Author Topic: Need Help! I Have A Idea For Dell Keyboard (Read 6865 times)

MysticGamer · « **on:** February 17, 2013, 03:11:48 PM »

So yea, like the title says, I'm new and this will be my very first mod, but I have a idea that I cannot find anyone else doing or have tried doing. I have a Dell Inspiron 1545 Notebook (if specs are needed, I will provide them when need be) and I am wondering if it's possible to do a simple LED mod to the keyboard for backlighing? I'm on the computer alot at night and the light from my screen is not of any help lighting up my keys ~~not that I REALLY need the lighting since I can type without looking~~ but would like to add some flair to my keyboard, plus it would help out the stress to my eyes when I do have to look at the keys.

I've seen this done easily with desktop usb keyboards. Laptops can support backlighting with a optional keyboard or led sheet (and of course your epic gaming systems) but none for your run of the mill notebooks.

The idea I have is it either use a usb el-wire (but that will require alot more modifying ((I'm guessing here)), plus I doubt it will fit around my thin buttons) Or I could maybe use and solder 0603 or larger smd leds either for and under each individual buttons, or in a line in between buttons? (Seems like alot of leds huh?

)

Any ideas or help with this would be greatly appreciated! Plus, if I get this to work out for me, I can make a tut for others with the same problem lol

1TONpete · « **Reply #1 on:** February 17, 2013, 03:30:03 PM »

You are on the right track, check out el panels. They are cuttable sheets of el material.

EL products at sparkfun... LINK

ViSioNXx · « **Reply #2 on:** February 17, 2013, 03:35:13 PM »

You can go with thin el wire. or leds. If you do el wire , just take off all the caps and run the wire back and forth across each row. Since you are using a laptop the safest place to get power would be a USB connector from the inside of course. If you do smd's it would take forever to do all the keys so maybe make a test strip and figure out how far you can get away with spreading the leds on a strand. Maybe you could go with 1 led per 2 keys....

With that said if the el wire will fit under the caps then that would be the way to go.

Also you could maybe look at the clearance on the under side of the keyboard and see if you could fit some low profile leds in through the bottom. That way you could put an LED at ech intersection.

MysticGamer · « **Reply #3 on:** February 17, 2013, 04:00:52 PM »

Oh wow, when I looked up el wires, I'm surprised I didn't come across the panels lol, nor the tape.

As for the panels, it seems as though it would be a bit too bright, plus I would need to either buy 2 and cut them so they would fit under my keyboard or get the custom shaped one.

As for the tape, I couldn't cut it in the proper sized strips to light all the buttons (unless I can conduct all the layers for other pieces, which I have no idea how to do lol),and for the wire I can tell you now, that the 3mm won't fit in between my keys.

I might just go with the leds, but I don't know if I should go with individual smd's or led strips cut to right lengths (3-4 strips total)?

1TONpete · « **Reply #4 on:** February 17, 2013, 04:13:51 PM »

El is very easy to work with. Also if 3mm el wire is to big , might run into trouble fitting leds under it. I recommend a couple el tape strips. Its very thin and can be soldered together. Its going to be a lot of work to lay out leds or led strips for back lighting. Quick tip... Either way some white paper behind it all will help reflect the light.

MysticGamer · « **Reply #5 on:** February 17, 2013, 04:38:23 PM »

Then this is what I'll try this out with, and to be clear and make sure I have/get everything I need....

1x Red El Tape
1x White paper
2-3 Connectors
Tape

Once I purchase this stuff, I will get to work, and once finished, I will post pics of the outcome before I do the tut to be sure everything works properly.

One more question, is there anyway you can think of to use a Pulse VU to this tape?

1TONpete · « **Reply #6 on:** February 17, 2013, 04:45:17 PM »

1 you'll need an inverter also. el is 120ac but since your talking vu check out dealxtreme, they sell cheap el inverters with built in mics for vu. I'll find you some links to help you out.
check this out. sound activated el inverter and panel. but you wont be using the panel. LINK
I have used this stuff before and am here to help with the wiring.

