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CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?
Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 8:23 pm
by OperationDinnerOut
It appears that the CF-51 shares its keyboard with the CF-29, which of course begs the question - Will an emissive backlit keyboard from a CF-29 function in a CF-51? By "function", I mean working keyboard input and a working backlight itself.
I'm specifically looking for this capability with regards to the CF-51 Mk3 (Core Duo version).
Does anyone know if this will work?
Re: CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?
Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 8:46 pm
by tomcat57
There is No third cable power connector
I have been too lazy ,but I was going to mod a source of 5vdc on my cf-74 and install a backlite keyboard
It would be full brightness as they don't have a control board
Alex
Re: CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?
Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 9:22 am
by Rob
Alex is 100% correct. You cannot put a backlit anything into 50,51,52, 72, 73, & 74 because it doesn't have the 3'rd connector
Re: CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?
Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 1:10 am
by OperationDinnerOut
That equals sadness. Oh, well. Expect some crazier ideas from me in the near future...
Re: CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?
Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 2:24 am
by tomcat57
Modding is not easy
As I said it can be done given time and some skill , if you find a switched source of 5vdc and solder 2 leads from the backlite keyboard and hook up
Alex
Re: CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?
Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 4:15 am
by Springfield
Rob wrote:Alex is 100% correct. You cannot put a backlit anything into 50,51,52, 72, 73, & 74 because it doesn't have the 3'rd connector
I would think the *rubber* backlit keyboard from a 27 or 28 would work, since it only has 2 ribbon cables. Prolly can't control the brightness tho, and I hate typing on the stiff rubber keys. But don't see why the backlight wouldn't work.
Re: CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?
Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 5:49 am
by tomcat57
I tried the two conductor rubber keyboard in a cf-72 and no backlite , so I am thinking the cf51 will be the same
Alex
Re: CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?
Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 6:21 pm
by Springfield
tomcat57 wrote:no backlite
D'oh! 
That's what I get for thinkin' ... (says one Homer to another)
Re: CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?
Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 7:28 pm
by teo
Hey, Guys! the cf-50 and cf-51 toughbook keyboard has only one ribbon cable not two or three. Its like the cf-cf-18, cf-W series and etc.
teo
Re: CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?
Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 7:50 pm
by tomcat57
Thanks for the info Teo
So not only no backlite ,no keyboard function as well
Well I am not giving up easy here
How about
Installing the keyboard ,modding the backklite to work and using and external CF-VKBL01 keyboard that is concidered useless for anything else
Unless anyone here has any better ideas
Alex