Lighting a UL30VT keyboard...

Is there anyway to have a UL30vt with a backlit keyboard?

 

It should be possible, but I'm sure it's not a trivial installation. A gentleman on this forum replaced the keyboard of the UL80Vt with a backlit part of the same size, but it required actual modification to the electronics (solder/glue a wire to the mainboard or something) which requires a high level of experience.

Of course, you have to find a part that can fit, the UL30s!

}:^)~

 

@ Capt'n Corrupt,

Yeah, I've been lurking around the Asus forum for a bit. The UL30VT is perfect in so many ways - I just wish it had a backlit keyboard. I'm wondering if Asus makes a backlit keyboard that fits the UL30.

 

I highly doubt they do. There are alternatives though, like portable usb led lights. Here's one for example.

 

I always thought it would be neat to take a different approach to a 'backlit' keyboard, with a 'frontlit' keyboard. Here's how it works:

1) The characters on each key are white.
2) You have a darklight LED or LEDs shining down on the kyboard.

The cool thing about this is that it should be low power, and would give a very cool (and bright) key glow effect. The hard part is mounting the LEDs so that they're inconspicuous.

Manufacturers could mount them cleverly in the screen bezel and have them angled to shine down at the keyboard. This would be a neat gimmick.

}:^)~

 

Lenovo thinkpads and HP's elitebooks have this already. Though they are not black/darklights, it still works fairly well in a dark environment.

 

The pictures I saw of the UL30vt seem to have the same keyboard as the U80/U81a. If this is the case the U80 backlit keyboard should fit. It then becomes a matter UL80vt did this by looping power back from one of the USB ports by taking a socket and hacking it so he could loop the power wires back inside the case. The using the glue attached the power wires to the power in for the lights of the keyboard.

With my U81a I soldered power wires. You have to be careful though as I found out the hard way the keyboard cable melts easily. If a brave soul pulls the keyboard off and takes some pic's maybe we can file an easy power tap. Then again like the UL80vt maybe there isn't one.

 

@ TANWare,

The U80 and UL30VT keyboards do look similar, but I'm not sure they are the same size. I'm waiting for Amazon to restock - depending on how the UL30VT feels without a backlit keyboard, I might have to attempt putting one in myself.

 

I know looking at the rear TABS they are in the same location and the layout is exactly the same, it just looks too similar. I know the UL20's tabs are a bit different so that alone is an issue there.

Edit; It could be also the reason we see only black for now, ready access to keyboards from the UL80vt and U80/U81 series..........