MysticGamer · « **Reply #7 on:** February 17, 2013, 04:54:50 PM »

Quote from: 1TONpete on February 17, 2013, 04:45:17 PM

1 you'll need an inverter also. el is 120ac but since your talking vu check out dealxtreme, they sell cheap el inverters with built in mics for vu. I'll find you some links to help you out.

Ah, gotcha, I'll write that to the list as well lol. I have heard of dealxtreme before when I was wondering where to get a new housing case for a swap on my ds, but thanks for helping me out

As for the tape to be sound reactive , would this be easier or harder than the vu idea? Or the same?

1TONpete · « **Reply #8 on:** February 17, 2013, 04:58:56 PM »

Its about the same... check around w a search on DX , and try to find the ones that run on 2aa/2aaa batteries instead of 4 as the circuit board is smaller. The inverter is cheaper at dx and its sound activated compared to the inverters sold at sparkfun.
something I built using this tech.... last years modd off winner
link

MysticGamer · « **Reply #9 on:** February 17, 2013, 05:24:01 PM »

Quote from: 1TONpete on February 17, 2013, 04:58:56 PM

Its about the same... check around w a search on DX , and try to find the ones that run on 2aa/2aaa batteries instead of 4 as the circuit board is smaller. The inverter is cheaper at dx and its sound activated compared to the inverters sold at sparkfun.
something I built using this tech.... last years modd off winner

Did a search and found one that only uses 2 AAA HERE.
That's about all I could find. All I need now is how to go about not using the mat and use my tape instead (or do I have to use the leds in the mat?) lol and I'm sure this all can still be soldered to the usb connector with the inverter?

Very nice mod you did there

I can see why you won and congrats!

P.S - Sorry if I am wasting your time with something that might be easier than I'm making it out to be lol. This is will be first ever mod and don't want to overdo it and screw my only computer up

1TONpete · « **Reply #10 on:** February 17, 2013, 05:33:22 PM »

The way its wired is simple when you get to that I'll help you. Ill take some pics with explanations on how to wire it up. its not hard. stay with your tape idea. You'll be very pleased with the outcome. The usb can be used with the inverter no problem. but it would be easier with the 4 aa ones that way but you'll have to find a space for the larger board. its not that big but in a laptop things can get tight. Ill take some pics with measurements of both boards and you should see if you can fit either into you laptop before you try this. might be heading down the wrong road if the inverter wont fit anywhere . check back in tomorrow, I should have some info for you.

MysticGamer · « **Reply #11 on:** February 17, 2013, 05:59:10 PM »

Yea, I was hoping to stick with the tape lol, but yea, I'm more worried about he 4aa batteries not fitting, even more so on the fact that when they die, I'd have to take my computer back apart which would be a pain in the

It's bad enough getting the keyboard out lol (~~sometimes tedious things get on my nerves~~)

And no real rush on getting pics, do them when you can

I still got 2 weeks till I can even consider buying anything, so until then, I'll work on a list of stuff I need for my next mod, my DS Lite lol which too will include a charging and power led swap and adding sounds reactive leds (if I can even get this one to work) in face and trigger buttons

1TONpete · « **Reply #12 on:** February 17, 2013, 06:41:03 PM »

I said the 4aa one because you can wire the battery connection directly to 5v on the usb. No batteries needed. This is a good mod. I like where your going with it. Have confidence. I will help you along the way.

Video for info on el vu
http://youtu.be/eRKIOtMpdzM
http://youtu.be/Bcs5EiyDH7U

MysticGamer · « **Reply #13 on:** February 18, 2013, 11:54:49 AM »

Thanks for the videos, pretty much gave me a basic understanding of what I need to do, though I'm going to use the el tape instead lol. I'll leaning more towards the smaller coin cell one (smaller = better in my case on my notebook) Though I don't know if it would be better/cheaper to either just get the mat as the one you have, or email Jorge to see if he can sell and send me just a cell. If I get the mat, I'll also have the connector from the matrix mat I can cut off (since I have no extra computer parts laying around to make my own)

As for that mic, would I have to use the one from the mat, or can't I just solder a connection straight to my computer speakers? Plus, if I could use my comp speakers, would the el tape still be lit up if I were to mute my sound?

