adding buttons via usb

scope · 10-24-2013, 07:05 AM

Hi,

I was wondering if it's possible to plug a button / keyboard in to the usb of a kindle/kindle paperwhite, to make it change pages, rather than using the buttons on the kindle itself.

Thanks

(if it's not possible with a kindle, is it possible with a kindle fire)

hawhill · 10-24-2013, 08:07 AM

It's not a USB host port (I think the options to switch it to USB host mode were investigated, but not to a definite end). So you can't plug USB devices like classic USB keyboards or similar. Also the firmware is not ready to accept events from a USB input stack, I think.

That said, I can imagine a hacky way to build something: A microcontroller with USB host support could use USB CDC serial protocol to talk to the Kindle. Software on the Kindle could create proper events on the input stack. Sounds like a bigger project, though.

I guess more or less the same is true for Kindle Fire devices.

scope · 10-25-2013, 06:10 AM

Ah ok Thanks.

I don't have any of that technical expertise, and was hoping it would be a simple thing to do.
During my searching about it, i found a product that acts as buttons, but its a few hundred dollars, which is too much!

it seems i'll have to find another way of doing this

thanks again

twobob · 10-25-2013, 08:34 AM

you could fire clicks at it via wifi.

I seem to recall someone doing something similar with their phone or somesuch.

what hardware do you have available?

scope · 11-01-2013, 08:34 AM

Hi,

in what sense what hardware (kindle wise or something else)?

sorry for taking ages to reply!

aditya3098 · 11-01-2013, 08:36 AM

put a raspi, a wifi clip and a few buttons (GPIO) together, a bit of code, and et al.

scope · 11-01-2013, 02:23 PM

ok, so google tells me a raspi is a raspberry pi, which i've heard of.
but, what is a wifi clip? (i'm assuming it adds wifi to something, but googling doesn't seem to find any hardware)

twobob · 11-01-2013, 03:21 PM

http://pingbin.com/2012/12/setup-wifi-raspberry-pi/

scope · 11-01-2013, 04:44 PM

ah ok!!

Seems i'll have to do some learning about the pi.

Now from the research i've been looking up, people have been using their kindle as a screen for their raspberry pi, with a keyboard, which is slightly different than what i want to do (although what i want to do sounds simpler?)

Ok, i think i can get a pi and wifi it. but, i'm not sure how i would then send clicks to it. I will try and put some research in to it though (I don't know much about programming or the raspberry pi at all)

Thanks

twobob · 11-01-2013, 05:50 PM

no probs.

someone has been working on adding extra buttons to things.

I'm no expert in these matters...

I would just send the clicks via wifi from the pi. So....
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/projects/ras..._and_switches/

the "clicks" I can help with.

Come back when you have buttons...

scope · 11-01-2013, 07:01 PM

sorry if this is a stupid question, but would a usb keyboard plugged in to a pi count as buttons?

twobob · 11-01-2013, 07:57 PM

sure. as long as you can trigger an "event" of some kind...

you would just be firing an xdotool click anyhow..

zxczxc · 11-04-2013, 05:19 AM

would you be interested in something like this?
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho....php?p=2540347

twobob · 11-04-2013, 10:26 AM

right. that is the exact project I was thinking of! nice work zxczxc

scope · 11-08-2013, 05:45 AM

Ah wow, that looks perfect!!
I will have a thorough look through, but from the video and what's said in that thread, it looks ideal. I just wanted to post now to say thank you, when i get back from work i'll have a really good look and undoubtedly ask some stupid questions!

thanks again

10-24-2013, 07:05 AM	#1
scope Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2013 Device: kindle	adding buttons via usb Hi, I was wondering if it's possible to plug a button / keyboard in to the usb of a kindle/kindle paperwhite, to make it change pages, rather than using the buttons on the kindle itself. Thanks (if it's not possible with a kindle, is it possible with a kindle fire) Last edited by scope; 10-24-2013 at 07:51 AM.

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10-24-2013, 08:07 AM	#2
hawhill Wizard Posts: 1,379 Karma: 2155307 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Goettingen, Germany Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Mini	It's not a USB host port (I think the options to switch it to USB host mode were investigated, but not to a definite end). So you can't plug USB devices like classic USB keyboards or similar. Also the firmware is not ready to accept events from a USB input stack, I think. That said, I can imagine a hacky way to build something: A microcontroller with USB host support could use USB CDC serial protocol to talk to the Kindle. Software on the Kindle could create proper events on the input stack. Sounds like a bigger project, though. I guess more or less the same is true for Kindle Fire devices.

