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Trackpoint from laptop keyboard
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Topic: Trackpoint from laptop keyboard (Read 4043 times)
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xwhatsit
Thread Starter
Posts: 297
Location: NZ
Trackpoint from laptop keyboard
«
on:
Mon, 01 August 2011, 21:13:58 »
Hello all,
Would love to mod a proper IBM trackpoint (or the Dell one isn't bad either) into one of my Model M or F 122-key terminals. I understand the Unicomp one is a bit rubbish.
Seems quite difficult to obtain the trackpoint module on its own. So I looked at those Thinkpad USB keyboards, but most seem pricey. However, I see plenty of replacement Thinkpad laptop keyboards (just the sheet of scissor switches, with a trackpoint in the middle) very cheap. Do these contain all the logic for the trackpoint? Or are they just dumb sensors? It would seem a big chunk of what makes the trackpoint good is down to clever firmware; I don't really want to try replicating it.
Here's an example:
http://cgi.ebay.com/IBM-THINKPAD-R60-R61-T60-T61-Z60-Z61-KEYBOARD-39t7118-/170674205394?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item27bcf9b2d2
Logged
Beam spring
IBM 5251 (7361073/7362149) & IBM 3727 (5641316) |
Model F
IBM 122-key terminal & IBM PC-AT 84-key |
Model M
Unicomp 122-key terminal |
Cherry MX Blue
Leopold Tenkeyless
hasu
Posts: 3474
Location: Tokyo, Japan
@tmk
Trackpoint from laptop keyboard
«
Reply #1 on:
Fri, 05 August 2011, 12:30:58 »
ThinkPad's TrackPoint Unit is just a complete 3-buttons PS/2 mouse.
It has a 'logic' on TPM754 controller chip with firmware. No problem electrically.
Finding a good long stem for the unit is the problem. See zmurf's mod.
I look forward to seeing your mod.
You can find info about TrackPoint here:
http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?8971-Looking-for-Trackpoint-controller-IC-pinout
zmurf's mod:
http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:11420
another TrackPoint mod:
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=zh-TW&u=http://aries.armake.com/1229.html
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xwhatsit
Thread Starter
Posts: 297
Location: NZ
Trackpoint from laptop keyboard
«
Reply #2 on:
Fri, 05 August 2011, 21:44:35 »
Wow, awesome! Thanks for the links. That doesn't look too hard, then. Will have to order one of these laptop keyboards then!
Logged
Beam spring
IBM 5251 (7361073/7362149) & IBM 3727 (5641316) |
Model F
IBM 122-key terminal & IBM PC-AT 84-key |
Model M
Unicomp 122-key terminal |
Cherry MX Blue
Leopold Tenkeyless
TexasFlood
Posts: 1084
Trackpoint from laptop keyboard
«
Reply #3 on:
Fri, 05 August 2011, 22:20:38 »
Yes, thanks, I remember that first link but didn't find it again in my first search. Bookmarked it now.
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Trackpoint from laptop keyboard