attatching power pad to computer

[rachelb]

I am a graphic design student working on a project  involving an interactive presentation.  I would like to attach a Nintendo Power Pad or similar device to my computer (mac) and have the buttons register as keyboard keystrokes.  This way the user's movements on the pad are received by the computer as if he were hitting letters on a keyboard.

Any idea how i can go about doing this?  Would it be easier to build my own pad?  I don't have any electronics background.

Much thanks!

[ChadTower]

It would be easier to use a DDR pad, likely with a console-USB adapter.

[rachelb]

could i make the ddr pad register as keystokes on my computer? how would i go about doing that?

[shardian]

could i make the ddr pad register as keystokes on my computer? how would i go about doing that?

you just need a playstation pc adapter. You plug the adapter into the usb slot, then plug the pad into the adapter. It is recognized as a game pad.

[rachelb]

i want it to register as keystrokes so i can build a presentation in flash that responds to key presses.  in the presentation i will designate certain keys to do certain functions when pressed but instead of the user actually pressing those keys on the keyboard, they step in certain areas of the pad.  i do not want the pad for ddr, rather to replace a keyboard with letters.
can i do this with a ddr pad?  can i hook the pad up to my computer and write an email with it, for example?

[shardian]

Joy2key

[ChadTower]

can i hook the pad up to my computer and write an email with it, for example?

Not unless you find a pad with a hell of a lot of "buttons" on it.  Most aren't going to come anywhere near 26, even with combos.

[knave]

There are PC dance pads around that register as a USB gamepad.  I picked up one of the Kraft free ones and it would work just as you say along with Joy2key.

Joy2key maps keystrokes to your gamepad buttons. 

[SavannahLion]

You could always model it after Twiddler or phone style keyboards. Multiple presses on the same button would select a different letter/number. 

In the end though, I get the feeling that any hacked solution you come up with isn't going to be very satisfactory for you. At some point, you're going to have to work out a solution which either involves hacking an existing DDR pad and fussing with some relatively complex software to get the key button presses or constructing your own DDR-eque pad using something like KeyWiz(s) to capture the keystrokes and futzing less with the software side.

If it were up to me, I would op to futz less with software and more with hardware. Ensuring you get the hardware keystrokes sent to the computer in the fashion you want gives it more portability for the project. Especially considering that you're using an Apple (OS*?) and others who would want to copy your work are more than likely using a windows based PC.

[rachelb]

the joy2key software sounds promising.  is there a version for mac?  also, would the usb adapter and powerpad work on a mac?

what type of pad would be the best to work with?  ddr or nintendo powerpad?  i'd only need a few active keys on the pad (like 6 or so).

also, how much do these things go for (usb adapters, pads)? i would probably need 3 or each.

thanks so much