⌨ Make ANY Keyboard Wireless! - Convert Any USB keyboard to Bluetooth Wireless - DIY Tutorial How To
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- Опубліковано 27 лип 2024
- A how to guide to convert any* wired USB keyboard to bluetooth wireless!
I want to start off with a note; I'm well aware that there are already some pretty great (and inexpensive) bluetooth wireless mechanical keyboards out there, if you just want something cheap and done - obviously this is not the tutorial for you.
This is for those who want to take their existing keyboard and make it wireless, those who enjoy taking things apart, voiding warranties, soldering, etc. Some really awesome keyboards simply aren't offered with a wireless option, and finally this is now feasible in a (somewhat) elegant DIY package. I will show you how to make any wired keyboard wireless!
*(ok maybe not ANY but nearly all)
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⛧ \\ Table of Contents: \\ ⛧
00:00 - Intro
00:34 - Easiest tutorial ever
01:08 - Components
02:05 - Case disassembly
02:42 - BT module disassembly
04:03 - Battery bank disassembly
04:59 - Case modification [1]
05:45 - Wiring schematic
06:06 - Wiring \ usb port \ charge circuit
06:59 - Wiring \ battery leads \ BT module
07:54 - Wiring \ power button
08:17 - Wiring \ finishing \ first test
09:38 - Case modification [2]
10:43 - Hot glue \ final component assembly
11:58 - [!] Important battery note
12:23 - Final keyboard assembly
13:05 - Glamourous B roll + usage
14:18 - Notes \ charge circuit \ batteries
15:53 - Notes \ wired to wireless switch
16:29 - Notes \ issue with switching
17:22 - Notes \ solution to switch issue
17:49 - Notes \ relay alternative
18:13 - Notes \ recommended setups
19:35 - Next time \ outro
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\\ USB to Bluetooth Wireless Conversion \\
\\ Things You'll Need: \\
1. The Keyboard (duh)
I'm creating this how to guide using a specific keyboard (the WASD CODE), but the fundamentals of what I'm doing can be blueprinted to work with other keyboards. The most important things you need to look out for is enough internal space within the keyboard case to house the parts you'll need to make the conversion. Of course you can always modify, attach, 3D print, duct tape, zip-tie-bundle or otherwise find some solution to hold or carry these parts if there simply isn't enough room within the keyboard case pertaining to your specific keyboard.
2. The Magic Box
What really makes this all possible is the [Handheld Scientific BT-500](handheldsci.com/kb/). this tiny little adapter takes your USB signals and converts them to bluetooth wireless signals to be read by any bluetooth phone, laptop, desktop, tablet, you-name-it. Handheldsci has been making wireless adapters for quite some time now, and this latest rendition is much smaller and more portable than their previous release, which makes it perfect for what we're going to use it for.
3. The Battery
Because you're going wireless you will no longer have the USB cable to power your keyboard, so you're going to need some way to power the board as well as the wireless adapter. Thankfully lithium batteries have gotten much smaller, more energy dense and cheaper over the last couple of years, which also makes this project possible.
100 x 65 x 6.5mm is about the largest battery you will be able to fit without hacking up the case a lot more. Not all of these battery banks are created equal so you might get one that is smaller or larger, smaller is fine but you won't get as much runtime.
⛧ \\ Full write-up with pics is on the main site: hightech-lowlife.github.io/pr...
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⛧ 2021 High Tech \\ Low Life | - Cyberpunk - Projects - DIY - Art - Tech - Modding - ⛧
Wow after so many years someone actually made a serious video on this topic. Good stuff.
Thanks so much!!
@@hightech-lowlife you have a big brain !!
🧠💪
@@helpmetooreach100kintwoyears Thank you so much! I don't think so though, average at best 😂
How many years? I dont understand the references to?
How many years? I dont understand the references to?
The cost of this modification is more than the wireless keyboard we get in market. But for education purpose i will recommend this to others.
Thank you, yes ~ definitely not a 'budget' solution. If you're looking for wireless on the cheap, it's more cost effective to just get a cheap wireless keyboard 😎
There is no wireles steelseries APEX
My keyboard plus keys and switches is 275 usd, no way I'm getting rid of it just because I want wireless
But if you have a $300 keyboard this wireless conversion method makes more sense
I appreciate the troll at the start of the video lol
Awesome tutorial. This is how it should be done. Lots of good visuals, good explanation, explaining the "why I do this" which very useful for adapting to other models and situations, and even throwing in some bits of humor like "there is no spoon" -- all without extra fluff. Plus your voice is very relaxing and calming. Thumbs up and subscribed. Thanks for uploading this. :)
Thank you so much for the feedback! This is one of my first videos and I cringe at it a bit looking back, but I really appreciate the kind words and encouragement! Thank you!!
