AT32u4 not-a-teensy ... is there already a thread?

[AKmalamute]

So, looking at eBay, I see things around $5-8 shipped, that have (according to description) an Atmel Atmega32u4 microcontroller ... This is the thing that makes the Teensy so valuable, right?

But close examination of the board shows they've attached it differently; the pins have different meanings to the microcontroller.

Lets say (hypothetically  ) I bought one of these things ... how hard is it to make a keyboard out of them? just software re-writes, or since they seem to move the ground around would I for-sure need a cross wired standoff to match the Teensy's layout (assuming an off-the-shelf PCB like a phantom or something)

If the test subject were to then cross wire it to where the PCB honestly thought it was a Teensy, would existing firmware work? Funky case options at that point, I can only guess but it would save $10 on the project.

 For someone who's never written a device driver in his ilfe (and didn't get too far through 'C for dummies' either) is there a decent tutorial, or has someone collected together other people's tutorials to take a project from "you have a breakout knockoff in your hands" through to "you have a keyboard you're using to post to the internet with" ...?

[Soarer]

Firmware will work, but there's not much you can do about the fact they haven't wired all the pins - it's only got enough pins for 72 keys, I think, and then there wouldn't be any left for lock LEDs. So not ideal for a controller, although you could use some cheap external logic chips to expand it (e.g. 74138).

Great for converters though

The pin names are just Arduino names - they correspond to the '32U4 names in some bizarre manner, as BCG's diagram shows for some of them in that link.  The rest can be figured out from the schematic - it's a SparkFun design, so there's lots of information there.

[TheFlyingRaccoon]

Firmware will work, but there's not much you can do about the fact they haven't wired all the pins - it's only got enough pins for 72 keys, I think, and then there wouldn't be any left for lock LEDs. So not ideal for a controller, although you could use some cheap external logic chips to expand it (e.g. 74138).

Great for converters though

The pin names are just Arduino names - they correspond to the '32U4 names in some bizarre manner, as BCG's diagram shows for some of them in that link.  The rest can be figured out from the schematic - it's a SparkFun design, so there's lots of information there.

Thanks for the information Soarer! I was thinking along the same lines. I see this useful as a converter but not as a keyboard controller.

[mkawa]

yep, those are interesting, but would only be converter material, and you need jacks and hand wiring and casing and so on to convert. for only a few bucks more you can get one of my *shameless advertisement* id innovations adapters. yes yes, it doesn't work for every protocol, just ps/2 and serial, but it is extremely well made and is a fantastic product for those two applications

[MOZ]

And then there is the GH universal control wink wink

[mkawa]

better learn kicad quick bud

[AKmalamute]

Firmware will work, but there's not much you can do about the fact they haven't wired all the pins - it's only got enough pins for 72 keys, I think

That's enough for JD's 40% project, right? Problem solved!

Mkawa: yes I'd like to know more about KiCad ... someday but it's farther down the line then using existing designs. The 40% board almost exists. close enough!

[Soarer]

yep, those are interesting, but would only be converter material, and you need jacks and hand wiring and casing and so on to convert. for only a few bucks more you can get one of my *shameless advertisement* id innovations adapters. yes yes, it doesn't work for every protocol, just ps/2 and serial, but it is extremely well made and is a fantastic product for those two applications

These Pro Micros are cheap enough now to throw inside keyboards, often with no soldering required... and my *shameless advertisement* firmware gives NKRO, 1000Hz, remapping, layers, macros etc., as well as supporting more protocols

[Soarer]

Firmware will work, but there's not much you can do about the fact they haven't wired all the pins - it's only got enough pins for 72 keys, I think

That's enough for JD's 40% project, right? Problem solved!

Should be, yeah. And it's possible to use diodes to allow sense lines to also be used for lock LEDs.

[mkawa]

yep, those are interesting, but would only be converter material, and you need jacks and hand wiring and casing and so on to convert. for only a few bucks more you can get one of my *shameless advertisement* id innovations adapters. yes yes, it doesn't work for every protocol, just ps/2 and serial, but it is extremely well made and is a fantastic product for those two applications

These Pro Micros are cheap enough now to throw inside keyboards, often with no soldering required... and my *shameless advertisement* firmware gives NKRO, 1000Hz, remapping, layers, macros etc., as well as supporting more protocols

well, you need a usb jack bud , so i don't know about no soldering required, oops, just saw the mini usb on the board. but i do encourage people who can rig up soarer's converter to go for it! i only carry the adapters for those who need or want no muss no fuss use of pretty typical things like model Ms, cheap bl82s, old alps and blue monterey boards, etc. etc. if you want to use an XT F, you need a soarer anyway, but if you know what an XT F is and are lucky enough to have one, you already know that .

like i said soarer, it's just a matter of time before we standardize BUT in the meantime, the id inno adapters work really well for tons of people, and they beat the crap out of the blue cubes for build quality, ease of sourcing etc. the idea is that the id inno will always be here for plug and play in the common case (which frankly is ps2, period). i mean heck, i practically lose money on them, but they open up a whole world of switches for the common user, so i carry them for the public good