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Touchpad Hack?
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Scumgriever:
Hi,
I’m just planning out my keyboard drawer and am looking to install a touch pad as a mouse. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this sort of thing.

I’m trying to keep everything nice and neat to avoid tearing into the cab too much so I’m sit it on the shelf that the existing control panel sits on with the CP on top. To fit it all in it has to be a max of 24mm high but 15mm is ideal.

 I’ve attached my plans for the drawer, (sorry if they’re hard to understand I have no technical drawing experience.) each of the bits it pulled a little away from the parts it will be attached to so it can all be seen better.

The keyboard will sit in the recessed tray part and to the right of that I want to have a touchpad.

I have a keyboard that is 13mm high and 90% of the bits I need to put it all together… except the touch pad.

Unfortunately I have no experience with these other than the one in my good laptop which I’m not about to pull apart.

What is my best option? Can I hack up a dead laptop and interface it with my desktop?

Or should I go for something like this.
http://www.ergonomictouchpad.com/ergonomic_touchpad.php

Does anyone know anything about these things? Or others like it?

Keep in mind space is a factor, I figure I can have the one in the link recessed into the plate on the right of my drawer.
Bobbler:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/External-touchpad-NEW-Mac-compatible-cheap-apple_W0QQitemZ230063785868QQihZ013QQcategoryZ4601QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DELL-Latitude-C400-laptop-notebook-touchpad-Synaptics_W0QQitemZ330059265728QQihZ014QQcategoryZ31534QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Either of those should do the job I think mate. The top one is already built. The other one is just a laptop spare part which should be an easy hack IMO. Even the newer laptops just use a PS2 connection standard internally (just checked my 6 month old Dell M1210 and its connected via PS2 according to the windows drivers) so should be a few bits of soldering I would recon.
Scumgriever:

--- Quote from: Bobbler on December 11, 2006, 03:54:38 pm ---Even the newer laptops just use a PS2 connection standard internally (just checked my 6 month old Dell M1210 and its connected via PS2 according to the windows drivers) so should be a few bits of soldering I would recon.

--- End quote ---

Are you saying that it is as easy as pulling an old pad out of a dead laptop and wiring it to a PS2 cable!!! :o

WOWEE.

This is the same deal as your second ebay link isn't it?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Laptop-Mouse-Touchpad-Module_W0QQitemZ200057944192QQihZ010QQcategoryZ3666QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Could it really be as easy as wiring that flat ribbon to a PS2 connector?
Bobbler:
I believe so mate yes, the pinout shouldnt be more than a ground, +5V, Left and Right buttons, DATA and CLK.
Some good information here at the mp3car forum - http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=32899
And also take a look at page 27 and 28 from the top PDF download here - http://www.synaptics.com/support/dev_support.cfm

That link of yours to ebay looks like it should do the job and its got to be worth a go IMO for the cost saving (and of course the feeling of accomplishment when it works). I would stick with Synaptics based parts as they appear to have some good resources available freely.

The other good thing with that route is you can mount it how you like really.
Scumgriever:

--- Quote from: Bobbler on December 12, 2006, 03:30:52 pm ---I believe so mate yes, the pinout shouldnt be more than a ground, +5V, Left and Right buttons, DATA and CLK.
--- End quote ---


--- Quote from: Bobbler on December 12, 2006, 03:30:52 pm ---Some good information here at the mp3car forum - http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=32899
And also take a look at page 27 and 28 from the top PDF download here - http://www.synaptics.com/support/dev_support.cfm

--- End quote ---

Thanks, yeah, I'd just found that and was reading through it...
It looks doable.... Happy days. :applaud:

I'd rather screw up 10 times doing it myself than just accept I can't do it a fork out cash.
Even it if sometimes costs more that way.

This one looks pretty friendly though. maybe touchpads and I can become friends.
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