StarShip-Centurion

Keyboard Builders' Digest / Projects

StarShip-Centurion

The SS Centurion, a 39-key monoblock split with a trackball, is the latest keyboard by Protieusz.

KBD.news
Published January 10, 2024

Would you like to contribute to this year's MK Advent Calendar? Here are the guidelines for authors, along with last year's edition for reference.

Protieusz is back with yet another cool project: the monoblock split SS Centurion was inspired by boards like the Le Chiffre and Orbital. (For his previous keyboards read this article in the MK Advent Calendar.)

I never had the chance to print the Le Chiffre pcb and always wanted one but with more features like a trackball integrated to it – Protieusz.

The SS Centurion has more pinky stagger than its inspirations, and a trackball is located near the thumb area in order to make the keyboard more compact.

Pic:

Specs

39 keys
MX, soldered
on-board RP2040
trackball
LED underglow

The trackball PMW3360 sensor VIK module (designed by Sadek of Fingerpunch) is attached by hot glue or acrylic glue to the 3DP trackball holder (designed and sold by @ma_po_daisuki).

The height of the trackball can be adjusted using M2 standoffs and it's connected to the keyboard PCB by a ribbon cable. Despite using a VIK module, this keyboard PCB is not VIK certified since Protieusz removed a couple of the pin connections for easier routing.

Pic:

The SS Centurion also has 20 RGB lights along the cut out "slots" of the case to make it look more like a starship.

No encoder was added because the QMK code allows scroll lock for the trackball and I find the scroll lock is more used than the encoder itself and save some space to make the keyboard look more compact.

Warning: The build of the SS Centurion requires a lot of DIY fixes so be warned if you decided to print and build your own.

Resources

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Published on Wed 10th Jan 2024. Featured in KBD #150.

Keyboard Builders' Digest / Projects