Keyboard Builders' Digest
Save 3% at ElimKeys, creator of the Elytra! Code: KBDNEWS
Keyboard Builders' Digest / Tips & Tricks

Keyboard Core controller

A new controller board by JimHeaney optimized for custom keyboards.

KBD.news
Published August 3, 2021
Enjoying the content? 54 supporters keep this blog running — Donate like BeaverKeys, KEEBD, and Micah Alpern.

[…] I decided to start work on my first fully custom mechanical keyboard. Most people use an Arduino Pro Micro for this, but the Pro Micro has a lot of limitations and design choices that don't make it ideal for keyboards. So, I made my own; The Keyboard Core! – JimHeaney.

The Keyboard Core is still built around the AtMega32u4but, and it has some added benefits, especially for less custom keyboards, more on the classic physical layout side:

  • USB-C port instead of MicroUSB, which is also angled off one side of the board, making for more compact mounting above the function keys.
  • All pins are broken out to one side for easier routing of the main keyboard PCB, with some more pins than the Pro Micro, such as the GPIO usually used for the RX and TX LEDs.
  • Self-healing polyfuse protects against short-circuits and overcurrent damage to the USB power rail.
  • Removal of components unneeded for keyboards, such as the voltage regulator circuitry.
  • All components except the MCU and USB-C are 0805 or larger, allowing for easy repair and modification in the future.

The Keyboard Core also keeps a lot of the good features of the Pro Micro, such as the small footprint and no parts on the bottom of the board, allowing for flush mounting.

Git repo (in progress): https://github.com/JimHeaney/keyboard-core

The concept is similar to LifeIsOnTheWire's Postage-Board.

Do you like this post? Share, donate, subscribe, tip me off!

Published on Tue 3rd Aug 2021. Featured in KBD #38 (source).

Related

0xB2 - splinky controller

0xB2 - splinky is a Pro-Micro/Elite-C replacement development board by plut0nium – with USB-C and RP2040.

Sea-Micro Review

This video review introduces the Sea-Micro, an open source Pro Micro/Elite-C alternative. Posted by flehrad (source).

RP2040-Zero

The RP2040-Zero is a tiny RP2040 based controller with USB-C and 20(+9) GPIO pins.

Rune controller

The Rune is a modular controller by Ziptyze (pics).

Bonsai C3 is back!

Check out the Bonsai C3, a Proton C replacement by CustomMK. Back in stock after the chip shortage, kbd.news readers can get it for a special price now.
×
top