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geekhack Community => Other Geeky Stuff => Topic started by: melt on Tue, 20 August 2013, 19:00:55

Title: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: melt on Tue, 20 August 2013, 19:00:55

I'm trying to find a mac app that will allow me to disable the inbuilt keyboard on my macbook so I can place another keyboard over it.  Any of you peeps know what a good solution would be?  I tried the keyboard cleaner app, but it turns off the usb connected keyboard as well, bummer... let me know, thanks!!! ;D

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: esoomenona on Tue, 20 August 2013, 19:03:20

I've searched for something like this on PC here before, and I don't believe it's possible... aside from opening it and popping the ribbon cable.

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: rowdy on Tue, 20 August 2013, 19:03:24

Maybe: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=433407

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: vivalarevolución on Tue, 20 August 2013, 19:07:09

KeyRemap4Macbook might have something for you.  If you are unsure if it will work, I would email the contact person.  He is very helpful.

https://pqrs.org/macosx/keyremap4macbook/

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: melt on Tue, 20 August 2013, 19:49:26

Quote from: esoomenona on Tue, 20 August 2013, 19:03:20

I've searched for something like this on PC here before, and I don't believe it's possible... aside from opening it and popping the ribbon cable.

if worst comes to worst, I'm just going to have to deribbonize, haha! who needs chiclets anyways?

Quote from: rowdy on Tue, 20 August 2013, 19:03:24

Maybe: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=433407

Thanks for that one.  :thumb:  I've tried that in the past but couldn't quite get it to work  :(

Quote from: prdlm2009 on Tue, 20 August 2013, 19:07:09

KeyRemap4Macbook might have something for you.  If you are unsure if it will work, I would email the contact person.  He is very helpful.

https://pqrs.org/macosx/keyremap4macbook/

thanks, will check this out, like, nowwwwww  :thumb: :D

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: melt on Tue, 20 August 2013, 19:59:03

There's also this solution...

http://shop.bird-electron.co.jp/shopdetail/005006000006/013/000/order/ (http://shop.bird-electron.co.jp/shopdetail/005006000006/013/000/order/)

which I have now, but it covers the trackpad haha.  Don't like using a mouse on the run

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: esoomenona on Tue, 20 August 2013, 20:08:05

Quote from: melt on Tue, 20 August 2013, 19:59:03

There's also this solution...

http://shop.bird-electron.co.jp/shopdetail/005006000006/013/000/order/ (http://shop.bird-electron.co.jp/shopdetail/005006000006/013/000/order/)

which I have now, but it covers the trackpad haha.  Don't like using a mouse on the run

This is the solution. We just need to find someone who can make them about six inches wide instead of the whole thing!

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: rowdy on Tue, 20 August 2013, 20:17:57

Looks like a bit of glass or plastic with rounded corners and little rubber feet in the corners.

Surely someone here could make one?

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: esoomenona on Tue, 20 August 2013, 20:31:26

Quote from: rowdy on Tue, 20 August 2013, 20:17:57

Looks like a bit of glass or plastic with rounded corners and little rubber feet in the corners.

Surely someone here could make one?

Bird Electron makes items out of what I take to be high quality acrylic. I'm sure someone here could make something similar with hopefully a similar quality, while adding custom dimensions.

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: HoffmanMyster on Thu, 22 August 2013, 10:18:14

Quote from: melt on Tue, 20 August 2013, 19:49:26

Quote from: esoomenona on Tue, 20 August 2013, 19:03:20

I've searched for something like this on PC here before, and I don't believe it's possible... aside from opening it and popping the ribbon cable.

if worst comes to worst, I'm just going to have to deribbonize, haha! who needs chiclets anyways?

There might be some way to work out a solution where you cut one wire in the ribbon (ground, let's say) that would disable the whole thing.  Then solder that to a tiny switch that you can mount somewhere in the case so you can disable and enable the built in keyboard on the fly.  I don't know how elegant you could make it, or even if it'd be possible.  But it's a thought.

