Noppoo Choc Mini, controller swap

[ksm123]

Did anyone try to Teensy-mod Noppoo Choc Mini? Any suggestions on a way to proceed?

I'm colemak typist, I will need, in near future, a portable keyboard with hardware Colemak layout (I will be able to connect my own keyboard to PC, but installing software on provided workstations will be frowned upon). I'm looking for solution cheaper than Code keyboard with trans-atlantic shipment.

[frosty]

Do you need the arrow keys? If not just get a Poker 2 and program the program layer to colemak and set it to program layer via fn plus right shift.

[dorkvader]

I think the choc mini has a controller mounted on the switch PCB instead of a daughterboard like what costar uses so you can't replace it.

If the choc mini is PS/2 you can remap it with a soarer converter box (mounted internally to put your paranoid IT staff off the scent)
If it's USB you can try the USB-to-USB converter that TMK_firmware offers, but I hear it's still in beta.

Both will run on teensy or arduino pro micro.

[ksm123]

I hoped someone managed to cut away controller and wire teensy to matrix.
Unfortunately noppoo is NKRO over USB, Afaik USB2USB doesn't cooperate with such controllers.

[dorkvader]

I hoped someone managed to cut away controller and wire teensy to matrix.
Unfortunately noppoo is NKRO over USB, Afaik USB2USB doesn't cooperate with such controllers.

You could leave the controller in place and wire a teensy to the matrix but it'd take a lot of work. Selling your noppoo and buying a different keyboard (that supports PS/2 for easy hardware programmability with soarer firmware) or is directly programmable like poker II or has colemak layout enabled with dip switch (WASD) is a much easier option that is still cheap.

[davkol]

I posted some pictures at DT, because 7bit wanted to make an alternative PCB&plate (HyperPoo) that would support normal spacebars, but

• he's been silent about it for quite a while;
• I don't think it's really worth it, because Choc Mini is apparently EOL in favour of the new 70% keyboard, and the build quality (except keycaps/switches) is questionable anyway;
• there isn't much space for a Teensy in the stock case.

Now, I'm not really sure, what to do with mine. The factory soldering is awful, I hate blue indicator LEDs and the fixed cable isn't very practical on the go… I might simply ditch the PCB altogether and hardwire switches to a Teensy.