U80 Backlit keyboard in UL 80VT

*edit* My laptop witha backlit keyboard is for sale! check out http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=5510419 !



This thread is for those who want to put a backlit keyboard in their UL80vt.

I just did this, but not in the most graceful of ways ( I have a USB port permanently in use, but thats fine with me) but its also the best way IMO.


Total time was ~90 minutes. Most of that involved threading the wires from the USB port back under the keyboard. *that was fun*


I hooked off of the USB port next to the HDMI output since I know USB to be 5v+

After that, just ran the 2 cables to the power of the keyboard and voila!

The thingy doesnt stick out of the USB port at all. Its totally flush.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD8HNiNo_x4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddkFe6IprYk

Also, havent verified this, but I believe I can turn off the power to this by telling windows to disable that particular USB device *maybe*

Either way, I like it on all the time.

 

Good luck there buddy!! Let me know how everything goes!

 

This is interesting. Please update us on your progress. If this works I can finally turn away from the U80V. Thanks.

 

So at least know we know the ULxx-VT's don't have a backlit keyboard as there was do design provision for one.........

 

I finished it, posting video soon

All without any soldering / splicing also

 

wow really? i'd really like to see that video now! haha

 

First post updated

 

Ok, so you just taped the connections? I wouldn't be so daring as a lose conection could easily slide out of place and there goes a short killing your laptop. I have the U81-a and soldered mine then insulated with tape......

Just a heads up, if soldering to the keyboard cable do not try and tin it first. it is way to delicate. Tin the two wires liberally then heat the tined wire pressed against the copper/gold lead you want it soldered to. Once you see the tin flow to the lead imediately remove the iron. This method worked extreemly well and leaves the cable intact without any meltage............

 

Two questions: How much did you spend to get the backlit keyboard? (including any wires, keyboard, electrical tape... etc.) Can you post a detailed instruction on how to do it? Both in writing and in video form!? That would be fantastic...

I would imagine that being able to turn off the back-liting would only be important if you were trying to get more than 10+ hours out of the battery...

Be sure to let us know how long of an "idle" battery time you have so we can compare how much time you get vs. someone who doesn't have the back-lit keyboard. If you compare idle test to idle test, we hopefully can figure out how much battery life the backlighting really takes.

 

I used wire glue and tape. Wire glue is conductive glue. Its stronger than the fine gauge wire I used, so the wire would break before this. Its likely safer than soldering also (My warranty is still in tact- Unlike yours)

Not trying to be defensive, its just that this is plenty secure- Dont want to discourage others from doing it this way vs soldering. You have alot more to risk by soldering than not

I bought the keyboard from ebay. I think it was 30$ with shipping. The only other thing I used was a USB printer cord that I gutted, using the internal wires + head for this.

 

Depending on whether I can turn the backlighting off and how much it affects battery life, I just might do this. I self-installed a back-lit keyboard for my 14z, though it has prebuilt connections for backlighting the keyboard.

 

Actually your warenty is void if they find out what you have done! I can easily remove my addon and leave the solder joints in their original condition. Using the glue is as safe as solder so long as it is done propery but easily not cleaned off well and can be as dangerous if not more so. Like soldering be sure no unintended trace connections are made.

Anytime you hard mod a system like this there is an inherent danger. DO NOT BE FOOLED, you all do this at your own and your systems risk, no one else on the board is responsible for your successes or failures or any other issue but yourselves.......

That being said if you are fool hardy enough, enjoy your lit keyboards.........

 

Naturally...

 

Im pretty sure my warranty is fine regardless if they know or not. I added a USB backlit keyboard.

If you are trying to say the risk level is the same between soldering and not, you are deceiving these people. Attempting to do this with solder is *much* more dangerous, and not "super easy* to undo. Didnt you yourself melt some cables attempting to do it?

All I am saying is this is a much safer way to do things.

 

I melted the cable being careless and it brushed, the main cable aganst the side of the iron, totally my stupid fault. Better than a ton of glue pouring into the open laptop because I spilled it inside. Trust though I kicked myself several times as I know way better than that, but I'll be the first to admit my errors.............

