iPAQ Foldable Bluetooth keyboard ** Solved??

[andret]

Hi

I have one of those ipaq foldable keyboards (bluetooth) and I'd like to get this working on Windows Mobile 6.1 to use it on my touch diamond.

The original driver which ships with the keyboard doesnt appear to work on Windows Mobile 6.1 (I think its designed for 2003) but it seems the bluetooth layer is working perfectly....

The keyboard itself presents itself as a bluetooth serial port which can be paired and connected to the touch diamond... problem is how to get the serial port used for keyboard input

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[andret]

I've developed a small application which wraps the serial output into the API.


** EXPERIMENTAL ** USE AT OWN RISK **

1. Ensure you have NETCF 3.5 installed on your device.
2. Extract the .exe file from the zip archive and save it somewhere on your device.
3. Pair your keyboard via bluetooth.
4. Create an outgoing serial port (any port from COM1 through COM9)
5. Fire up the saved application.
6. Select the COM port used in #4 above and click on CONNECT - If the connection fails exit application and repeat from step #3
7. Test connectivity by pushing shift/caps lock.

[ONLawson]

Hi there

Tried to install this on an HTC Touch HD and it doesn't work unfortunately... I get an error message but apparently need to install a special cab file from microsoft containing .NET CF 3.5 error messages?

If you feel like having a go at getting this to work would very much appreciate it!

[andret]

Hi there

Tried to install this on an HTC Touch HD and it doesn't work unfortunately... I get an error message but apparently need to install a special cab file from microsoft containing .NET CF 3.5 error messages?

If you feel like having a go at getting this to work would very much appreciate it!

Hi

You just need to install .net framework 3.5 and it should work

[lilitz]

Hi!

I only can create COM6 or COM7 as outgoing ports... Any solution? Thank you!

[andret]

Hi!

I only can create COM6 or COM7 as outgoing ports... Any solution? Thank you!

I will amend the application to enable you to specify a COM port.. unfortunately this can only be done when I am home so check back in a few hours....

[andret]

Hi!

I only can create COM6 or COM7 as outgoing ports... Any solution? Thank you!

I've updated the application and the connection process as can be seen in post #2.

[lilitz]

Great work!!! It works perfectly.

Only two questions:

It's possible to hide the win keyboard screen?
Could you add -in a future- a key repeat?

Thank you very much!

[andret]

Great work!!! It works perfectly.

Only two questions:

It's possible to hide the win keyboard screen?
Could you add -in a future- a key repeat?

Thank you very much!

I'll add keystroke repeat at some stage but its beyond what I originally anticipated so dont hold your breath until then ;)

Some of the special function keys dont function yet either but as they are not really used it didnt make sense to add them initially.

[lilitz]

Finally I got the keyb screen hidden, but if I hide it, the space bar key doesn't work. Otherwise this app is very very very usefull :D.

Andret: Did you try to install Widdcomm Broadcom Stack on your Diamond? I readed somewhere that there's a version compatible with HTC Hermes, I don't know if it can be used with your phone....

I tried to contact with darfon (without response yet) to ask them for the service manual of G950, I disassembled the keyb and there's a jumper connector in the motherboard, I wonder if it's possible to turn it into HID soldering a bridge there...

Greetings and thanks again.

[andret]

Finally I got the keyb screen hidden, but if I hide it, the space bar key doesn't work. Otherwise this app is very very very usefull :D.

Andret: Did you try to install Widdcomm Broadcom Stack on your Diamond? I readed somewhere that there's a version compatible with HTC Hermes, I don't know if it can be used with your phone....

I tried to contact with darfon (without response yet) to ask them for the service manual of G950, I disassembled the keyb and there's a jumper connector in the motherboard, I wonder if it's possible to turn it into HID soldering a bridge there...

Greetings and thanks again.

I dont have an issue with spacebar when I hide the popup keyboard.... I do occasionally get an issue when the spacebar doesnt work but I havent figured out what the reason for this is.... it seems to be rather random 1 out of 20 or so times I connect/reconnect the keyboard.

