Phantom Custom Keyboard Group Buy (CLOSED)

[webwit]

Thanks, now in use. I think jpeg quality level 70 in photoshop means something else than 30% compression in other packages.

[bpiphany]

Probably, I also noticed that I could reduce the size by some 40kb by un-ticking the "Save EXIF Data" box. Which also made the quality acceptable at ~50kb.

[harrison]

I hadn't been following the thread here, but rather the one on GH. I'm not sure if there had been any discussion on the teensy in this thread or another one on DT, but will there be any i/o pins unused? I'd like to hook up a pot and setup a volume controller, but I can't recall if there's going to be any i/o left for me to be able to do this. something i read a while back is making me think that the answer is no... but i'd figure i'd ask anyhow.

[harrison]

I hadn't been following the thread here, but rather the one on GH. I'm not sure if there had been any discussion on the teensy in this thread or another one on DT, but will there be any i/o pins unused? I'd like to hook up a pot and setup a volume controller, but I can't recall if there's going to be any i/o left for me to be able to do this. something i read a while back is making me think that the answer is no... but i'd figure i'd ask anyhow.

nevermind, answered my own question... i wasn't sure what those bottom 3 pins were, but having found a pin-out, it looks like i can scrap that idea. ah well. i'll have to do with function layers for that.

[bpiphany]

If you are eager enough to make your life more difficult... You could probably add some extra components to multiplex the pins.

[7bit]

Photoshop sucks!

Use GIMP (90% quality is what I use for almost everything).

http://blogs.gnome.org/raphael/2007/10/ ... d-gimp-24/

[gimpster]

Photoshop sucks!

Use GIMP (90% quality is what I use for almost everything).

http://blogs.gnome.org/raphael/2007/10/ ... d-gimp-24/

Gimp is a disaster of poor UI decisions made by developers, not UI designers. Which makes the whole thing an exercise in masochism to use. Photoshop likes to rearrange shit every release but it's still easier to use.

[dirge]

Its free, can't afford photoshop.

[DanGWanG]

If anyone has extra PCBs for sale, please let me know!

Or if someone is planning on making 2 and selling one, I'll take it

[damorgue]

If anyone has extra PCBs for sale, please let me know!

Or if someone is planning on making 2 and selling one, I'll take it

Dude, I am already looking for them and I take it you already got one?

[jdcarpe]

Lots of people are interested in these Phantoms. PCB's and plates. I think there are plans for a Round 2 of these, but the first ones haven't even shipped yet! (But they are about to ship)

[DanGWanG]

If anyone has extra PCBs for sale, please let me know!

Or if someone is planning on making 2 and selling one, I'll take it

Dude, I am already looking for them and I take it you already got one?

Nope didnt get in on time

[Acanthophis]

Round2?
Ouch, my wallet!

[The_Beast]

Lots of people are interested in these Phantoms. PCB's and plates. I think there are plans for a Round 2 of these, but the first ones haven't even shipped yet! (But they are about to ship)

Same thing that happened with the Poker Kits

[gimpster]

Well I settled down for a long afternoon of soldering. 4.5 hours later, I've got my first board about as complete as I can until the switches arrive. I've discovered 2 things: I need a better tip cleaner and these kits should have included a free massage cuz my back and neck are KILLING me!! I was just stoked when all the diodes checked out okay. Man that took a long time. I'm not that experienced at soldering but the 1 hour estimate for doing the diodes seems very optimistic. I'd say more like 2-2.5 hours.

That said, the instructions have been pretty good so far, with the exception of explaining how you know which diodes you need to put in. I put together the ANSI layout by using the "PCB with Diodes Soldered" photo for cross-reference, which leaves several switch options disconnected, but they look like either options for ISO or 7bit layout, so I think I'm good. That said, is there any harm in hooking up ALL the diodes? I'm planning on keeping it mostly stock ANSI layout but might add some media buttons if I can find/make a case to fit them. It'd be nice if I just had to add the switches and not add the diodes as well but not sure if that would work if I end up never putting switches in those spots.

[bpiphany]

You've had a Phantom delivered to you.. Lucky bastard =D It shouldn't matter if you solder diodes to all diode footprints. As long as I didn't place any where they will be in the way for something else (like switches or stabilizers), but I think I was careful to avoid that this time around. I had a few unlucky diode locations on my Symmetric Stagger Board. I managed to do workarounds for all of them though.