Soldering IS harder, no doubt. I didn't take proper precautions and paid for another keyboard. I doubt you or I have done a sanctioned moddification. Whenever you modify an existing eletrical system you can be pretty sure you have ended the warenty. most people doinng a hard modification such as this understand that. I can remove it and send it back but I wouldn't, if it fries I know it is now MY PROBLEM.

The biggest problem with glue rather than soldering is people will try to get to small narrow places and make connections. This tends to lead to not too clear a view and traces can go unnoticed where as soldering requires it to usually be out in the open where traces can be more visable. As I've said always procede with the utmost caution..........

 

Couple questions:

1. Using the usb connection, is it possible to turn off the keyboard lighting thereby making the usb connection useable? Or am i way off here. Example being: When you need the usb connection like for a mouse, you could turn off the keyboard cutting the power and freeing up the connection for other uses?

2. Do either the hdmi port or the vga port provide 5v's, making use of them without limiting yourself a much needed usb port.

I'm probably guessing both of these questions are a 'no' but as Gretzky once said, "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take".

 

I can't answer for other ports but I think he has a plug in there and the wires just looped back in. In this way it is just like a powered device, albiet not an approved device for usb but one that would/should function. The video is a bit unclear but this seems to be the case.

 

Rep on amazon said no way.\

""We have heard you loud and clear. Early December, UL30VT. Simlar specs to other VT models, similar price. BT. No backlit keyboard, sorry. Can't reveal more at this time.
Thank Amazon's discussion boards and two of Asus's core competencies -- agility, and ability to innnovate.""

Likely because they want to keep the "cheap" laptops feeling cheap.

Want that backlit goodness, you need to pay up for a more expensive model.

 

Is the keyboard from the U80 different than the original on the UL80vt? Are all the keys the same on both? and if not, what's the compromise?

I would really appreciate if you can also specify the wire routing underneath the keyboard. Is there any danger in burning them because of a hot-spot?
Thanks...Al

 

fair enough. I probly would have attempted to solder it if I could, but the UL series doesnt even have the same contact points you have in the U81

My only option would have been to splice off of another wire or circuit.

 

Ha, you responded right before i deleted my post.

Ya, i did some research and didn't see any keyboards with backlighting that would fit the UL30VT.

I'm excited to get a backlit keyboard, thx again sighie for pioneering this modification into the UL80's.

 

True, the only thing I can think of that MIGHT be easy is of the back pins for the power plug to the keyboard itself. Not something I'd like to try as I know those are real tiny............

 

Just did some research and found out that the vga port uses 5v. Only power no data which is perfect. Even found some ppl that made a usb port from the vga...lol.

I ordered a keyboard and i'm going to use the vga port as my power. I'm hoping FN+F8 is a power switch for the vga/hdmi, i'll have to dig into that some more as well.

Constructive criticism is welcome on the following method, let me know if there's an end here i'm not seeing.

 

Wont that be... gnarly, and sticking out? Also dont see any holes to poke the wires through back to the keyboard.

 

I think he is talking about disassembly to get to the back of the plug and tap into the power. I am not suer though the 5v is switchable. the power may be there all the time so PnP monitors can hot plug. I am not familiar enough with the setup to know for sure but it seems logical.........

 

Oh gotcha.

From what I read online, software cant control the power to any of the ports. It can only control the data, which can tell the device to go low power.

Also, was dissapointed that this didnt have the bluetooth FN key, so I couldnt even try to hook it up to the bluetooth power.

 

Software can only control power where the hardware exists to control it. As an example woul be say the biult in lan in alot of cases or even usb ports.This is the reasonn in the drivers the opton is there for the os to shut the device down to conserve power.

So in otherwords the hardware soft power control must exist before the software can control it and then the bios/acpi must give it up.

