[IC] Murciélago, an Ergonomic 60-key custom split keyboard

[elagil]

Hello!

I designed a split ergo keyboard from scratch, which I would like to share with you. Firstly, I made a test run of five pieces, to find potential problems with the design (and to use it myself, of course).

I wanted a board without the very common pro micro on it, which looks a bit cluttered in my opinion. Instead, the processor was integrated into the main PCB. It has 60 keys, mostly 1U, but two thumb keys up to 1.5U width. I use 1.25U myself, because I had them already. The halves connect over a TRS cable and each have Micro USB for connectivity.

Here are some pictures of my current daily driver! There is the option to use it with a PCB back plate, or an acrylic cover, as you can see. If you are interested, you may fill this form:

https://forms.gle/PwHpzt9tw1zYKDCHA

Any comments are also welcome!

Edit: The final version will have support for rotary encoders on the upper thumb positions (up/down arrows in the images)
The board uses QMK software.

Edit 2: Version 2 of the board is finished! It is now officially supported by QMK: https://config.qmk.fm/#/murcielago/rev1/LAYOUT.

Find new pictures below:

[CrazyAssMonkey]

 

Just as I decided that maybe i wanted a split as my next keyboard you arrive bearing good tidings. It must be a sign. I am definitely interested, my question is would it be possible to make a high profile case? That would be excellent. I did fill out the form. 

[elagil]

It must be a sign. I am definitely interested, my question is would it be possible to make a high profile case? That would be excellent. I did fill out the form.

Thanks! Indeed, it must be I don't know, I suppose yes, you could. I can only mill wood and acrylic, though. I need to think about that option, it will probably require a major redesign.

[CrazyAssMonkey]

It must be a sign. I am definitely interested, my question is would it be possible to make a high profile case? That would be excellent. I did fill out the form.

Thanks! Indeed, it must be I don't know, I suppose yes, you could. I can only mill wood and acrylic, though. I need to think about that option, it will probably require a major redesign.

If you could that would be awesome, I actually was not thinking about metal, I thought acrylic or wood would be awesome especially if there is lighting. I'll love you if there is a high pro version. 

[elagil]

I actually was not thinking about metal, I thought acrylic or wood would be awesome especially if there is lighting.

Ah yes, that makes it easier. Wood is no problem, lighting is not really planned at the moment. Is that crucial for you?

However, future versions will allow rotary encoders instead of upper thumb buttons (dual footprint). This is totally unrelated, but could still be interesting.

[CrazyAssMonkey]

I actually was not thinking about metal, I thought acrylic or wood would be awesome especially if there is lighting.

Ah yes, that makes it easier. Wood is no problem, lighting is not really planned at the moment. Is that crucial for you?

However, future versions will allow rotary encoders instead of upper thumb buttons (dual footprint). This is totally unrelated, but could still be interesting.

Naaah, its not crucial. I was just throwing out some ideas just in case others were interested in something similar. Maybe some sort of wooden case with two acrylic layers one for switches and one frosted for lights. Stuff like or just use acrylic layers as accent kits would be cool.

Rotary encoders are awesome especially if we can use them to adjust volume or similar. Just out of curiosity what are the price ranges for something like this?

[elagil]

Pricing depends a lot on the amount of people that want to have one. If there are not many, I will build them by hand, like the one above, which drives the price up.

Including front and back PCB plates, pricing should be in the order of 100€ for everything you need, except switches, caps, and cables.

I can also populate switches, and I have easy access to Cherry switches in particular.

[CrazyAssMonkey]

Pricing depends a lot on the amount of people that want to have one. If there are not many, I will build them by hand, like the one above, which drives the price up.

Including front and back PCB plates, pricing should be in the order of 100€ for everything you need, except switches, caps, and cables.

I can also populate switches, and I have easy access to Cherry switches in particular.

Awesome, I will definitely be keeping track of this post 
Now I'm starting to think that if the case becomes high profile it might be a bit bulkier and might not fit in the bag I've been thinking about lol.

[elagil]

Yes, I am afraid of that too. It will definitely be larger in all directions, possibly higher as well, making it a bit less comfortable.

[eas]

I'm already using Lily58 Pro and Fortitude60 but this looks awesome.

[astronavy]

Looks great man! I want to participate

[elagil]

I'm already using Lily58 Pro and Fortitude60 but this looks awesome.

Thank you! It looks like you are already covered well enough

Looks great man! I want to participate

Thanks! I think you can, the interest seems high enough. As soon as there are ten people who would want one, I will probably open a (small) group buy.


By the way, would you like presoldered switches, or rather solder yourself?

I can easily get:
MX blue
MX green
MX black
MX red
MX clear
MX speed silver
MX silent black
MX silent red

I updated the interest check form to reflect this.

You may see some bias towards Cherry here 

[CrazyAssMonkey]

I'm already using Lily58 Pro and Fortitude60 but this looks awesome.

Thank you! It looks like you are already covered well enough

Looks great man! I want to participate

Thanks! I think you can, the interest seems high enough. As soon as there are ten people who would want one, I will probably open a (small) group buy.


By the way, would you like presoldered switches, or rather solder yourself?

I can easily get:
MX blue
MX green
MX black
MX red
MX clear
MX speed silver
MX silent black
MX silent red

I updated the interest check form to reflect this.

You may see some bias towards Cherry here 

I can see the bias indeed but I do have some Speed Heavies I've been meaning to put on a board so I'd probably run those. 