@@hightech-lowlife You're quite welcome! And yeah, I definitelyknow what that feeling is like, looking back at old creations. Still, you did good, man. :)
@@Bandrik Thanks a lot man, much appreciated 🙌
This is a very educational video, I appreciate the fact you showed us your trials and errors.
Thank you so much for watching and the feedback!
after hours of searching a good diy wired keyboard to wireless video finally found it haha. thanks alot man
Thanks so much man! I'm glad it could help you out - thank you so much for the comment too!
same
I love this guide! So detailed and I can't wait to try it on my board.
Thank you so much!
I was searching this topic every few months for a long time. So glad someone finally did this! Subscribed.
Thanks so much man!
Thanks for watching! Since this video launched I have built my own (crazy) custom *dual battery* wireless keyboard and I documented the process from start to finish in this playlist: ua-cam.com/play/PLGIzSUqaQbL6SKxZdtGoUFnYM7-L23BXh.html check it out if you're interested!
How interested would you be in helping mod a das keyboard pro 4 into a wireless Bluetooth board?
Mine actually does have a lot of room in the case despite having foams. The two keyboards I use are actually both stripped down version of their wireless counterparts. So both of them have a slot in the case for a switch and battery pack, and you can actually see the battery and switch labels in the pcb. There's also an led for charging which I can't really use since mine is wired only.
Anyways, great video bro! I'm quite busy atm but I'll save this for Future use.
Awesome, should be easy to implement down the line then - thanks for the watch, comment and feedback!
@@hightech-lowlife I'll give a sub too, keep it up!
@@HonkForLife098 Thanks! I will do my best, much appreciated ⚡⚡⚡
manufacturers laziness turned godsend
Dude, this was awesome in depth tutorial that convinced me that I m not able to pull this off. Am impressed by your skills. Great job.
Thanks so much man, I appreciate it!
You can do it.
Soo detailed... I understood each and everything. Thanks buddy!
Thanks so much for watching!
this is the best turorial yet! thankyou so much bro!
Thank you so much! I have 60% series coming next week!
Awesome video and enjoyed watching! I have a wireless keyboard that charges via USB-C but I was going to add a wireless charger to it so I didn't have to plug it in. Should be a fun little project.
Thanks so much! That's awesome man, you should take it a step further and embed the charger in your desk and never have to stop typing 😂! I might actually try this someday 👍👍👍
Very useful video with clear instructions. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
One of the best video that I have seen recently. I am starting with my engineering classes and this might be a great project for me to try lol!! Liked and subbed
Thanks so much man! Definitely try it out! I'm sure it will be very easy for you 👍
This is just fantastic. Great job. Well done! 👍👍
Thank you so much!!
you could ideally 3d print a case for the three components + cable and attach it somehow to the back of your keyboard. The design could have a hole for plugging the charger to the power bank. if you don't have the possibility, or the hability, for soldering, this can be a possible solution that doesn't necessarily void the warranty
100%! You could even just buy a cheap small case that roughly fits the dimensions, and double stick tape the components inside 👍
@@hightech-lowlife Try to make this one :D
Interesting video. I remember when I modded Varmillo VB87M, I wondered if it's possible to make it work not only through Bluetooth, but also with wire instead of just charging from it. From a perspective of an electronics rookie, it seems quite complicated (especially if you use built in Bluetooth chip), but it's quite possible.
Awesome, yes it's totally possible! If you follow my two recommended schematics you'll have both wired and wireless on a switch - just depends on how you want to wire it up. Thanks!
@@hightech-lowlife After inspecting the board's PCB, I don't think it's possible after all. The plastic connector hubs have two positive and negative pins for only a charge, while the separate mini USB PCB has five solder pads. It seems, the manufacturer had in mind the idea of making both wireless and wired product, but on the last moment gave up on it.
@@guessit5036 This is an only wireless keyboard? I thought this was a wired board you're talking about. Even if it's only wireless and only has power from the USB port, you can just run lines from the PCB to add the data lines, and if the connector doesn't support it just put in a different connector. I have a video on how to add a connector to any keyboard, so if the one currently doesn't support data, you can add your own. As long as you can get to the mini USB leads, you can make it wired as well.
You may have to throw in an inline switch to turn off the data pins while charging and using as wireless as keyboards don't usually like being plugged in directly + trying to connect wireless, it will probably flip flop between the two connections as shown in my video.
Trust me, it's possible 👍
Just what I was looking for, great video!
Thanks so much! 🙌
Great work !!! , thanks for explaining everything in detail
Thank you so much for watching, and for the comment, and for the feedback! Much appreciated!
Great video, it was really interesting to see you go through all the iterations of what worked and what didn't.
Thank you so much for watching and for the comment! I really appreciate the feedback, thank you!
