[GB] Filco tenkeyless custom ATmega32u4 controller - All gone, that's it folks.

[Glissant]

And I believe this firmware will also work on ANSI keyboard without problem, can someone try?

Plz let me know the result, your layout and OS.

Thanks in advance.

Working just fine with my ANSI layout on windows 8 .

[damorgue]

Oh, I fixed that already. Yes, it worked for me, don't know if you made the same changes though. It was discussed in the other thread, wasn't it?

Edit: Here is what I did back then.

http://i.imgur.com/MdvRd.png
Then I remove and add those places in the key map tables further down where they are assigned their values, so that the rows aren't shifted one place to the left/right.

[hasu]

Thanks, guys.
In fact I wanted to know whether ISO key by Enter works with USB HID keyocde for ANSI backslash(0x31). This is the point of this test.

See Footnote 2 on page 59 of HID usage spec, this indicates that the ISO key shall use 'Non-US hash'(0x32) keycode. http://www.usb.org/developers/devclass_docs/Hut1_11.pdf
But ISO/JIS keyboards in the market seem to use ANSI backslash code for its ISO key instead of Non-US code. And existent OS's works well with that code probably.

I pushed this fix to github and maybe one binaries can work on both ANSI and most of ISO keyboard now, except for JIS, Brazilian and Korean keyboard with more extra keys.

[alaricljs]

I had helped 4LI4Z out with an ISO board and used the 2 non-US codes listed in your keycode.h.  He reported back that it worked fine.  This is why I sent you this:

Code: [Select]

* Tenkeyless keyboard default layout, ISO & ANSI (ISO is between Left Shift
* and Z, and the ANSI \ key above Return/Enter is used for the additional ISO
* switch in the ASD row next to enter.  Use NUBS as keycode for the first and
* NUHS as the keycode for the second.on lines 91-94 of https://github.com/tmk/tmk_keyboard/blob/master/keyboard/hid_liber/keymap.c

as part of the last update I sent.

[hasu]

That quoted comment is still completely right. And of course, you can still use NUHS for that key by editing your keymap.
I think use of NUHS(Non-US Hash) code for the ISO key is more legit than ANSI backslash code. But it looks like ANSI backlash code works for the ISO key too.

I believe last fix doesn't anything with ANSI or ISO keyboard. Just added NUBS(Non-US Backslash) code for ISO key between Left Shift and Z.

https://github.com/tmk/tmk_keyboard/commit/02b6b70e76ea3c4820d4f14bdd705230b6f824f1

I had helped 4LI4Z out with an ISO board and used the 2 non-US codes listed in your keycode.h.  He reported back that it worked fine.  This is why I sent you this:

Code: [Select]

* Tenkeyless keyboard default layout, ISO & ANSI (ISO is between Left Shift
* and Z, and the ANSI \ key above Return/Enter is used for the additional ISO
* switch in the ASD row next to enter.  Use NUBS as keycode for the first and
* NUHS as the keycode for the second.on lines 91-94 of https://github.com/tmk/tmk_keyboard/blob/master/keyboard/hid_liber/keymap.c

as part of the last update I sent.

[damorgue]

I don't get it. Did you do anything differently than what I did?

[hasu]

I don't know what you did exactly. Can you post  patch or your repository URL?

[damorgue]

I don't know what you did exactly. Can you post  patch or your repository URL?

http://i.imgur.com/MdvRd.png
Then I remove and add those places in the key map tables further down where they are assigned their values, so that the rows aren't shifted one place to the left/right.

I just changed the fields marked yellow to the values in the image. Then those keys can be defined in the same way in the layout matrices further down in the same file. I am not at home atm, which is why I can only use that image which I posted in the other thread. I can post the file/changes when I get back home. The changes are as you can see very trivial though, which is why I don't understand what the fuzz is about? Is working ISO all you wanted or did I miss something?

[4LI4Z]

I had helped 4LI4Z out with an ISO board and used the 2 non-US codes listed in your keycode.h.  He reported back that it worked fine.

Yes, it works fine, I use the firmware on my filco as my daily driver without any issues.