Oh, and I have another idea, though this is just cosmetic lol. My OEM keys are black with white lettering, I don't know if the white lettering would glow since the backing of the keys are completely black. Do you think it's advisable to gently remove some of the black plastic with a dremel so that the lettering will glow, or to get different keys? I was thinking maybe some other Dell keys that came from a original black lighted keyboard or maybe a macbook?

ViSioNXx · « **Reply #14 on:** February 18, 2013, 05:23:16 PM »

Best bet would be to get differant key caps. I think you would have to take way to much out of the cap to make it glow. The white lettering is either paint or a white plastic embedded. I would say paint so it would not ONLY shine through the letters as I suppose you want. I still say el wire would be the best bet and the easiest. If you had to you could dremil out a "ditch" for the wire to sit in for more clearance. Guess thats just my 2 cents worth..

1TONpete · « **Reply #15 on:** February 18, 2013, 06:17:52 PM »

Yeah , like visionxx said, might have to dremil the keys to much. A replacement for the button caps might be a good plan.
As for sound reactive, you might have to scrap that if you want back lighting w/o sound. The boards that use aa batteries have a sensitivity knob, but the micro one does not. If you turn the sensitivity up all the way it will light up w/o sound , but we dont know if we can fit the larger board. So first step before attemting this would be finding replacement caps. then while your checking that see how much room you have to place the inverter/el vu. btw the el tape works just like the wire. but its flat and very thin. no dremiling needed for that.

ViSioNXx · « **Reply #16 on:** February 18, 2013, 07:30:32 PM »

I was only suggesting the wire because he could flex one piece and do the whole board. Therefore he would only have to deal with wiring of one set. Since its a laptop, room will probably be the hardest thing of this mod.

As far as finding room for boards and such, maybe look for an old expansion slot that not used or something of that nature.

1TONpete · « **Reply #17 on:** February 18, 2013, 08:03:37 PM »

Its cool man. I am sure she appreciates your input.

MysticGamer · « **Reply #18 on:** February 19, 2013, 06:12:54 AM »

Thanks for all the imput you guys! But umm, I came across THIS keyboard solely for the keys since they basically identical. I emailed the guy about the size of the buttons to make sure they matched up with mine, and they were perfect. Then I had the idea that hey, if the buttons are exactly the same, layout of buttons, lettering and so forth are identical to mine, that I'd just go ahead and get the whole keyboard and swap it out with my old one lol

It would save me a lot of money to do it this way (not that I wasn't gonna buy all the stuff for the mod anyway) but since this is my only computer in the house, and my connection to everyone, that I wouldn't wanna risk to much on messing something up when soldering >.< I should have looked around a bit more for things before making this thread heh lol

ViSioNXx · « **Reply #19 on:** February 19, 2013, 06:20:55 AM »

That would be a great idea as long as it fits. The only thing you would need to do is find a way to power it.

MysticGamer · « **Reply #20 on:** February 19, 2013, 07:05:26 AM »

Quote from: ViSioNXx on February 19, 2013, 06:20:55 AM

That would be a great idea as long as it fits. The only thing you would need to do is find a way to power it.

Yea, when I get back from my doc's appointment, I'm gonna take my keyboard out and see if there's a second ribbon connection option underneath it in order to power the led. If not, I'll have to find the smaller ribbon connection for that model keyboard and solder it in to a close power source.

ViSioNXx · « **Reply #21 on:** February 19, 2013, 07:39:41 AM »

sounds good. keep us posted

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Author Topic: Need Help! I Have A Idea For Dell Keyboard (Read 6865 times)