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: Quardah on Thu, 22 August 2013, 10:19:17

Sledgehammer.

Tested and working fine.

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: melt on Thu, 22 August 2013, 12:04:28

thanks for all your input, fellas!  found  an awesome solution for an 11 inch macbook air.... use a keycool 84, like so......  :p

the rubber padding feet thing's just exactly miss the keys, yesssss

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-EmrXtx7SDEs/UhZEE9dxUzI/AAAAAAAAANE/rgsjatQSuS8/w663-h495-no/photo.JPG)

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: Quardah on Thu, 22 August 2013, 12:33:35

Quote from: melt on Thu, 22 August 2013, 12:04:28

thanks for all your input, fellas!  found  an awesome solution for an 11 inch macbook air.... use a keycool 84, like so......  :p

the rubber padding feet thing's just exactly miss the keys, yesssss

Show Image

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-EmrXtx7SDEs/UhZEE9dxUzI/AAAAAAAAANE/rgsjatQSuS8/w663-h495-no/photo.JPG)

Holy ****ing christ this is a storm of color lol

Pretty neat altought a little Not-Straight. No offence intended lol

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: melt on Thu, 22 August 2013, 13:22:44

Quote from: Quardah on Thu, 22 August 2013, 12:33:35

Quote from: melt on Thu, 22 August 2013, 12:04:28

thanks for all your input, fellas!  found  an awesome solution for an 11 inch macbook air.... use a keycool 84, like so......  :p

the rubber padding feet thing's just exactly miss the keys, yesssss

Show Image

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-EmrXtx7SDEs/UhZEE9dxUzI/AAAAAAAAANE/rgsjatQSuS8/w663-h495-no/photo.JPG)

Holy ****ing christ this is a storm of color lol

Pretty neat altought a little Not-Straight. No offence intended lol

yeah, it could be considered quite girly, though I don't mind as I get all the ho's haha! :p

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: Quardah on Thu, 22 August 2013, 13:42:59

Quote from: melt on Thu, 22 August 2013, 13:22:44

Quote from: Quardah on Thu, 22 August 2013, 12:33:35

Quote from: melt on Thu, 22 August 2013, 12:04:28

thanks for all your input, fellas!  found  an awesome solution for an 11 inch macbook air.... use a keycool 84, like so......  :p

the rubber padding feet thing's just exactly miss the keys, yesssss

Show Image

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-EmrXtx7SDEs/UhZEE9dxUzI/AAAAAAAAANE/rgsjatQSuS8/w663-h495-no/photo.JPG)

Holy ****ing christ this is a storm of color lol

Pretty neat altought a little Not-Straight. No offence intended lol

yeah, it could be considered quite girly, though I don't mind as I get all the ho's haha! :p

Ballers ain't giving no fukks.

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: davkol on Thu, 22 August 2013, 14:04:04

Quote from: melt on Thu, 22 August 2013, 12:04:28

thanks for all your input, fellas!  found  an awesome solution for an 11 inch macbook air.... use a keycool 84, like so......  :p

the rubber padding feet thing's just exactly miss the keys, yesssss

Show Image

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-EmrXtx7SDEs/UhZEE9dxUzI/AAAAAAAAANE/rgsjatQSuS8/w663-h495-no/photo.JPG)

Please, repost to the Unicorn Vomit Thread. You're a clear winner, especially with the additional lips stickers.

