Keyboard Builders' Digest / Tips & Tricks
Svlinky
The Svlinky is a new open-source RP2040 controller that natively supports Sadek Baroudi's VIK standard proposal.
Published September 25, 2023
If you remember Sadek Baroudi's VIK standard proposal, it's a set of specifications and guidelines for interfacing between a PCB and modules. E.g. a keyboard PCB and a trackball module. The recently announced Svlinky is a new controller with built-in VIK support.
I am super excited to announce a new controller that has built in VIK support! It's called the svlinky – sadekbaroudi.
Now, the challenge with VIK so far is that the keyboard designer must have already added support for it natively. There are a handful of keyboards with VIK support, but that doesn't address the larger problem of adoption on all the existing keyboards out there.
Enter the Svlinky! Sadek has taken plut0nium's Splinky, and modified it to have native VIK support, allowing you to connect a module directly to the controller.
So, what's cool about this? Any keyboard that uses a Pro Micro footprint can now have VIK support.
Specs
- RP2040
- 8 MB flash
- Mid mount USB-C
- Pro Micro footprint
- VIK connector
Resources
Published on Mon 25th Sep 2023. Featured in KBD #137 (source).
Related
Keyboard Core controller
A new controller board by JimHeaney optimized for custom keyboards.
BluePhage Express
BluePhage Express: a Bluetooth controller for use with CircuitPython/KMK, QMK, and ZMK by SouthPawEngineer.
Sea-Micro Review
This video review introduces the Sea-Micro, an open source Pro Micro/Elite-C alternative. Posted by flehrad (source).
Technoblogy RP2040
A minimal controller sporting a RP2040 chip with all the 30 GPIO pins broken out – designed by Technoblogy.
Tiny2040 controller
Tiny 2040 is another RP2040-based development board, this time by Pimoroni.