Very nice! Looking forward to seeing your progress with this. :thumb:
I think the design may be workable physically, but unless you're doing something interesting, I think you'll find it difficult to get a usable keyboard.
Wondering what the layout is going to be. I feel like the space on the bottom right / left is wasted (to me) but whatever works for youLOL I wonder what the layout will be too. My focus was on making the keyboard. Don't have mental capacity to figure out the usability yet haha.
Hey everyone, I got no doubt that 30% is way to small for any real work. I delved into this adventure and my initial goal was to get *anything* working. Learning how design a PCB, figuring out the matrix, finding the parts for the board, selecting a supplier, getting to know the keyboard community (long time lurker but never was engaged), and etc etc. And one of my worries was spending $$$ without getting anywhere. So for this prototype I kept the board as small as possible, to keep the part cost low. No other noble reason. Just a broken wallet
Will post in more details later.
Hey everyone, I got no doubt that 30% is way to small for any real work. I delved into this adventure and my initial goal was to get *anything* working. Learning how design a PCB, figuring out the matrix, finding the parts for the board, selecting a supplier, getting to know the keyboard community (long time lurker but never was engaged), and etc etc. And one of my worries was spending $$$ without getting anywhere. So for this prototype I kept the board as small as possible, to keep the part cost low. No other noble reason. Just a broken wallet
Will post in more details later.
Just learning how to use KiCAD and producing a viable PCB is a great accomplishment! There is no limit to where you can go from there. :)
What sizes are the keys on your bottom row? 1.5-6.25-1.5?
Here is your layout:Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/4iknpaR.png)Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/YlmbG4J.png)Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/GTIW9VJ.png)
Why the standard space bar?Probably needed somewhere to fit the Teensy. :)
Looks like a great starting-point, though. Enjoy!
Why the standard space bar?Probably needed somewhere to fit the Teensy. :)
Looks like a great starting-point, though. Enjoy!
Why the standard space bar?Probably needed somewhere to fit the Teensy. :)
Looks like a great starting-point, though. Enjoy!
Teensy underneath and a shorter spacebar seems doable if you are most concerned about board economics.
This is why I asked. I have no clue how y'all fit this stuff. Thanks for expanding upon my noob question.
This is why I asked. I have no clue how y'all fit this stuff. Thanks for expanding upon my noob question.
So basically a Texas Instruments TI-99/4A but without the number row?Show Image(http://www.historyofpersonalcomputing.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/PqMHCdD1-e1427556402617.jpg)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Instruments_TI-99/4A
Are you planning on doing something like SpaceFn to get function layers?
Hey everyone, I got no doubt that 30% is way to small for any real work. I delved into this adventure and my initial goal was to get *anything* working. Learning how design a PCB, figuring out the matrix, finding the parts for the board, selecting a supplier, getting to know the keyboard community (long time lurker but never was engaged), and etc etc. And one of my worries was spending $$$ without getting anywhere. So for this prototype I kept the board as small as possible, to keep the part cost low. No other noble reason. Just a broken wallet
Will post in more details later.
Just learning how to use KiCAD and producing a viable PCB is a great accomplishment! There is no limit to where you can go from there. :)
What sizes are the keys on your bottom row? 1.5-6.25-1.5?
Here is your layout:Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/4iknpaR.png)Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/YlmbG4J.png)Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/GTIW9VJ.png)
Why the standard space bar?
Looks like a great starting-point, though. Enjoy!
This is why I asked. I have no clue how y'all fit this stuff. Thanks for expanding upon my noob question.
My first guess would be that he prefers a standard spacebar rather than a short one at 2u or something. Also judging by the layout he should be able to use a regular keyset for this.
So basically a Texas Instruments TI-99/4A but without the number row?Show Image(http://www.historyofpersonalcomputing.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/PqMHCdD1-e1427556402617.jpg)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Instruments_TI-99/4A
That's a very cute looking little board! Nice. And with JD's layouts in can be usable, but I agree that splitting the spacebar and adding a couple keys there would make it far more useful.Yes I am already thinking of the version 2! Like you said, I think I need a few more keys to be more usable. It will still be very portable though. Mini keyboards are really fun and interesting.
This is the minimalist layout I came up with when designing a super compact but usable board:
(Attachment Link)
I found I really need ,. and Backspace on my default layer, so I kept it a little wider than yours (and since it's also designed for others to use I have both Shifts), by about 1x key spacing overall. Early prototype made from a hacked up Cherry G80 PCB:Show Image(https://geekhack.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=66836.0;attach=86214;image)
These tiny boards are surprisingly fun to type on. Somehow liberating. I think that after using yours for a little while you're going to be interested in making a Version 2 :)
WHY HAVEN'T YOU ASSEMBLED IT YET?!It is assembled. I will update later today or through the week!
I'm really excited to see how it looks! Seems like an interesting little project that I would consider doing using hand-wiring (to cut costs).WHY HAVEN'T YOU ASSEMBLED IT YET?!It is assembled. I will update later today or through the week!
Thanks I am having a tonne of fun with this! I got spare PCBs. If you want one I can send one to you for free. Mailing shouldn't cost too much (in NA).I'm really excited to see how it looks! Seems like an interesting little project that I would consider doing using hand-wiring (to cut costs).WHY HAVEN'T YOU ASSEMBLED IT YET?!It is assembled. I will update later today or through the week!
