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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Keyboard for Micromite Plus
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| Frank N. Furter Guru  Joined: 28/05/2012 Location: GermanyPosts: 946 |
Hi to all, wouldn't it desirable to have a small little keyboard like the XBOX Chatpad for our new Micromite Plus? PS2 Keyboards are usually bulky and a keyboard like this would be very nice for a little autonomous computer system... Frank |
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| plasma Guru Joined: 08/04/2012 Location: GermanyPosts: 437 |
Hmm , i test this months ago with no luck |
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Grogster Admin Group  Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9585 |
As the main guts of the XBOX Chatpad would seem to be a serial device, there is no obvious reason I can see what that would NOT work. plasma - did you connect serially or were you trying to get it to work via a USB dongle or something? Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| plasma Guru Joined: 08/04/2012 Location: GermanyPosts: 437 |
Original chatpad has a useless protokoll , so i try to programming The chip inside with a hack from the www. I have a china clone which cant be reprogrammed. |
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| Frank N. Furter Guru Joined: 28/05/2012 Location: GermanyPosts: 946 |
Why useless? It should be a normal communication with 19200 baud... Ok, it's useless to use TWO pins (RXD and TXD) for a keyboard - but is this really a problem? - PS2 needs DATA and CLOCK... Frank |
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| plasma Guru Joined: 08/04/2012 Location: GermanyPosts: 437 |
Ok try yourself ... http://cliffle.com/project/chatpad/protocol/ |
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| Frank N. Furter Guru Joined: 28/05/2012 Location: GermanyPosts: 946 |
Hi Plasma, I found this link at this moment! 
Did you tried it? Does the chatpad response? THANKS! Frank |
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MicroBlocks Guru Joined: 12/05/2012 Location: ThailandPosts: 2209 |
Ben Heck video using the xbox chatpad in a basic computer Microblocks. Build with logic. |
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| plasma Guru Joined: 08/04/2012 Location: GermanyPosts: 437 |
Yap response but id like to get a better solution because i dislike the protokoll from. |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9585 |
Curious. To me, it looks like it is standard 19k2 serial, but I will read some more. The link in the 1st post seems to suggest that. If it WAS standard serial 8N1 or similar, then you should be able to easily connect it to one of the MM serial ports to interface to it. I will read some more..... EDIT: The video that TZA linked to, shows you how to use a PK3 to re-program the PIC controller in the little keyboard, to output standard serial, so I think that is a really good idea, as once done, you have a nice little serial keyboard unit. 
I have ordered one to play with. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| plasma Guru Joined: 08/04/2012 Location: GermanyPosts: 437 |
As i said u need the 'old' original Ms chatpad ! The china ones cant reprogrammed!!! |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9585 |
OH, I SEE!!!!!
Now I get what you are on about - the cheapies are set to the MS protocol, and that is that. The MS ones use the PIC and can be reprogrammed. Does that sound right? Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| Frank N. Furter Guru Joined: 28/05/2012 Location: GermanyPosts: 946 |
Hi Grogster, not complete! The new ones from MS have "the other chip" too! There are two ways: - You implement the ugly MS protocol in your project - You change the chip with a PIC and use your own protocol (the PCB seems to be the same) The first way would be very interesting for a implementation direct in the MMBasic-firmware. Anybody could use this pad instead a PS2 keyboard... The second is good for own development. I think it would be the best to change the controller against a PIC and implement the PS2 protocol in it... Frank |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9585 |
Yes, this is EXACTLY what I am thinking of doing. The keyboards from China on eBay are so cheap, that worst-case scenario, I won't be able to make anything work, and I will be six bucks out of pocket. I am really interested in this keyboard now. Thanks for posting about it, Frank! Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| plasma Guru Joined: 08/04/2012 Location: GermanyPosts: 437 |
Grogster , these china clones have custom chips , no acess to the wires and no replace without destroy the Switch folie. |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9585 |
OK - we'll see what arrives. If that is indeed the case, I will have a play with using a MM chip to transcode between the MS protocol, and standard ASCII serial - that's probably the easiest, as it then does not actually involve any keyboard hacking at all. Even the Chinese clones will output the MS protocol one would think. It'll be interesting to tinker with it in any event.  Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| plasma Guru Joined: 08/04/2012 Location: GermanyPosts: 437 |
All have the same protocol , whats right |
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| MicroBlocks Guru Joined: 12/05/2012 Location: ThailandPosts: 2209 |
Maybe just use the matrix directly if all else fails. The keyboard is very nice. Figuring out the protocol might be better, then you can just use it out of the box.' And it seems that has already been done. Making it work with a mite should be possible. Microblocks. Build with logic. |
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bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2947 |
Lads, You could always use a board like my BackPack170 to do the MS Comms and use the TFT display as a mini terminal and talk via the console or a comm port.. Or rip out the guts altogether and use Grogs 8x8 matrix board.. Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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| MicroBlocks Guru Joined: 12/05/2012 Location: ThailandPosts: 2209 |
Is this the one: XBOX chatpad on banggood It is about half price as the original one. I have an original but don't want to hack it as my son uses it often. Microblocks. Build with logic. |
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