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: melt on Thu, 22 August 2013, 14:12:46

Quote from: davkol on Thu, 22 August 2013, 14:04:04

Quote from: melt on Thu, 22 August 2013, 12:04:28

thanks for all your input, fellas!  found  an awesome solution for an 11 inch macbook air.... use a keycool 84, like so......  :p

the rubber padding feet thing's just exactly miss the keys, yesssss

Show Image

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-EmrXtx7SDEs/UhZEE9dxUzI/AAAAAAAAANE/rgsjatQSuS8/w663-h495-no/photo.JPG)

Please, repost to the Unicorn Vomit Thread. You're a clear winner, especially with the additional lips stickers.

haha, those lip stickers were coming off cause i stuck em on the pink decal, so i just peel them off.  kinda a sad moment right now haha

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: Burz on Thu, 22 August 2013, 14:19:34

Quote from: melt on Thu, 22 August 2013, 12:04:28

thanks for all your input, fellas!  found  an awesome solution for an 11 inch macbook air.... use a keycool 84, like so......  :p

the rubber padding feet thing's just exactly miss the keys, yesssss

Show Image

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-EmrXtx7SDEs/UhZEE9dxUzI/AAAAAAAAANE/rgsjatQSuS8/w663-h495-no/photo.JPG)

You can do this with the Matias Laptop/Mini keyboards, too. IIRC they were designed to be used on top of Macbooks. Mine works on top of 13" Macbook, 15" Macbook Pro and 14" Thinkpad.

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: frenchtoasters on Tue, 13 January 2015, 08:51:23

Not sure if anyone else has tried it but Karabiner has an option "Disable an internal keyboard while external keyboards are connected" it works pretty well ive found. There is a bug every now and then when you unplug and replug the keyboard a few times, if you like me switching between computers, neither keyboard will work after doing that a few times forcing a restart to fix.

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: the_marsbar on Thu, 25 February 2016, 06:46:44

An A4 sheet of acrylic (I used a 2 mm thick one) will make two quite nice plates, each will fit a HHKB very nicely. It's a nice, cheap way of taking care of the keys on your laptop, and making sure that the keyboard has a solid base.

I only have a HHKB Pro 2 Type-S, but I'm sure a similar technique could be used for keyboards of other sizes.

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: Marizen on Fri, 26 February 2016, 12:36:50

You don't.

You may only do what Apple says you can do.

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: nubbinator on Fri, 26 February 2016, 13:47:46

You can do a partial disable that turns your keyboard into a mouse.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3796547?tstart=0

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: the_marsbar on Sat, 05 March 2016, 07:29:43

So I was actually a bit annoyed by the solution with the acrylic sheet. First of all, if you're stressing the machine, some of the heat is supposed to exit through the keyboard. Second, the acrylic sheet is slightly visible from the front and the sides.

What I ended up doing instead was to use some spare 3M helicopter tape that I had, with which I built some "feet" to put under the keyboard (basically it's just four layers of the tape on top of each other. This has the added bonus of providing a more stable base of the keyboard, because the tape feels a bit like rubber on the surface.

I'm happy now, I think. No need to disable the internal keyboard, and no need to bring the acrylic sheet everywhere I go.

I hope this is useful to other people too.

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: phosphoric on Mon, 07 March 2016, 17:35:25

Quote from: frenchtoasters on Tue, 13 January 2015, 08:51:23

Not sure if anyone else has tried it but Karabiner has an option "Disable an internal keyboard while external keyboards are connected" it works pretty well ive found. There is a bug every now and then when you unplug and replug the keyboard a few times, if you like me switching between computers, neither keyboard will work after doing that a few times forcing a restart to fix.

+1 karabiner has worked like a charm for me. i havent encountered this bug, but i've found that waking my laptop from sleep with an external keyboard rarely ever works

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: appleonama on Mon, 07 March 2016, 17:37:03

http://t3chnot3s.blogspot.com/2013/12/disabling-built-in-keyboard-and.html

Title: Re: Solution To Turn Off MacBook's Built-in Keyboard?
Post by: the_marsbar on Wed, 09 March 2016, 03:00:29

Besides your cat being able to sit on your laptop without it accidentally sending e-mails to you boss, I don't see any reason to disable the built-in keyboard. IMO it's much better to avoid the HHKB touching the keys (with the risk of breaking something), which is really just a matter of adding a couple of feet to the back of the keyboard (at the sides).