laptop at night matches

KIPAX

KIPAX

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KIPAX Lancashire UK
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quite happy wiht my laptop but struggle at night matches to see the keyboard sometimes.. has anyone got a laptop with a lit up keyboard? is it backlit? thats not a mac
 
Dell do one (XPS-something-or-other) where you can spec a backlit keyboard as an optional extra.

I'm going for it at the next IT-upgrade...

LINKY
 
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KIPAX said:
quite happy wiht my laptop but struggle at night matches to see the keyboard sometimes.. has anyone got a laptop with a lit up keyboard? is it backlit? thats not a mac
Click to expand...

Tony,

There is a mini light available that runs from a spare USB socket...If you get an LED type one, they only use a minimal amount of power and produce a very good amount of light....Led's are available in Daylight White, Red, Blue etc etc

Simon Tug Wilson
 
my dell does its a studio 15, I wouldnt advise mine unless you have power though the extended saddle battery gives me like 2-3 hours tops, but its specced as an editing machine - the upside of the macs is they use twin graphics cards a little one for when you aren't working hard (saves LOADS of power) and a massive one where you are, I just have the massive one :p
 
Cheers tug will look into that.. I have a dell lattitude e6500 over 1k of spec but get annoyed with the keyboard no light :(
 
 
Gary Coyle said:
Tony you can but a backlit keyboard from all over the place for the E6500, i have put several in on latpots ive owned, its an easy job as well

about £25-30, ill fit it for you if youre not sure

Heres a few on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-OEM-Dell-E6400-E6500-E5400-E5500-Keyboard-BACKLIT-/270655667741?pt=UK_Computing_ComputerComponents_KeyboardsMice&hash=item3f0455be1d

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Brand-New-Dell-E6400-E6500-E5400-E2400-Keyboard-BACKLIT-/160432476144?pt=UK_Computing_ComputerComponents_KeyboardsMice&hash=item255a854ff0

Used for £20

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dell-E5500-E6400-E6500-M4500-Keyboard-UK-Backlit-/330504329987?pt=UK_Computing_LaptopAccess_RL&hash=item4cf397db03
Click to expand...

Short term the USB one...gets you up and going quickly but from the prices Gary mentions that sounds like a great long term solution...and at the right price too..
Hope the Hips getting better Gary
 
Gary Coyle said:
...you can but a backlit keyboard from all over the place for the E6500, i have put several in on latpots ive owned, its an easy job as well...
Click to expand...

I didn't realise they were retro-fittable - I had a quick search but they don't seem to be any for the 2010 Inspiron 1564...:(
 
Tugster said:
Tony,

There is a mini light available that runs from a spare USB socket...If you get an LED type one, they only use a minimal amount of power and produce a very good amount of light....Led's are available in Daylight White, Red, Blue etc etc

Simon Tug Wilson
Click to expand...

Beat me to it. Cheap as chips the LED lights and they are normally flexible, so you can adjust their position
 
Gary Coyle said:
Tony you can but a backlit keyboard from all over the place for the E6500, i have put several in on latpots ive owned, its an easy job as well

about £25-30, ill fit it for you if youre not sure

Heres a few on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-OEM-Dell-E6400-E6500-E5400-E5500-Keyboard-BACKLIT-/270655667741?pt=UK_Computing_ComputerComponents_KeyboardsMice&hash=item3f0455be1d

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Brand-New-Dell-E6400-E6500-E5400-E2400-Keyboard-BACKLIT-/160432476144?pt=UK_Computing_ComputerComponents_KeyboardsMice&hash=item255a854ff0

Used for £20

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dell-E5500-E6400-E6500-M4500-Keyboard-UK-Backlit-/330504329987?pt=UK_Computing_LaptopAccess_RL&hash=item4cf397db03
Click to expand...

wish you had said when i picked it up from your house mate :) cheers will ahve a looksy now
 
Arkady2 said:
I didn't realise they were retro-fittable - I had a quick search but they don't seem to be any for the 2010 Inspiron 1564...:(
Click to expand...
Worth checking to see if it uses the same keyboard as another model and search for that one, the E6500 keyboard is used by about 6 different Dell model laptops
 
Gary Coyle said:
Worth checking to see if it uses the same keyboard as another model and search for that one, the E6500 keyboard is used by about 6 different Dell model laptops
Click to expand...

