Using a Laptop keyboard for PC...?

[nan0_man]

So does anyone know if its possible to connect a keyboard from a laptop to a PC? I already know of the hardships involved in using an LCD from a Laptop on a PC, but is it as hard and expensive to connect a keyboard?

Reason i'm asking is because I want to attatch the keyboard, (which will be relativly light), to the side of the monitor with an 'arm'. Kind of like those desk lamps that can move in any direction you pull them in. That way when I need it-I can pull it around in-front of the screen and push it back when i'm done.

This isn't for my main rig but it sure would help out with my folders. I do realize that I could use a switch, but....thats too easy and my idea will look cooler. lol!

Anyone ever try this......?

[1-Man-Army]

i think that it might be easy first what i think is u have to take the key board and figure out which pin needs to be pluged in were and then solder them on and plug it in thats what i think tho (solder as in solder the key board to the ps2 conector for pc)

[Shayne]

not worth the trouble unless it easy and free...they sell ity bity keyboards now and or you could get one of those rubber folding ones...its under a pound...check ebay

[Intrepid]

I like the feel of those laptop keyboards, and i REALLY like the ones that light up the letters so you can see them at night.

hate to say it but mac leptops have the best keyboards, becasue only the letters light up in the dark and it has a light sensor so that it is al lautomatic. i should get ahold of one of those and rip out the keyboard :)

[Black_Ops]

this would be about as hard as using the lcd, because keyboards are just switch matrixes and you would need to get the controller chip and support circuitry out of the laptop to be able to wire it to a pc. sorry to ruin your idea

[nan0_man]

ok, but if I used the controller that came with the laptop, that would work right?
Anyone know how I would go about connecting the controller to my PC?

[moorcito]

I'm pretty sure it's soldered on to the laptop's motherboard.

[n17ikh]

Originally posted by moorcito
I'm pretty sure it's soldered on to the laptop's motherboard.

That's more than likely.... Laptop manufacturers usually try to keep the extra circuit boards down to a minimum to save space...

[Intrepid]

With that bieng said. to remove the controller would require the eyesight of a hawk and the dexterity of an IC insertion machine! and the same would be said for wiring it to a PC.

conlcution, it is not possible.

[Fafler]

You might be able to use the controller chip from another keyboard, i think most of them use a chip compatible with the Intel 8254 (i´m not really sure about that number, but it sounds familiar). But you still have to really want that keyboard, it´s much cheaper to buy a small keybaord, and it implies a hell of a lot less work.

[Intrepid]

I don't think they use a standard controller for this reason. most normal keyboards ahve a seperate num pab, in some laptop keyboards to use the numpad you need to hold down a special button like on Dells the num pad is comprised of 9 other keys with tertiary functions.