CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?

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OperationDinnerOut
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CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?

#1 Post 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?
- Andy -
Panasonic Toughbook CF-18 Mk2 - Fully-rugged, Win7
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Panasonic Toughbook CF-28 Mk3 - Rubber backlit keyboard, WinXP/Debian

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tomcat57
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Re: CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?

#2 Post 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
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Rob
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Re: CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?

#3 Post 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 :(
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OperationDinnerOut
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Re: CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?

#4 Post by OperationDinnerOut »

That equals sadness. Oh, well. Expect some crazier ideas from me in the near future...
- Andy -
Panasonic Toughbook CF-18 Mk2 - Fully-rugged, Win7
HP EliteBook 2530p - 1.86GHz C2D, 4GB RAM, Win7
Panasonic Toughbook CF-28 Mk3 - Rubber backlit keyboard, WinXP/Debian

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tomcat57
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Re: CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?

#5 Post 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



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Springfield
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Re: CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?

#6 Post 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.
ToughBooks: CF-74 73 53 52 51 31 30 29 28 27 25 19 18 08 07 C1 C2 F9 H1 M32 M33 M34 R2 S10 T8 T5 T4 T2 U1 W2 Y2 VDW07 PDRC ...
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tomcat57
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Re: CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?

#7 Post 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

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Springfield
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Re: CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?

#8 Post by Springfield »

tomcat57 wrote:no backlite
D'oh! :pat:


That's what I get for thinkin' ... (says one Homer to another)
ToughBooks: CF-74 73 53 52 51 31 30 29 28 27 25 19 18 08 07 C1 C2 F9 H1 M32 M33 M34 R2 S10 T8 T5 T4 T2 U1 W2 Y2 VDW07 PDRC ...
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teo
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Re: CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?

#9 Post 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.


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tomcat57
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Re: CF-51: Will it accept a backlit keyboard?

#10 Post by tomcat57 »

Thanks for the info Teo

So not only no backlite ,no keyboard function as well :wtf:

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 :damnit:




Unless anyone here has any better ideas



Alex
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