To make it ISO-compatible you have to add NUBS and NUHS to the keymap, thats how it looks like:

Code: [Select]

KEYMAP(\
    ESC, F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7, F8, F9, F10, F11, F12, PSCR, SLCK, BRK, \
    GRV, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0, MINS, EQL, BSPC, INS, HOME, PGUP, \
    TAB, Q, W, E, R, T, Y, U, I, O, P, LBRC, RBRC, NUHS, DEL, END, PGDN, \
    CAPS, A, S, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, SCLN, QUOT, ENT, \
    LSFT, NUBS, Z, X, C, V, B, N, M, COMM, DOT, SLSH, RSFT, UP, \
    LCTL, FN1, LALT, SPC, RALT, RGUI, APP, RCTL, LEFT, DOWN, RGHT),



[hasu]

@damorgue, ah, Phantom also support ISO layout but tmk_keyboard doesn't have code for ISO for now. You changed Phantom keymap file to support ISO keyboard. I get it now.
Your fix will be helpful for ISO Phantom people, send me patch or pull request when you have spare time.

OK. What I wanted to know is where BSLS(ANSI backslash) keycode is work for ISO key(next to Enter) or not. That key should have NUHS as HID spec indicates so. If you can edit keymap and build your own binary you should use NUHS. But If one binary with default keymap supports both ANSI and ISO keyboard it'll be helpful for someone who can't or don't want to build their own firmware. This is just the point of my last fix.

The key between Left Shift and Z has no alternative code other than NUBS. No question here.

[metalliqaz]

One of these just showed up at my door today!  October 22, 2012 to January 12, 2013... Twelve weeks.

[Sifo]

At least it showed up ! Glad it did too.

[metalliqaz]

Heh, it was assumed lost in the mail and the replacement came more than a month ago!

[csimi]

Is there a better way to flash the firmware than having Java installed for Flip? I guess Windows restricts the choices?

[hasu]

Check dfu-programmer.

[inlikeflynn]

One of these just showed up at my door today!  October 22, 2012 to January 12, 2013... Twelve weeks.

my lost in the mail one also just showed up today. October 21, 2012 to January 19, 2013....2 days short of 3 months.
WTF USPS on these deliveries 

[bpiphany]

I soldered another few controllers yesterday. There are around 20 left all in all. There are fewer left than the number of persons signing up in the interest check and never replied later. I don't mind that, but anyone is welcome to lay their hands on the ones that are left.

[aggiejy]

Well, I finally got around to trying my DIY kit.  First time doing such small surface mount soldering.  I was able to successfully flash the firmware and it works great, except it's a persistant "up" key press I guess.  No clue how to troubleshoot that... but the soldering exercise was worth it anyway.  Good thing I got a pre-assembled one as well.

[aggiejy]

Never mind! I unplugged it and plugged it back in (duh) and it works perfect! Was actually quite a bit of fun to do the DIY kit! Wish I had bought two.

[jdcarpe]

Yeah, don't forget to cycle the board after you flash the firmware.

[n0rvig]

Anymore of these available?

[metalliqaz]

biphany definitely has some.

BTW biphany, did you build all of them with reed switches?  I can't remember if mine had one or not, but the magnet doesn't seem to be working.

[bpiphany]

biphany definitely has some.

BTW biphany, did you build all of them with reed switches?  I can't remember if mine had one or not, but the magnet doesn't seem to be working.

n0rvig will be getting the very last one I have built at the moment. I'm going to build myself a perfect specimen to keep =D After that there will only be DIY kits available, 14 or so of them. And then this model is history...

[bpiphany]

BTW biphany, did you build all of them with reed switches?  I can't remember if mine had one or not, but the magnet doesn't seem to be working.

I totally forgot to answer your question =P Yes, I ended up including the reed switch with every controller. First I was only going to do it for the 50 first or so. It is probably the most sensitive component on there, the long glass tube. Since I didn't know how well they would handle transport they were meant as sort of a bonus. I'm pretty sure I tested to reset all controllers I built with a magnet...

[metalliqaz]

Thanks,  I probably need a stronger magnet.  I just don't want to take it apart. Those Filco cases are a pain.

[metalliqaz]

Well, I bricked my controller...
Used the magnet to get it into boot mode and Flip was able to erase the device but refuses to program it.  Has anyone successfully programmed theirs?