I've never opened the keyboard but I too have wondered about getting it into HID mode since it seems some of the later ones from HP support both HID and SPP.

I've never tried instaling a different type of stack on the phone... the app works fine as it is on my wife's diamond and was originally developed on my touch pro actually until it worked and then off to the diamond... not much use for it on the TP as it has a hardware keyboard.

[hhuser]

This driver works great! thank you for the effort that you put into it! A friend gave me a Palm Universal Bluetooth Keyboard, and I used your driver to connect to my iPaq 110. Thanks again!

[lstarett]

How do I create a COM port?

[idlacrosseplayer]

Sorry for shamelessly bumping an old thread (well about a month)

These (!@#$%^&*()>)

keys don't work for whatever reason. GREAT program by the way. I know my way around c, c#, etc so if you released the source, I might be able to get these to work.


Thanks!

Rob

[andret]

Sorry for shamelessly bumping an old thread (well about a month)

These (!@#$%^&*()>)

keys don't work for whatever reason. GREAT program by the way. I know my way around c, c#, etc so if you released the source, I might be able to get these to work.


Thanks!

Rob

Source code attached including ipaqkbmap which is a small application i used to determine the codes for the various keys... if you follow the source you'll know why this was necessary.

In my case i dont think it was necessary to map those special characters as the WM API managed some of the shift-state issues and did not require anything further....

Either way... free to play with it and see what comes out of it... Have fun :)

[feinadam]

Hi!
I have a ipaq foldable keyboard!
It the words are working but te funcion buttons doesn't.
I've installed the hp driver but when I want to enable in the program the keyboard :Couldn't open port COM1:.rc=55
Any ide?
How can I make an outgoing serial port (any port from COM1 through COM9)?
Thx

Asus P525 WM5

[oneqi]

I have a kaiser with wm6.1 and an HP ipaq (darfur 950) foldable keyboard .. heres what i did

- download IPAQKB.exe into storage card
- download HP update 2.0.0.8
- used activesync to update wm6.1 with update 2.0.0.8
- download .NET framework 3.5 compact from (http://www.microsoft.com/Downloads/details.aspx?familyid=E3821449-3C6B-42F1-9FD9-0041345B3385&displaylang=en)
- open active sync and then run .NET application but make sure you chose 'custom' installation and put destination as :C\Mobile Device
- use bluetooth programme (start>settings>connections>bluetooth) to find foldable keyboard and tick serial port and also set COM 1 plus untick secure connection in the 'COM port section'
- run IPAQKB and select COM 1
- run foladable keyboard on in Programmes of wm6.1
- tick enalbe keyboard and thats it

p.s my code for keyboard was 0000

[hazarry]

Please follow the instruction for installation in the readme file.

Should run on any wm6.

test the hp ipaq bluetooth foldable keyboard with my htc diamond and working great.

[hazarry]

Does anyone know the shortcut or keyboard combination for Left and Right Softkeys with HP Foldable Bluetooth keyboard? Tq

[attieswart]

Thank you so much for this small application. I have been able to pair HP BT keyboard with my HTC Touch HD and it seems to be working fine in Phatnotes. Will save me having to buy another keyboard.
Regards

[dio62000]

Thanks Andret, I have been searching the internet for a suitable driver for my MSI BK100 and couldn't find one that worked; then I installed the iPAQ foldable keyboard driver and it was searching for COM1 and experienced the same problem that it couldn't find it. Your driver works perfectly, thanks for making my day!!

[cram1273]

i try but i cant please help me

save de iqkb.exe in my folder, i pair my keyboard but dont work

please

[Skullface]

i try but i cant please help me

save de iqkb.exe in my folder, i pair my keyboard but dont work

please

take the file from pg2 "Here is the driver for WM6 WM5 "

unzip it.
copy the contents of 'windows' directory to your phones windows directory, error will say help already exists, dont copy. then copy the help file from the zip to the help folder in windows on device.
copy the whole 'bt keyboard...' directory to your device 'program files' directory and run the program in it.

works great thanks..

how do i create a shortcut to open it without using file explorer?

