best way to add keyboard backlight?

[gameboy3800]

i've got an older razer tarantula keyboard. it still works perfectly fine and has been one of my main keyboards for awhile. i would like to continue using it as my daily driver, but its missing some key features that other keyboards have. most notably backlighting; its got none except on the macro keys. is there a mod i can do that wouldnt damage the structure that would allow for some basic backlighting? 

[Ashley MLP Fangirl]

shine a light on it?

[gameboy3800]

Just now, firelighter487 said:

shine a light on it?

banned

[Ashley MLP Fangirl]

1 minute ago, gameboy3800 said:

banned

....?

 

shining a light on it seems like the easiest fix... 

[gameboy3800]

Just now, firelighter487 said:

....?

 

shining a light on it seems like the easiest fix... 

post and title clearly ask for advice in making a backlight...

[Ashley MLP Fangirl]

Just now, gameboy3800 said:

post and title clearly ask for advice in making a backlight...

yes but the only reason you'd want one is to see the keys i assume? 

[W-L]

5 minutes ago, gameboy3800 said:

i've got an older razer tarantula keyboard. it still works perfectly fine and has been one of my main keyboards for awhile. i would like to continue using it as my daily driver, but its missing some key features that other keyboards have. most notably backlighting; its got none except on the macro keys. is there a mod i can do that wouldnt damage the structure that would allow for some basic backlighting? 

There isn't a way to add back-lighting into keyboards if it didn't come with them pre-existing since you would need to integrate it into the initial design including power circuity. 

[kelvinhall05]

New keyboard or, as @firelighter487 said, shine a light on it.

[kelvinhall05]

Just now, W-L said:

There isn't a way to add back-lighting into keyboards if it didn't come with them pre-existing since you would need to integrate it into the initial design including power circuity. 

And you'd either have to stack PCBs which would get pretty fucking hard real fast or do some janky-ass circuitry that would probably render your keyboard unusable, if not completely broken.

[gameboy3800]

Just now, firelighter487 said:

yes but the only reason you'd want one is to see the keys i assume? 

i asked for assistance in a backlight mod; not your sarcasm.

[gameboy3800]

2 minutes ago, W-L said:

There isn't a way to add back-lighting into keyboards if it didn't come with them pre-existing since you would need to integrate it into the initial design including power circuity. 

the keyboard has 2 usb ports i could use to power any mods requiring it.

[Ashley MLP Fangirl]

1 minute ago, gameboy3800 said:

i asked for assistance in a backlight mod; not your sarcasm.

......

 

Just now, gameboy3800 said:

the keyboard has 2 usb ports i could use to power any mods requiring it.

i think @W-L meant wiring up all of the LED's under the keys and a controller for them. 

[W-L]

1 minute ago, kelvinhall05 said:

And you'd either have to stack PCBs which would get pretty fucking hard real fast or do some janky-ass circuitry that would probably render your keyboard unusable, if not completely broken.

I've seen some mechanical keyboards without backlight but on the PCB have spots for LED's but pretty sure they omitted the circuity for power and such. 

 

2 minutes ago, gameboy3800 said:

the keyboard has 2 usb ports i could use to power any mods requiring it.

The problem is not power but the ability to have the space to add in the lighting. 

[kelvinhall05]

2 minutes ago, W-L said:

I've seen some mechanical keyboards without backlight but on the PCB have spots for LED's but pretty sure they omitted the circuity for power and such. 

 

I have too, but OP's keyboard is not one of those.

[gameboy3800]

Just now, W-L said:

I've seen some mechanical keyboards without backlight but on the PCB have spots for LED's but pretty sure they omitted the circuity for power and such. 

 

The problem is not power but the ability to have the space to add in the lighting. 

i'm sure i could get smaller keycaps that wouldnt reach to the pcb to allow more room for something like a tiny led strip to snake through. or if some company has made a dedicated addon to give old keyboards a new breath of life.

[Ashley MLP Fangirl]

3 minutes ago, gameboy3800 said:

i'm sure i could get smaller keycaps that wouldnt reach to the pcb to allow more room for something like a tiny led strip to snake through. or if some company has made a dedicated addon to give old keyboards a new breath of life.

so you're gonna buy loads of LED's, a controller and keycaps, then spend hours of work? why not just buy a new keyboard... seriously.. 

[gameboy3800]

Just now, firelighter487 said:

so you're gonna buy loads of LED's, a controller and keycaps, then spend hours of work? why not just buy a new keyboard... seriously.. 

please stop responding to this post; you clearly dont understand the question. i've already got a brand new set of razer gear. but i still want to use the old setup.

[W-L]

11 minutes ago, gameboy3800 said:

i'm sure i could get smaller keycaps that wouldnt reach to the pcb to allow more room for something like a tiny led strip to snake through. or if some company has made a dedicated addon to give old keyboards a new breath of life.

Not that I know of since any kind of LED tape would be too large and individual LED's if you can install them need power individually. As said it wouldn't really be worth the time and effort if you needed to design a whole power layout and then find the space if there is any of house all of it. 

[gameboy3800]

2 minutes ago, W-L said:

Not that I know of since any kind of LED tape would be too large and individual LED's if you can install them need power individually. As said it wouldn't really be worth the time and effort if you needed to design a whole power layout and then find the space if there is any of house all of it. 

but i'm not asking for per key backlighting...

[W-L]

7 minutes ago, gameboy3800 said:

but i'm not asking for per key backlighting...

If you wanted to do say a general lighting it would be very hard to get it even without adding in a diffusable layer or sheet which adds a fair bit of thickness. I know the old G15 keyboards did this by integrating it with a clear membrane key switch