You got yourself a subscriber, and after I finished doing what you've done in the tutorial, I thought why not build the transceiver myself using ESP32. If I manage to do it I'll share the final PCB and the firmware here. Thanks man Keep it High Tech Low Life
That would be awesome man, please do share that as I know a lot of people would be interested, including myself. I have a few ESP32 boards laying around doing nothing 😎Thank you!
omg dude i really really like this content !! making usb devices into a bluetooth this is insane .. plus i been looking for so long how to turn wired controllers into a bluetooth such as ds2 or nacon revolution 2 .. please keep up what you doing man i wish i could be as you in electronics
Thank you so much I really appreciate the feedback! This module should be able to work with controllers too! I'm pretty dense when it comes to electronics, I just research people that know a lot more than me and then experiment - you could know all that I know and more pretty easily 😂- Thank you for watching and commenting!
This is awesome, one day I hope to get to a point where I'll do a full conversion like you did.
However for now, I'm just going to do the simple battery pack/inline BT/Keyboard setup because it's all going to go inside my Old Corsair 'Lapdog' - the old version of their lap board (couch PC gaming w/ mouse and keyboard).
The old 'Lapdog/Lapboard' runs a 20+ft usb3 cable across my living room and it's not ideal.
I will be able to stuff all the cables and battery bank inside the lapboard enclosure and call it a day and use my mechanical + bluetooth mouse. I'll have to position the battery bank to a spot where I can charge it easily though! Perhaps a cutout/mounting for access. We'll see! Thanks again!
Running the components outside the case is certainly easier to set up, it should work just fine for your use case 👍Good luck and thank you!
Very cool, would you consider making a video on battery upgrades for wireless mechanical keyboards? For example, something like the Nuphy Air or Keychronic keyboards are great but the batteries are on the small side. There is definitely room with little modification to fit batteries that would take these from needing weekly recharges to months. Plus it acts to extend the products life as the battery will eventually give out. This way you can highjack the led indicators, charging circuits and switches from the board. I only suggest a tutorial like this because a battery swap is more accessible than building from scratch (I hope). I do hope you'll consider a video like this.
Thanks! Yeah for sure I can do a video like that - I'll check out a suitable board for larger battery mods 👍 It should be fairly straightforward though, lipo batts are 3.7v typically so as long as your battery voltage is the same you can 1:1 swap without any other modifications. Thanks!
@@hightech-lowlife yeah a mod of the popular Keychron Q1 would be legendary!
@@limebulls As long as the case has space for bigger/more batteries 👍
ngl this is more effort than i was willing to put in for this so I've given up - but you deserve my comment, like and subscribe for the video because you've done a great job explaining and also added in some personality. Great job mate!
Thanks so much man, I appreciate that. It is quite a bit of work I'll admit, I think if you break it up into smaller digestible chunks it's a bit easier to tackle over time as it can feel overwhelming all at once.
This is one of my earlier videos and it is hard for me to watch as there are so many things I would have changed to make it better and more watchable, so I really appreciate the kind words. I will probably remake and revise this video in the future that is a bit more condensed and better delivery 👍Thank you for watching!
@@hightech-lowlife Frankly if could find the USB to BT adapter (I'm assuming that's what it is) in your initial 'joke' example around my parts of the world I would be very much inclined to go with that solution. There are NO devices of it's kind sold at any vendor *in* or that will deliver *to* Bulgaria. I've been looking all day cause I bought a Marvo KG962 by mistake instead of the wireless version and I was hoping to find a less expensive solution than just buying the correct model on top of the one I got. Ultimately that's what I did and I didn't even bother returning the wired one - it's a good KB and the hassle is not worth the money I'll get back.
Yes it will do that out of the box, I know that handheld scientific does ship worldwide so most likely they will ship direct to you. If you're just looking for any wireless keyboard, then you're better off just buying a new board that has the features you want @@RoninBlackwing
Thanks for the video! I learned about this adapter recently but was a little confused on exactly how it worked. Didn't realize how simple it was lol I mostly game on my bedroom TV using a Roccat Sova (so I can play in bed while watching TV with my girlfriend on her laptop) but the cords were getting annoying, combined with the bulk of the Sova itself, I have just kind of stopped using it. I'm not technical enough to follow your tutorial but just seeing how it works from your "Easiest tutorial ever" section convinced me to go ahead and get everything. Just gonna fix all of the wires to the Sova itself and use a wireless mouse and it should be a great experience
Thanks again!
Thanks man! Yes, you don't need to do anything other than connect all the components via USB, it will be very easy for you 👍Good luck!
Thanks, very inspiring. When I get more confidence in my tech DIY skills I will attempt this.
Do it! Thanks man 🍻
What an educational video! I've been looking for this in months. However, I was wondering if it can be done with a 2.4GHz transmitter and receiver for better latency. Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you! I don't have any experience using 2.4GHz, only bluetooth. If you want to go this route, I think the best would be to get a cheaper keyboard and salvage those parts from it like this: ua-cam.com/video/22MFteWbMIw/v-deo.html
I have seen some other conversions like this from donor boards also, you will need to do a lot more investment in time and research though. You have to dig pretty far on google to find useful examples or instructions, as not many people have done it. Another option is to use Arduino or ESP32 board for a wifi/2.4 connection, but again will take a lot of experimenting and writing code.
