Registered: Jul 2001
Location: University of Alabama in Huntsville
Posts: 26

The Keyboard Conspiracy, Part Deux

Howdy,

This is a followup to the earlier posting by me, where i mentioned the idea of making an adapter to make the regular handspring version stowaway keyboard work with the edge.

Well, i found all the parts and built an adapter. It doesn't work, though. I've put together a page on my keyboard adapter theory at http://server41.hypermart.net/mikelfelix/index.htm. Sorry about all of the popup ads it will spawn.

I NEED HELP! I need everyone who reads this to goto my site and look at my theory. Give me feedback and suggestions as to why it is not working. We can't depend on targus to make a keyboard for us anymore. We have to do it ourselves. So please let's figure this out together.

Thanks,

michaelfelix

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

I don't see much theory there.

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Misplaced Canuck in Charleston SC
Posts: 257

perhaps some of the signals go through the USB pins too?

Are there any technical specs available
on the Stowaway?

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 206

I don't have a keyboard so I probably don't know what I'm talking about but I'll give my input anyway. Check the keyboard connector itself and see how many pins actually connect with the visor. If there only five contacts, you might want to remove the additional contacts from you Edge connector. These may be shorting you connection out somehow (not criticizing your soldering abilities, the edge might just be getting ghost signals from the extra contacts).

Another problem could be the keyboard driver. The edge might need different driver software than other types of visors. This could be why targus has not released a keyboard yet.

- Burns

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Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Misplaced Canuck in Charleston SC
Posts: 257

Post some pictures of the adaptor you've rigged up and let us see what you've got.

I'd be interested in seeing how you've got everything connected together.

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Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Misplaced Canuck in Charleston SC
Posts: 257

quote:

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Originally posted by Burns

Another problem could be the keyboard driver. The edge might need different driver software than other types of visors. This could be why targus has not released a keyboard yet.

- Burns

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Registered: Jul 2001
Location: University of Alabama in Huntsville
Posts: 26

hello all,

if you look at handspring's development articles, you will find that the two units handle remote UI the same way, especially with keyboards. the two handlhelds detect keyboards when the KBD pin is grounded. this spawns the keyboard deamon and tells the handheld that it is connected to a remote UI device.

furthermore, i know it's not a voltage or timing problem because the serial ports on both devices are basically the same, but the edge has 4 more pins. the Edge CPU is the same as the platinum, prism, neo, or pro (dragonball @ 33 MHz), so i don't see how it could be a problem with timing or whatever.

i'll post some pictures as soon as i can get my hands on a digital camera. i just can't see why my idea didn't work. i'm kinda pissed off at the moment. maybe i'll have a revelation soon and i'll figure it out.

michaelfelix

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 441

Are you wiring all the pins from the "normal" visor connector to their respective pins on the edge?

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Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

Remove the HS1 connection (Visor #3 to Edge #4) and connect KBD to GND on one side (either side will do). KBD is what tells the handheld to use the RemoteUI routines.

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Registered: Sep 2001
Location:
Posts: 13

Dude, you don't have to really do all that crap right now, maybe 6 months ago, but they're coming out with the Stowaway this month. Peace.

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Them Twin Cities
Posts: 1758

quote:

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Originally posted by sfhustler
Dude, you don't have to really do all that crap right now, maybe 6 months ago, but they're coming out with the Stowaway this month. Peace.

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Registered: Oct 2001
Location: the South
Posts: 9

I bought an Edge in July, and have been told by Targus and ThinkOutside every month since then that the keyboard would be available the next month. First it was August, then September, then October, now November. I finally gave up, and traded in my Edge for a Prism this week. I lost a little on the trade in (about $100), but I can't do a d*mn thing without a keyboard. Good luck to those of you who are still hanging on-I hope you get a keyboard in November.

Registered: Jul 2001
Location: University of Alabama in Huntsville
Posts: 26

hey mcgowinwt,

you can trade in an edge for a prism? I'm in the same boat with you whereas i need a keyboard now. Please tell me how i would go about doing this!

michaelfelix

Registered: Oct 2001
Location: the South
Posts: 9

quote:

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Originally posted by michaelfelix
hey mcgowinwt,

you can trade in an edge for a prism? I'm in the same boat with you whereas i need a keyboard now. Please tell me how i would go about doing this!

michaelfelix

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