a new circuit as transistors would be too expensive and complicated.... can anyone suggest a good combination of LEDs and capacitors for good looks and a good afterfade?

 

If power is still an issue you can always use two USB ports if you as me has alot of them over
btw looking real good

 

thats a good idea.. i just need suggestions as to combinations of LEDs/capacitors

 

Smilodon told me that the USB ports supply a total of 500mA, thus you cannot draw 1A using two USB ports. There are, however, USB hubs that have separate power supplies. And of course you might have one or two USB PCI cards, which can supply 500mA each.

Of course, you don't need 500mA all at once, as all the LEDs won't be on at once, but if MDK came to visit and started hammering on the keyboard, that might turn on many LEDs. So maybe it's a good idea to have some sort of circuit that makes sure that the LEDs never use more than say 350mA (as the keyboard uses about 150 itself).

By the way, do you have the smt resistors required, malcs?

 

bwahahahahahahaha!!!


anyways, this project is looking pretty good so far, and it's good to see someone taking on a project like this. can't wait to see it finished!


*EDIT*
i was just thinking about the power for the leds and the usb port's limitations and all. why not also tap some power from the ps/2 port? it's got a 5v spot you could get some extra juice from and you're not going to be using it for anything else anyways

 

everyone just assumed i was using USB i think lol neway to put the record straight i AM using PS/2 in the first place.. that 5v might come in handy lol what current?

 

PS/2 supplies 500mA, like USB.

 

ok that should be OK if all the LEDs are 10mA

 

isn't that saying you were going to make it usb instead of ps/2?

oh, well - as long as it works!

 

Ah!! just seen that too ok so mebbe i might make it USB i havent decided yet-- depends on size of adapters etc... dont even know if you can get a PS/2 to USB adapter

 

ss....soooo i was right? i win!!! hurray!!!!

/me does a victory dance

anyways, i found one ps/2 to usb adaptor if you're interested. check it out here

*EDIT*
eek! just noticed the price on that thing!! well, at least ya know they exist now. you could maybe make your own if you're that interested in having it usb.....

 

Here's a novel thought.... have a fairly large capacitor in the keyboard that keeps a constant charge on it (not related to keypresses), and use that to charge the individual capacitors. Can you store more than 500ma by using a method like this? It doesn't sound like power is going to be a problem, but I'm curious now ...

 

You can get PS/2->USB adaptors which are just a little plug you put in the end of the USB cable. Shouldn't cost that much. But then you could just fit a usb cable in the keyboard, i guess.

 

@raptorlord

that may work but how would i keep constant charge if like 8 or nine went at once?