Bluetooth has an advantage which is why most wireless keyboards and devices are now BT, a lot of devices such as laptops, desktops and phones will already have a built-in bluetooth receiver, so you don't need to plug in any USB dongle.
Even though the BT-500 is more expensive, to me it is worth it regarding the time it will save you writing code or figuring out how to convert other things. Of course if you want to put in the time, I know it is possible, also, to me if latency is a larger concern of yours then wireless in general may not be the best way to go.
If you do make a 2.4GHz version, please let us see! Thank you.
@@hightech-lowlife I am thinking of trying out a 2.4 ghz soon so i may let you know soon!
@@wahidkamruddin1594 Awesome, good luck!
@@wahidkamruddin1594 Have you tried it yet, I am also thinking about doing this too.
Unfortunately, the cost of the BT unit and a battery bank added to even the cheapest mech kb is going to be more than a decent budget mech that is already wireless. You could do this a lot cheaper using a cheap microcontroller and low profile LiI battery, but it takes more work and some coding. I think a project that makes more sense is an external unit you can plug any kb into that acts like the BT dongle, but also includes a rotary knob and some media buttons and maybe even a small LCD for dedicated media control, since many boards either lack a knob (the best way to control volume) or have their media controls on another layer. You could make a nice case for it and short cable and then the BT dongle would be a feature and not an eyesore (the battery could be smaller and incorporated) and you wouldn't have to hack the kb at all and could use it with other kbs.
100% agree, I have a blurb in the description and on my site that states that if you're just looking for a cheap way to make a keyboard wireless, this is not the method nor tutorial for you. This is for people that want to convert a keyboard that is simply not offered wirelessly. If you just want a cheap wireless keyboard, there are many out there premade.
It's an interesting thought, you could also do this with the BT-500, you don't have to put it in the case, I actually use it like this in the beginning of the video, you could just hot glue it to the top of a battery bank and there it's a portable unit as you have described. The BT-500 is a bit more expensive than even the Adafruit BLE offerings, but if you factor in how much time you will spend writing code and debugging, also taking into account the extra feature set that is built in to the BT-500 firmware (it can do a lot, including mouse control) it could end up being cheaper, depending on how much you value your time.
Volume knobs are pretty cool, but I have found for my personal use that just setting up an AHK script and utilizing hotkeys is faster and my hand is already in the right position to manipulate media controls without having to lift to search for a hardware knob. If I couldn't do this, then AltDrag also has a feature where a hotkey turns your mouse wheel into the volume knob, which is even more intuitive. I know people love their rotary encoders these days though.
Thank you for your input and feedback, I appreciate it.
@@hightech-lowlife Hey! Sorry I missed this reply when you posted it, you provided info on something I've been looking for for a while - that ability to use mouse wheel for volume. I had previously tried various hot-key and binding remapping software to do that to no avail, so cheers!
@@PinataOblongata No problem man! Yes AHK and AltDrag are vital to me, I will be making a video on both of these apps!
Ho Ho.. HTLO mentioned that in the video... I'd be very mucj interested to know more :)
@@tmbarral664 Thanks! I have both AHK and AltDrag videos coming at some point, I have so many projects going on at the same time right now 😂
Awesome MOD! My keyboard case is a wireless version of the anne pro 2, plenty of room there and the usb-c connection is already hanging out, just perfect for this mod.
Thank you!! Yes, if your case already has provisions for wireless setups it will be a lot easier because they make room for the battery 👍My latest video I'm making my own case for this reason of allowing more space and I'm adding two batteries! Good luck with your mod!
Good timing! I was just thinking about converting one of my favorite keyboards to wireless, you some new stuff to consider. Thanks.
Thank you so much!
You can fill the LED lights with some gluestick to diffuse the lights.
And also adding a small USB Hub would be great when you're plugged in and wanted to connect a flash drive to your pc.
It's a good idea! I also thought of doing some ambient diffusion by using some acrylic, I will try it. It would be cool to add a hub, but I don't think this module supports the use of a hub over bluetooth unfortunately. Unless you're talking about just a separate wired hub 👍I will be making more custom keyboard cases in the future and I will stuff in a hub.
Bluetooth doesn't have the bandwidth needed for flash drives
@@matyi1656 I know, that's why i said 'when plugged in.' And i meant plugged in on a PC
@@nehemz432 Yes this would be a cool addition to when you are wired you can have the optional hub! 👍
@@matyi1656 Yes this is probably the reason it is not supported, thank you for the insight 👍
This vid was awesome- really detailed and put together really well!
You need more subs…
Oh you can have one right here! 👍🏼
Thank you for the feedback and for the sub! I really appreciate it!
Amazing ! Thanks for all the valuable info.
Thank you so much for watching!
This was very nice of you to share this to your viewers.
