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#3071520 - 08/11/10 05:44 PM USB power hack  
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 630
Ltfransky Offline
Sith Lord
Ltfransky  Offline
Sith Lord
Member

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 630
Peterborough, ON, Canada
Would it be possible to add (hack) a female USB connection into a USB keyboard and then pull power from the keyboard USB connection in order to run an LED headset?

Let me explain, my current kb doesn't have extra USB ports. I'd like to add one (purely for power) so that I can plug in my Freetrack system head set. Would that work, or would it cause a sag in the keyboard voltage?


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#3071531 - 08/11/10 06:01 PM Re: USB power hack [Re: Ltfransky]  
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 3,812
JAMF Offline
Frugalite & P-38 fan
JAMF  Offline
Frugalite & P-38 fan
Senior Member

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 3,812
The Netherlands
Should be possible. A keyboard doesn't take much power, but just check if the 3 IR LEDs will not use all of the available 0,5Watt power. (5V, 100mA)

#3071536 - 08/11/10 06:08 PM Re: USB power hack [Re: JAMF]  
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 792
PropNut Offline
Member
PropNut  Offline
Member

Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 792
Greenville, Michigan
Adding LEDs to a keyboard is a common mod, I do not see why it would not work. As JAMF mentioned, the keyboard itself uses very little power. I had a Deck Illiuminated keyboard (one LED per key) and it was powered by only one USB port (both the keyboard and all of the LEDs). Just make sure that you add a USB plug using only the power lines and not the data lines, I do not know if your keyboard would function if you accidently plugged in a data device (rather than just your headset).

I also use a USB headset for my Freetrack system but I purchased a cheap USB hub to plug both my headset and keyboard into. Unless it is the challenge you want (of modding your keyboard) a hub would be a simple and cheap solution.

Try searching Geekhack.com or Overclock.net for mods.

David


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http://hornetpits.org/index.php?topic=15.0

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