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Saturn

Joshua Chung's Saturn is a pretty sick monoblock split PCB with chunky hotswap controllers via DB25 parallel connectors.

KBD.news
Published January 8, 2024
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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.

Pic: Pioneer and Voyager daughterboards

Pioneer and Voyager daughterboards

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)

Pic: Saturn PCB with snap-off parts

Saturn PCB with snap-off parts

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

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Published on Mon 8th Jan 2024. Featured in KBD #150 (source).

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