Hyper Keyboard - technical discussion

[7bit]

Things I need to know / find for the Hyper keyboards:

- footprint for teensy++ controller (Kicad)

- minimum width of keyboard-PCB tracks


Sources for:

- diodes --> 1N4148. Choose SMD.

- RGB-LEDs (preferably the same as Cherry uses/used in their keyboards)

- micro switches for the qHACK (preferably Omron).
I need new switches. Hints in which mice they could be found are useless!

- plate-mountable stabilisers (I know there is WASD-keyboards, but I'd prefer a European or East-Asian source)

- PCB manufacturer in EU

- mount-plate manufacturer in EU

- acrylic case cutting in EU

[dirge]

- acrylic case cutting in EU
Couple of links to eBay cutting services.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Acrylic-Laser ... 1026450022

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CNC-Milling-S ... 1012945005

[damorgue]

Things I need to know / find for the Hyper keyboards:
- micro switches for the qHACK (preferably Omron).
I need new switches. Hints in which mice they could be found are useless!

I have bought from here before. Free shipping, 20pcs for $2.2 (0.11 each):
http://dx.com/p/diy-mouse-micro-switch- ... ack-122495
May not be the cheapest, but just saying that people can actually buy these themselves for close to nothing, with free shipping worldwide.

[7bit]

http://dx.com/p/diy-mouse-micro-switch- ... ack-122495

Thanks for the link!

Now it is your task to buy a pack, and test them. They must last at least 5*10^7 clicks!

[BimboBB]

- PCB manufacturer in EU

Guess you are looking more for private people than commercial companies to built that thing?

Anyway, here is a commerical one. they even have a calculator inside which might be interesting.

http://www.basista.de/leiterplattenherstellung.html



edit: quite good overview about PCB manufacturers: http://www.mikrocontroller.net/articles ... hersteller

[7bit]

No, I need a professional PCB maker. Thanks for the link.

[fruktstund]

You should be able to find diodes and LEDs at ELFA (I think they do business in Germany too).

Apparently they are called Distrelec in Germany. Still think they should have about everything when it comes to electrical components.

[7bit]

Thanks!

Now I need to know what they are called (the diodes), or what specification we need ...

[philpirj]

You will need 1N4148 diodes. Choose SMD. It's even a better idea to order MX switches with built-in diodes, that will simplify PCB design dramatically. Unfortunately I haven't seen those being popular in group buys.

[7bit]

You will need 1N4148 diodes. Choose SMD. It's even a better idea to order MX switches with built-in diodes, that will simplify PCB design dramatically. Unfortunately I haven't seen those being popular in group buys.

Thanks for the diode-specification.


The switches I sell will never ever come with diodes, because
- they are not available from my source.
- they would not be suitable for my PCB-design, because in their place are the holes for the LEDs.

[damorgue]

http://dx.com/p/diy-mouse-micro-switch- ... ack-122495

Thanks for the link!

Now it is your task to buy a pack, and test them. They must last at least 5*10^7 clicks!

Been using them in my mouse for quite some time. I would estimate that I replaced the micro switches in my mouse 2 years ago. The ones in my MX500 were getting sort of old.

Btw, I live next to an Elfa/Distrelec store, so no shipping for me if you want me to try something out.

[7bit]

Just send them to webwit.

He brought up the idea of mouse-buttons in the keyboard, so he should test them.

[7bit]

Because there is not enough space, I'm thinking about placing the controller directly on the PCB. My problem is that the footprint for the controller in Kicad apears larger than the one placed on the G60.

Does anybody know the exact measures needed for that controller (ATMEGA32U4)?


Footprint in kicad.



G60-controller placed at the same position as above, appears to have more space.



The controller plus necessary extra stuff in Kicad. Does anybody know what the ISP and C1-C4 sections for?

Thanks!

[JBert]

Your images don't work...

And is there really no way to make enough vias and attach a Teensy through wires? I thought the top of the keyboard had some room to spare.

[7bit]

Your images don't work...

And is there really no way to make enough vias and attach a Teensy through wires? I thought the top of the keyboard had some room to spare.

