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Author Topic: Electronics or: Building my own keyboard... where do I start?  (Read 1691 times)

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Offline Keymonger

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Electronics or: Building my own keyboard... where do I start?
« on: Fri, 04 November 2011, 20:20:25 »
The past two and a half months I've been brainstorming for an input device and the concept is very close to completion. (I thought it was finished but literally a few minutes ago I realized it's not quite done yet. It would have been obvious if I had simply made some drawings but I thought I didn't need it. Derp.) What I need to build now is a prototype and then write a program/driver for it (the concept requires that). The thing is... I don't even know what a diode or PCB is. I guess a PCB is something stuff is connected to... but what I'm saying is I need to build this thing myself. I am eager to learn, but I'm not sure what learning resources I need, which has lead me here.

I saw some soldering thread that was like 15 pages so I figured you guys knew a thing or two about this. I need recommendations for books, gear, anything. My idea for a PCB includes some space for a mouse section, which is how I assume http://www.combimouse.com/ does it too. I need to know enough to be able to figure this out also.
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Offline Dox

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Electronics or: Building my own keyboard... where do I start?
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 04 November 2011, 20:37:23 »
Take a look at the DoxKB link in my sig. That should get you started.
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ErgoDox x2 | DoxKB x2 |   IBM SSK   | HHKB pro2

Offline Soarer

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Electronics or: Building my own keyboard... where do I start?
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 04 November 2011, 20:54:56 »
And there's PrinsValium's excellent guide too, if Dox's pages don't already link to it :-)

Damn that combimouse looks strange! A handy scroll wheel would be very useful though, and maybe something I'll include on my next design... (if I do one, I still haven't built the first yet :-)
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Offline SmallFry

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Electronics or: Building my own keyboard... where do I start?
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 04 November 2011, 23:42:58 »
For the controller, I am putting together an AIKON. Just like the Koreans' OTD model...Link here :smile:
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Offline Lanx

  • Posts: 1915
Electronics or: Building my own keyboard... where do I start?
« Reply #4 on: Sun, 06 November 2011, 22:04:35 »
buy a used cherry keyboard and have fun with, take it apart, desolder, find the traces all that, i did my first mod with el cheapo soldering iron, my second is using a good hakko and you can def tell the difference, what i learned, is stuff from here and how to solder on youtube.
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Offline Keymonger

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  • Posts: 166
Electronics or: Building my own keyboard... where do I start?
« Reply #5 on: Mon, 07 November 2011, 09:05:10 »
Yeah I remember I have an old Cherry keyboard with MX Blue... I'll take it apart and see how it goes.
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