Disabling tap function in synaptics touchpad

The chip is undoubtably a microcontroller of some sort, it's very unlikely that any external modification you could do would disable the tap, it would require a firmware change in the keyboard if no separate driver is used.

Like

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A bit of piezo somewhere inside , you can remove ?

-- Diverse Devices, Southampton, England electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on

That's not how they work, they're capacitive, and the tap function is implemented in software using the same sensing grid that measures the position of your finger.

The same keyboard is sold as a KeySonic ACK-540RF (25UKP here in the UK from Ebuyer). I've got one, great in front of the TV / media centre. Awful for heavy PC use.

Yup, no drivers, hence no configuration choices. Take it or leave it technology. FWIW I'm a fan of the tap'n'click system so I'm OK :-)

So did you look into an alternative keyboard layout that could disable the pad? I know there are options for different keyboards but couldn't walk you through it. Do a web search.

Thanks for the replies. I gathered from what I'd read that the mouse movement was capacitive, but I thought perhaps the tap portion was sensed by something else which might be eliminated. There may be a firmware avenue to this, but since the only software involved is the basic MS keyboard & mouse driver, there doesn't appear to be a way to get to/modify/replace the firmware, if such a replacement was even available. I've also tried installing the generic Synaptics touchpad driver for XP, but since the keyboard apparently just appears as a basic mouse/keyboard once its signals get to the PC, the software doesn't detect the presence of a touchpad.

Dan

Adrian-I bought it also to use primarily with a HTPC, but I find I'm also web browsing etc, in front ot the TV. I wouldn't want to write a doctoral thesis this way, using this keyboard, but aside from the tap issue, I actually find it's pretty comfortable to access the pc this way. The main trouble for me has come when using WE. More than once I've gone to move the cursor from, say, the upper right hand portion of the left, only to find I've selected & moved some file/folder without meaning to or having any idea which file & moved where.

Dan

You could check Synaptic's site for a driver. It wouldn't be specific to your keyboard, but they might have something that would work with it. Andy Cuffe

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com

"Dan" wrote in news:hrudnR_5s-i0GZvVnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

Have you checked the manufacturer's website for drivers? MOST companies have drivers that can be downloaded and installed.

BTW, I also HATE 'tap' and turn it off whenever I can. I also wear out the left 'mouse' button on my laptop keyboard. I am on my third 'palm rest' on this DELL inspirion 640m. Replaced under warranty when the button stopped working.

"Andy Cuffe"

Andy - I tried that, the driver doesn't recognize the presence of a touchpad. Inside the keyboard, there's a circuit that apparently takes all keystrokes/touchpad actions, converts them to the equivalent basic MS plug & play keyboard/mouse actions, then transmits them to the USB RF receiver. There doesn't appear to be a software way of diong this with this setup, which is why I was looking for an electronic (hardware) solution.

Dan

No drivers, uses the MS plug & play drivers, which have no settings for a touchpad.

"Dan" wrote in news:DZ6dnS1iWeTJB5rVnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

download the drivers for your keyboard from their web site. Download the manual and read it. If you STILL have problem, contact their support people.

Speaking of "required reading", did you READ THIS THREAD at all?

Did you even bother to LOOK AT what's available for the model in question on the very link you supplied before posting it???

There is not a point in your post that isn't incorrect, and that I haven't covered AT LEAST ONCE in this discussion.

Make sure YOU know what YOU'RE talking about before you shoot your mouth off & imply SOMEONE ELSE isn't doing their homework.

Dan

That page doesn't offer drivers, just announces that the keyboard is 'plug and play'.

You seem to have a short fuse there. Looks like a quick blow, I'd replace it with an anti-surge delay if I were you.... :~(

Hi Dan, that guys a moron..... You get plenty of them around these parts :-(

Since I'm not about to tear my nice identical keyboard to pieces to find out, but since you probably have ;-) could you list out any part numbers of the chips & touch sensor, or better put some good resolution pictures on a blog somewhere?

It's very possible that it's programming code in firmware that needs changing, and it's also very probable that the CPU device used is NOT reprogramable and might even have be programmed in such a way that reading out the code and hacking changes to write to another device might be difficult.

On the other hand, if the synaptics OEM touch sensor is connected to the keyboard CPU chip using a standard (PS/2?) interface you may be able to hack your own programmed microcontroller (PIC?) inbetween it and the CPU chip, doing your own custom initialisation after the CPU has done its default?

There seems to be a bit of information on the synaptics web site at a low level (mainy for driver writers) that might help if you feel inclined to take on this hacking job. Certainly an interesting project if you have time/$$/patience to spare. :-)

"Dan" wrote in news:f-adneePBYEK2ZXVnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

I AM trying to help. I hate the tap to click also.

I missed the fact that the driver page showed a little icon that said 'windows drivers' rather than actually leading to a driver because I didn't try to download the driver and didn't look closely at the icon. My bad. Sorry about that.

I also didn't bother to download the manual and read through it. My bad. Sorry about that.

But then you never said YOU downloaded the manual and it gave no help.

There does appear to be one point you have not covered, contacting their support people.

Have you contacted snipped-for-privacy@adesso.com or 800-467-1195? If you covered that, I missed reading it. Sorry about that.

You and Adrian seem to have a bit of a short fuse. I missed a couple of points but I didn't call anyone names.

Simply saying 'I said I tried that already' would have been sufficient, there is really no need losing one's temper.

If you had said something like [hypothetical quote] checked company web site Driver page shows only 'use windows drivers' downloaded manual Same as the useless manual that came with the keyboard [end hypothetical quote]

It would have prevented some misunderstanding on my part, but missing IS my fault. Sorry about that.

You still have not made clear whether you tried to contact the company. I am trying that because you haven't said that you tried it. Their auto-answer-bot doesn't give much hope, but there may be a later answer from a human being that is more helpful. I can't call the 1 800 number right now but it is worth trying.

I did contact the manufacturer, and mentioned this in my original post: "Adesso simply replies "no software solution".

I also said in that post, and at least once later in a reply to you, that "the keyboard comes with no drivers, it "plug & plays" into existing MS drivers."

Why would you not simply assume I was correct about these very basic things, rather than that I hadn't even bothered to read the (very scant, BTW) documentation: "Download the manual and read it"?

I accept at this point that you were sincerely trying to help, but come on, the entire tone of your reply was condescending. If that really wasn't what you were trying to communicate, you might want to work on how you phrase things.

Apologies accepted.

Dan

Adrian - I have taken the keyboard apart a couple times (screws under the stick on rubber feet & center label, don't you hate that? ;-) I tried disconnecting the 5 leads that run from the touchpad to the other main PCB, one at a time, on the outside chance severing any would disable the tap, didn't really expect it to work, but I thought I try it. No luck. of course. Makes sense, I'm sure by the time the "left click" signal has left the touchpad itself, there's no way to distinguish whether its from the pad or the button.

Does seem like a firmware solution is the only way.

I looked on the Synaptics site for a driver, which I dl'd to no avail, but didn't really poke around there much more, didn't expect them to have any technical info to speak of. They seemed to say "If this driver doesn't do it for you, don't bother us, call the manufacturer". I'll go back there & look some more.

I'm not home right now, but later I'll see if I can get a decent pic of the interior to post on a hosting page.

Thanks for the ideas.

Dan