My wireless! Filco Majestouch-2 Tenkeyless...

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martinmeijerink

16 Jul 2011, 00:19

Last week my Filco Majestouch-2 Tenkeyless (with Cherry MX Blues) arrived, and I was really happy about it...
There was only one minor thing about it: The cable!
So I decided to turn my new keyboard into a wireless one.
First I examined if my favourite Wireless Keyboard Controller board (Logitech Wii) would fit, and which batteries I would need, then I started my mod.
It's really simple, and not very much work (although it seems a lot of work).

This is what you need:
- Filco Majestouch-2 Tenkeyless keyboard.
- Logitech keyboard for Wii.
This keyboard contains a really ideal wireless keyboard controller:
2.4 GHz (very responsive, no latency like the old 27Mhz ones)
very small (so it will fit in almost any keyboard)
also tenkeyful-support
low power consumption (my previously modded keyboard's AAA batteries still last after 636 days of intensive usage)
easily solderable
cheap (I bought some for only EUR 8,50 (=12 bucks))
- Duracell 9V battery (contains 6 AAAA cells, we only need 2 of them)
Due to the keyboard's compactness there's not much space left, AAA batteries won't fit, that's why I chose AAAA batteries.
With its 500 mAh I think these batteries will last for at least one year or so.
- Some small wires
- Rosin core solder

Tools required:
- Soldering iron
- Desoldering pump

This is how I did it:

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1. Removed old matrix (desoldering pump required).

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2. Added new matrix

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3. Opened 9V battery

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(contains 6 concatenated AAAA cells, which is ideal for soldering)

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4. Watch the polarity. It's different than it seems. The flat end is positive, the tip is negative!

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5. Added wireless controllerboard & batteries.

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6. Finished!

(shamelessly cross-posted from geekhack...)

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webwit
Wild Duck

16 Jul 2011, 00:25

Great first post, welkom op deskthority!

Nice wiring. Is the new controller NKRO and problem free?

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martinmeijerink

16 Jul 2011, 00:40

ok thanx... 6 key rollover (sometimes less than 6)... but 100% problem-free at normal usage...

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lal

16 Jul 2011, 00:47

Wow, that's really cool. Unfortunately I lack the soldering skills and/or time to practice to do this. Question that immediately comes to mind: does typing feel the same with the switches held only by the metal plate and no PCB?

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martinmeijerink

16 Jul 2011, 07:12

Typing feels the same, but if you watch accurately, you can see that the keys are a little wobblier.
And if you want to pull out a keycap, you're probably pulling out the switch too...

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CeeSA

17 Jul 2011, 12:08

great work. much todo and well made. beautifully illustrated.

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