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Kicking idea around lcd button label

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(+_+):
How about dismantling an optimus keyboard and using its built in functionality. May be feasible. Resolution may not have enough detail though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Optimus_Keyboard_Quake_III_layout.jpg

SavannahLion:

--- Quote from: (+_+) on October 22, 2008, 03:35:09 pm ---How about dismantling an optimus keyboard and using its built in functionality. May be feasible. Resolution may not have enough detail though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Optimus_Keyboard_Quake_III_layout.jpg

--- End quote ---

That is an awful lot of fine de\soldering to do there. The way I understand it, those OLED's are fixed and the key is simply a cap that goes over and around the OLED. I haven't seen the guts of one yet, but that configuration implies those OLEDs are very firmly attached to a PCB, not just wired in. And the cost, holy hell, I'd rather pour that money elsewhere into a project like that.

Might be easier and cheaper to order a bunch of cell phone LCD's and controller boards from Sparkfun?

NickG:
I have been thinking about button labeling a lot and have concocted a few hare-brained ideas for labeling the buttons from inside the actual button itself, which you might get a kick out of:
  First idea was a sort of endoscopy in reverse:  Video buttons; all the video would come off from a single LCD via fiber optics arrays and enhanced backlighting.  I've looked into this further and couldn't find any fiber optic strands small enough for a good button resolution so I gave up on it.
  A second idea I have is to use the same design as the toy flashlight projectors one might find at a carnival. The idea is use change out the images, place them underneath buttons with displaced switches and/or utilize 45° mirrors, and finally automate the image switching via step motor(s) or a single manual crank.  Would be a lot of work and may still look cheapy/stupid.
  A third idea flashed to my mind while reading this thread.  I have seen quite a few people implement simple animations for signage and computer cases by using layered etchings in clear plastic layers.  They light the layers independently of one another via separate LEDs for separate colors.  It may be possible to different images on separate button disc inserts in this manner, albeit with a bit of ghosting. 
 
Yeah, fun ideas, but I haven't even bothered to install my LED-Wiz, so I will probably never bother with them.

radmanrugg:
Looked into the lcd keychains a bit more.  They don't display what you want until you unhook the USB cable.  They require you to use their special software to load pictures.

There is a hack for linux though.

See
http://spritesmods.com/?art=picframe&page=1
and
http://picframe.spritesserver.nl/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

Video of hacked keychain.  Approx 8fps
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ywr0A2aC_Jk&eurl=http://www.planetsurfer.net/2008/06/05/use-a-cheap-digital-picture-frame-as-a-secondary-display/[/youtube]

Cool but a ways off from what I want to do with it (GameEX / multiple displays).  Sigh :-\

-Scott

Neverending Project:
What about something like this, for $20?
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=569



I am not entirely sure what you are picturing, but the price is right. Of course, you will need a microcontroller to interface with it - at least another $20 right there.

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