[victor_garbar]

Please follow the instruction for installation in the readme file.

Should run on any wm6.

test the hp ipaq bluetooth foldable keyboard with my htc diamond and working great.

Hi!

I've tried your hack with my HP hx2490b ( WM5, WM6.1, WM6.5 ) + MSI BK100 got the same: "Socket error", "Bluetooth down" when trying to find keboard. Seems like your hack is for Microsoft Bluetooth Stack not for Broadcom one I have.

So my question is: can you help me obtain the MSI Bluetooth Keyboard driver for Broadcom Stack?

Kind regards,
Viktor Garbar.

[mperelman]

I am also having the bluetooth keyboard problem. I am a technical ignoramus.


I am running an ipaq runing CE 2003. Will your application work on my system?

I am at a total loss as to how to proceed.

Thanks.

[ace_jon]

Great product, the only one that's recognised my Freedom Universal Keyboard (the first one) on my HTC Touch Pro 2. Unfortunately the key maps are completely different, as if the keys have been changed randomly.

Any way of being able to update the keymap? I've downloaded the source but I can't make head nor tail of it.

Thanks

[komoornik]

I'm using Samsung Omnia with these drivers and I have noticed that, sometimes I'm also getting error: "Socket Error: 10050".

I must reenable keyboard and it's searching for keyboard properly.

Anybody noticed something like that?

[victor_garbar]

I'm using Samsung Omnia with these drivers and I have noticed that, sometimes I'm also getting error: "Socket Error: 10050".

I must reenable keyboard and it's searching for keyboard properly.

Anybody noticed something like that?

IMHO, you have Broadcom bluetooth module within your device and tried to use software written for Microsoft Bluetooth Stack. I've the same with my device ( HP hx2490b ) and software written for Microsoft Bluetooth Stack.

[victor_garbar]

Source code attached including ipaqkbmap which is a small application i used to determine the codes for the various keys... if you follow the source you'll know why this was necessary.

In my case i dont think it was necessary to map those special characters as the WM API managed some of the shift-state issues and did not require anything further....

Either way... free to play with it and see what comes out of it... Have fun :)

I'm very sorry, but I'm absolutelly lame in progamming with .NET. I like to have good driver for my MSI BT Keyboard but I don't know how to update you souce code and process it to make .exe files. Can you please gie me advise?

[komoornik]

IMHO, you have Broadcom bluetooth module within your device and tried to use software written for Microsoft Bluetooth Stack. I've the same with my device ( HP hx2490b ) and software written for Microsoft Bluetooth Stack.

Omnia has Microsoft Blueutooth.

It's not happening all the time, but sometimes. It's a little bit annoying.

[victor_garbar]

Omnia has Microsoft Blueutooth.

It's not happening all the time, but sometimes. It's a little bit annoying.

Are you sure all that happened when your bluetooth module was turned on?

[victor_garbar]

Source code attached including ipaqkbmap which is a small application i used to determine the codes for the various keys... if you follow the source you'll know why this was necessary.

In my case i dont think it was necessary to map those special characters as the WM API managed some of the shift-state issues and did not require anything further....

Either way... free to play with it and see what comes out of it... Have fun :)

I'm sorry I'm not .NET programmer so I have only VS 2008 Express edition C# suite. With that I can't explore driver project, only keymap one. So what should I do to get possibilities explore/edit your driver code? Or could you generate the project file for VS 2008 Express?

Thank you!
:)

[joelpeters]

take the file from pg2 "Here is the driver for WM6 WM5 "

unzip it.
copy the contents of 'windows' directory to your phones windows directory, error will say help already exists, dont copy. then copy the help file from the zip to the help folder in windows on device.
copy the whole 'bt keyboard...' directory to your device 'program files' directory and run the program in it.

works great thanks..

how do i create a shortcut to open it without using file explorer?
Hi,

I followed the instructions for installing the driver and prg. on my Samsung Omnia, and the keyboard is found when I run search but it won't connect. When I run the prg. and try to enable keyboard, I get a "Can't enable driver" message. I am ignorant about these matters. Am I missing some steps?

