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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Jixr on Mon, 23 December 2013, 13:51:44
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Hey guys, I just picked up a new iPad Air, and was currious to see if a lightning to USB camera kit adapter would let me use a mechanical keyboard. I've seen people connect regular keyboards, but could not find any info about mechanical keyboards.
Tested out my Quickfire XT and it works! Once you plug it in it did say "Coolermaster Quickfire XT is not supported" but seems to work just fine.
I'm at work now, but when I get home i'll test my QFR as well as my Zibal 60 that has backlighting, so i'll see if that works as well.
Gonna pair it up with a 60%, make me a custom shortened cable, and i'll have me a perfect little on the go machine. since I don't need the power or price of a laptop.
If you guys have any questions or anything you would like me to test let me know and I'll see what I can do.
Requires the lightning to USB camera connection kit $29.99 US
Just thought I would share incase anyone else was ever curious about this.
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I've rebooted this thread.
Geekhackers, don't be jerks. Jixr, don't be so thin-skinned. :thumb:
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Check out this thread hope it helps :)
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=51933
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Ahh cool :)
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Nice, have you tried your other keyboard?
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On an iPad I can see this being really cool with a 60%. But on an iPhone I don't see this ever being used. But hey, it's cool that it works.
But there is always this for those who want one that has blue tooth http://kbtalkingusa.com/buy-keyboards/
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Do function row affect apple
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Do function row affect apple
wat
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Do function row affect apple
wat
doo it?
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3 years late, but since Apple just released the new version of Lightning USB to Camera Connection Kit ($39) which also have a separate Lightning port to charge the iPad AND the device that you are connecting to, I gave it a try and glad to announce that my 2TU which has LED works real fine.
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160809/0d4577753c1527382fe75175641e5453.jpg)
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160809/6f723dae35cd9eaf41a05bec26d44a1e.jpg)
Unfortunately, despite having that charger providing additional power, HHKB still did not work :(
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Just get an Android.
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Tried the same adaptor with my KUL TKL and that works.
Sent from my iToothbrush
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Just get an Android.
Android comes with mechanical keyboard? :eek:
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I've rebooted this thread.
Geekhackers, don't be jerks. Jixr, don't be so thin-skinned. :thumb:
Thanks, #baz.
Just get an Android.
Android comes with mechanical keyboard? :eek:
Yup. Android is just better in every way.
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Just get an Android.
Android comes with mechanical keyboard? :eek:
Yup. Android is just better in every way.
Oh wow! Thanks for your input!
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Sweet, does this mean I can use my Model M on my 12 hour flight?
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Just get an Android.
Android comes with mechanical keyboard? :eek:
Yup. Android is just better in every way.
Oh wow! Thanks for your input!
not to be that guy
but i can type on my android natively with a $2 OTG USB to micro USB cable which is pretty neat
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not to be that guy
but i can type on my android natively with a $2 OTG USB to micro USB cable which is pretty neat
sure but why are you using Android and yet collect mechanical? I'd think that you enjoy niche, high priced stuff like a mech keyboard, so you should be using an Apple product, my man. Android are for the mass... :eek: :p
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not to be that guy
but i can type on my android natively with a $2 OTG USB to micro USB cable which is pretty neat
sure but why are you using Android and yet collect mechanical? I'd think that you enjoy niche, high priced stuff like a mech keyboard, so you should be using an Apple product, my man. Android are for the mass... :eek: :p
the moneys i save by not buying apple products is the only reason i can afford mech kbs
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Good comeback! Ha ha haaaaaaaaa!
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On the other hand, the money I save by not buying relentlessly mediocre Android products and then throwing them into a landfill, allows me to buy iPads and Pok3rs to go with them.
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snip...
Unfortunately, despite having that charger providing additional power, HHKB still did not work :(
Sorry to hear that. I wonder why PFU Ltd. designed it to be such a power hog - do they spec some particularly inefficient USB hub? I guess they couldn't have known back when they designed it that their little 60% board would turn out to be such a nice companion to mobile devices. I sometimes bring my HHKB Pro JP into my car with me when I know that I'm going to have to wait awhile, and it turns my little iPhone 5S into a lean, mean texting machine. :D
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Sweet, does this mean I can use my Model M on my 12 hour flight?
Only if you sit next to the crying child.
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not to be that guy
but i can type on my android natively with a $2 OTG USB to micro USB cable which is pretty neat
sure but why are you using Android and yet collect mechanical? I'd think that you enjoy niche, high priced stuff like a mech keyboard, so you should be using an Apple product, my man. Android are for the mass... :eek: :p
Only the cheap crappy phones are for the masses. Flagship android phones are in the same price range as apple.
Besides if you're into mech keyboards, you're probably into customizing your experience. That means android ;)
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I still wouldn't have thought of using a camera connector to connect a keyboard :))
Wonder how long until Apple find a way of stopping this wotking?
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The "camera adapter" is only necessary because the iPad doesn't have a USB port. The only way to get a USB device connected is with an adapter, and originally, the only (type of) connectable device Apple supported was a camera, hence the name of the adapter.
Now, despite the officially unsupported status of mech boards, they still worked when connected, albeit with a highly irritating popup box announcing the detection of an unsupported device every time the iPad was awakened.