Thanks so much man!
Wireless charging... I WANNA MAKE A KEYBOARD WITH WIRELESS CHARGING
It would be pretty easy to do 👍 You could also put a wireless charger in your desk right below your keyboard and it would always be fully charged.
How about solar, like a big calculator?
Hello how are you? excellent video and thank you very much for this great contribution, I wanted to ask you if you managed to find the 3P3T slider switch?
I am well, thank you so much. I have searched high and low for one suitable for this application and I still have not found one. There are some in larger packages and toggles, but for something this small they don't seem to make them - which is unfortunate because that's the best solution to not have to use relays. I did put a 3P3T toggle in my more recent "dual battery" build and it works great, if you have the room or can use a toggle that is one way to do it. 👍
@@hightech-lowlife I did see the dual battery video, but my keyboard is pretty small for that toggle switch. I'll have to use 2P2T.
@@yaendiaz165 Yes, unfortunately for 3 way switches, the options are limited for smaller sizes. If you can use the relays (1 or 2) you can get more switch options (pins) off of one slider 👍
@@hightech-lowlife I could glue 2 2P2T switches and bridge them with a jumper on the slider head. I have seen some quite slim models or it could also be put to the side.
Great video, everything you said was understandable and well explained, here is a sub!
Thanks so much man!
amazing tutorial. you tried many circuit scenario and provide us the best. thank you!
Thanks so much man, I tried to cover all the bases!
"There is no spoon" haha great neo.
"You are the one" !!! 🤖
@@hightech-lowlife lol
This was a great tutorial! However, with the battery you used, how long does the battery last considering the keyboard would not be optimized for being power saving?
Thank you!
It depends on a lot of factors, backlight LEDs being the biggest. For this particular keyboard and battery (3000mAh) On medium brightness about 27 hours on a charge, backlighting off 80+ hours on a charge. Again, this will vary greatly depending on how big your keyboard is, how big your battery is, what brightness or if you are using backlighting at all.
I have a lot more information on my site about batteries, run times, etc: hightech-lowlife.github.io/projects/004_wireless_keyboard/004_wireless_keyboard
Scroll down to the part about 'runtimes'.
Cheers
@@hightech-lowlife Thank you for the reply! The keyboard I had in mind was a 3-keyed macro keyboard that I could try and make wireless and mount to my arm to control music with while in VR.
@@ItsJust_Nick With 3000mAh, it would last a /very/ long time between charges.
@@hightech-lowlife Good to know thank you!
@@ItsJust_Nick You got it! Thanks
This was very pleasing to watch. Great video!
Thanks man! 🍻
what a skill! You could help so many people solve their tech problems!! Thank you...
Thanks man 👍
Hello, The official site does not send the adapter to Colombia, where can I buy it to be sent to Colombia?
Hello, can you confirm with their support team? According to their site they do ship international: "$9.95 to international addresses by USPS airmail." 👍
OK, I'm going to write to them. One question, if the battery runs out and I need to use the keyboard immediately, can I connect it via USB cable and use it, or should I wait for it to charge?
@@AngelSing-Zepol You have to look at my wiring diagrams shown in the video, I also explain in the video there is more than one way to wire it up. Either way it will work directly plugged in because the battery will be charging while you're using it if you'd like, you can also just have a direct wired connection if you want to wire it up that way. I show in the video wiring it either only wireless or both wired/wireless switched connections. 👍
@@hightech-lowlife yes, i saw your plans and they are great, but i have a question, when does the switch from wireless to usb happen? when you press the switch button? Or do I have to enter some command on the pc? the manufacturer talks about switching through the mode button or shortcuts, it is not very clear to me where you switch from BT to USB and vice versa. As I understand the mode button or shortcuts is the button that comes with the adapter, right? if so, you should extend it with cables and another button so you can press it whenever you want without opening the keyboard, right? or control everything from the same power switch button? like a double switch or something, I'm a bit confused at this point.
@@AngelSing-Zepol At the end of the video I explain the two different ways I recommend to wire it up and the pros and cons of both.
One is to use the BT module hotkey to do the wired/wireless switching. This is a lot easier to wire in, very simple wiring. _[The only drawback with this method is that the connection to the computer is not native, so your computer sees your keyboard through the BT module "bridge" which is fine for most things, but if you want to do something like flash firmware to your board, you won't be able to because the computer is not seeing your actual keyboard, merely a bridge to it. ]_
The second method I am using my charge circuit flashlight LED switch (double tap the power button) to trigger a set of relays that swap both power and data pins from the BT module to the USB cable. This will allow you to achieve a native USB connection to your computer because the wires from the USB port are directly connected, the BT module is no longer in the circuit at all. The relays are essentially "unplugging" the BT module and then "plugging in" the keyboard port.
I hope that makes sense for you.
You can wire this up many *many* ways though, I'm just showing you a few. If you're ok with adding another physical switch to your keyboard, then just add it to toggle between the BT and wired modes, that's all my relays are doing - I'm just using them because I can control everything off of one physical button.
