[simpits-tech] Keyboard encoders

[James Hallows]

Sounds good and I hope so as being a programmer, Phidgets suits me very 
well. Looking forward to getting hold of some of the units to play around 
with.

However as the original post was really about x no. of switches and how to 
get them to generate keyboard "keys" then for the money, ease of connection 
and programmability, you can't really beat X-keys USB Keyboard Matrix 
Control Board (XFPB-25-US) at $ 59.95 or the Hagstrom units. Now the X-Keys 
will allow 128 "switches" with 2 layer programming on each, and goes 
through a single USB connector. You'd need 4 Phidget Interface Kits 0/32/32 
to have that number of switches and you're into over $400 for that, and it 
won't generate a single scancode. Even if it could you'd need to have some 
software running all the time scanning the hardware, but that's not the 
case with the X-Keys that once programmed stays programmed. On the flip 
side of course you can use the Phidgets to turn on circuits if my 
understanding is correct.

Anyway still researching ;)

Thankfully my Cougar will do most of the hard programming work so I too 
only need something relatively simple.

Cheers

James





>I'll hopefully solve the software problem ( for the keyboard )  by the end
>of the month with the help of my friend.
>and a bit later on for the rest
>
>
>
>              James Hallows
>              <nutty@flyfoxy.co
>              m>                                                         To
>              Sent by:                  simpits-tech@simpits.org
>              simpits-tech-admi                                          cc
>              n@simpits.org
>                                                                    Subject
>                                        Re: [simpits-tech] Keyboard
>              05/22/2003 07:00          encoders
>              PM
>
>
>              Please respond to
>              simpits-tech@simp
>                   its.org
>
>
>
>
>
>
>At 11:11 22/05/03 +0100, you wrote:
> >On Thu, 22 May 2003, James Hallows wrote:
> >
> > > >Why not go with phidgets ?
> > >
> > >
> > > Are Phidgets capable of outputting keyboard scan codes?
> > >
> >
> >Nope. Phidgets rock, they are very very cool - but they are aimed at the
> >programmer, they're not a "plug-in and go" solution.
>
>
>
>That's my take on them as well. I'm currently researching my options for my
>
>pit, and I've broken my needs down into:
>
>a) Something that will generate keyboard scan codes and appropriate control
>
>of that
>b) Something to turn on or off lights
>c) Digital displays
>d) Instruments
>e) Possibly small monitors for MFDs.
>
>In terms of (a) suitable devices that will give me appropriate control over
>
>scan codes, without reinventing the wheel, I believe I'm down to EPIC,
>X-Keys and Hagstrom. Phidgets don't do this and developing software
>especially for USB devices that will feed into the keyboard buffer so that
>it can be used with all sims in all OS isn't that easy.
>
>Still doing my homework ;)
>
>Cheers
>
>James
>
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