How to add physical page turn buttons to Kobo Clara Colour?

[RayOfMoonshine]

My goal is as follows: I would like to build a case that turns my Kobo Clara Colour into a sort of chimera'd Kobo Libra, as far as the physical page turn buttons go. Preferably without adding a second battery or modifying the device hardware directly. I have a 3D printer and a case that I can build off of.
This can alternatively be phrased as "How to use a USB keyboard to control page turning in KOReader on a Kobo Clara Colour," because my initial plan was to use a microcontroller to send keyboard button presses via USB when the page turning keys get pressed. However, I could not find any information about any wired keyboard based solution existing for Kobo devices.

The KOReader github mentions keyboard input is only available for SDL targets, but I'm unsure whether the Kobo is one: https://github.com/koreader/koreader...ard-navigation
Connecting a keyboard via a powered USB hub didn't do much in the default Kobo ebook reader, KOReader or Plato. I used a powered hub since the kobo doesn't supply power via USB host - another problem I'm unsure of how to solve.

Does anyone know of such a solution, or a reasonable alternative I've overlooked? It would be a stretch to say I'm comfortable with hacking together anything but small microcontroller projects, but I'm happy to learn.

If it is impossible (or implausible) to coerce power out of the USB port, there's a KOReader plugin that instead uses bluetooth: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=362986
The main reasons I would rather avoid this is because of not wanting to add a secondary battery, or generally deal with bluetooth shenanigans.

First time posting on a forum like this one, please redirect me if there's a more appropriate place to ask.

[Aleron Ives]

A more plausible approach would be to use Bluetooth to interface with a remote clicker. The battery life would be worse by keeping Bluetooth on all the time, but it it has the virtue of actually being possible.

[RayOfMoonshine]

I'd do this to be able to just lay on my side in bed and tap some buttons on the device rather than poking the screen, I always did the same when reading manga on my phone - Tachiyomi (or, well, Mihon) has the option to use the phone's volume buttons for page switching, and I'd love controls like that on my e-reader too, to go with Rakuyomi in KOReader. I considered using an external clicker, but it'd be awkward to both support the e-reader somehow and click the buttons on a clicker, I don't think it would work too well. And if it's cramming a bluetooth clicker in a case, that's pretty much the fallback I considered if USB won't work.

[atey1]

Any chance you got anywhere with this? I too am looking for this and it would satisfy my preference for page turn buttons since so many ereaders are moving away from it.

[MGlitch]

Very little chance of it.

If you really wanted your could cannibalize a Bluetooth remote, preferably Kobos just for Known Good Compatibility since IIRC while other BT clickers have worked others have not (I am not sure of this it’s a vague memory from when BT was first added to the Kobo product line)

From here you have two options

1) makes a new case for everything.

Pros it’ll look better, possibly be more sturdy, and if you know what you’re doing maybe you can hook the remote up to directly draw power from the Kobo letting you have less ports on the case.

Cons you have to perfectly deconstruct the Kobo Color including removing the screen from the case. And perfectly install it in the new case. Neither of which are really easy tasks both of which can break your screen.

2) build a case for the remotes components making it as near to the thickness of the kobo color case. Adhere this to the Kobo Color on your preferred side. Making sure the remotes case has a usb port

Pros easier to do, might actually be kind of viable

Cons you’re unlikely to match the thickness of the Kobo Color so it’ll always be a little janky. You won’t be able to use a cover depending on how and where you connect the remote case. You will need to charge both at the same outlet or charge them at different times

Overall problems are going to include power drain, good luck with any warranty you had, loss of water proofing, and of course multiple ways of breaking your Kobo Color.

You can insert any Kobo model that lacks buttons in place of Kobo Color same goes for any ereader.

[DNSB]

Just might be easier to get a holder for your ereader and add a Kobo remote since they're back in stock. One friend of mine uses a holder that stands on the floor and the remote to turn pages since they have issues with holding the ereader for a long time. I don't think the URL is for the one they own but looks similar. Their spouse moves it around the house as needed.

https://www.amazon.ca/SAMHOUSING-Adj...dp/B09ZLCFF9F/