If you watch my videos on my custom dual battery keyboard I wire it up using a physical switch to toggle between bluetooth and wired modes. 👍
fun fact: you can buy a good wireless keyboard and it will cost less than the total cost of this project!
Funner fact, you can go outside and not use a computer at all and it will be 100% less cost than your idea.
Some people have just a wired keyboard and buying the usb adapter and power bank is wayyy cheaper to do this project
Awesome and useful video, good sense of humour and extra bonus points for using my favourite Matrix reference. :-)
Thanks so much for watching and for the feedback!
I was looking at doing something like this with an old apple iiGS alps board. There's a bit of room in the head of the board, and I think some under the plate (I don't have the board in front of me), I'm pretty humbled to know I was kind of on the right track with my thought process. :) When I get the board, I'll post some shots.
Thanks for the video and I love your thinkpad! Instant subscribe.
Also, was than an old panasonic toughbook in the back? Nostalgia wave. :)
Thank you! Yeah that would be a cool build for sure, please send links to pics after you're done as I'm curious as to how you'll package it inside the case 👍
It's actually a Dell XFR! I have a video in the queue for that build, it's the coolest (looking) laptop ever made (IMHO)! Thanks for the comment, views and sub!!!
Such a nice build! I really like it.
Thank you!
frll this is an underated channel I really love the final result and I will prrobably try a similar thing on a tartarus v2
Thanks so much man, I really appreciate that! You should totally try it out!
Really very interesting! Very clean work!
Thank you, I appreciate it!
Man I love your stuff. Thanks a million
Thank you so much, I appreciate it!
This guy is so knowledgeable It is awsome to see him work out all his ideas.
Thanks man!
This is perfect! I will use this knowledge to convert to wireless a Logitech G910 keyboard. I really hope I can manage this
Thank you so much! I know you can do it!!! 👍👍👍
This was a very cool video! I enjoyed watching it !!
Thank you so much, I appreciate the feedback!
I'm about to watch this. I hope it works out. I have had some ideas, but couldn't find any guides. I stumbled across your video by accident.
I was also looking for a bluetooth module like the one you use. I'm going to attempt to solder a usb adapter in series with a cable and a usbc female port. Wish me luck!
Good luck man!
kudo homie, lots of work put into this and it's beautiful
Thanks so much man! 🍻
I can't say anything but awesome, it's really an inspiring video and I like watching it.
Thanks so much, I appreciate the feedback!
Looks so clean bro! Awesome!!!!
Thanks man!!
I have evo fox Katana pro mechanical keyboard. I will trt this for sure. Need to watch this video couple more times though. Awesome stuff
Go for it! Thanks man 🍻
Hell yeah, man. Thanks for uploading this Vid
🤘🤘
This video is amazing 👏 thank you!
Thanks so much for watching!
Thank you man, i^ve been looking this for years ❤
💯🍻🚀
This is epic. Great work!
Thanks so much! 🍻
Nice, will try to do that with my old Logitech keyboard. You have new subscriber man.
Awesome, good luck man! And thank you!!
awesome tutorial. I'm gathering information to build my first custom keyboard, a dactyl manuform, and I wanted it to be like to separate keyboards connected via BlueTooth so that there wouldn't be any wires laying around. do you think that is possible? also, how many mAh do you believe each battery should have considering that it will all be self-assembled and hand wired? any other suggestion is very welcome
Thank you! If you don't want a link wire between them, you might be able to use two BT modules, one in each side. As for mAh, I would try to fit as large of a battery as possible, you can never have too much run time 👍Good luck!
Great tutorial! Do you have links to any recommended charge circuits and batteries?
Thanks Thomas, please check out my blog site as I have more details and links there; hightech-lowlife.github.io/projects/004_wireless_keyboard/004_wireless_keyboard just scroll down to the "battery" section.
Great video!! Amazing result! Does the HandHeld Scientific Bluetooth adapter works with a Wacom drawing tablet?
Thanks man! That I'm not sure of, you may want to check with the manufacturer though, I'm sure at least one of their customers has tested it and they will know if it's possible or not 👍 They have great support, just send them an email.
That Decal on your Laptop is futuristic, Amazing
Thanks man! I have a few laptop painting videos on my channel if you're interested in how I did it 👍 My next video will be my latest painted one 🍻
Really solid work. But this got me thinking about, what if I just take the circuitry of an existing bluetooth keyboard and swap that module over to a wired keyboard, since all the compact minimization is already done for you. Would certainly save a bunch of time too. Do you think that's feasible?
Thank you!
Yes, 100%! This guy did it with good results: www.ivanyu.ca/blog/2014/2/2/wireless-das-keyboard-modification
It's a bit more involved, but certainly possible!
excellent video, can ask what that "black hot glue" is? Is it just black as the only difference, or is really like potting compound glue/silastic or something ?
