Lighted keyboard

[Nagoshi]

Having my Logitech Media Keyboard, Ive always wanted to have a lighted keyboard (G15 ¦Saitek Eclipse powaaaa). This keyboard is really limited in place for any EL Wire, unless I wanna cut holes anywhere and seal everything with some kind of cocking which I dont really want to do, since this keyboard is splashproof, it keeps the keys ''outside'' the keyboard but in a way that there is no liquid entering it.

So now, forgeting the EL Wire running everywhere (Id use that solution for any other keyboard, but mine does not have much place), I could use leds. The thing is, this keyboard uses PS2 plug, not USB. And Id like something portable and not battery-powered, and since sometimes I bring my keyboard to LANs (my computer is sooooo retarded, I only bring my keyboard and my mouse since they have the computers) Id like something portable in the end.

What kind of LED should I use? I think i'd use red, but still not sure about a good keyboard color. Red should look good, tho (thinking that blue is too much used these times). And how should I plug the whole thing? Would I need resistors? What would be the best way to power it on any computer? I was thinking about using a serial/parallel cable to accomodate it to everything, but if I can use USB, itd be even better (my current computer only uses USB1, not 2, so I think the available amperage is lower) without having to install drivers for lights. And Id use a switch to power them, and/or maybe a dim to change the brightness of the stuff.

And how many LEDs should I use for that? I dont want something that will lit the whole room, but I still wanna know where my keys are.

I had asked a similar question some times ago, but abandoned the project due to lazyness but decided to think about it agian. :)

[DaveW]

Are you wanting to light the keys from the back, or have a sort of 'spotlight' type of situation?

-Dave

[Nagoshi]

I actually want a way to find my keys in darkness. Id use light and make the surrounding of the keyset actually visible. I dont care about the keys.

Here's what I have :
http://www.digitaltigers.com/images/logitech-media-kb_400w.jpg

and what I am thinking to do (I dont care about the media buttons, I can easily find them) :
http://www.pisschrist.net/uca/Frost/media_mod.JPG

[tybrenis]

You sure you can't fit some very skinny EL wire in there? If you only want that outline lit up, EL wire is your best solution. They sell it in all kinds of thicknesses.

[Nagoshi]

My keys hit the ''floor'' of the keyboard, unless I can find 1mm-thick EL wire (i dont even think 1mm wire would fit there... well, maybe, with some hard work).

Actually, I didnt knew EL wire would come in different thickness. If I could find some that would fit between the keys and the ''key case'' it'd be perfect.

Any place where I could find them? And I still have the power question...

http://www.pisschrist.net/uca/Frost/media_mod2.JPG
Somehow ended up being able to draw a schema on placing the wire all around the keys. The blue parts are where the wire would be hidden ''under the keyboard'', id have to cut holes to fit the wire there, and the red lines are the ''visible'' wire.

[Silenced_Coyote]

If there is no room because the keys hit the "floor", then maybe you could dremel out a "groove" around the keys to enlarge the space between the keys the "wall" or edge.

[Cevinzol]

I asume you want to key that keyboard. if not you could buy a illuminated one like these..www.deckkeyboards.com (http://www.deckkeyboards.com/index.php)
you could also just buy a plug in usb LED light

[Nagoshi]

I don't care about the keys. If I would be the only one who uses the computer in the house, I'd buy a Das Keyboard 2 (you know, these blank keyboards) and light it, but since my parents takes more time finding the keys than typing a full adress on the bar, it'd only make them angry.

these are some cool keyboards, but the price ain't that cool at all.

Id like it to end up like that, or pretty similar : http://www.virtual-hideout.net/guides/keyboard_el/index.shtml

Any idea of how long of a EL wire would I need? What ones should I get, 3V or 9V? I believe I can use 500mA in each port, and I think USB uses 5V, so I thought about getting a 3V EL wire and attach it to an USB port, would it be able to supply enough power for 10 feet of wire? And how could I reduce the voltage from 5V to 3V?

[tybrenis]

http://www.fiberopticproducts.com/Wire.htm

http://www.elbestbuy.com/

http://www.thatscoolwire.com/

http://www.vibelights.com/?gclid=CIvM4qq5lYcCFRF3UAod9Ub2tg

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&fnu=1&xpufu=x&from=R10&satitle=EL+wire&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D2&sadis=200&fpos=18901&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&sabdlo=&sabdhi=&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=3%26fsoo%3D1&coaction=compare&copagenum=1&coentrypage=search

You'll have to measure to see how much EL wire you'll need.

To regulate the voltage, you can buy transformers with a type of "dimmer" switch on them to regulate voltage. Or, you could build a simple circuit to regulate the voltage, or just select the proper resistor.

USB ports provide 5v of power, should be enough to brightly power a small amount of EL wire, like you need.

[Nagoshi]

www.thatscoolwire.com got interesting stuff, including a 4.5VDC 0.9mm wire (what I would need right now) except it comes with only 1 or 1.5feet, so it's pratically useless. I think ima need some 3V stuff, and Ill try to measure approximately how long would I need.

Or I could make myself a molex splitter and use the 12V line to plug on my wire? Altho that would kill the project's idea of a transportable cool keyboard...

[klingelton]

here's my quick solution!!
http://www.geocities.com/murray1276/DSC00362.JPG

cheap from work (i.e. half inched)

has the desired effect until i can lay my hands on a G15

[fasha223]

I would like to find clear buttons and put EL wire underneath and have black letters so i may see it at night. That would be so sick. You should try that. Where would I find clear buttons?

[Spawn-Inc]

has the desired effect until i can lay my hands on a G15

haha
i was gonna say just get this...

http://inlinethumb61.webshots.com/3068/2496627760100511463S500x500Q85.jpg

[Eclecticos]

I bought a couple of them a while back. . one of them had white letters, but was to dim, the other one was bright but had black letters. . Do they not try them out before mass producing?

It would be allot easier to make one if they were made with clear plastic then you could just sandblast and backlite.

[Cool1Net6]

Fiber optic wire....

Example:

http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/2314/image9rg4.jpg

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/4223/image2385edca647b11d7tz8.jpg

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/2973/image2386092e647b11d7bj9.jpg

I'm sure this is also possible to do on a regular keyboard. Here is a full description & guide (http://homepage.mac.com/nnishi/PhotoAlbum1a.html).

-Cool-