[joelpeters]

P.S. Do I have to find and delete the HP drivers, including the dkbdriver.exe file from the HP setup disk? Anyone know where they get installed?

[joelpeters]

P.S. Do I have to find and delete the HP drivers, including the dkbdriver.exe file from the HP setup disk? Anyone know where they get installed?

OK, after a fair amount of screwing around and experimentation, I got the driver and software to work. Great!!

Thanks so much for developing this much needed software!

Haven't figured out how to get a shortcut on the start menu or in the program icon group. Anyone know how to do that?

[bigchap]

would you mind sharing (or at least trying to retrace) the steps you undertook to get it working?

I've got the BK100 MSI kb, have installed the WM5_6 software from pg2 but get the "Can't enable driver" message.

Any tips?

[rado992]

Yeah, let me join bigchap in asking you for some details on how you managed to get it working as I have exactly the same problem as you with an i900 Omnia and an HP Bluetooth Foldable Keyboard (The soft from page 2 finds the KB but when i try to connect it freezes on Connecting...). Any tips will be greatly appreciated! :)

[LarryLauLive]

I have the HD2 and I cannot use the HP ported driver. (Guess the HD2 uses the wrong BT stack).

I'm trying the ipaqkb.exe and it works.... to a certain extent (Thanks andret!!). The keyboard works, but only the arrow buttons, `,=, backspace, etc. None of the alphabets or numbers are showing. Looks like a problem with the character map. Can it be edited by a noob like me?

Thanks!!

[Nuvolari77]

Is there any possibility to use the HP Bluetooth Foldable Keyboard with Windows XP / Windows 7?
I have it and for me could be useful connect it to my home theater PC.
Thanks a lot.

[JosePatrao]

Good news:
- I manage to pair my HTC HD2 (WM6.5) with my old HP iPaq Bluetooth Foldable Keyboard running the excellent little applet created by Andret - ipaqkb.exe - in com2.

Main functions are working without any problem:
- the whole alphabet, from a to z and from A to Z (using the "shift" keys or "caps lock")
- numbers, from 0 to 9
- symbols: `~!@#$%^&*()-+[{}]\|/?
- Backspace, Enter and the 4 arrows, all work as expected.

By other hand:
- Del, and every combination of "ctrl+...", "Fn+...", "alt+..." or "altgr+..." is ignored; for instance when I use: "Ctrl+C" a "c" appears on the PDA screen; when I use "Fn+X" a "x" instead of "ç"; and when I use "altgr+E" an "e" appears instead of "€".

After using "ipaqkb.exe" I downloaded "BTKeyboard WM5_WM6.zip" unpacked it on my desktop computer and placed every file at the right places (as indicated on previous posts) using Activesync.

Then I used file explorer to run the application.
When I test the Keyboard the correct characters appear on the "Test here" window.
I can turn "Enable Sound" on and off (even if no sound is heard) and change the "rates of delay and key repeat".
However when I touch "Enable Keyboard" a "Socket Error 10108" appears on screen and keyboard is not enabled (I have to touch "cancel" then, to stop it trying to found the keyboard).

In conclusion:
- Andret "ipaqkb.exe" applet works great with the HD2
- I'm using it often in office (and sometimes in meetings, too!) when I need to write a lot of text (in Word, SMS, etc.)
- Since I'm writing in an accentuated language (Portuguese, similarly to Spanish, French and many other European languages) the capacity of using "alt gr" to accentuate characters will be most welcome.

Any clues from the experts around here?

I thank you guys for your fantastic help and wish everybody around here an excellent New Year!

Jose

[arronhuk]

Source code attached including ipaqkbmap which is a small application i used to determine the codes for the various keys... if you follow the source you'll know why this was necessary.

In my case i dont think it was necessary to map those special characters as the WM API managed some of the shift-state issues and did not require anything further....

Either way... free to play with it and see what comes out of it... Have fun :)

I've had a look at the source but the actual ipaqkb source doen't contain anything. I'm looking at updating the key mapping so I can us it for an original freedom keyboard on the HTC HD2.