Thanks man! It's just regular hot glue, only black in color 👍
Nice matrix reference. Made me happy with that.
Wake up, Neo 🤖
Thank you! I was just wondering what could I do with the old Razer kb that my cousin has given to me and here's the solution
Go for it! Thanks man 🍻
this is so cool bro, gonna do it after I got my second mechanical keyboard, simply because I can't afford it if I lose the one that I use now.
Thanks man! Yes, always have a backup, a lot of people only have one keyboard and if it fails then you can't use your computer well 👍
i love that u incorporated the usb c i was hesitant with that charger
Thank you!
I really apreciate this content
Im all about wireless peripherals! Do you think this would be possible on the Razer Tartarus keypad?
Thank you!
I suppose it's possible, I'm not sure how it would handle the analog stick? It does have mouse support so if they implemented it that way then I'm confident it would work as intended. I would reach out to handheldsci as there may have been one of their customers that have already tried this device and could confirm or not 👍
hi do you think it's work with midi controllers like Novation Launchpad or AKAI MPK MINI?
Most likely it will, but I would check with support from handheld scientific, they would know way more than me because they have a lot of customers that have tried their BT module on many different devices. Reach out to them via email 👍
Hi,
great Job !
I have an Everest max keyboard that is powered by type c cable, is there any ready dongle for that to make it wireless.
Thanks man! To make that keyboard wireless you'd have to go through these steps as shown in the video. If you don't want to hack up the keyboard, you can just use the parts separate outside the keyboard case as I showed in the very beginning of the video 👍
Great video!!. Can you tell me if a keyboard that has RGB software like synapse would be recognized?
I believe it would, but I don't know if you can change the colors via BT, but may be possible. I haven't had anyone try it to verify.
Génial !!! Good job !
Une question: on peut utiliser le tuto de votre montage sans problème, il fonctionne ? (sauf que l'on ne pourra pas mettre à jour le firmware du clavier si j'ai bien compris)
Thank you! Yes, I actually show two different ways to do it, one uses the hotkey bridge (easier to wire) but you cannot update keyboard firmware (if your keyboard even supports that), and then also hardware switched so that it operates with native USB which you can update firmware 👍
Any estimates on bettery life with and without the leds being on?
Great video
Yes, I have detailed tests of amp draw at different brightness levels and for different size keyboards on my blog site: hightech-lowlife.github.io/projects/004_wireless_keyboard/004_wireless_keyboard you should be able to calculate run times based on your keyboard size, brightness, etc.
Fantastic video, thank you.
Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
My keyboard has a USB in port on it, would making the keyboard wireless still allow me to use that usb port?
I've been watching your videos all night and they're all brilliant. I can't wait to see more uploads.
Yes, there are many ways you can wire it up, the way I have it set up you use the same port for charging + direct wired 👍 Thank you so much, I have a ton more projects in the queue!
Great tutorial..! But wondering if I can plug the bluetooth adapter to a phone charger and plug that.. instead of using a powerbank..?
100% as long as you can get the adapter 5V it will work 👍
amazing stuff!! i have a question, if i do this to razer keyboard, will it still recognize it in the synapse?
Thanks, I'm not sure as I don't have a keyboard that uses software for programming. If you try it out leave a comment and let everyone know. 👍
So if you don't want to modify your keyboard, you can just plug and play? And will a splitter work if you want to connect your mouse as well or other USB devices?
1. Yes, you can just plug things in with wires and it will work (as shown as the 'joke' at the beginning of the video).
2. Yes, and no, it depends.
According to the instructions (which you can read yourself here: handheldsci.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Manual_Full_v5.2.10.pdf):
"The firmware has the support for a USB hub with up to two devices attached. It should work with either a built-in hub in a keyboard or an external hub. Keyboards with a built-in hub are supported provided there is no other devices connected to the hub.
The following two setups are not officially supported, since there are too many combinations of those and we can’t test them all. But there is a good chance they will work:
o A keyboard with a built-in hub and with one additional keyboard or mouse
connected to the hub
o An external hub with one or two devices (keyboard or mouse) connected.
Currently the Adapter works only with keyboards and mice but not any other types of USB devices such as serial port adapters, game controllers and touch panels"
Good afternoon, very good video. I want to do this with an apple keyboard A1016. It is a wireless keyboard powered by 4 AA batteries but the protocol is old and the connection is unstable or sometimes fails and you have to configure it again. Would it be possible by following this tutorial? Or since it is a wireless keyboard, would it be done differently? Thank you. Best regards.
It should be possible, you'll have to find where it's going from the keyboard to the old wireless module and intercept it there. 👍
hi you did a great job sir thank you and I hope the best for you
Thanks so much, I wish you the best also 🍻👍
How can i do this on a keyboard without an internal connector/internal micro usb? They are hidden in the planck ez ortholinear keyboard and I am having trouble finding a spot where they disconnect, there are also no visible wires. Is it possible?