 

Does this backlit keyboard is better than stock one in terms of flex and keys rattle ? I've found UL80Vt keyboard flexible at the left side (nothing a paper towel under keyboard cannot fix) and some keys are noisy/rattle (especially long ones like Caps Lock, Tab and Enter)

 

It does flex, again something you can fix by removing the space. I haven't noticed any rattle on mine, nor any rattle with the one I messed up. I can't speak for the original keyboard though on the UL80 as I have th U81-a......

 

I ordered one as well. Please let us know how that goes. It would be great if it can be done professionally without voiding warranty (reversible).

 

I think the issue is going to be that whatever schenanigans you end up doing to use VGA will involve something gnarly sticking out the side of it. The only reason to use USB was placement + the fact you can hook into it with nothing protruding externally. Not sure the same is possible with vga.

 

I would much rather keep the vga port as well.. since I have a lot of monitors that aren't HDMI, or even DVI, and you can always get a USB hub, but HDMI/DVI/VGA hubs aren't as easy to find or cheap to buy.

 

Since you successfully put a U80 backlit keyboard into a UL80VT, wouldn't it also be possible with a UL30VT? I'm assuming asus wouldn't make life difficult and have the same connectors for all the keyboards on the UL series.

 

The 13" has a different size keyboard than the 14.1"

 

Are you sure about that? I'm 99% sure they are the exact same size.

 

So 1% unsure then?

 

Yes 1% unsure, if asus was not smart and used a different sized keyboard on the UL series (not including UL50)

 

But not 2%- Or 4%

Only asking because 99% is pretty sure

 

this is such a great work!

Dear Sighie, I just bought the U80 keyboard that you posted before from Ebay, and now Im wating for that excited.

hey I have 2 questions.
1. Is there any other else that I need to buy or something?
How bout the cables? are they a cetrain type or would u wanna give me more information?

2. Usually the ones coming with the backlite keyboard have AI sensor (aka light sensor) so that they can control the power consumption of the keyboard. So, if I put on the u80 keyboard, how can I control the lights?

thank you

 

A step by step tutorial would be nice. I am receiving my keyboard this week. I'm not very good with wiring electronics so any photos of the process would be a great deal of help. Thanks!

 

Its not that crazy hard. I used wire glue instead of soldering though.

 

Selling mine: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=5510419

 

Have the U80 keyboard installed. I have to say the quality of this keyboard is far better than the UL80. The keys look nicer and have a better feel to them as well as feedback. I have not figured out how to hook up the backlight, but i was playing around trying to plug it into different things. It turned on but it also short circuit my motherboard, so it shut down immediately. Kind of scary and cool at the same time. Any one figure out a way to do this yet besides the USB port?

PS: the keyboard is also thicker so it doesn't sit flush like the UL80.

 

What do you mean thicker? Like it sticks out more (does it touch the lcd then?)

 

It's thicker because of the extra layer used for the leds. I really can't see if it touches the lcd. Haven't seen any scratches on lcd yet.

 

Hi sighie. I purchased a U80 keyboard and would love to install it on my UL80VT. I have some wire glue and wanted to give it a try. I realize I still need to buy some wire since the power ribbon wire is not long enough.

One problem is after removing the keyboard, which I've done no problem, how do you gain access to the USB port? I removed all the screws around the underside of the case, but the top will not come off. As I try to pry the top and bottom apart, it feels like there is still something holding it together all the way around. I don't want to crack it.

Also, for the new U80 keyboard, did you take the back off, because there are two protruding pieces that cause it to bow out when installed? If you did take the back off, did you replace it with the back of the old UL80VT keyboard?

 

I was hoping to have heard from someone by now to my last post. Can anyone out there please provide a response as to the trick to disassembling this after the screws are removed?

 

You can tap into other usb connections on the motherboard. There's probably at least 2 or 3 more usb header on the motherboard that aren't used. You can tap power from that.

 

That's good to know. I am still looking for a tip of how to open up this bad boy though. I can lift out the keyboard, but can't get the case open even with the screws removed.

 

The guy who did this did not tap the back of the USB port but lost the port by looping power back into the case. Another option is if you know the pinouts for the keyboard you could tap the power from there as the keyboard recieves power too. this could then avoid pulling the case appart using the back of the existing keyboard socket............