Prologue for the Newly-Arrived18-May-2015
This is
not a necro-thread. It is a very slow-burn project that sits
behind other projects, like me completing my own
F-122 "Super-Soarer" mod, getting the Beta
GH36 completed, and wrapping up my own prototype
JD45 keyboard.
The current layout of the GH-122 is shown in this post:
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=62003.msg1589582#msg1589582That layout shows the possible one hundred and fifty-two key positions the board will provide. It
will be Cherry MX and Alps keyswitch compatible, and it
will be fully programmable. Backlighting is TBD, as are several other details.
The GH-122 project is not dead; it is merely on hiatus, waiting its turn.
Cheers!
- Ron | samwisekoi
Original PostSo here I am on a Wednesday night watching the Nuclear Green group buy and waiting for the prototype GH-36 matrix keypad PCBs to arrive. And what do I see on geekhack? Another Great Find post for an F-122 that I won't ever own.
Another F-122 I won't ever own.And there I am with my PCB design software open in a VM in front of me, and I started to wonder what it would cost to make a small quantity of MX (or Alps) 122-key keyboard PCBs. So I cobbled one together using the layout of the F-122 above, adjusted to modern keycap spacing. Here is what I got:
GH-122 Exercise by samwisekoi 2014The answer to what would it cost? Just $60 each for a batch of 10 PCBs.
Of course there are issues. Setting aside the case question for the moment, what controller could support a 24x7 matrix? The PCB would clearly have to bend for the upper bank of 24 function keys. Can the Easy AVR software support a controller big enough to drive this thing?
And, of course, are there any other people in this fine community crazy enough to try to build such a beast?
Anyone?
Let me know.
- Ron | samwisekoi