ASUS N73 backlit keyboard mod

Hi,

WARNING: this mod is not fot the faint hearted and for those with no soldering/electronic expirience.

well, it´s nothing new, but the first for this laptop.
Inspired by other brave users, I´ve decided to do the same.

I´ve ordered the N71 (N71 is just on of the laptops using this keyboard, so it´s the same for quite a few N and G models)

Since there is no connector for the backliting in the notebook, thus no power/switch for the +5V needed for the light, I have to improvise.
At this moment, I´m only testing it and waiting for a friend to make me a switch circuit. Best option would be to have touch sensor and a 3 stage rezistive grid. Sensof would be connected to the speaker grill. Tapping on it would switch the state.
First tap - on, lowest light
Second tap - on, medium light
Third tap - on, high light
Fourth tap - off

So what did i do so far:
1.
I made a USB plug with 2 cables - ground and +5V for testing.

The backliting is going to be powered from the USB 3 port, but from some pin inside the laptop. I din´t search for it yet.

2.
I´ve cut a telephone wire in half and took out 2 wires (they are very thin and ideal for this purpose). Then I´ve soldered them VERY CAREFULY to the keyboard backlit connector.
You have to be extremly cautious not solder them together. If they touch, you have short circuit and you can destroy something! So make sure they don´t touch.


3.
Cover the connection with a tape


At this point, this is basically all I have.


Proof that it works


And with it connected to the laptop, powered from the USB cable on the first photo:
(I know, I know, it´s just for testing )



And in the dark:


I will update this thread, everytime I make something new to it.

Hope this will be useful to somebody

Cheers
D.K.

 

Est-ce que t'as vu ceci?

 

I know and read that thread, but this is going to be different my friend
because:
-multi touch capability
-different point of touching
-different laptop

I´m not an ignorant idiot, I´ve read all of the mods here at the forum.
I feel a bit offended to be honest by your previous post, you could at least write it in english...
You could at least read my whole mod first.

 

Wow that is really awesome!! Very nice work, +rep.

How are you gonna hide the USB wire thing sticking out?

 

That´s going away, this is not a solution. I just wanted to see if it works with the USB power. Now I´ll have to figure out the multi touch switch mechanism. Just bare with me
Or if I´m bored,I´l just hard wire it

 

Sweet, finally a plan to adjust the brightness. Looking good deekaysk

Quick question, have you found the backlit keyboard to be of higher quality than the original one? Many of the guys in one of the other forums kept saying that, and I was just wondering if you've also found that to be the case.

 

Any updates on this?

 

Thanks for documenting and sharing with us. Looking forward to following your progress to the finishing touches!