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Can I turn an internal powerbook keyboard into an external USB keyboard?
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Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: New York
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I like my powerbook keyboard, and I would like to turn it into a USB keyboard for a mac pro. If I get the keyboard out of my powerbook (or buy a replacement one), is there a way i can turn whatever cable that comes out of the internal keyboard into a usb connector?
I've looked everywhere for a decent external keyboard, and I have not found one. I hate the loud and way-too-firm key response I've encountered on every external keyboard I've used...
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Jun 2006
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Offline
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The problem with using a laptop keyboard is it has a funky little ribbon connector that it uses to connect to the motherboard, so I don't know how you would go about creating a USB interface for it.
If you like a laptop keyboard's feel, you might look at the icekey. It's supposed to feel like a laptop.
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: UK
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Well these keyboards do appear on the USB bus, so it must be doable. I suspect rather than going after the keyboard ribbon cable, you would need some of the gubbins built into the top case. Later PowerBooks (and I'm talking about the 15-inchers or 17s 1.67GHz models here, the 12 only has a ribbon and far more pins than USB). have a single small connector which joins the top case to the logic board. This has to provide for the trackpad, keyboard and power button. There are still quite a few connectors, but I guess two sets of four for USB and two for power might be about right. Oh and two to power the backlight. Good luck getting a meter in there to test them though. There is no way to get the probes in without frying a logic board I suspect.
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Garden of Paradise Motel, Suite 3D
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Originally Posted by maceye 
I like my powerbook keyboard, and I would like to turn it into a USB keyboard for a mac pro. If I get the keyboard out of my powerbook (or buy a replacement one), is there a way i can turn whatever cable that comes out of the internal keyboard into a usb connector?
I've looked everywhere for a decent external keyboard, and I have not found one. I hate the loud and way-too-firm key response I've encountered on every external keyboard I've used...
If you look some more, you might be able to find the external keyboards that ARE laptop keyboards. My son's HP desktop came with a cheapo keyboard that is actually just like a powerbook keyboard only USB.
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