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Easier, Safer Keyboard hack
Tiger-Heli:
--- Quote from: shardian on March 02, 2006, 11:51:58 am ---I would be very interested in this! So, do these keyboards still use a matrix, or no?
--- End quote ---
I'm pretty sure they do - only b/c you need 101 keys and a 12x9 matrix would be easier to support than 101 direct inputs for no gain.
If they are older than around 1988-1991, they may not use blocking, which means you could get more than 18-20 inputs without ghosting thru judicious use of diodes.
--- Quote ---Do you have pictures of the innards of the keyboards. It seems hard to believe that it could be that easy. If it was, there would be no use for keyboard encoders. :)
--- End quote ---
No offense, but you need to read up more on the hobby -
The KeyWiz Eco no-solder from GGG is $23 with 32 inputs, 24 shifted inputs, programmable through software, and I can just cut up a IDE HD cable and pop it onto the pin header.
With this, I still have to solder wires to two places for each input that I want to use, performance will not be as good, and if I want to play MAME and another program that can't be reassigned to MAME defaults, I'm screwed . . .
shardian:
I don't believe you understood my statement. If these keyboards did not use a matrix, then they would be superior to keyboard encoders. Like I said, I find it hard to believe it would be that easy. ;) If the only benefit of these keyboards is solder points, then it isn't worth my time to track one down and buy an adapter.
Fozzy The Bear:
--- Quote from: shardian on March 02, 2006, 12:41:02 pm ---I don't believe you understood my statement. If these keyboards did not use a matrix, then they would be superior to keyboard encoders. Like I said, I find it hard to believe it would be that easy. ;) If the only benefit of these keyboards is solder points, then it isn't worth my time to track one down and buy an adapter.
--- End quote ---
If you already have one going spare and want to spend a vast number of hours with a soldering iron then it might be worth it. But you will still get key ghosting and some blocking.
The most cost and time effective way is to buy a key encoder designed for the job. http://www.groovygamegear.com IMHO the best value bang for buck encoders and at a more or less pocket money price. KeyWiz Eco2 with the no solder option takes a lot of beating.
Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)
Tiger-Heli:
--- Quote from: shardian on March 02, 2006, 12:41:02 pm ---I don't believe you understood my statement.
--- End quote ---
I'm pretty sure I did, I'm not sure you understood my reply.
--- Quote ---If these keyboards did not use a matrix, then they would be superior to keyboard encoders.
--- End quote ---
Only in the fact that you would have 101 total available inputs instead of 32 with a KeyWiz or 56 with an I-PAC/4.
Let's say you get one of these keyboards and wire P1B1 to L Ctrl for use with MAME. Now you want to play some PC app (say a pinball app) that uses Z for P1B1 and can't be reassigned.
You have the following options:
Reconfig MAME so Z is P1B1 and redo your hack (won't work if you run into two apps that you can't re-assign keys in).
Redo your hack so P1B1 is connected to Z before playing pinball, and back to L Ctrl before playing MAME. (Inconvenient to spend 15 minutes with a soldering iron before playing a different game).
Add an additional button on your panel for Z along with the L Ctrl button (could potentially end up with 101 buttons on your CP - not much better than a standard keyboard).
OTOH, with a commercial encoder -
You create a MAME config file with L Ctrl as Terminal 1, and a Pinball config file with Z as Terminal 1, write a software batch file that reprograms the encoder before launching Pinball and programs it back on exit, and then forget about it.
--- Quote ---Like I said, I find it hard to believe it would be that easy. ;) If the only benefit of these keyboards is solder points, then it isn't worth my time to track one down and buy an adapter.
--- End quote ---
That's what we are trying to tell you. It isn't worth your time, in the vast majority of cases.
USSEnterprise:
I'll do another later tonight. I'll take pictures
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