Anyone know of a Ergonomic back-lit keyboard?
I have a Microsoft 4000 ergonomic keyboard and love it, but sometimes at night i am gaming on the computer while my wife is asleep and it is hard to see the keyboard. I would like to convert this keyboard to be back-lit, but don't know how. Or does anyone know of any ergonomic keyboards that are back-lit, I seem to be only finding standard keyboards.
Here is the keyboard i currently own. http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Natural-Ergo-Keyboard-4000/dp/B000A6PPOK
Your computer can most likely support two keyboards at the same time. So you could just get a standard keyboard solely for gaming and still use the 4000 for typing. (I have the same keyboard & I love it.)
You don't have to disconnect either keyboard, just slide out the one you want and tuck the other one away.
I guess the issue i have is after a little while of gaming my wrist begins to hurt unless i use an ergonomic keyboard, otherwise yeah i would go with a standard back lit
All I found when searching for one are posts and articles complaining that there isn't a single one on the market.
Actually, I did see one article stating that Microsoft was going to come out with one, but it's from 2008.
You could get an electroluminescent sheet and use that to convert your current keyboard. The letters wouldn't be visible, but you'd be able to see the outlines of the keys.
Thank you for the help. I was thinking about using something called el wire that i read about and running it behind my keyboard keys. i was also thinking about trying to find keys from a back-lit keyboard and swapping them out on mine, if that would work, i am not sure, so the el wire would illuminate the letters.
I've been looking for the same thing, no luck.
I've come across enough people asking this question for about 3 years now that you would think someone would have released one by now!
@icemanforlife:
EL Wire = ElectroLuminescent Wire
EL Sheet = ElectroLuminescent Sheet
I've never used it, but my thought was that an EL Sheet would provide more uniform backlighting than a wire. An EL Sheet could be cut to fit around where keys attach to the chassis.
I have a second MS 4000 at the office, so I'm looking at one right now - The keys along the split are wider than normal, especially the "T" and "N". That might make finding suitable replacements from a standard backlit keyboard difficult, but I like the idea!
[edit]
I found this thread that mentions using EL Wire and an EL Sheet to do exactly what you want. Unfortunately they're just throwing ideas around, so there's no instructions offered.
http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1117209
Here are a couple of sources to buy it:
http://www.luminousfilm.com/
http://www.elec2go.com.au/category7_1.htm
If you do this, you should take pictures as you do it and you could be the hero that posts a tutorial online.
Microsoft had you covered. You can still get one through the Amazon Marketplace -
Only $380. What a bargain.
Wow $380 . That is in no way worth it. The design looks like it would end up being uncomfortable as well. I was thinking about before i try replacing my keys with back-lit keys from another keyboard, that i might try glow in the dark stickers with the el wire or sheets behind the keys. Do any of you think that might work? http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/keyboards-mice/d77d/?cpg=froogle
I got one of those Microsoft keyboards. I didn't pay $380, but it was still overpriced. It was barely ergonomic and barely backlit. Iceman, your surmise is correct, I could never quite adjust to it. The light was so dim as to be barely worth it. Tried stickers, also useless. I keep waiting, checking, waiting, checking...
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