piKey — A PSP Keyboard Driver

[Camelot]

via Psp-Hacks (http://psp-hacks.com)

Fanjita and harleyg have released what they call “piKey”. The introduction says it all…

πKey is a keyboard driver for your PSP. Its aim is to allow you to use just about any keyboard (or similar input device) as a natural method of input on your PSP.


Imagine being able to use your keyboard to control any PSP game or homebrew, and even the PSP’s XMB menu and on-screen keyboard, automatically and without needing any changes to the other software. This is what πKey aims to give you.

This is an early release, demonstrating just some of the possibilities. The open, extensible framework allows πKey to be extended with new plugins, to allow support for different types of input hardware, and different input environments on the PSP

It’s reported to work best under Dark_AleX’s custom firmware, and includes an installer for the easiest installation possible. Supported inputs are various infra-red keyboards and serial I/O via the PSP’s headphone socket. Usability is straight forward; see the provided user guide (docs/user_guide.html) to get started.

As for the future, here is what’s in store:

* New plugins for:
o Input via Danzeff on-screen keyboard, for those who don’t have any input hardware. The Danzeff keyboard is the most efficient software keyboard that I’ve seen.
o Output via Psprint and Danzeff keyboards, for homebrew that uses those already.
* Proper UTF-8 support for non-US-ASCII characters.
* An additional API for detecting keypress/release events - i.e. not just a character stream, but addressing individual keystates.
* Support for loading πKey via HEN.
* Improved configurability, for instance different keymapping in the CTRL plugin.

Download and Give Feedback Via Comments

[Zion]

Woah, sounds wicked :D

[DragonPimpsta]

fricking awesome!!!!! except my keyboard dont hook up to the psp usb thingy that way.. :( does that mean i cant do this? or is this for like those InfraRed keyboards??? :-O!!!

[psp411]

dats siiiiiiiikkkkkkkkk... cant wait to use
finally
:D :cool:

[scarph]

good good great
all i need now is for fanjita to send me a free keyboard

[Camelot]

fricking awesome!!!!! except my keyboard dont hook up to the psp usb thingy that way.. :( does that mean i cant do this? or is this for like those InfraRed keyboards??? :-O!!!

Its for both IR and non IR keyboards but you have to find a way to hook non IR keyboards to the psp.

The only way I can think of is using some kind of female-female USB connector

[Cloudhunter]

Its for both IR and non IR keyboards but you have to find a way to hook non IR keyboards to the psp.

The only way I can think of is using some kind of female-female USB connector

... And even that won't work, as the PSP doesn't support being a host for devices.

The only other way to connect keyboards other than IR, is through the headphone remote serial port, as mentioned in the description... Currently, you can connect to a PC through that port and send text.

This is awesome news though! Can't wait to eventually get an IR keyboard or a SIO cable to test this out ;)

Cloudy

[Zion]

a compat list of what keyboards work would be awesome now :D

i have a logitech one :p

wireless but i dont know if it uses ir or bluetooth :eek:

[Cloudhunter]

Well, all IR keyboards supported by the previously released IR keyboard driver... There is a config file which lists the type of keyboards it supports.

Cloudy

[acn010]

damn IR? i wish it could be in usb port use... that would be cool if everything is in usb

[Camelot]

... And even that won't work, as the PSP doesn't support being a host for devices.

The only other way to connect keyboards other than IR, is through the headphone remote serial port, as mentioned in the description... Currently, you can connect to a PC through that port and send text.

This is awesome news though! Can't wait to eventually get an IR keyboard or a SIO cable to test this out ;)

Cloudy

Thanks for clearing that up for me, thats something I did not know. I'm probably just going to get an IR keyboard anyway.

[gunntims0103]

Great news, now all i need is a IR keyboard. :p

[acn010]

wait..... you can use a normal keyboard with a usb connector and just plug it in the psp usb port????

[Buddy4point0]

wait..... you can use a normal keyboard with a usb connector and just plug it in the psp usb port????

no.
im pretty sure you need some special thing that goes in the sqaure spot next to the headphone jack

[E.J.]