Luckily, though, Apple recently (and by recently I mean last year) eliminated the popup box, and we can now use mech boards and they feel more like first-class citizens even though the adapter is still necessary. I was really hoping that the introduction of the smart connector on the iPad Pro line of tablets would lead to the release of "smart dock" devices that would provide a USB port for proper support of mech keyboards. Doesn't seem like any vendors have jumped on that opportunity, unfortunately.
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So those who have tried both (camera adaptor and Bluetooth), which is more convenient for using a mechanical keyboard with an iPad?
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So those who have tried both (camera adaptor and Bluetooth), which is more convenient for using a mechanical keyboard with an iPad?
Bluetooth will have very slight lags sometimes and as such, I still prefer wired.. But of course, wireless is freedom and lags is a small price to pay.
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Not all keyboards work, my Magicforce had problems. I want to try again with my WASD tonight to see how that goes; Pokers work so I would assume this would as well, since that's basically what it is
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So those who have tried both (camera adaptor and Bluetooth), which is more convenient for using a mechanical keyboard with an iPad?
I prefer the "wired" connection. One less thing to keep charged. And with Apple's new "camera" connector you can also charge the iPad while having a keyboard attached. Works best for me.
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I also dislike keyboards that need to be charged to function. I prefer wired. Besides, I only use my Pok3r when my iPad is going to be in a fixed position for many hours, so being tethered to a cable isn't even noticeable. If I am on the go, I just use the (crappy) bluetooth keyboard that is built into the Targa case my iPad sits in.
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FWIW, I tried the camera adapter with most of my keyboards and it worked great, including:
HHKB Pro JP
IBM Model M
Unicomp Model M
Topre 87U
Avant Stellar
KB Paradise V80
WASD V2 104
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Normal HHKB Pro 2 doesn't work :D such a shame... Even fullsize Model M, and RF 104U work fine. As for other 60% keyboards I've tested Poker 2, Pok3r, GON's Nerd 60, KBP V60 (cherry and matias) and GH60, all work as expected. GON's keyboard even works with bluetooth, surprising, as it doesn't work with Mac's bluetooth.
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On the other hand, the money I save by not buying relentlessly mediocre Android products and then throwing them into a landfill, allows me to buy iPads and Pok3rs to go with them.
A decent Android with a custom Kernel and OS etc is really quite good.
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Bluetooth will have very slight lags sometimes and as such, I still prefer wired.. But of course, wireless is freedom and lags is a small price to pay.
Lag I can live with - my iPad 2 had iOS 7.something and the onscreen keyboard already lags :))
I prefer the "wired" connection. One less thing to keep charged. And with Apple's new "camera" connector you can also charge the iPad while having a keyboard attached. Works best for me.
Useful to know - thanks! :)
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FWIW, I tried the camera adapter with most of my keyboards and it worked great, including:
HHKB Pro JP
IBM Model M
Unicomp Model M
Topre 87U
Avant Stellar
KB Paradise V80
WASD V2 104
And I like to add
-WASD / Pok3r and
-KUL ES-87
to that list.
Only thing I did not (yet) got working are some of the Mac-style functions (Dim screen, track forward/stop/back) with the Pok3r.
Useful to know - thanks! :)
You're welcome!
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Add another to the list:
- The CM NovaTouch works just fine, though that probably isn't surprising given that all manner of RealForce boards are reported to work as well.
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FWIW, I tried the camera adapter with most of my keyboards and it worked great, including:
HHKB Pro JP
IBM Model M
Unicomp Model M
Topre 87U
Avant Stellar
KB Paradise V80
WASD V2 104
So weird, why the HHKB Pro JP works with the USB camera adapter but HHKB Pro 2 doesn't?
Edit: After reading this post in reddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/40qnn6/hhkb_and_ipad_finally/ (https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/40qnn6/hhkb_and_ipad_finally/)
reporting a clumsy working setup between an iPad and the HHKB Pro 2, and that iPad complains HHKB Pro 2 that "This device uses too much power" but the multi-meter measurement says otherwise (at the very bottom of the page).
I think there's some firmware problem in HHKB Pro 2 which is causing this connection issue with iPad and that firmware problem is not present in the HHKB Pro 2 JP version. I hope there can really be a firmware update for the regular HHKB Pro 2 to connect to the iPad without error although I have never heard of HHKB firmware update.
Edit 2: I found there's some firmware update for the HHKB keyboards released in December 2015 after a HHKB Pro 2 user who can speak Japanese contacted PFU about a problem he encountered in OSX El Capitan (http://rick.cogley.info/post/pfu-hhkb-keyboard-osx-el-capitan-status/ (http://rick.cogley.info/post/pfu-hhkb-keyboard-osx-el-capitan-status/)). So firmware update request is possible if one can talk to PFU directly in Japanese and insist that the update is important. (I immediately can think of a famous GH member here who can do much more than just use HHKB and who speaks native Japanese. ;))
I am not sure if the iPad connection problem has also been solved in this firmware update, but the new firmware of HHKB Pro 2 is here:
http://www.pfu.fujitsu.com/hhkeyboard/download.html (http://www.pfu.fujitsu.com/hhkeyboard/download.html)
It seems like one needs the Windows environment to flash the firmware.
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Add to the list:
- fc660m
- satan gh60
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And two more to add, and really neat and handy as portable boards: Vortex Core and JD45. I assume a JD40 will work just as nice.
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So does the Vortex Pok3r RGB.