[jdcarpe]

Well, I bricked my controller...
Used the magnet to get it into boot mode and Flip was able to erase the device but refuses to program it.  Has anyone successfully programmed theirs?

Try switching back and forth between flash mode and EEPROM mode in Flip a few times, before using flash mode to program it. That has worked for me.

[metalliqaz]

That wasn't it.  For some reason Flip forgot what kind of AVR it was supposed to talk to.

Using my Epsilon firmware on my Filco now.  Few bugs to work out but it's working, which is amazing in of itself considering how very different the two designs are.

[berserkfan]

Just to give you moral support 

I lack technical skills ever to do this kind of thing, but it's really what I would be happy to do had I the skills!

(Attachment Link)
Image courtesy of fruktstund (at least I hope that is ok..)

Update: 2012-10-20
Group buy is sort of closed. Asking for order confirmations at the moment. Half of the ordered PCBs have been built into complete controllers. There may be left overs after all interested have been supplied.

A wiki page with instructions for the controller have been created at http://deskthority.net/wiki/HID_Liberation_Device_-_Instructions

There is also another one with solder yourself instruction, with a name confusingly alike http://deskthority.net/wiki/HID_Liberation_Device_-_DIY_Instructions

Please contribute there if you've got information to share =)

What is this all about?
Ever wanted your Filco tenkeyless to have a programmable controller? Thought it sounded a bit insane to build a Phantom only for this reason? What if you could just simply replace the stock controller daughter board in your keyboard with a programmable one? Why not I say.

With this replacement daughter board you will basically have a Teensy that plugs conveniently into your Filco tenkeyless.  There are a number of different keyboard project with code running on the Teensy that should be easily adopted to work with this controller.

The ATmega32u4 chip
This is the same chip as on the Teensy2.0. It is a 16MHz 8-bit AVR from Atmel.

It has 32kB of flash to hold the bootloader, firmware code and key matrix information. The flash memory is read only during normal operation, so it can only be altered when loading code onto it through the bootloader. Both the stock bootloader from Atmel and the open source bootloader from LUFA take 4kB of the flash memory. The very basic code for the Phantom with one single layer key matrix takes almost 9kB. This leaves more than 18kB for custom layers and macros or whatever.

There is 2.5kB of SRAM memory, this is used to run the program and store variables during runtime. It is like normal RAM memory erased when the power is cut.

There is also 1kB of EEPROM memory available, this can be used to store data when the power is off. So any recorded macro or on the fly remappings should be stored here.

Flashing the firmware
Almost all code for AVRs you will find is written in c and compiled to hex files. It is these hex files that are flashed to the chip. The flashing is done through a program running on your computer, talking to the chip via the bootloader. I haven't tried this in Windows but there are applications to do this that should be easily maneuvered. I will look into this and make sure there are no problems. In Linux I've got everything under control.

The TeensyLoader that the Teensys use will unfortunately not be available since that is PJRC proprietary. This is only a slight drawback. It may be more user friendly, and their bootloader is much smaller, but all in all this doesn't make a big difference.

Compatibility
I have based this design on my "gen2" Filco tenkeyless. I believe there are no differences compared to the "gen1" keyboard except the higher quality PCB. Electrically everything is the same. I cannot guarantee that it will work for everyone though since there may be differences I don't know about. If your keyboard turns out to be incompatible this would of course be handled somehow. Passing it on to someone else for example, or in the worst case returning it for a refund.

The Filco main PCB that I have reverse engineered is a "gen2" marked "CST-F87/88/89/91-MB V1.1" 2010-11-09, and the controller is marked "Tenkeyless PCBA Rev 2.1-ESD" 2010-08-24.

There are pictures of the stock controller in this thread http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=6557

Pricing
Pre-soldered controller $20
Solder yourself kit $20 (free shipping)
Shipping $4

Shown interest:
I've got all names as of 2012-10-20 stored away. Still sending out PMs a couple a day.

[bakageta]

I have based this design on my "gen2" Filco tenkeyless. I believe there are no differences compared to the "gen1" keyboard except the higher quality PCB. Electrically everything is the same. I cannot guarantee that it will work for everyone though since there may be differences I don't know about. If your keyboard turns out to be incompatible this would of course be handled somehow. Passing it on to someone else for example, or in the worst case returning it for a refund.