Thanks
Arron

[KCLT]

hey thank you for the tips and the magic file to make the foldable keyboard work.
;} geniusss

[KCLT]

btw it is on the hd2 that i was lucky to make it work.
for people that will be interested in the compatibility to other devices.

not all key maps are working... but that still is far better than nothing when taking uni notes :). no need for laptop anymore... *happy*

[Skinner1008]

btw it is on the hd2 that i was lucky to make it work.
for people that will be interested in the compatibility to other devices.

not all key maps are working... but that still is far better than nothing when taking uni notes :). no need for laptop anymore... *happy*
Hey KCLT

I also have the HD2 and the iPAQ bluetooth foldable keyboard, but cannot get the two to pair. The HD2 does find it, and when I select the keyboard in the list of devices found, then it prompts for the pair key. The key is 0000, but as soon as I select OK, I get an error message stating that there was an error while trying to pair, and that I should make sure the other device (keyboard) is still discoverable. This is as far as I get, can't even pair the two. How did you get yours to pair?

[KCLT]

Hey KCLT

I also have the HD2 and the iPAQ bluetooth foldable keyboard, but cannot get the two to pair. The HD2 does find it, and when I select the keyboard in the list of devices found, then it prompts for the pair key. The key is 0000, but as soon as I select OK, I get an error message stating that there was an error while trying to pair, and that I should make sure the other device (keyboard) is still discoverable. This is as far as I get, can't even pair the two. How did you get yours to pair?
Hello Skinner1008.
Try to press the 'discover keyb' button on the keyboard while you try to pair the device, just before you type in the code.
i also have these types of problems sometimes.... but after several times of trying to pair it starts working.

[klausik]

Hello,

I have HD2 (Czech) and HP bluetooth keyboard.

It works together but I need the czech (letters) diacritics too. Now I can write only "simple" Czech and it sucks.
I think the support has been installed inside - WM czech translation from Sunnysoft.

What should I do for it?
Is anybody using it?
Any ideas?

Thank you.

[loggerpeter]

Is there any possibility to use the HP Bluetooth Foldable Keyboard with Windows XP / Windows 7?
I have it and for me could be useful connect it to my home theater PC.
Thanks a lot.

Very useful application for my Samsung SHG-i900, it works GREAT.

Also i would like pair keyboard with desktop computer for full satisfaction :cool:

sorry for my english :rolleyes: i'm from the other side of earth, from Yakutsk, Russia.

[dirtywolf]

Wow, thanks for this.

Works perfectly (complete with alt gr, ctr+..., and Fn+...) on my Xperia X1a (running Energy rom WM6.5 21865). It even searched the keyboard without issue!

[Romario103]

Please follow the instruction for installation in the readme file.

Should run on any wm6.

test the hp ipaq bluetooth foldable keyboard with my htc diamond and working great.
Works great on my TytnII!

Thank you for uploading this. I really appreciate it.

[alindley]

Did anyone manage to get their freedom keyboard working with the HTC HD2 - would they care to share?:)


I've had a look at the source but the actual ipaqkb source doen't contain anything. I'm looking at updating the key mapping so I can us it for an original freedom keyboard on the HTC HD2.

Thanks
Arron

[thePhantomMan]

Thanks for great driver - I thought I was going to have to discard my keyboard when I upgraded to new smartphone wm6.5.
One thing thought, the cursor blinks so slow, I can type two words before they appear on the screen, and to delete one backspace at a time takes an age. Does anyone know how to increase the blink rate, either for wm software, or just for a textbox (I have a textpad application I made myself) in vb.net?

[RafilK]

I have the HD2 and I cannot use the HP ported driver. (Guess the HD2 uses the wrong BT stack).

I'm trying the ipaqkb.exe and it works.... to a certain extent (Thanks andret!!). The keyboard works, but only the arrow buttons, `,=, backspace, etc. None of the alphabets or numbers are showing. Looks like a problem with the character map. Can it be edited by a noob like me?