Do you've got the exact measures of the chip?

I can make soldering points all accross the PCB so the Teensy can be wired up. I've tried to add the Teensy-footprint to the top row and it did not work out because there is no space left on top.

The chip on the GH60 apprears to have smaller soldering points, which would fit between 2 switches. I hope that this is for real and not a mistake.

[damorgue]

I believe they are soldering the atmega chip straight to the PCB, which is more difficult to solder, but takes up way less space.

[7bit]

I believe they are soldering the atmega chip straight to the PCB, which is more difficult to solder, but takes up way less space.

This is what I mean. Now I need to know if the size is correct and the footprint I've got is wrong. I need the exact measures!

[dirge]

All kormar's stuff is on github mate.

https://github.com/komar007/ghkb

[7bit]

All kormar's stuff is on github mate.

https://github.com/komar007/ghkb

OK, thanks!

I will test it when I'm at home.

[dirge]

I'm getting one of the gh60 test boards, I'll see how difficult the smd soldering is.

[7bit]

I'm getting one of the gh60 test boards, I'll see how difficult the smd soldering is.

Wait! I thought they order them with controller and diodes already installed.

PCB populated from factory with all electronics, including diodes and ATmega32u4 programmable controller chip. Only switches will need to be sourced and mounted. Support for PCB-mount switches.

See, no soldering required!

But I will add soldering pads to make sure a replacement can be solderd with wires should the controller give up in 10 years.

[dirge]

Oh right I thought that was the final run, I thought that the prototype we needed to fit them ourselves? Bit dissapointed, I wanted to solder mine

[tlt]

Are you going for a PCB populated with diodes and controller from factory? That would be an elegant package.

PCBCART a Chinese PCB manufacturer is specialized in smaller production volumes and can source and mount components too I think. I haven not tried them but read good reviews.

Here is a big list of PCB manufacturers http://elektronikforumet.com/wiki/index ... illverkare

[7bit]

Oh right I thought that was the final run, I thought that the prototype we needed to fit them ourselves? Bit dissapointed, I wanted to solder mine

As far as I understand the prototype indeed does not come fully populated, but the final production board will.

[7bit]

Seems to work!

Please notice that I can make the LED pads normal holes and put the diodes elsewhere to get more space.

The only problem is with pin 34 almost touching one of the switch soldering pads. But that is not too much of a problem as we don't need all pins anyway.

[philpirj]

Now I need to know if the size is correct and the footprint I've got is wrong. I need the exact measures!

Atmega is not enough, it cannot communicate via USB, only I2C. So you will need an usb-to-i2c bridge (cheapest is ~$1.2 in 100+ quantities) plus some resistors/capacitors/diodes. Anyway this is going to be much cheaper than teensy. And all of this comes with KiCAD libs and full specs.

[philpirj]

You can choose another chip, ATMEGA168A-AU for example have only 28 pins (while still having 23 io pins), ATMEGA168A-PU is a rectangle as opposed to a square for 32U4.

I suppose there's a lot of space under space bar/enter/tab etc for mcus.

[RC-1140]

TBH, I would be really surprised if this works. I've seen many people who were new to PCB design start a project, build a first prototype, order 40 PCBs and then discover a small mistake which makes all these PCBs useless. We had very big problems with electromagnetic influence on most of these boards, and in many cases it was because some pins were too close to eachother.

And philpirj: The ATMega32U4 has native USB support… But they're a real bitch to solder.

[philpirj]

TBH, I would be really surprised if this works.

And philpirj: The ATMega32U4 has native USB support… But they're a real bitch to solder.

You're right, ordering 40 pcbs is not a good idea, i had experience resoldering io pins.

Have just spotted native USB support in 32U chips. There's an 32U2 in a smaller TQFP32 package.
Any idea if PWM/ADC is used in keyboard controller or more than 1KB memory required? Hopefully not.

[RC-1140]

The 32U2 probably has insufficient memory to make hardware programming possible, which is definitely necessary in this one fits all PCB/Controller.