Handwired keyboards with a Raspberry Pi or Arduino are achievable: github.com/joe-scotto/scottokeebs
I’ve made 2 keyboards with kits (see my post history) and it was good fun and an easy way to get a QMK compatible custom board. Would recommend.
Comment on How do I avoid enshitification of my keyboard and mouse
riskable@programming.dev 2 months ago
Just build your own keyboard. That’s what I did (and it turned out fantastic) 🤷
Mice are much easier to deal with since there’s 500 million of them to choose from. Just pick a generic, no-name brand that doesn’t need drivers and you’re all set.
Aside: Building a keyboard isn’t rocket science. It’s just a bit tedious (buy a kit). Unless you invent your own 3D printable keyboard switch and stabilizers from scratch then design an analog circuit board to work with them (also from scratch). Then it’s a bit more like rocket science 🤣
cRazi_man@lemm.ee 2 months ago
wjrii@lemmy.world 2 months ago
I use RP2040’s for all my homemade boards. Deeply satisfying, and one of the few DIY projects where you can come away feeling like you’ve got something absolutely as usable as a commercial offering.
cRazi_man@lemm.ee 2 months ago
I’m keen to make a handwired macro board, but the learning curve of programming of QMK from scratch is not something I’m prepared to deal with right now.
wjrii@lemmy.world 2 months ago
JackbyDev@programming.dev 2 months ago
I’ve had a kit for a gherkin for years but my soldering skills suck. It might be that my iron doesn’t get to the correct temp though. I have no idea. Every time I’ve soldered stuff it feels random what’s happening. It makes me wonder if the tip is not at a consistent temperature.
cRazi_man@lemm.ee 2 months ago
Clean your soldering iron tip on a sponge before every joint.
aaaaace@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 months ago
I’d like to find a small bluetooth keyboard with mechanical switches that I could use with both my.phone and my 2009 MBP running MX. I need stowable and chargeable with C.
I have time, where would I find a kit for something like that?
scarabic@lemmy.world 2 months ago
At this point the suggestions are getting pretty out there. So far I’ve heard in this thread that I should switch to Linux, download this and that code from GitHub, build my own keyboard and design a circuit board for it.
I think I’ll just take the adware.
riskable@programming.dev 2 months ago
Building your own keyboard is supposed to be fun. You do some research to figure out what you want. Maybe order some sample switches to try out, pick out a keycap set you like, and eventually settle on a kit.
When you order your kit it’ll include a case, a top plate, and a circuit board. If you get one with hot swap sockets you will not have to solder anything. You can literally just press the switches in.
Then when you’re done you screw everything together, put your keycaps on, and you have a working keyboard. Sometimes you have to flash the firmware as a final step but that’s not rocket science. You do not have to know how to program.
JackbyDev@programming.dev 2 months ago
Just build one, huh? It’s super simple and easy. Doesn’t require special tools or anything. No special skills. Surely it’s cheap too. 🙄
Not hating on building your own keyboard at all, but it’s definitely not so simple as to suggest it like “just build one” lol.
trevor@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 months ago
Seriously. I’m really into keyboards with QMK, but I buy prebuilt keyboards and mice that are capable of running it because if using QMK required me to solder something, I wouldn’t be able to. Soldering is a skill that most people don’t have.
riskable@programming.dev 2 months ago
You don’t have to solder if you use hot swap sockets for your switches. Even if you never plan to swap the switches the hot swap sockets mean you’ll never have to solder a thing 👍
JackbyDev@programming.dev 2 months ago
What are some examples of mass produced ones (if any)? I’ve got some fancier ones but idk if there are normal ones that are easier to buy.
trevor@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 months ago
I have the ZSA Moonlander and Voyager keyboards. I like them a lot.
I also have the Ploopy Adept and Nano mice that also run QMK.
I bought all of them preassembled. I’d love to know what other brands are out there that sell preassembled peripherals that can run open firmware.