One question, and it may seem insignificant to some, but do you get to choose the colors of the PCB/screen printed legends/guides on it? I am not going to miss this second run after wishing so badly I could have gotten one of the first ones, but I am going to put the PCB on display in my collection until I have a case built for it, and am more comfortable with assembly so that it gets my best work, not my learning work.. will any consideration be put toward the aesthetic value of the PCB?
My boards have always been white on black, and yes, some consideration will be put toward the aesthetic value of the PCB. Personally, I'd like it to look good enough to be on a wall. We'll see.
I (still) have problems getting it - the numpad is choppable.
how many traces do I need to jumper if I want to enable
board w/o numpad
->jumpered to an say TRRS socket
->to the external numpad pcb
Hmmm. I think we are talking at cross-purposes here. Do you want the numpad to be removed and
still be useable on its own? Personally, I'd use a GH-36 for the numpad and just shorten the GH-122, but for the moment, I'll work with what I think is your plan. I am going to discuss it in two parts; #1 making a 7x20 GH-122 and then #2 re-using the GH-122 numpad.
Making a 7x20 (TKL) GH-122.
OK, let's walk through this for the first time. I am thinking as I type, so do NOT use this as instructions in the future. But to give you an idea, here is how I would do it:
1. Carefully slice only the horizontal and vertical splits necessary to
remove the GH-122.2017 controller section. (This section includes 6 switch positions, the Teensy++, the indicator LEDs, the jumper pads for CAPS, COLS 1-17, COLS 18-20, COLS 21-24, and the jumper pads for ROWS A-G.
2. Carefully slice the vertical split to
remove the numpad.
3.
Determine how you will be mounting the controller section. For this configuration, I suggest mounting it so the right edge of the controller section aligns with the (newly cut) edge of the nav block. This keeps the Teensy and the indicator LEDs exposed. There are two mounting holes above COL_14 to enable this mounting. Spacers will be required.
4.
Connect the 20 COL jumpers using a 0.10"/2.54mm-pitch ribbon cable or equivalent. Also jump the 2 CAPS+ and CAPS- pads, if desired.
5.
Jump ROW A and ROW B from the controller to the 2 labeled pads on the function block.
6.
Jump ROWS C-G from the controller to the 5 labeled pads between the alpha and nav blocks.
So that was 20+2+5=27 jumper wires total. 29 if you include the CAPS circuit to the LED on the capslock key.7. Install the Teensy, LEDs, resistors, diodes, and switches and test everything. Add firmware, then de-bug and fix as needed.
8. Mount and enjoy.
That is all designed to work. let's move on to the experimental numpad re-use.Re-using a GH-122 Numpad on its own.This will need to be mounted and encased somehow. That will be difficult, but not impossible. Also, the left-hand switches (1,4,7,NUM) will be perilously close to the cut edge. It
should work...
1.
Connect the 4 COL 21-24 jumpers using a 0.10"/2.54mm-pitch ribbon cable or equivalent.
2.
Connect the 5 rows C-G somehow to either the controller or the main PCB. The diodes are on the columns, so those aren't a problem, but the rows don't (as of now) have pads for this purpose. (Maybe I will add them.) I think I would use the row pads for Alps switches to connect switch C20 to C21, D20 to D21, etc. The row connectors are the switch connectors closest to the diodes. You could also absolutely connect the rows up to the controller. I may add jumper pads for this purpose, but they are not there yet.
Anyhow, that is another 9 connections to enable re-use of the cut-off numpad.
Sorry there are no pictures, but does that wall of text help?
- Ron | samwisekoi
