GC Keyboard

Sylverant is a homebrew open source server for Phantasy Star Online. Dreamcast users still play PSO online with this server even today! This is the official forum for both the online game server as well as the open source project itself. Feel free to post and get a gathering started online! We can also show you how to get connected!

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Shwab
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GC Keyboard

Post by Shwab »

Hey everyone! I've got my connection to the server set up on GC and have had a great time playing with a few people the last couple of days! I haven't really played much besides offline mode occasionally since the Sega servers! Anyway, I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for connecting a keyboard to GC...I cant stand the pop-up typing and would prefer to not use the standard quick responses.

I've seen the crazy ASCII controller, and remember having a Powerboard controller back in the day (though I have no idea where it is). I'm wondering if there is any GC adapter that I could just plug in a regular or wireless keyboard into...or some way of connecting my laptop to the server in a console-type format, specifically to type (though I'm on a MAC not a PC).

Any suggestions?

Thanks!
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Re: GC Keyboard

Post by BlueCrab »

There were adapters (back in the day) to hook up a PC PS/2 port keyboard to a Gamecube for PSO. Some keys tended to get mapped oddly, but it mostly worked... That's pretty much the only option other than getting one of those keyboard controllers on the GC itself...
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Re: GC Keyboard

Post by Aleron Ives »

The keytroller is your only option now, as the third party PS/2 adapters aren't available anywhere that I've seen. The keytrollers are so expensive though that it would be cheaper to buy a used Wii, put homebrew on it, and play PSO with that, as Devolution allows you to connect a USB keyboard to your Wii to type in PSO.
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Re: GC Keyboard

Post by Shwab »

Bah...Thanks for the replies guys. I may just deal with it as is for now...if I find that I'm playing quite a bit I'll think about the Wii option. Besides the price for the keytroller, it's mostly the fact that I play far from the TV with a wireless remote and I don't want to be handicapped by the cords...

Maybe we should just organize everyone on to a common group message platform by ship/block so we can all msg on our laptops while we play :mrgreen:
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Re: GC Keyboard

Post by Sir Rappington »

You could always use the Dolphin emulator. Granted, you'd need to remake your GC characters, but it does have built in keyboard support (after a certain version).

I wasn't aware the adapters were so rare. I still have mine, don't use the GC much anymore though.
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Re: GC Keyboard

Post by CodingGenesis »

I just started playing on Sylverant a few weeks ago and bought an adapter for that purpose. I decided to look for one on ebay and instantly found a dealer who sold quite a few. Including package and delivery I got it for under 10 bucks. It's an PS/2 keyboard to PS2/GC/Xbox converter. I don't know if this is a common issue or if mine is a bit fishy, because it more often than not keeps repeating a key I pressed until I press another key. It's a bit exhausting chatting with that, but hey, it beats the hell out of word select and that awkard keyboard menu, so I can live with it. :D
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Re: GC Keyboard

Post by Aleron Ives »

Is the seller still selling them? If so, could you give a link to Shwab? The last time I looked, I only saw keytrollers for sale, but I would expect that the adapters are much cheaper.
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Re: GC Keyboard

Post by Shwab »

Bump! Thanks for the replies everyone! Would love a link CodingGenesis if you are able to shoot that over!
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Re: GC Keyboard

Post by Otto Baus »

So I've recently purchased the Sammy keyboard controller from a Japanese ebay seller. I'd been using the Datel Powerboard previously, which is basically a chintzy, generic, ps/2 keyboard with a gamecube controller port adapter dongle.

At first, I hated it. It felt heavy and awkward, the keys are very small, and the layout is not standard to the NA region. I felt like I dropped $100 USD for nothing.

However, after a couple days of use, I must admit that now I prefer it even over a normal gamecube controller! So to anyone considering it, if you have the funds, they are definitely worthwhile.
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Re: GC Keyboard

Post by Kayak »

Its pso that has its layout different, PSO uses the JP Keyboard layout which has the Shift7 being an Apostrophe, and shift; being an asterisk among other changes.
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Re: GC Keyboard

Post by Aleron Ives »

PSO expects shifted key states to match those of a standard Japanese keyboard. Since Nintendo didn't release any keyboards in the West, PSO GC doesn't contain any code to detect Western keyboards and their key mappings, so you always get the Japanese layout. Some third party adapters try to shuffle the key mappings around in order to simulate a Western layout, but even they don't do it perfectly.
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Re: GC Keyboard

Post by tueidj »

It actually does detect two distinct different keyboard models.
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Re: GC Keyboard

Post by byte.me »

I'm so familiar with using the right analog stick for the camera that I often move the C-stick by mistake, and other players see me make that error over and over as my quick responses pop up from time to time for no important reason. I may have to get the ASCII controller (for the novelty, if nothing else) eventually, but I try to Skype with others as much as possible.
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Re: GC Keyboard

Post by elfangor »

8-)

A bit complicated to use at the beginning, as I'm from azerty...
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Re: GC Keyboard

Post by Darwin777 »

elfangor wrote:8-)

A bit complicated to use at the beginning, as I'm from azerty...
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Re: GC Keyboard

Post by Otto Baus »

For those looking for another (potentially) cheaper option to a keytroller for typing while playing PSO on the cube, I spotted an auction on eBay for a Datel Powerboard.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Datel-PowerBoar ... SwUuFW0vs0

I know that these work because I have one. But since acquiring a keytroller, I personally wouldn't go back to using the Powerboard. I have thought of passing it on... You still want one, Ives?
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Re: GC Keyboard

Post by Aleron Ives »

I have no way to use GC keyboards, but those Datel ones must be pretty rare for it to have taken this long for somebody to find one. :o
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Re: GC Keyboard

Post by kevlarAK »

Shwab wrote:Bah...Thanks for the replies guys. I may just deal with it as is for now...if I find that I'm playing quite a bit I'll think about the Wii option. Besides the price for the keytroller, it's mostly the fact that I play far from the TV with a wireless remote and I don't want to be handicapped by the cords...

Maybe we should just organize everyone on to a common group message platform by ship/block so we can all msg on our laptops while we play :mrgreen:
Did you resolve your keyboard issue? Someone had suggested Skype. Most all of us have smartphones. I would suggest downloading Skype from your app store, plugging in your android/iPhone headphones and name your room in game to Skype.

Personally, this is why I played the Xbox version more than the GCN version of PSO. Sure there was a three second delay, but I always felt a stronger connection to my guild card list on Xbox, than on GCN because of voice chat.
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Re: GC Keyboard

Post by Aleron Ives »

Somebody should write this down: a player actually liked the voice chat on PSOX. :lol: Most people who played it say it was a terrible experience, because all you got from voice chat was ten-year-olds screaming into their mics for people to give them PDs in the lobby.
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Re: GC Keyboard

Post by Otto Baus »

I didn't play PSOX, but I was into Halo and Mech Assault back then. I agree with both of you, funny enough. It was friggin' awesome to coordinate with team mates on one hand, and really made the experience unique (at the time, anyway). But holy crap, the amount of shit talking that twelve year olds can do boggles the mind. Oddly enough, it often added to the fun though, and I kind of miss it. Hah!
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