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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: RoboG2 on July 02, 2004, 07:18:07 pm

Title: Heyboard pcb... ground?
Post by: RoboG2 on July 02, 2004, 07:18:07 pm

i opened up an old IBm keyboard for use in a keyboard hack and I noticed that there is a ground peg as well as the two matrix groups.  Where do you connect the ground to if they dont go to the microswitches?

Title: Re:Heyboard pcb... ground?
Post by: OSCAR on July 03, 2004, 12:04:00 am

With a matrix keyboard hack, the microswitch is just completing the circuit of the matrix.  So there really isn't a "ground" for the button.  Just connect the GND terminal from the m'switch to one side of the matrix, and the NO terminal to the other so when you push the button, it produces the keystroke you mapped.

Title: Re:Heyboard pcb... ground?
Post by: RoboG2 on July 03, 2004, 12:59:14 pm

Thanks for the reply... but I dont think you understand what I mean.  I meant the ground on the keyboard pcb.

Title: Re:Heyboard pcb... ground?
Post by: OSCAR on July 03, 2004, 01:11:31 pm

Sorry about that...  Just connect it to the same ground as the PC power supply.  You can attach it to the PC chassis if you want by putting it behind a case screw.  Although, you are probably okay without attaching it to anything.  When I hacked a keyboard for a small project, I didn't run a ground wire from the keyboard wire, although making sure that wire is grounded is a "cleaner" installation method.

Title: Re:Heyboard pcb... ground?
Post by: RoboG2 on July 03, 2004, 02:46:31 pm

Thanks again.