For keyboards where the connector is soldered directly to the PCB, you'll have to intercept at the connector as I did on my 60% build: ua-cam.com/video/2Df7Dh3-3o0/v-deo.html
Type-C will be harder because the pads are even smaller. It is possible, but it will be difficult. These types of keyboards will require more engineering and thinking about how you want to tackle the intercept. Another problem is the "mount" for the connector is part of the connection itself. I suppose if you don't want to try and intercept there, it may be possible to clip/cut the traces on the PCB to create the separation, or follow the traces down to the next component as it may be a lot easier to intercept there, this way you don't have to give up the mount.
There are a lot of solutions really, it just depends on how you want to go about it.
Wondering if it is possible to use this dongle for multiple hosts. Or at least have ability to switch between hosts.
I don't believe it supports multiple hosts, but you can check their documentation here: handheldsci.com/kb/ their support is very good as well, so if you had specific questions you can reach out to them regarding functionality. 👍
Hi, thank you for your video. I am thinking of doing the same but doesn't have the knowledge required. Your video help me a lot. Since I am a programmer and I use KB a lot. I wonder if anyone has any information about the capacity of the battery and how long it will last, say, if I use it 10 hours a day?
Thank you!
It really depends on your board and if you have/want backlighting, and also how big of a battery you can fit in your build. The keyboard will run a long time if you are not using backlighting, I have a breakdown of different keyboard sizes and backlighting settings for amp draw to determine how long it will last you: hightech-lowlife.github.io/projects/004_wireless_keyboard/004_wireless_keyboard
For this board it will go about 60-70 hours per charge if you don't use the backlighting.
How do I get that Terminator? It's awesome!
Going to try this with my black Microsoft Natural Elite.
Thank you for watching! I found it on eBay for pretty cheap! It's just a knockoff and I did do some weathering / wash and I made it look a lot better / more realistic 🤘
That's awesome! I hope it all works out as expected 🤖
would this work with the keyboard makers software so you could change the rgb etc and key rollover settings eg
I'm not sure it will I don't have a keyboard that has software like that to test it out, otherwise I would. You can email Handheld Scientific support (their support is great) and ask them if any of their users have done that and if it works. Thanks!
What about gaming keyboards? Most have some software that is needed such as macros and LEDs. Would this solution work with those as well?
I don't have a gaming/software keyboard to try this on, but I suppose it would work. If it's purely software and doesn't do anything to the keyboard firmware then it will work just fine, most likely it is pushing things to the firmware, which I have established that if writes are being made to the firmware then a native wired connection must be made, at least for when it is writing. Most likely if the software is doing this, it's only at the time of applying the changes, then you could disconnect and go wireless again. This is all speculation as I don't have a way to test whether or not it would work, or if it did, to what extent and what the caveats are.
you just nailed it bro
Thanks man!
Thanks, I needed this video because I want to build a keyboard from 0 and use an arduino or something similar is to complicated
Thank you!! Yes, it can be done with an Arduino, but the BT-500 module is so much easier and simpler to set up.
Think this will work for a K95 RGB Pro? I love this keyboard but would love it even more if it was wireless but apparently Corsair won't bother.
100% If it's USB it will work 👍
So about the 8th option circuit, I observe the wiring and pretty confuse. does that mean the wired connection port and the port to charge the battery were independent ? Like if I want to use the keyboard wired while charging it, there will be 2 cables connected to the keyboard ?
Both "completed" circuits I show in the infographic (7, and 8) allow you to charge the battery in wired or wireless mode, so you will be able to charge the battery whether you're using it wired or wirelessly. Remember there is only one USB port that goes to your computer (or charger) so you will only have one cable connected when charging regardless 👍
The main difference is that in (7) you're using the BT module as the "wired" bridge to communicate to the computer with a wire (USB cable), the only drawbacks to doing it this way is that it's not a "native" wired connection, so if you want to do something like flash your keyboards firmware with it, it will not recognize the keyboard because to your computer all it sees is the BT bridge. (7) is the easiest and simplest way to wire this up, so unless you have a use for a native wired connection, I would go that route.
(8) essentially uses a relay to "unplug" and "replug" the cable connections internally, the same as you would if you were unplugging from the BT module then plugging directly into your computer, only it's done off a button and only the wires are swapped internally. This allows you to have a direct wired connection to your computer without going through any bridges, so your computer will recognize the keyboard as a keyboard.
What is the mini devices you used in the easy tutorial? I was looking for something simple like this haha
Same exact devices as explained in the rest of the video 👍
Will this still allow software control of the keyboard. For example if I followed this tutorial for a corsair keyboard, can I still control the rgb etc?
It may be possible, but also may not. I have not tried it personally so I'm not sure. It depends on how the software is affecting the keyboard, whether it's flashed/loaded onto the board, or if it's simply interpreting USB commands or making a translation on the computer side.