4x4 keyboard to control computer

[Chaos Master]

Hi!

I want to make a 4x4 keyboard for my PC, to be able to control MP3 player
software (Winamp) and run programs. I want basical features like
play/pause/stop/next/previous MP3 and be able to run programs by pressing the
appropriate button.

Any ideas of what I could use to receive the data from the keyboard? A PIC?

Thanks.

 

[Active8]

Hi!

I want to make a 4x4 keyboard for my PC, to be able to control MP3 player
software (Winamp) and run programs. I want basical features like
play/pause/stop/next/previous MP3 and be able to run programs by pressing the
appropriate button.

Any ideas of what I could use to receive the data from the keyboard? A PIC?

Thanks.

jameco bgmicro PIC google this group

 

[Leon Heller]

Hi!

I want to make a 4x4 keyboard for my PC, to be able to control MP3 player
software (Winamp) and run programs. I want basical features like
play/pause/stop/next/previous MP3 and be able to run programs by pressing the
appropriate button.

Any ideas of what I could use to receive the data from the keyboard? A PIC?

You just need an MCU like a small PIC or AVR and a keypad. You scan the
keypad and use software to emulate the PC keyboard, it's quite
straightforward. You should be able to find a few examples with hardware
and sofware with a bit of Googling. I had one of my chaps make one where
I used to work.

 

[Michael Black]

Hi!

I want to make a 4x4 keyboard for my PC, to be able to control MP3 player
software (Winamp) and run programs. I want basical features like
play/pause/stop/next/previous MP3 and be able to run programs by pressing the
appropriate button.

Any ideas of what I could use to receive the data from the keyboard? A PIC?

Thanks.

Just open a regular keyboard, and take out the controller. The last one I
stripped even had the electronics separate from the keyboard matrix. Then
add the keys you need, making a nice compact unit that outputs the same
code as a regular keyboard.

Michael

 

[Uns Lider]

I want to make a 4x4 keyboard for my PC, to be able to control MP3 player
software (Winamp) and run programs. I want basical features like
play/pause/stop/next/previous MP3 and be able to run programs by pressing the
appropriate button.

Drive the columns of your keyboard matrix from the parallel printer port's
outputs and read the rows through the parallel printer port's inputs. I
believe that some of the inputs have pullup resistors, so you might be able
to avoid needing external pullups. And if you're only going to be pressing
one key at a time, you don't need any diodes. Potentially, you could do this
with no components other than the switches and wires to connect them with.
Uhh, except maybe you'd need 4 diodes to keep the column outputs from
frying if someone mashes down a bunch of keys, because I don't think you
have any open-collector outputs to work with?

Alternative approach: Buy one of those numeric keypads that plugs into a
serial port, and relabel the keys.

-- uns

 

[Chaos Master]

Michael Black engraved with a +2 athame:

Just open a regular keyboard, and take out the controller. The last one I
stripped even had the electronics separate from the keyboard matrix. Then
add the keys you need, making a nice compact unit that outputs the same
code as a regular keyboard.

Thanks. I wanted one that would send a keystroke to Winamp (ex. z -> previous
MP3).

 

[Gary Tait]

Whereas On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 00:07:53 -0300, Chaos Master

Hi!

I want to make a 4x4 keyboard for my PC, to be able to control MP3 player
software (Winamp) and run programs. I want basical features like
play/pause/stop/next/previous MP3 and be able to run programs by pressing the
appropriate button.

Any ideas of what I could use to receive the data from the keyboard? A PIC?

Thanks.

For Winamp in particular, I believe you can get a plugin to controll
it from a serial keypad, which you can probably build with a PIC or
such. Salvaging the controller form a PC keyboard is doable, if you
have access to individual keys on your keypad, so you can customize
its matrix to match the original keyboard.

 

[Chaos Master]

Gary Tait engraved with a +2 athame:

For Winamp in particular, I believe you can get a plugin to controll
it from a serial keypad, which you can probably build with a PIC or
such. Salvaging the controller form a PC keyboard is doable, if you
have access to individual keys on your keypad, so you can customize
its matrix to match the original keyboard.

Someone wrote a plugin for this, because I saw a MP3 player project that used
Winamp + Win 98.
So, I have two options.