Registered: Jul 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 9

Edge -> Visor cradle adaptor?

I've been looking at keyboards for PalmOS devices and there don't seem to be any good ones available for the Edge. The few I've seen were expensive!

So I looked at the specs and it seems that the Edge cradle interface is the same as a Visor interface with 4 extra pins (9 - 12). In fact it looks like I should be able to easily make an 'adaptor' so that my Edge can use 'Visor' devices.

The hard part is coming up with something that snaps securely on to my edge and has the right form factor for the keyboard.

Does anybody know of any attempts to create such an adaptor? Any reasons why this wouldn't work?


Thanks
Link

Registered: Feb 2002
Location: Midland, MI
Posts: 92

I have seen a site that talked about rewiring and building an adapter contraption for the Edge. You'd have to look, but it's out there. The page gave intructions on what to do with pitcures, and I think a list stuff you would need.

But I think you REALLY have to want a keyboard to actually go through with it.

Registered: Dec 2001
Location: Bay Area, Cali
Posts: 16

Targus Adapter

Targus makes an adapter that you can order (mine was free ) by calling their customer service dept.

It's well-made, and uses the grooves on the side of the edge to clip on securely.

I can use my regular stowaway with it.

I'd love to be able to connect a datacable from Markspace to it too, but I think I'd have to do some connection verification first.

-adi

__________________
everything was beautiful and nobody hurt.

Registered: Feb 2002
Location: Midland, MI
Posts: 92

that's easier than build your own

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

Re: Targus Adapter

quote:

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Originally posted by adimiron
Targus makes an adapter that you can order (mine was free ) by calling their customer service dept.

It's well-made, and uses the grooves on the side of the edge to clip on securely.

I can use my regular stowaway with it.

I'd love to be able to connect a datacable from Markspace to it too, but I think I'd have to do some connection verification first.

---

Registered: Dec 2001
Location: Bay Area, Cali
Posts: 16

We have the technology, we can make it work

I've heard that, which is why I'm going to open her up to see if I cannot solder those connections in there. I'll let you know if I figure it out

-adi

__________________
everything was beautiful and nobody hurt.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

Re: We have the technology, we can make it work

quote:

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Originally posted by adimiron
I've heard that, which is why I'm going to open her up to see if I cannot solder those connections in there. I'll let you know if I figure it out

---

Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 248

I did build (successfully) a universal adapter. Initially I built it to make my GoType work with my Edge.

It was a very crude plexiglass adapter that would sit in any cradle, or GoType, etc and had the correct wiring crossovers. It worked well and would hold the Edge securely and served me well.

I was able to hotsync using it, charge my edge off a charging cradle, and use it in my GoType.

Pay close attention to the pin layouts, they are not at all the same. Make sure you're looking at the same end of each, both from the back or front. It was confusing in the tech docs.

In the end I switched to a Clie and haven't looked back. The adapter is sitting in drawer in my desk.

There was a thread on my adapter a while back, and the original adapter. The other adapter was made by purchasing parts from GetHighTech.com and then using heat-shrink tubing to hold it all together. His was specifically built for the Stowaway keyboard...now that the Edge stowaway is out...kinda defeated the purpose of it. Although his was much more resilient than mine. Mine is very inflexible, and only works if the edge is seated in a very specific position.

Last edited by dorelse on 07-08-2002 at 09:07 PM

Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 248

I knew I had saved the link:

Visor Edge Keyboard Project

Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 248

Toby -

Can you tell me if all the pins are there? Or only what Targus needed to make the adapter work?

Don't happen to have a part number for it do you?

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

quote:

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Originally posted by dorelse
Can you tell me if all the pins are there? Or only what Targus needed to make the adapter work?

---

Well, I just pulled up the tech refs and my multimeter to confirm, so here's what their adapter has...

We'll start with the basics (probably overly basic for you, but we'll take it to the LCD - the math one not the screen-type ). As you mentioned, the basic Visor chassis used both a different pinout as the Edge, and started Pin 1 on the opposite side (when facing a Visor, pin 1 is the far right; when facing an Edge, pin 1 is the far left). Ignoring the last 4 passthrough pins on the Edge (the last four on the right when facing the front of the Edge), here are the respective pinouts:

Visor:

1 RxD
2 Kbd
3 HS1
4 Gnd
5 USB_D-
6 USB_D+
7 VDock
8 TxD


Edge:

1 RxD
2 TxD
3 Kbd
4 HS1
5 USB_D-
6 USB_D+
7 VDock
8 Gnd

Using this as our guideline, I'll start with Pin 1 of the Edge side on the Targus adapter:

E1 -> V1
E2 -> V8
E3 -> V2
E4 -> Nothing
E5 -> Nothing
E6 -> Nothing
E7 -> Nothing
E8 -> V4

As you can see, only Transmit, Receive, Keyboard, and Ground are wired. You won't be able to sync (since USB_D-, USB_D+, and HS1 are missing) or charge (since VDOCK is missing) with the stock Targus part. However, ISTR someone carefully prying one apart and wiring the other four deftly enough to put it back together and having a fully functional adapter for Visor accessories. I might have read that at VisorVillage. To complete the circuit, you'd have to wire as follows:

E1 -> V1 (already done)
E2 -> V8 (already done)
E3 -> V2 (already done)
E4 -> V3
E5 -> V5
E6 -> V6
E7 -> V7
E8 -> V4 (already done)

quote:

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Don't happen to have a part number for it do you?

---

PA806UX, but you'll probably have to contact customer service to get one. The post where I found out about it (here and at VisorVillage) had a sales/tech support number, and I had horrible luck there (sales could process payment, but couldn't find that part number; and tech support could find the part number, but couldn't process payment). Customer service came through with flying colors.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

Weird...this thread doesn't seem to have registered my last post on the Edge forum table of posts.

Registered: Dec 2001
Location: Bay Area, Cali
Posts: 16

Pinout Goodness

Toby, I love you.

I'm going to give the pry-apart a shot and see if I cannot make this darn thing work.

Thank you for an extremely informative and useful post. Expect my first-born child in the mail, shortly.

-adi

__________________
everything was beautiful and nobody hurt.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

Re: Pinout Goodness

quote:

---

Originally posted by adimiron
Toby, I love you.

I'm going to give the pry-apart a shot and see if I cannot make this darn thing work.

Thank you for an extremely informative and useful post. Expect my first-born child in the mail, shortly.

---

Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 248

Toby - Got my Edge adapter from Targus today...why didn't they sell a full adapter outright? Its very well designed...I'm going to solder the addt'l wires to it, and post picts when its done. I'll keep you posted, but it may be a couple weeks until I get to it.

Looks to be very well made. Thanks a ton for the info!