The only thing i need now is a mini-keyboard that can be plugged into the serial remote port.

[pkmaximum]

Man this is great news, now all I have to do is get that fold up Palm IR keyboard, that was shown in a demonstration before. This would be a great way to take notes in school w/o the risk of carrying a laptop, because lets face it, its easier to hold on to a PSP than a laptop =P

[acn010]

ha ha ha...... a noob spanish website members are like yeah... you need a mini usb port to put your keyboard XD i was like wtf? lmao!!!

[califrag]

i hate this misconception about the PSP not being able to act as a "host" to usb devices... if that were true then there would be a lot of pissed off PSP-290 (GPS), ChottoShot and Talkman owners... of course the psp can recognize devices through the USB otherwise these items would not exist! We just need to figure out HOW to access them. Deniska has done a great job at getting the PSP-290 data calls worked into his MapThis! program, and I'm sure that finding a way to access other devices is just around the corner... great job on this though and i'm really looking forward to testing this out... once I figure a way ;D


edit - please disregard above statement. Thanks for the clarification Fanjita!

[mavsman4457]

This is one of the key things that the PSP has been missing for a long, long time. I have been waiting and waiting and waiting for this to come to light and finally you two have done it. Thank you so much for your hard work. Keep up the great work. Also, I have two questions that harleyg or fanjita may or may not answer if they want to or not, and they both might not even see this question but I will ask anyways. Was this originally part of 0x89 and are there any other components of 0x89 that you plan on releasing as plugins for Dark_AleX's custom firmware? I was always holding out on Dark_AleX's custom firmwares until 0x89 was released but now that it has been cancelled I just hope all of the components can be released. Anyways, thanks again for the great work and I look forward to the works that both of you come out with in the future.

[IamAbe]

nice work!!! i have a usb-f to mini usb-m adapter so im gonna wait for usb support. keep up the great work!

[DarthPaul]

Damn Amazing!

[jaws365]

Horray! Now C64 emulationcan be of serious use, thanks :-)

So I need a IR keyboard, are these available separat or do I need to buy and open a Palm?

[Cloudhunter]

i hate this misconception about the PSP not being able to act as a "host" to usb devices... if that were true then there would be a lot of pissed off PSP-290 (GPS), ChottoShot and Talkman owners... of course the psp can recognize devices through the USB otherwise these items would not exist! We just need to figure out HOW to access them. Deniska has done a great job at getting the PSP-290 data calls worked into his MapThis! program, and I'm sure that finding a way to access other devices is just around the corner... great job on this though and i'm really looking forward to testing this out... once I figure a way ;D

It isn't a misconception. The PSP-290, ChottoShot and Talkman act as host devices to the PSP... That is why they cannot be plugged into a PC.

USB keyboard support is way off... If it ever comes at all, as I believe it's impossible.

Cloudy

[Avi]

Does anyone know of any Serial I/O keyboards? I've tryed to look for some but I couldn't find anything.

[Apoklepz]

Does this mean Game pad compatibility like PS2 and Xbox controllers without having to mod the PSP or using a PC as an IR host?

[Fanjita]

nice work!!! i have a usb-f to mini usb-m adapter so im gonna wait for usb support. keep up the great work!

Might be waiting a long long time...


i hate this misconception about the PSP not being able to act as a "host" to usb devices...

Not a misconception at all, just a proper understanding of how the USB protocol works. The PSP is not capable of hosting USB devices. The ones that work with it were specifically designed for the PSP, and act as the USB host.

It might be possible to make some sort of adapter that acts as a host to both a peripheral, and a PSP - but you would then need significant amounts of driver software for any device you want to connect.


Was this originally part of 0x89 and are there any other components of 0x89 that you plan on releasing as plugins for Dark_AleX's custom firmware?

This is nothing to do with 0x89. I can't speak on harleyg's behalf about any other 0x89 components that might be released.

I will be talking to Alex about whether this can be released as an official component of OE.

