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Bouncy Rotary Encoders, 3D Printed Parts, and Serial Issues

A project log for Switchable Macro Keyboard

Multiple macro keyboards in one with a rotary encoder to switch between them

kevin-arneKevin Arne 05/16/2020 at 16:320 Comments

Coding Continues

Keypad works, rotary encoder sorta works, but still has some issues with debouncing, which could mean I need to debounce with an RC circuit instead of relying purely on code. I guess I'll need to learn exactly what that means.

At the moment I'm hard coding the different macro keyboards, which will need to change at some point if I ever want this to be something I can sell.

3D Printed Housing

Designed and printed a housing for the board so I could start using it on my desk. I quite like the look and feel of this knob iteration, but it does look a little silly floating above the PCB. Once I replace the tact switches with keyboard switches, I'll be able to add a bezel that brings everything to about the same elevation.

Serial Mix-up

I didn't look closely enough at the description of the LCD panel I bought. I thought when I ordered one labeled as "serial" that I'd be able to use the SoftwareSerial library to communicate with the LCD using just one data line (and power and ground). 

Turns out that meant I2C. My original board wasn't wired for I2C. In fact, the I2C pins were used by other parts of my design (poor planning on my part), which meant I couldn't even green wire it unless I also cut some of the PCB traces. 

I've redesigned the board, with those I2C lines broken out to a header so I can give the LCD screen a try. The new version should be in soon. If this iteration works, the next one will have the Cherry MX Blues.

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