[elagil]

The design of version two of this keyboard is finished, and will soon be announced as a group buy. The following changes were made:

- Hidden TRS/TRRS connector. It is now mid-mounted in the main PCB and will be invisible from the top
- Repositioned USB connector: It is now mounted in the outer corner of each half
- Support for rotary encoders at the upper thumb positions (not obligatory, switches and encoders are both possible)

Here are some shots of the PCB.

[astronavy]

I'm already using Lily58 Pro and Fortitude60 but this looks awesome.

Thank you! It looks like you are already covered well enough

Looks great man! I want to participate

Thanks! I think you can, the interest seems high enough. As soon as there are ten people who would want one, I will probably open a (small) group buy.


By the way, would you like presoldered switches, or rather solder yourself?

I can easily get:
MX blue
MX green
MX black
MX red
MX clear
MX speed silver
MX silent black
MX silent red

I updated the interest check form to reflect this.

You may see some bias towards Cherry here 

If only cherry switches are options I personally prefer to solder in everything myself in that case

[Zeelobby]

Yeah. Pass on stock cherry. Solder all the way.

[tex_live_utility]

Nice layout! Especially with no Pro Micro and diodes to solder I'm definitely in for a pair.

[nguyenhimself]

So, a question:
Why spend time on designing this from scratch when we already have tons of similar split keyboards?
Especially when most of them were open-sourced and easily availble for sales/DIY.
And some of them can be bought self-soldered as ready-to-use builds.

[elagil]

You are right, there are similar options, but many of them were not what I wanted.

My set of requirements:
- No Pro Micro or other pinheader-style controller. I do not like how that looks
- Not hand-soldered but based on a PCB
- A simple TRS connection between halves, so I can use either TRRS or TRS cables
- A numer row
- 6 Columns, so that I can have my german special characters
- Special attention was paid to an uninterrupted placement of the thumb keys, so that it looks clean
- Smaller than the Ergodox, I do not need so many thumb keys
- I wanted to use my existing keycaps from a standard board (I do not have many 1.5U keys, in fact, only one)

Also, I have a lot of fun designing hardware like this.  If someone else likes just this style of keyboard, they can have it!

[elagil]

Results from the interest check:

- Presoldered Cherry MX and self-soldering are rather balanced, so both options will be offered
- The overwhelming majority wants white PCBs, therefore, this will be the only option
- I will only offer acrylic backplates, but in a few color options: transparent, and one or two accent colors (orange and green, for example).
- You will be able to populate one or two rotary encoders (or none, if you just want switches)
- The first run of boards will be limited to 15 pieces, because I will make them by hand and I would like to start with a manageable size of a run
- I will offer the option to include a TX6 screwdriver, so that you can assemble and disassemble the board easily

Problem: I am a new user of this board and cannot create a group buy. We will have to wait two months, I guess? Is there another option that I may be missing?

Building the boards will be rather quick, judging from the experience with version 1 that I currently use. I expect less than four weeks for all keyboards to be ready, after the time of ordering.

[CrazyAssMonkey]

Results from the interest check:

- Presoldered Cherry MX and self-soldering are rather balanced, so both options will be offered
- The overwhelming majority wants white PCBs, therefore, this will be the only option
- I will only offer acrylic backplates, but in a few color options: transparent, and one or two accent colors (orange and green, for example).
- You will be able to populate one or two rotary encoders (or none, if you just want switches)
- The first run of boards will be limited to 15 pieces, because I will make them by hand and I would like to start with a manageable size of a run
- I will offer the option to include a TX6 screwdriver, so that you can assemble and disassemble the board easily

Problem: I am a new user of this board and cannot create a group buy. We will have to wait two months, I guess? Is there another option that I may be missing?

Building the boards will be rather quick, judging from the experience with version 1 that I currently use. I expect less than four weeks for all keyboards to be ready, after the time of ordering.

I am somewhat new as well, so I'm not sure about other ways. If indeed waiting is the only option I am okay with that as well. I am assuming due to global situation shipping would be quite problematic as more places enter lock down.

Dibs on a spot in the group buy   

[elagil]

Yes, we can wait. I will probably already build some of them, as I want to test the design with the rotary encoder. Pictures will follow at some point.

[TheStrkr]

Looks good, it'd be my first split but looks like I could get used to it

[elagil]

The interest check is developing in an interesting direction, where black and white are both equally popular choices

I will offer both now (or in two months, rather), and I will order 5 of each color today and then do testing (as in, use it daily) on the new PCB version.

Looks good, it'd be my first split but looks like I could get used to it

Thanks! It was also my first split and ortholinear board, but getting used to it was much better than expected.

[astronavy]

I've been using ergodox for several months already and also find it too big and with too many thumb keys.

[Lexxxed]

Looks great. I'd like a black one with zilents or zealios. I'd be happy to pay an extra 5-10 to have usbc rather than micro usb

[ephemeral25]

I agree with Lexxxed, I don't mind paying a bit more the type C.

I would never buy micro usb again, this is simpler for me to just have type C everything

[elagil]

Ok, USB C sounds like a good option. For the first ten or so, Micro USB will still be the choice, it is easier to solder by hand and also smaller on the PCB. Later, I may change it.

[elagil]

Version 2 of this board is now finished! It is called "Murciélago", and was officially added to QMK, along with QMK configurator: https://config.qmk.fm/#/murcielago/rev1/LAYOUT

It supports rotary encoders, is available in black and white, and has acrylic backs of different types. Prior to a potential group buy, I have prototypes left in either color, in case someone is already interested. Find current pictures in the opening post.

[EMC Labs]

Is there a plate? Or is it mounted via PCB?