Keyboard Builders' Digest / Projects
Saturn
Joshua Chung's Saturn is a pretty sick monoblock split PCB with chunky hotswap controllers via DB25 parallel connectors.
Published January 8, 2024
I love stumbling upon (and am also quite accustomed to) unexpected components and chunky connectors on a keyboard, but Joshua Chungs's (aka joshyeram) Saturn still came as a surprise.
If the name rings a bell, Joshua handwired the angled unibody Flynn, however, the Saturn comes with a PCB and a more classic horizontal staggering. Its most remarkable feature is the hot-swappable controller part though.
With this keyboard, I wanted to experiment with the possibility of hot-swappable keyboards. In the current state of using machine sockets and pins, no one dares to hot-swap. And I wanted to fix that and come up with a universal microcontroller daughter board that you can simply swap around.
The PCB has two snap-off parts for two daughterboards:
- the more simple Pioneer (Pro Micro compatible controller and reset switch)
- the more complex Voyager (controller, battery, OLED/nice!view, reset and power switches)
Specs
- 41 keys (3x6 and 3 or 2 thumb keys per half)
- MX or Choc, soldered
- hot-swappable controller via DB25 connector
- Pioneer or Voyager daughterboards
- exposed components
And a great build video with some more tips and ideas:
For many more exotic connectors see e.g. the Wave with Mini DIN 4, Pinsl's with 4P4C, ErgoTravelXT with XT60, Split Fire with VGA, ScottoErgo and Wizergo with GX16/aviator connectors, Theseus75 with LEMO, and also this vintage aviation keyboard with the mother of all connectors.
Resources
Published on Mon 8th Jan 2024. Featured in KBD #150 (source).
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