Keyboard Builders' Digest / Projects
4x4 keyboard
4x4 is a modular ortholinear keyboard/MIDI controller design with per-key LEDs – shared by key-yack.
Published November 15, 2022
This blog is free thanks to 54 supporters — like TurtleKeebs, Micah Alpern, and MoErgo Glove80. Join them now!
Fellow redditor key-yack aka nezumee shared a modular 4x4 PCB with per-key RGB intended to be used as a base for prototyping MIDI controllers with QMK firmware.
It's using PCB pieces that are small enough to be cheap to order from PCB prototyping fabs but are soldered together to make a bigger one-piece keyboard. 4x4 macropad, Planck and a few other layouts are supported; it allows for 16 to 64 MX switches with hotswap and per-key RGB – key-yack.
The system consists of two parts:
- Head PCB with MCU and other connectors
- Key PCB having 16 hotswap Cherry MX switches in 4x4 layout
Resources
Github repo:
https://github.com/nezumee/4x4
Published on Tue 15th Nov 2022. Featured in KBD #103 (source).
Related
Bloq 36
The split Bloq 36 by Kunsteak features thumb clusters on a lower plane.
Snake
The Snake is a 40% semi-ortho keyboard. PCB by 1000eyes, extra case by Technofrikus.
KYB3R.ORTHO
A 32-key ortholinear keyboard by nerdbude: the cyberpunkish KYB3R.ORTHO.
tamago60
Travis Mick published his tamago60, an open-source 60-key ortholinear keyboard with a joystick in the middle.