[gimpster]

You've had a Phantom delivered to you.. Lucky bastard =D It shouldn't matter if you solder diodes to all diode footprints. As long as I didn't place any where they will be in the way for something else (like switches or stabilizers), but I think I was careful to avoid that this time around. I had a few unlucky diode locations on my Symmetric Stagger Board. I managed to do workarounds for all of them though.

Nah, I drove down to Bini's place a couple weeks ago and picked it up. He hadn't received my switches yet, though, so I'm still waiting for those. And I'm still working on a case for both of them. Thanks for the feedback though, the ones I'm thinking about hooking up shouldn't conflict with any case/switch components, I don't think. They're the ones between the arrow keys and the 6-pack.

BTW, just how flat, flat do the Teensy pins need to be? They're less than half the height of the diodes but they do still stick up barely above the board, even though I trimmed the legs before soldering.

[litster]

Gimpster, the teensy legs need to be flush with the PCB. Cherry switch bottoms do have very tiny legs in the corners, but they are very short, maybe 1/3 of a mm. If they are not flush to the PCB, another work around would be to shave plastic off of the switch bottom case to make it fit.

[gimpster]

Gimpster, the teensy legs need to be flush with the PCB. Cherry switch bottoms do have very tiny legs in the corners, but they are very short, maybe 1/3 of a mm. If they are not flush to the PCB, another work around would be to shave plastic off of the switch bottom case to make it fit.

Damn, I was afraid of that. I tried real hard to make them as flush as possible. Think it would be easier to shave the switches or to try and Dremel down the Teensy legs?

I suspect this will be the thing that proves to be the most difficult for people to get right.

[litster]

When I make the prototype, I just used a hobby knife to shave off one edge of each of the four switches that are affected. The second PCB I started I got the legs flushed.

[7bit]

Gimp is a disaster of poor UI decisions made by developers, not UI designers. Which makes the whole thing an exercise in masochism to use. Photoshop likes to rearrange shit every release but it's still easier to use.

Yeah right. The earlier GIMP versions where much better. But over all graphics tools I prefer the Phantom!

[bpiphany]

Regarding the Teensy, my guess is that the easiest way to get the legs no higher than flush with the PCB is to cut them all just long enough to reach through the board, then place a piece of electrical tape between the Teensy and the Phantom PCB (or something else just to get some distance. Then adding enough solder to only barely filling up the holes. Cutting the legs flush after soldering is probably going to be very hard.

[Findecanor]

You mean that some of the solder holes for the Teensy are hidden under the bottom of switches?

Oh no... I had really hoped to be able to solder a ribbon cable onto the top of the PCB and route that under the plate to a Teensy placed elsewhere inside an existing case that I had intended to use. That would have given me a flatter keyboard.
First the plates are already anodized, and now this ... *sigh*.

[bpiphany]

You may be able to get away with it anyhow. There is nothing important in that part of the switch housings I believe... Just cut part of it away =) There are pretty many lines though. So it is going to be a sizeable ribbon cable.

[damorgue]

You may be able to get away with it anyhow. There is nothing important in that part of the switch housings I believe... Just cut part of it away =) There are pretty many lines though. So it is going to be a sizeable ribbon cable.

I have used PATA or IDE cables before. They are abundant, stronger and do have several lines. How many are required for the teensy?

[gimpster]

You may be able to get away with it anyhow. There is nothing important in that part of the switch housings I believe... Just cut part of it away =) There are pretty many lines though. So it is going to be a sizeable ribbon cable.

I have used PATA or IDE cables before. They are abundant, stronger and do have several lines. How many are required for the teensy?

27 total. You can see a diagram of the layout here:

http://deskthority.net/wiki/File:Phanto ... outjpg.jpg

[bpiphany]

Actually, only 26, +5V isn't connected to anything on the main board =)

Some good reading here as well. Hopefully not too many more bitter surprises...

[gimpster]

Actually, only 26, +5V isn't connected to anything on the main board =)

You mean I soldered that extra pin for NOTHING?!

[bpiphany]

You mean I soldered that extra pin for NOTHING?! :mrgreen:

Soldering practice and mechanical stability...

[Findecanor]

There should be a gap of 25 × 3.4 mm in-between the switches for Esc and F1 ( provided that I don't use 7bit's layout ). That is more than enough room for two thick 14-lead ribbon cables on top of each other. (An IDE cable has 40 leads.)
I am more worried about the space between the rows.