Thanks!!
I have an HD2 and have a similar problem to the one you are describing, i.e. you only get certain characters. I am wondering whether it's because my version of the HD2 ROM is a Hong Kong one (I bought it on the internet in UK, must have been imported).

Is yours a UK ROM or like me a non-western alphabet ROM?

Ideally, I would really like a proper fix for the driver problem. I have tried my iPAQ keyboard with two previous versions of Windows Mobile; 2003 and 6 Professional. It worked fine with both. For the 2003 version, is worked with the supplied driver from HP (if anyone needs this, please ask as I can upload it). For WM6P I used the updated version supplied on this thread by 'hazarry' in June 2009 -thanks!). The good thing about the HP software is it works seamlessly with the windows system, e.g. shortcut keys. So ideally it would be great if someone wrote an updated driver for WM6.5 HD2. I get a similar socket error 10108 as JosePatrao (8 Jan 2010).

Can anyone help, please?

[nemothepemo]

Hey..This solution works like a charm on my HTC Touch Pro. It already has a great keyboard, but being able to use this MSI Bluetooth keyboard that I got for some long gone phone, is great for all kinds of typing. Thanks so very much !!!:)

[mascasel]

Same issue: all works but great delay in appearing text typed.....






Thanks for great driver - I thought I was going to have to discard my keyboard when I upgraded to new smartphone wm6.5.
One thing thought, the cursor blinks so slow, I can type two words before they appear on the screen, and to delete one backspace at a time takes an age. Does anyone know how to increase the blink rate, either for wm software, or just for a textbox (I have a textpad application I made myself) in vb.net?

[bohdee]

Please follow the instruction for installation in the readme file.

Should run on any wm6.

test the hp ipaq bluetooth foldable keyboard with my htc diamond and working great.

Friend I can not believe you made this keyboard work on diamond, you already tried to use it to win seven?

[psychohamster]

I finally found this thread over at the MSDN forums. I'll see if I can whip up an app similar to the win mobile app but for Win 7 (I am looking to use the ipaq keyboard with an HP Slate, so I don't need a persistent service or a full-on driver since it will be infrequently used). I'll post back with source code if I get anything working.

I can't post links yet (sigh) so you'll have to search the MSDN forums for thread id: 12721cf4-770f-41fd-a38c-1bcff44680a9

[andret]

I think the original attachments were not valid.

Please see these ones... one is a windows application I used to actually do the mapping of the keys and the smartdevice project is the actual windows mobile application.

I cannot remember if this was the final version of the app which I uploaded, but at least i managed to trace some of the original source.... I have android devices now so I cannot test.

[psychohamster]

Ah, perfect. Thanks andret! Those files appear to be correct. Should be trivial now to repackage as a desktop .NET app (and add the com port picker, this one is wired to COM1).

[psychohamster]

Here's a quick repackage of Andret's code into a simple desktop .NET 4 application (requires vs2010 to build, .NET 4 Client Profile to run).

Assuming you've already paired the keyboard with your machine and enabled the serial port profile for it (remember the pairing code is 0000)

1. Run the app
2. Select the com port
3. Press the button on the keyboard to wake it up
4. press the big connect button on the app
5. type away
6. Close the app or press disconnect when done

The function keys don't work yet, and there seems to be some quirkiness with the windows key, but overall usable for a tablet pc running XP/Vista/7

I've tested it with the original ipaq keyboard (Darfon G950) and a WinXP laptop and Win7 HP Slate with no major issues, but haven't used it for more then 15 or 20 mins at a time.

[ronm440]

I have this folding keyboard which worked great with both my Ipaq TravelCompanion (Win5) and my Tilt(Win6.1) but now I've got a Samsung Focus (WP7)and would like to be able to use my folding keyboard with it.
Any chance on getting a driver that will work with WP7? Won't pair out of the box...
Thanks!

[psychohamster]

I'm afraid I don't have a WP7 device to test it with, but I'll do some poking around to see if it's just a simple change from andret's original code (I suspect it probably just changed from a call into core.dll to a different library, knowing MS). What happened when you tried to install the driver from earlier in this thread? Just a general "not compatible with this version" error message?