Using an external keyboard

[superatarian]

I use an external USB keyboard when I run the Android pnd. I can go alot quicker and it is much easier for me. I just plug the board in a USB hub that I have attached to the Pandora. It works really well and I like it very much. There is only one issue. I am using a program called My Movies Pro to catalog all my DVD's and Blue Ray discs. I just type in the disc's 12 digit bar code and the program goes online to bring up the movie where I than add it to my collection. The issue that the Android keyboard (at least to my knowledge) does not use the number keypad. Typing in the 12 digit barcode takes a while using the straight number pad, but it can be done. If could use the number pad it would be easier for me since I use it all the time at the hospital I work at as a pharmacist. 

Just wondering if anyone else if using an external keyboard and has gotten it to work. I have tried a number of external keyboard programs for Android, but nothing yet has worked. However there is one program that did work, but it a PC is needed. The program is called ShareKM. You need to run the program on the Android and choose the WIFI option. The run the same program on the PC and again choose the WIFI option. The two program will link to each other which results in the keyboard and mouse on the PC will run the Android. I do not mind using that, but I would not have to depend on a PC.

Anyone else done or tried doing any of the above?

 

[amyren]

I just tried to connect a dell keyboard to my pandora. I had a bit struggling before getting it working at first, dont know why this happened - had to enable / enable the usb host a couple of times before the keyboard worked at all in xfce.

(I noticed that the numeric keypad does not work in xfce either)

Now, the keyboard does work in android as you described, but no numeric keys for me either.

I did try one program, named "External Keyboard Helper" that looked promising.

It does have a setup that allows you to customize the keys by scanning them (it reads the keypresses) and in theory maps them to a character of choice.

This setup program does indeed recognize the keypress from the numeric keypad.

I did try reading the keypad '1' (scancode 79) and tried to set it to 1. But for some reason it did not work for me.

I did not understand 100% everything in this setup, so I might have done something wrong in my quick test. Also this was the demo version, so there might be some restrictions, although this was not mentioned as a restriction on the download page.

Maybe I try some more later if I find the time.

 think there must be a way to make it work, since this proves that the numeric keypad is active within android.

 

[superatarian]

I just tried to connect a dell keyboard to my pandora. I had a bit struggling before getting it working at first, dont know why this happened - had to enable / enable the usb host a couple of times before the keyboard worked at all in xfce.

(I noticed that the numeric keypad does not work in xfce either)

Now, the keyboard does work in android as you described, but no numeric keys for me either.

I did try one program, named "External Keyboard Helper" that looked promising.

It does have a setup that allows you to customize the keys by scanning them (it reads the keypresses) and in theory maps them to a character of choice.

This setup program does indeed recognize the keypress from the numeric keypad.

I did try reading the keypad '1' (scancode 79) and tried to set it to 1. But for some reason it did not work for me.

I did not understand 100% everything in this setup, so I might have done something wrong in my quick test. Also this was the demo version, so there might be some restrictions, although this was not mentioned as a restriction on the download page.

Maybe I try some more later if I find the time.

 think there must be a way to make it work, since this proves that the numeric keypad is active within android.

Thanks.. I will have to that app to see if I can get it to work. Again ShareKM works fine, but you need a PC to use it. Used it yesterday to enter in about 80 barcodes. Nice to use the keypad, because it did not take me as long...