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Making My Own USB Keyboard from Scratch

blakesmith.me

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Re: Making My Own USB Keyboard from Scratch

#62

Post by joeblubaugh »

tramGG wrote: post #3
keithnz wrote: post #2

funny, I was just looking at a keyboard stream on twitch for https://ishtob.net/hadron/hadronv3-groupbuy and I was just browsing the open source code used in the keyboard here https://github.com/qmk/qmk_firmware

$255 for a keyboard? Wow. What are the more higher end keyboards you've seen?

I have a Keyboardio Model 01: https://shop.keyboard.io/

The Kickstarter version cost $250, they go for $329 now. It's really comfortable, and I use the palm-switch and thumb keys very naturally.

Re: Making My Own USB Keyboard from Scratch

#63

Post by crshults »

niwo wrote: post #17

This project looks nicer than most first efforts. Some random tips for anyone who wants to do something similar, with reservations for that it has been awhile: 1. Get a through hole supported usb connector instead of a pure smd one, since the latter likes to fall off. 2. I would avoid routing under the switches for durability, this might just be superstition though. 3. You can route the x and y of the matrix on diffe…

> 7. Solder in order of cost and success rate.

Thanks for this. I guess I've always gotten lucky here but now I'm imagining the frustration of getting done with all the discretes on a board just to blow it all on the uC. Great advice, thanks again.

Re: Making My Own USB Keyboard from Scratch

#64

Post by timonoko »

I made an USB-controlled relay from old keyboard circuit board. The relay is connected to the Scroll-lock LED, which is totally useless otherwise. Which means I can switch the relay on from keyboard or bash-script. At the moment the relay is connected to the ambient light in my lair.

Re: Making My Own USB Keyboard from Scratch

#65

Post by FPGAhacker »

secstate wrote: post #59
kragen wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, Apple got their multitouch technology in 2005 by buying Fingerworks, the startup that made Touchstream keyboards, which were sort of like a giant single trackpad with key areas on it. Now that every Android phone and tablet has this feature, you could maybe use a tablet or two as a reconfigurable keyboard. Myself, I really want more touch feedback from my keys, not less, but to each her own!

I don't think OP is referring to a touch keyboard, but rather that the keycaps of each key would be one part of a larger multi-touch surface. As your finger left one key you could sort of "guess" the direction it was going and have something close to one big multi-touch panel that was composed of smaller surfaces. But I could be wrong as well.

I had this idea a while back as well. What brought it to mind was wishing I didn't have to take my hands away from the keyboard to mouse around.

Anyway, Apple has patents covering this idea. I believe 9,041,652 is the one I'm thinking of.

Re: Making My Own USB Keyboard from Scratch

#67

Post by fireattack »

crshults wrote: post #63
niwo wrote: post #17

This project looks nicer than most first efforts. Some random tips for anyone who wants to do something similar, with reservations for that it has been awhile: 1. Get a through hole supported usb connector instead of a pure smd one, since the latter likes to fall off. 2. I would avoid routing under the switches for durability, this might just be superstition though. 3. You can route the x and y of the matrix on diffe…

> 7. Solder in order of cost and success rate. Thanks for this. I guess I've always gotten lucky here but now I'm imagining the frustration of getting done with all the discretes on a board just to blow it all on the uC. Great advice, thanks again.

Desc. or asc.?

Re: Making My Own USB Keyboard from Scratch

#68

Post by _jal »

tramGG wrote: post #3
keithnz wrote: post #2

funny, I was just looking at a keyboard stream on twitch for https://ishtob.net/hadron/hadronv3-groupbuy and I was just browsing the open source code used in the keyboard here https://github.com/qmk/qmk_firmware

$255 for a keyboard? Wow. What are the more higher end keyboards you've seen?

That's not much for a high-end keyboard. Spend some time browsing http://reddit.com/r/mechmarket/ . You can pay north of $1K if you want to, especially on a rare board; new ones are commonly around $500. Just one recent example: https://zealpc.net/collections/custom-keyboards/products/gb-... .
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