10-25-2013, 06:10 AM	#3
scope Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2013 Device: kindle	Ah ok Thanks. I don't have any of that technical expertise, and was hoping it would be a simple thing to do. During my searching about it, i found a product that acts as buttons, but its a few hundred dollars, which is too much! it seems i'll have to find another way of doing this thanks again

10-25-2013, 08:34 AM	#4
twobob ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°){ʇlnɐɟ ƃǝs}Týr Posts: 6,586 Karma: 6299993 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: uti gratia usura (Yao ying da ying; Mo ying da yieng) Device: PW-WIFI\|K5-3G+WIFI\| K4\|K3-3G\|DXG\|K2\| Rooted Nook Touch	you could fire clicks at it via wifi. I seem to recall someone doing something similar with their phone or somesuch. what hardware do you have available?

11-01-2013, 08:34 AM	#5
scope Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2013 Device: kindle	Hi, in what sense what hardware (kindle wise or something else)? sorry for taking ages to reply!

11-01-2013, 08:36 AM	#6
aditya3098 Guru Posts: 608 Karma: 1588610 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle Scribe	put a raspi, a wifi clip and a few buttons (GPIO) together, a bit of code, and et al.

11-01-2013, 02:23 PM	#7
scope Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2013 Device: kindle	ok, so google tells me a raspi is a raspberry pi, which i've heard of. but, what is a wifi clip? (i'm assuming it adds wifi to something, but googling doesn't seem to find any hardware)

11-01-2013, 03:21 PM	#8
twobob ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°){ʇlnɐɟ ƃǝs}Týr Posts: 6,586 Karma: 6299993 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: uti gratia usura (Yao ying da ying; Mo ying da yieng) Device: PW-WIFI\|K5-3G+WIFI\| K4\|K3-3G\|DXG\|K2\| Rooted Nook Touch	http://pingbin.com/2012/12/setup-wifi-raspberry-pi/

11-01-2013, 04:44 PM	#9
scope Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2013 Device: kindle	ah ok!! Seems i'll have to do some learning about the pi. Now from the research i've been looking up, people have been using their kindle as a screen for their raspberry pi, with a keyboard, which is slightly different than what i want to do (although what i want to do sounds simpler?) Ok, i think i can get a pi and wifi it. but, i'm not sure how i would then send clicks to it. I will try and put some research in to it though (I don't know much about programming or the raspberry pi at all) Thanks

11-01-2013, 05:50 PM	#10
twobob ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°){ʇlnɐɟ ƃǝs}Týr Posts: 6,586 Karma: 6299993 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: uti gratia usura (Yao ying da ying; Mo ying da yieng) Device: PW-WIFI\|K5-3G+WIFI\| K4\|K3-3G\|DXG\|K2\| Rooted Nook Touch	no probs. someone has been working on adding extra buttons to things. I'm no expert in these matters... I would just send the clicks via wifi from the pi. So.... http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/projects/ras..._and_switches/ the "clicks" I can help with. Come back when you have buttons...

11-01-2013, 07:01 PM	#11
scope Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2013 Device: kindle	sorry if this is a stupid question, but would a usb keyboard plugged in to a pi count as buttons?

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11-01-2013, 07:57 PM	#12
twobob ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°){ʇlnɐɟ ƃǝs}Týr Posts: 6,586 Karma: 6299993 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: uti gratia usura (Yao ying da ying; Mo ying da yieng) Device: PW-WIFI\|K5-3G+WIFI\| K4\|K3-3G\|DXG\|K2\| Rooted Nook Touch	sure. as long as you can trigger an "event" of some kind... you would just be firing an xdotool click anyhow..

11-04-2013, 05:19 AM	#13
zxczxc Addict Posts: 229 Karma: 136002 Join Date: Apr 2013 Device: PW	would you be interested in something like this? https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho....php?p=2540347

11-04-2013, 10:26 AM	#14
twobob ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°){ʇlnɐɟ ƃǝs}Týr Posts: 6,586 Karma: 6299993 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: uti gratia usura (Yao ying da ying; Mo ying da yieng) Device: PW-WIFI\|K5-3G+WIFI\| K4\|K3-3G\|DXG\|K2\| Rooted Nook Touch	right. that is the exact project I was thinking of! nice work zxczxc

11-08-2013, 05:45 AM	#15
scope Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2013 Device: kindle	Ah wow, that looks perfect!! I will have a thorough look through, but from the video and what's said in that thread, it looks ideal. I just wanted to post now to say thank you, when i get back from work i'll have a really good look and undoubtedly ask some stupid questions! thanks again