• Steel
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  • From: Austin, Texas
  • Registered: 2007-03-29
  • Posts: 6

Topic: Is it possible to use a USB keyboard?

If hardware allows and with the right software could you possibly use a USB keyboard? There are two USB ports in Chumby, so it should be possible. Am I right or wrong? I don't own a prototype so I could be wrong.

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  • Duane
  • Duane
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  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2006-08-24
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Re: Is it possible to use a USB keyboard?

I believe the current firmware includes USB keyboard drivers.  At the moment, the keyboard is not supported by the Flash player - you'd need to write your own code to use it.

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  • Steel
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  • From: Austin, Texas
  • Registered: 2007-03-29
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Re: Is it possible to use a USB keyboard?

Duane wrote:

I believe the current firmware includes USB keyboard drivers.  At the moment, the keyboard is not supported by the Flash player - you'd need to write your own code to use it.

This device is awesome! YAH smile

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  • Andy
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  • Registered: 2007-04-09
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Re: Is it possible to use a USB keyboard?

also i am sure this has been asked before but would it be possible to just run an on screen touch screen keyboard. i dont on a chumby (YET!!!) so i am not to familiar with its total capabilities yet but i know there are phones of the same size rez that has it. and it would look much better to be able to some how pull up a mini keyboard on screen when needed than to have a keyboard, big and clunky, always around the cute chumby

  • Duane
  • Duane
  • Blue Octy
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  • From: San Diego, CA
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Re: Is it possible to use a USB keyboard?

There's at least one widget out there (ChumbyChat) that has a soft keyboard written in Flash.

The big issue is that chumby does not come with a stylus and widgets are generally designed not to need one.  In the cases where some input is needed, for instance with Wifi configuration, it puts up special-purpose "keyboards" to allow input of the appropriate characters.

As an example, if you have to enter an IP address, it puts up a keyboard that only has the digits 0-9, the '.' and backspace, and the data is validated as you type it - that makes it impossible to enter an invalid address.

Most of the configuration of a chumby's widgets happens on the website, and the chumby acts as a player for those configurations - in general, input that's complicated enough to require a keyboard is discouraged.

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