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geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: GiraffePencils on Tue, 25 February 2014, 17:27:18

Title: Controller recommendations needed
Post by: GiraffePencils on Tue, 25 February 2014, 17:27:18

Hi all,

I'm looking to back a keyboard with a built in touch screen in place of the number pad, much like the 'Razer Deathstalker'.
I have cherry blues reclaimed from an old keyboard and I have some touchscreens that came with single board PCs.

I would like a controller to handle the keys and the screen and touch functionality and hopefully make media controller/macros to be used through the touchscreen.

I was looking at the teensy/getting an ARM Cortex evaluation board? but was hoping someone with more experience could help before I start down the wrong route.

For information the touchscreen uses an LVDS connector for the screen and a USB header for touch feedback.

Thanks

Title: Re: Controller recommendations needed
Post by: Oobly on Wed, 26 February 2014, 01:42:44

You have 2 options. The simple one and the complicated one.

Simple option: Buy an LVDS controller board (you can get them for DVI, VGA and HDMI) and a Teensy. Use the Teensy for the keyboard only. Run the LVDS board from whichever type of video port you have chosen. Use the USB header from the touchscreen to a USB port on your PC. Write software on your PC to do all the touchscreen stuff.

Complicated (and expensive) option: Buy a Devkit8000 or similar board with LVDS out. Do a lot of hard work figuring out how to connect everything and writing the software for it.

The Teensy is a much simpler controller than an ARM dev board. Most of the ARM solutions are essentially small PC's in their own right. Most also require a converter to be able to output to LVDS anyway, such as the Raspberry Pi (which I can recommend for almost any project), just like a normal PC. One possible advantage of going the complicated route is you can run Android or Ubuntu on your keyboard and play games on it without even being connected to a PC ;)

Title: Re: Controller recommendations needed
Post by: GiraffePencils on Wed, 26 February 2014, 04:21:52

Thanks for the reply,
I considered the option of passing through the screen and controlling everything through PC, but I hoped to create a more elegant solution.
I looked at the raspberry Pi or an Arduino, but they seemed bloated with features I didn't want.

Your suggestion of 'Devkit8000' looks promising, software is no issue for me, any excuse of a new project  :p

It would be fun to have the keyboard run like a mini PC, that might be worth the effort itself hehehe.

I might just take the plunge on something.... I've helped a few friends with PI projects so could be a good route.

So the Teensy is only good as far as Keyboard (and LEDS?) would it be best to keep that a separate part?

Title: Re: Controller recommendations needed
Post by: jacobolus on Wed, 26 February 2014, 23:24:07

What about just passing everything through some kind of super cheap Chinese Android phone?

If you buy one as a separate component, what kind of touchscreens are cheaply/easily available nowadays?

Title: Re: Controller recommendations needed
Post by: GiraffePencils on Thu, 27 February 2014, 03:49:14

I have the touchscreen already, I have a stack of 15-20 of them.

Edit: That being said, I could use a phone, I have a couple of old one's lying around