The Filco main PCB that I have reverse engineered is a "gen2" marked "CST-F87/88/89/91-MB V1.1" 2010-11-09, and the controller is marked "Tenkeyless PCBA Rev 2.1-ESD" 2010-08-24.

I just wanted to confirm that this works great in a gen1 Filco. My daughter board was a CST-TN-DAUGHTER v1.2 dated 2008-04-11.

[Mysteric]

Any of the pre-soldered ones left? How do I actually fit this to the keyboard? Is it just a case of plugging it in?

[csimi]

Any of the pre-soldered ones left? How do I actually fit this to the keyboard? Is it just a case of plugging it in?

Not sure if there are any left, but installing is that easy.
Pull, push. No soldering/etc required.

[Mysteric]

Ah right. If there is any pre-soldered ones left, I'll definitely buy one.

[pandather]

I'd get a pre soldered as well... Also, how hard would it be to solder? I kinda need one as my controller died.   I also need a new pcb, where can I get one?

[metalliqaz]

I'd get a pre soldered as well... Also, how hard would it be to solder? I kinda need one as my controller died.   I also need a new pcb, where can I get one?

You killed your controller AND pcb?  Wow dude.  Anyway best bet is probably a Phantom.  It fits nicely into a Filco case

[aggiejy]

I'd get a pre soldered as well... Also, how hard would it be to solder?

I've done 4 of them, and it's pretty hard... especially if you don't have a good iron and a really small tip and precision tweezers.  Mine have all worked, but they haven't looked as pretty as the one bpiphany did that I also have.

[metalliqaz]

^ agreed.  After doing 8 epsilons (essentially the same parts as the HIDlib) I'm pretty good at, but it required getting professional tools and suffering a few epic fails.

[WhiteFireDragon]

I'd get a pre soldered as well... Also, how hard would it be to solder?

I've done 4 of them, and it's pretty hard... especially if you don't have a good iron and a really small tip and precision tweezers.  Mine have all worked, but they haven't looked as pretty as the one bpiphany did that I also have.

+1

These are pretty much same parts as GH60 PCBs. That's why I recommended against soldering yourself, but still there were plenty of DIY PCBs ordered in that GB.

[bpiphany]

there still are components for about ten controllers left. I don't really feel like doing more soldering myself. It takes me too long. But kits are available, and if someone wants to buy the lot for building and passing them on I'm sure we can agree on a good price for them.

[Mysteric]

there still are components for about ten controllers left. I don't really feel like doing more soldering myself. It takes me too long. But kits are available, and if someone wants to buy the lot for building and passing them on I'm sure we can agree on a good price for them.

Aww! I haven't got a clue how to solder otherwise I would've. Never mind then

[pandather]

I have an 888D and a  0.2 mm tip... I was looking at a phantom PCB... Would it fit a QFR case? I have a custom plate, so that's not needed.

[SmallFry]

The QFR doesn't use the same controller pattern. Biphany is coming out with a ATMega32u2 version for the QFR soon however.

[alaricljs]

I have an 888D and a  0.2 mm tip... I was looking at a phantom PCB... Would it fit a QFR case? I have a custom plate, so that's not needed.

If you're going with a Phantom, you don't need the controller this thread is about.  Yes it fits in the QFR case with some minor mods.

[Mysteric]

Anyone got a spare one that they can sell already soldered?

[gnubag]

Anyone got a spare one that they can sell already soldered?

i can solder you one, but i don't  now if there is somebody in the uk to do that so you can save on shipping.



and if there are more people who are interested, I can get  bpiphany's lot and solder them.

[Mysteric]

I am extremely interested in a pre-soldered one

[pandather]

Where could I buy a Phantom PCB?  Seems as the GB is over...   I might have to get this and where could I buy a Filco or QFR PCB?

[Mysteric]

So when you flash the firmware to these, is there anything you have to do prior to or after flashing?

[alaricljs]

You wave a magic wand* in front of it to get it into flashing mode.

* magnet - it's got a reed switch on it.

[Mysteric]

So how does the flashing procedure go from start to finish?