How about adding one of these if you can wait till september? http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2005/08/11/blackdog_linux_server/ I would think that it would allow you to go anywhere with your shiny new keyboard.
Update 8/16/05 OK, pics are up of the past 3 days of work. Not a whole lot to show, and I know the workmanship isn't that great but im no professional (trying though) LCD and USB adapter keyboard with metal covering for keys (everything will fit) Generic shot of back-right-top bottom, with HDD, mouse reciever, and bondo not the best bondo work, but decent re-wiring is more or less done top cover painted B3CK, thanks much for pointing me to that article. that device will definitely be seeing installation in version 2 of this keyboard. But putting it in this one would be too much hassle (re-doing a ton of wiring, finding a place to put another switch). This also means that I will end up selling this keyboard sometime in the future (not short-term, though. Maybe around christmas, probably later)
Nice, tho you may want to put some kind of cover on the bottom of the board, wouldnt want to touch that Hard Disk Controller by accident, now would you?
This keyboard is coming along pretty nicely , i may have missed this being answered .... but how ARE you connecting it all to the PC as if ur doing it with 1 usb cable driver conflicts would be innevitable i think and wouldnt loadsa usb cables be a bit messy? if u made it all wireless that would be very impressive
Signal comes from PC Goes to the USB 2.0 hub The hub has the hard drive on one port, the card reader on another port, and the keyboard on a third, and the fourth is open All 3 of those ports can be switched off to save power The keyboard has a 2-port hub built in One port goes to the serial->USB adapter for the LCD This port can be switched off The other port goes to the USB 1.1 hub The USB 1.1 hub has the wireless mouse receiver and 3 open ports There is a basic function diagram of it on page 1, post 19 (its a link, so you have to look closely) I have a question for you, though. How do you make a USB 2.0 hard drive wireless? Seriously, do they make wireless USB hubs that would rock my world! Only 2 external cables: USB to PC and power. All devices on this keyboard are in the keyboard. Inside, there are a lot of cables (see pictures), but the 2nd picture in my last post shows it with the metal on it that the keys sit on top of. The thing will be no taller, wider, or deeper than stock. As for driver conflicts, I have tested it without the LCD and mouse and everything ended up working. I will probably coat the underside of the HDD and W/less mouse with plexi and light it up. But I won’t get to that until I go to college.
Dude! The only thing that sucks about this mod is that you beat me to it! I need to get off my dead-ass and start modding stuff before all my ideas are trumped by someone else! I invisioned only a LCD screen, hub and maybe card reader. Good luck, looking forward to seeing this finished! Note: I realize there are tons of keyboard mods out there, but this is the most ambitious that I have seen.
Nah, sorry they don't make a wireless USB hub.... yet that is. They sure would come in handy! -CollinstheClown
Nice! I cant wait to see it finished! Did you ever think to put a wireless start button for your computer in it!??!? I think that would be awesome! I have heard ways to do it and am going to try iy out myself, but it envolves a doorbell!
Why go wireless if you are already tethered to the CPU regardless? Just throw a vandel switch on the side and be done with it
Update 8/18 8:00 PM Eastern US Time finished the top cover of the keyboard. The paint didn't come out great but hey, it's my first time and I've heard Krylon isn't good anyway. But i do like the way the switches and their USB ports came out. And for some reason I actually like the white on black. But thats probably just me, right? overall shot of it, minus the light tubes for the lock-keys (Includes frosted acrylic piece for HDD/Mouse activity lights) view of the rear left, close-up of the USB ports and some wiring close-up of just the switches how I'll see them more later tonight! (dont worry I wont make a separate post for it) 10:30 PM Eastern US Time the only other thing I really accomplished tonight was making the light for the board. It is my first foray into heat-shrinking, and tomorrow morning I'm spray-painting it (priming it anyway). the switch that it uses is an on-off-on type switch, so i soldered it for a high-brightness setting and a low-brightness setting. The shroud over the LED's is actually a windows key from an old keyboard, and the inside will be lined with tin foil (or other, less wrinkly reflective metal) becuase as of right now all the light just gets soaked up by the shroud. light on keyboard closer shot of light, the cord on the back of the keyboard, to the right of the light, is the power cord (yes, both power and light are RCA Note the position of the rightmost switch in these next 3 pictures High-power Low-power Off lamp. It's removable for when I don't need it, and its backbone is 8 or 10-gauge wire so its stiff but also slightly flexible if I want to bend it. it will be geting a new paint job Hope you like the results of tonight, i know things are moving slow but I'm getting close to finishing. Thanks for your support so far!!!
Its probably off the 5v that he's feeding to it. Because he has so much in the keyboard, he has to feed it extra power for it to work.
in think a flux capacitor is a must but you better make sure you have sufficent power from your USB port to do it.
sorry for the lack of posts recently. I have had a lot to do (getting ready for college, etc). I may get some work in this week, but i may not get any in for the next 2-3 weeks.
