Keyboard idea

[rcx21000]

I had a keyboard idea where you have to mod it, but it would be cool. You mod it so there is a keyboard port connected to its own proccessor (very small), and to all the buttons from the inside. What it would do is look at a file that tells it how to press a key (like in caSTaway press R then select the key with B). And you make a keyboard that would connect to the port of course

 

[Sonic-NKT]

hmm
wasnt there a screen shot in the last days.. show a small PDA keyboard plugged in the EXT port ?
And the author says it works... nee just coding?

BYE

 

[zboy9]

Sure would be nice to have a keyboard

 

[rcx21000]

But this one would just be a mod, and the emus woundn't be re-coded for it, the mod would make the GP32 think that the correct buttons to select a key are being pressed everytime you press a key.

 

[Tobriand]

Hmm, good idea in principal, but there are a lot of issues you'd need to adress before it became preferable to modding the emus and using a keyboard directly; these being asked below...

How do you sort out the problem on virtual keyboards of different sensetivities?

Or say you do get it to move to a specific key and press it, what happens when you press another key, since the key sequence to get that one is going to be different from how it was with the cursor in its original position?

How about touch-typing - if you're talking about doing it inside an emu with no mods, you're also effectively working with the emu's rules for moving the key-selector, so whilst you could press a button, it'd take say a second for it to work - so what happens if you press another one before it's sequence has finished?

Final issue that I can think of is the need for a standardised virtual keyboard if you're using this, as a Q is in a different place on the Castaway keyboard to the Frodo one - despite their both being Qwerty.


These points are just issues I can see that could be problems... the idea is good in principal, as I say, I just can't see ways to resolve all of these, without at least some re-modding of emus; in which case why not just add true Keyboard support?

 

[rcx21000]

It would have a file that says in each emu, what to do to get where and how that you could cange by running a FXE (like there are lots of keyboard def files and on file that is changable that says which one to use) and about the touch typing, a 1KB queue shouldn't be too hard 1024 letters

 

[Shrike]

hmmmmm, it'd only be semi-useful and it'd be hard to make. but feel free to try

 

[rcx21000]

Me try??? It was an idea for someone else who is good at electronics and that stuff

 

[r0lf]

wouldn't it just be easier to built a ext-port keyboard and ask the emu coders nicely to support it.

additional to the above posts;

what happens when the emu goes through another release and the timing for 'clicks' between keys changes slightly? (just changing the file i suppose?)
wouldn't the key timing between the emu running on simple task and the emu running on a complex task change,
....or the emu running on new batteries as compared to older ones?
how does the keyboard know that the emu actually registered the click (noticed on castaway how you have to press the B button a few times on some things to make it register the key)?
should a wear and tear item like a keyboard have that sort cpu power, ie expensive to replace?
wouldn't the cpu require some the precious battery power?
wouldn't it be harder to implement a keyboard that connects to the existing controls (i'd imagine by solder), than just thru the ext port?
...and harder to unplug?

the big plus for your concept is this, forget the keyboard and attach a nice game pad to the gp!!!

Sorry to sound so negative, and by all means try, a keyboard would be cool. I'm sure everything I just listed has a workaround, but as you do that you move further away from being feasable. Part of my job is to give electronic engineers reality checks for their upcoming projects. Apparently I'm pretty good at it, which is a shame because you don't make many friends in this sort of roll.

I like the look of the ericsson chat board add on thingy, but;
how do you hold the keyboard and play gp32 games at the same time?
do ericsson still make those little things?
and are end users going to be able to mod them up to work without frying their gp32?

the big pluses for the chat board is it's portable, it's low power and it's (in the spirit of the gp) homebrew.

how about this for a keyboard concept, please provide me with the nessacary reality checks :

a little box that runs on one or two 'AA's that has a decent length of cable connecting to the ext, in the box have some sorta keyboard controller + buffer, and a an interface to suit the ext signalling. On the box have a typical PS/2 connector.

now end users can buy any old keyboard, maybe even one of those sexy roll-up / un folding ones. you might even be able to implement a mouse. The user could use some sorta stand to hold the GP whilst typing (maybe built onto the box?) or with enough cable put the gp down to type or hold the gp with one hand. when the keyboard dies, you could just replace it with another one. admittedly add a big chunky keyboard to the nice pocket sized gp is kinda ironic.

...hardly homebrew, probably expensive, but might work.

on another note, all the EEs at work have been dieing to pull my GP to bits to inspect it's innards. They wanna know how something so cheap and simple can work so well. I think thats kinda engineering mecca, simplicity and functionality.

Again, sorry to be such a negative bastard.