It doesn't even use the same keyboard as the old 15" Inspiron series...

According to some frenzied internet searching, it should be available as an option, as the drivers are available for download... can't find a part number though and the Dell website is spectacularly useless in this regard.
 
Heres a link for fitting

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/late6500/en/sm/html/keyboard.htm#wp1179980

Just be aware that its also dependant on which bios revision was first installed on the lappy Tony, worth delving into the bios settings to see if the option to switch on and off the backlight option is there, if not then youre screwed, even updating the Bios wont help, i think youre OK from revision 14 onwards but not 100% sure, motherboards with those revisions onwards also had the extra ribbon connection required for the backlight, you could also take out your current KB to visually check if there is a spare section for the extra "ribbon" to slot into
 
Arkady2 said:
It doesn't even use the same keyboard as the old 15" Inspiron series...

According to some frenzied internet searching, it should be available as an option, as the drivers are available for download... can't find a part number though and the Dell website is spectacularly useless in this regard.
Click to expand...

Part No will be on the back of the KB, obviously need to remove it to see it, itll also be stamped on the very top of the ribbon connector but so small you will never see it
 
Gary Coyle said:
Part No will be on the back of the KB, obviously need to remove it to see it, itll also be stamped on the very top of the ribbon connector but so small you will never see it
Click to expand...

Remove the keyboard - without the proper tools..........


Maybe after this week's jobs, perhaps...:puke:
 
Gary Coyle said:
You only need a single micro crosshead/phillips screwdriver, go on ya big softy :LOL:
Click to expand...


Yeah yeah yeah - like all the Halfords manuals that say 'prise gently with a flat-head screwdriver' and you end up with three mates and a 12-foot crowbar levering some flimsy plastic part off that JUST WON'T BUDGE no matter what, eventually snapping the retaining-lugs off and then finding out that you can only get replacements from the USA on the 29th of February and today's March 1st during a Leap-Year...

Mmmm...Right...lol
 
Arkady2 said:
Yeah yeah yeah - like all the Halfords manuals that say 'prise gently with a flat-head screwdriver' and you end up with three mates and a 12-foot crowbar levering some flimsy plastic part off that JUST WON'T BUDGE no matter what,
Click to expand...

There is usually a screw holding it on from the back :p

I have a pair of lights I can clip on to the screen and they light the keyboard up.
 
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It's a Dell laptop for goodness sake - just give it a shake and the keyboard will fall out anyway :LOL:
 
david1701 said:
my dell does its a studio 15, I wouldnt advise mine unless you have power though the extended saddle battery gives me like 2-3 hours tops, but its specced as an editing machine - the upside of the macs is they use twin graphics cards a little one for when you aren't working hard (saves LOADS of power) and a massive one where you are, I just have the massive one :p
Click to expand...

I was thinking of fitting one on my studio 17 but youve got me worried now, i would only be using it when out and about as it`d docked at home so battery life would be a big concern. How much of a diffrence does it really make on the battery life?
 
I have no idea, the battery life on my laptop in general is awful, it was more a pro mac argument with the way more efficient use of power they have
 
My 2 tactics - the already mentioned Maplin USB lights, just bought another one this afternoon, still £5.99 I have loads, at least one in every camera bag.

Second - bluetooth waterproof backlit keyboard, so your laptop stays in whatever you use to keep it dry and you just get the keyboard wet.
 
I've got a DELL Studio XPS 13 thats my pitchside lappy, its got full size keys and its backlit, very nice but I've had to buy a 9 Cell batt as it drains quickly on the standard battery cannot get a full 90mins out of it.
 
RicherSea said:
My 2 tactics - the already mentioned Maplin USB lights, just bought another one this afternoon, still £5.99 I have loads, at least one in every camera bag.

Second - bluetooth waterproof backlit keyboard, so your laptop stays in whatever you use to keep it dry and you just get the keyboard wet.
Click to expand...

Andy,

Do you have a linky for the Bluetooth KB ?

Tug
 
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