[hatrix]

I have a universal palm ir keypad. It works in the testing program, but not all keys work. q,w,e,r,t,y are all not responding (on the keypad these keys have a symbol on it) and all other letter keys work. Directional buttons does not work properly, and it actually made my psp semi-bricked when i press left in the testing program >_>. I don't think any number keys work, and I have not really tried other keys.

This driver does not really work in other situation in the PSP (such as the system profile as suggested in the readme). When I tried to press a key, it seems to be regonizing it as 10 keys keyed in at the same time, and you will see the on screen keypad do a 360 scroll thru a bunch of keys before settling on one letter, and it is not the letter key I pressed. Directional buttons does not work in XMB, at least not properly. (note I have set my setting to 20)

And since it made my psp semi bricked (actually with the plugin on, I can't go to XMB) I will wait till a more complete and stable version to come out before I try again.

Anyhow, this is what I have been waiting for. My dream of making my PSP a all-mighty-powerful machine is one step closer now >: D

[wiredforpower]

sweet!! I'm gonna try to find a USB Adapter for this

[watupgroupie]

Can someone please tell me whether this keyboard is IR or not i tried it but it won't work. Is there something i have to edit in the config file or something?http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=057

[mavsman4457]

Just so you guys know, I think you can buy IR keyboards for usually $10 or less so it won't be a problem attaining one.

[SpooForBrains]

Can someone please tell me whether this keyboard is IR or not i tried it but it won't work. Is there something i have to edit in the config file or something?http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=057

No, that's not suitable for this. It's almost certianly RF, not IR.

I'm waiting for the day when I can get a PS2 > IR adaptor, and use it with this. Then I'll get one my hysterically large keyboards just to use it in public - preferably on the train.

[rowanmcau]

this may be what you are looking for
http://www.expansys.com.au/p.aspx?i=129082
i don't know if it compatible or not but its a PS2 to ir converter none the less.

[Fanjita]

Yes, the IRWave adaptor certainly is suitable for use with piKey (I bought one myself) but the keymap is all wrong at the moment. I'll hopefully get it sorted out fairly soon, but can't recommend buying one just yet.

[SpooForBrains]

Thanks, Fanjita, I shall await this development eagerly. Nice work by all involved.

[tony bush]

Hi,

piKey 0.2 & 0.3 not working for me :(

I have psp v1.5 . I copy everthing to the psp/game directory and see it on my psp under game on the memory stick.

I start up the piKey Installer, screen goes blank for a bit then I get "The game could not be started (80020001)" error message.

Any idea what might be wrong?

Cheers,
Tony

[JLF65]

Hi,

piKey 0.2 & 0.3 not working for me :(

I have psp v1.5 . I copy everthing to the psp/game directory and see it on my psp under game on the memory stick.

I start up the piKey Installer, screen goes blank for a bit then I get "The game could not be started (80020001)" error message.

Any idea what might be wrong?

Cheers,
Tony

You can't use plugins on 1.5. You need 3.xx cfw to use plugins, including pikey.

[hunathor]

yo i bought a female-female USB connetctor andi tried using my USB keyboard with it and i dident look through the whole thread but it doesent work iwht that attachment USB :(

[gmiscool]

fark i love u all so mcy for this

[guymelef]

I am getting a belkin F8U1500, dual band IR keyboard for my Palm pilot (and hopefully for this program as well).

If my keyboard doesn't work for this program I could create a Vb.net program to ask the user to press the buttons (i.e. "Please Press 'X', Please Press 'C', Please Press 'V', Please Press 'Number Pad 1',etc.) then generate and save a standardized text file that can be imported to the program's root directory on the PSP. If that is how this program works.

Or a eboot.pbp utility could be created to do this, if your program allows this sort of config file.

This would eliminate some of the storage occupied by some of the plugins, maybe even all of them. Especially if after successfully completing the process once, the user could make a copy to a PSP-DEV folder on his or her computer/palm pilot.

My coding history only involves three semesters of VB.net at a community college, so I don't think I'll be much help with anything unless I could write the helper app for windows.