68kMLA Classic Interface
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| PB Duo: keyboard substitute | |
| Posted by: Bunsen on 2013-09-23 22:53:10 Thanks, mcdermd! Over there, back then: I dismantled my Apple Keyboard II to have a look, and I found that the keyboard matrix is joined onto the electronics board by two ribbon cables, the left has 13 connections, and the right has 14.Hm. Unless some of those are ground, power or something else (which seems likely) even the 20x12 Key Warriors won't have enough IO. More than that though, I'll need to find out which are which, or bypass the ribbon and head straight to the matrix PCB (possibly the better approach). | |
Posted by: Trash80toHP_Mini on 2013-09-23 23:28:36If all the keys ID seperately but incorrectly, Keyquencer or other MacOS keymapping software can take care of the mapping.That's only if the lines match up ribbons to connectors. The eyes are bleary and I'm very tired, so don't hold me to it, but by the ribbon, the 1400's keyswitch matrix appears to be something like 10 x 16. 😉 | |
| Posted by: Bunsen on 2013-09-24 00:40:09 Yes, it seems likely that bypassing the ribbon altogether and going straight off the key matrix is best - if a Key Warrior is needed. | |
| Posted by: Trash80toHP_Mini on 2013-09-24 05:17:38 I guess I don't understand, the contacts are the keymatrix unless you're talking about fabbing a new flex circuit? The 20x12 Key Warrior appears to be the best approach as I see it. Definitely the smallest. It's too bad the 1400's flex cable doesn't reach into the modem bay, but at least it leads to somewhere with vacant cubic for an intermediate connector/cable. [😉] ]'> | |
| Posted by: mcdermd on 2013-09-24 12:00:27 You'll have a fair amount of cutting here too:  The keyboard is just about exactly as wide as the outside dimension of the Powerbook Duo top case. With the Duo case over top, you can barely see the plastic edge trim of the Powerbook G4 on the outside edge. | |
| Posted by: techknight on 2013-09-24 19:04:22 Did i miss something? key warrior? keyboard hacking? thought this was a sales thread? | |
| Posted by: Trash80toHP_Mini on 2013-09-24 19:41:11 I'm guessing it'll wind up in the Hacks and Development forum at some point. Bunsen fessed up about why he wanted the KBD . . . . . . and it all went downhill from there. :lol: | |
| Posted by: Bunsen on 2013-09-25 04:27:49 Yes, that's about the size of it. (pun not intended) Thanks for the photo, mcdermd - I'd say that's the best candidate then. I'll start a new WTB thread and move this one over into Hacks. | |
| Posted by: Gorgonops on 2013-09-25 08:32:33 Looking at Mcdermd's picture it looks like you'd pretty seriously compromise the structural integrity of the Duo trying to fit that in there. I suppose I have to ask, since I never owned one... is the Duo keyboard *really* horrible enough to merit the level of destruction it'll take to get an alternative in there? The Powerbook G4 keyboards aren't exactly fabulous either. (Not terrible by laptop standards but... not great either.) Just spitballing, how about a NetBook keyboard? Something like this looks to be about right, perhaps a little on the small size going by the stated external dimensions of the two systems? | |
| Posted by: bbraun on 2013-09-25 08:38:19 Yes, Duo keyboards are that bad. Worse, in fact. Duos are banned from this house due to the keyboard. Their keyboards might infect the others, and we can't have that. | |
| Posted by: Gorgonops on 2013-09-25 09:35:09 Wow. Now I almost want to seek one out just to see how bad bad can be. 😉 | |
| Posted by: Trash80toHP_Mini on 2013-09-25 15:04:19 Bad, bad, but not all that bad, just really, really spongy. I've typed on much worse and the size is the largest problem with it. My first laptop had almost that small a KBD so the transition wasn't too bad. I came to the PB100 from the membrane KBD of Sir Clive"s membrane KBD impaired masterpiece, the Cambridge Z88, so neither smaller KBD bothered me, nor does the downsized NetBook KBD of HP-Mini, on which I'm typing ATM . . . . . . but this is much nicer than a spongy Duo KBD! :lol: I don't think anyone will be carrying a Duo about where they'd need to worry about its structural integrity all that much. So long as it's dockable and sturdy enough to keep in a bag and type on, it's well worth grafting in a good KBD. The 1400's is that and a cool hack to boot. Any other would be nice as well, though the newer KBDs don't usually do a lot for me. | |
| Posted by: Bunsen on 2013-09-26 23:13:30 Yep, they're terrible. Worst keyboard I've ever used. | |
| Posted by: Trash80toHP_Mini on 2013-09-27 07:35:41 I think if someone dreamed of using one and and used one IRL the way I did, they may have been somewhat more forgiving. The later revision Duo KBDs were just a tad less horrible. | |
| Posted by: markyb86 on 2013-09-27 10:10:35 You guys must have never typed on one of those roll up, spill proof, silicone keyboards.. :lol: although way too big, the pismo keyboard would 'look' awesome in a duo. (especially if you could get an amber track ball) | |
| Posted by: MinerAl on 2013-09-27 10:22:57 Would a modern-ish netbook keyboard be a candidate? Some of those, especially the dell 11-inchers and Asus 10-inchers had very Mac (c.2011) like black chicklet keyboards, and should be about the right dimensions. | |
| Posted by: techknight on 2013-09-28 11:06:45 The quality of modern netbook boards are junk. You thought duo keyboards are bad? use a netbook keyboard. they literally fall apart as you type. keys fall off, break off, etc... | |
| Posted by: mcdermd on 2013-09-28 23:30:32 Well, if you weren't such a Hulk... | |
| Posted by: Trash80toHP_Mini on 2013-09-29 07:11:58 Sounds more like the ape in Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey banging on bones with the femur of an ass (jawbone?) to me. 😉 | |
| Posted by: techknight on 2013-09-29 10:31:01 hahaha... But I was serious. I am not being funny here. | |
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