It was a hardware hack I did a few years ago, to control my music in my car (before I fixed my iPod) A $4 used USB basic media keyboard, a Multimeter, and a few swtiches and some basic soldering knowledge is all that is required. (fancy box is optional) I took apart the USB Media keyboard, seperating the media buttons from the rest of the keyboard matrix, but kept the keyboard controller intact (The system will see it as a keyboard) Follow the pinouts for the buttons on the PCB for the media buttons to the Keyboard controller, and record them in a notebook. (used later) Next, seperate the PCB containing the media buttons from the ribbon connecting to the controller. connect the severed controller to the PC\mac through the connected USB cable. Test your pinout that you recorded, by tapping the 2 wires that you recorded together, and see if your PC reacts. if it does, you can then add the switches to the layout, in whatever prettyness of a box you want. Solder the 2 wires together to a momentary switch, and test again, doing this for each of the media buttons that you would like, and when done, place in a nifty box, if so desired (I hacked up an old DVD player remote to use for this, you might try an old MP3 player or anything really, just as long as you like it (even and old mouse or something) Mac OSX may not recognize every one of your buttons on your media keyboard, and that's where i've found USBOverdrive to be helpful. It just allows you to use a generic keyboard to have access to other keys that aren't found on a normal Mac keyboard. There is an alternitive to a cheap media keyboard, and that's using relays and a basic keyboard, which requires more skill, but no extra software. That would be: tracing the matrix of any keyboard for the keys that you want, plotting them out on your notebook, then wiring up the key combos to an electrical relay, where when you press one button, the keyboard is actually pressing the key combo (which you can then set in keyboard prefrences) Both of these methods are nearly guarenteed to work, just don't do it using your good keyboard, get one at a garagesale or resale shop (where i usually go to get used stuff.)
On Tue, Dec 15, 2009 at 3:14 PM, Reavok <[email protected]> wrote: > Christian, please, elaborate? How did you make this? What is it made with? > Etc.? I run a 700mgz iMac G3, maxed out with ram and a 120gb hd just as a > jukebox also, and would love a tool like this. I know I can do this via > iPhone these days, but something dedicated for when I put units together as > gifts would be very useful. > > Run > > Christian Wacker <[email protected]> Dec 14 10:49PM -0600 > > > That 266 has only one or two uses left. > My 266 tray loader became a Christmas Present to a friend, and it was > loaded up with their whole music collection. (it's got some software > and a special remote I made, so it's basically a nifty little juke > box) > And, I use my 350mhz iMac as the same, loaded my whole media library > on it, and enjoy it when I fall asleep some nights, (then I let it > fall asleep a few minutes later.) > > > -- > You received this message because you are a member of the iMac Group, a > group for those using Apple iMacs and eMacs. > The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/imac/list.shtml and our netiquette > guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > To leave this group, send email to [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/imaclist > -- You received this message because you are a member of the iMac Group, a group for those using Apple iMacs and eMacs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/imac/list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To leave this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/imaclist