That would be too cool! PM'd you.Thanks I am having a tonne of fun with this! I got spare PCBs. If you want one I can send one to you for free. Mailing shouldn't cost too much (in NA).I'm really excited to see how it looks! Seems like an interesting little project that I would consider doing using hand-wiring (to cut costs).WHY HAVEN'T YOU ASSEMBLED IT YET?!It is assembled. I will update later today or through the week!Show Image(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/20/d5b38b94394bb591cca574352d845941.jpg)
Got it. I will update the log later today to explain stuff that could have been different. I made small mistakes on the design here and there. If you can hand wire a keyboard, you can work around these issues too.That would be too cool! PM'd you.Thanks I am having a tonne of fun with this! I got spare PCBs. If you want one I can send one to you for free. Mailing shouldn't cost too much (in NA).I'm really excited to see how it looks! Seems like an interesting little project that I would consider doing using hand-wiring (to cut costs).WHY HAVEN'T YOU ASSEMBLED IT YET?!It is assembled. I will update later today or through the week!Show Image(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/20/d5b38b94394bb591cca574352d845941.jpg)
that is an interesting little doodad
do it in pink :3
You should next the function layers (ie use FN1 to access FN2 which could toggle a punctuation/numeric layer.) I think some WASD UV printed keycaps would be helpful to record those mappings.
Impressive start. I am struggling with kicad. Please tell us everything you learned.Thanks! In which point are you struggling at? I will my best try to answer
I think the main thing that I'm stuck on is footprints. I downloaded the resources from the Living PCB Thread but they seem to be from an older version of KiCad. Nothing seems to match up the way I expected it too. Where did you get your MX switch and teensy footprints from?
I think the main thing that I'm stuck on is footprints. I downloaded the resources from the Living PCB Thread but they seem to be from an older version of KiCad. Nothing seems to match up the way I expected it too. Where did you get your MX switch and teensy footprints from?
I think the main thing that I'm stuck on is footprints. I downloaded the resources from the Living PCB Thread but they seem to be from an older version of KiCad. Nothing seems to match up the way I expected it too. Where did you get your MX switch and teensy footprints from?
Hey person, good luck on your KiCAD journey. It has been kind to me.
Here (https://www.dropbox.com/s/xxndnm3gpfw3u52/MX1A.mod?dl=0) is a link to some switch files for you. I want to say Joey Quinn made them, but he may have just linked it to me. There is a living PCB design thread that may be of use to you, here (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=48851.0). Check JDCarpe's sticky in the Making Stuff Together! subforum for the major threads, and search around for more. There is a lot of help to be had with this lot of nerds.
Edit: I forgot to mention. Sometimes people use weird pin names for their components and footprints. If you are having trouble with footprints looking weird, I check to make sure everything matches up correctly between Eeschema and PCBnew bits. If you see simple boxes for components in the schematic instead of the pretty symbol you were expecting, then your library is directing to the wrong location for that module.
Here (https://www.dropbox.com/s/xxndnm3gpfw3u52/MX1A.mod?dl=0) is a link to some switch files for you. I want to say Joey Quinn made them, but he may have just linked it to me. There is a living PCB design thread that may be of use to you, here (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=48851.0). Check JDCarpe's sticky in the Making Stuff Together! subforum for the major threads, and search around for more. There is a lot of help to be had with this lot of nerds.That's the thread I started with, but all the resources provided seem to be for an older version of kicad and it gives me weird errors when I try to use them. (See my posts in the Living PCB Design thread for more detail)
Hey! Can you show me the link to the resources in that thread? I mostly started from this page - http://deskthority.net/wiki/KiCAD_keyboard_PCB_design_guide.
On the bottom, it links to a library of components - https://github.com/BathroomEpiphanies/KiCAD-Keyboard-Tutorial.
Here (https://www.dropbox.com/s/xxndnm3gpfw3u52/MX1A.mod?dl=0) is a link to some switch files for you. I want to say Joey Quinn made them, but he may have just linked it to me. There is a living PCB design thread that may be of use to you, here (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=48851.0). Check JDCarpe's sticky in the Making Stuff Together! subforum for the major threads, and search around for more. There is a lot of help to be had with this lot of nerds.That's the thread I started with, but all the resources provided seem to be for an older version of kicad and it gives me weird errors when I try to use them. (See my posts in the Living PCB Design thread for more detail)Hey! Can you show me the link to the resources in that thread? I mostly started from this page - http://deskthority.net/wiki/KiCAD_keyboard_PCB_design_guide.
On the bottom, it links to a library of components - https://github.com/BathroomEpiphanies/KiCAD-Keyboard-Tutorial.
Yeah, I looked at that page a lot too. Thanks for pointing out the tutorial link. Even knowing it was there on the DT page I still took a long time to find the link :P
The resources I referred too are all listed on the first page of The Living PCB Design Thread
Here it is a gift for you my friend! BTW check the switch positions on your pcb: the switches altogether are not centered relatively to the center of the pcb so all the keyboard itself is not centered. Try also to do a more "precise" pcb border, like 90 x 40 (this is a totally arbitrary measure for example purpose), instead of 8x,xx x 4x,xx mm , ok? Other than that is more than ok
(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)
DXF file for laser cut
(Attachment Link)
thanks to you man! Fix all the problems on your next Pcb and I'll do another case for itHere it is a gift for you my friend! BTW check the switch positions on your pcb: the switches altogether are not centered relatively to the center of the pcb so all the keyboard itself is not centered. Try also to do a more "precise" pcb border, like 90 x 40 (this is a totally arbitrary measure for example purpose), instead of 8x,xx x 4x,xx mm , ok? Other than that is more than ok
(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)
DXF file for laser cut
(Attachment Link)
Hawt damn thanks a bunch! This is really cool! When I decided to make the PCB, didn't think I would get much help on it. This is really nice. I will send you a V2 when it's done. It's on me!
Updated with keycaps!Profiles can be hard... looks good though! Just slap a case on that thing an it'd be complete.