Build your own keyboard (Redox Media)
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- Опубликовано: 5 июн 2021
- Building an ergonomic split keyboard from scratch, lern how to do it!
I customized the Redox keyboard to my needs and made it my own. In the video I'm showing how to design, print, solder and program a self-built keyboard.
Find a detailed article and further information about the process here: shiftux.org/making_projects/k...
All parts, CAD files and code via my repo: github.com/shiftux/redox-medi... 
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Awesome job! I have a Dactyl case on the way, but if that doesn’t work out then the Redox is very tempting.
I’m a bit late to the video, but wanted to add for anybody else that might come across this video and looking to build their own, you should never connect or disconnect the TRRS cable while the keyboard is plugged in. You run the risk of frying a controller because you could short it as you remove the connector.
thanks for the comment. you're right, of course!
The Redox is seriously underrated. I had a custom mold made for my DM that fixed the pinkie stagger and also curled some of the rows more. Hard to beat.
Amazing guide, thank you! I'm building a Redox and your video is one of the best resources I've found by far.
Congrats by the project, really good!
this is a great video! you're good at presenting such topics.
Dude, what a keyboard! And Mac compatible.... You're my hero.
Thanks a lot for making this video!
Thanks for a useful video. I am use Dactyl manuform at one year. It`s very comfortable!
Bruh, nice video, but please, match the volume of speech and sound effects you use. Otherwise everything is good. Good luck!
good comment, thx. will keep that in mind :)
Thank you man
Man it's awesome
Thank you
Amazing video, im hooked and ready to make it , but I wonder if you have any good list of materials you listed ! that would help a lot !
This is a really interesting design choice and I was looking for something to do with redox especially the rotary encoders. May I ask, how are the rotary encoders being wired to the respective boards? which pins are being used?
There is a wiring diagram on my github page: github.com/shiftux/redox-media-keyboard
The pins used for the encoder are labled "ENC_PADA" &"ENC_PADB". Note that with the pro micro as microcontroller I didn't have enough free pins to use the button function on the encoders, just rotation (without repurposing the TX and RX pins, but I'm not even sure you can do that). There is also more info on the QMK user guide: beta.docs.qmk.fm/using-qmk/hardware-features/feature_encoders
Thanks for sharing! I'm looking forward to build this one in coming weeks!
@@arvind5604 cool, happy I could inspire you. send me a pic if you got it done :)
@@shiftux9189 >I didn't have enough free pins to use the button function on the encoders
I thought you plug button of encoder same as media buttons (same as ordinary keys)
@@pave1c TBH i'm not sure this would work. the switch matrix for the keys is wired between 2 pins from the pro micro for each switch (one row pin / one column pin). but the encoder is wired between 5V and GND. So you would really need 1 pin for the encoder button as it would output 5V on a pin when pressed. compared to a key switch which bridges 2 pins on the pro micro.
Amazing build! Thank you for sharing! Does the left side work without the right side?
thanks! :) - yes it does
OMG do you know what watching this video has done to me? I already have my own Redox keyboard that I enjoyed making a few years ago. After seeing this, I now want Media keys and volume :D my only wish is that I could somehow integrate some kind of audio either in the keyboard or just a long audio cable, so I can plug my headphones in to the keyboard rather than having to use an extender cable.
hmmm doubt QMK would support playing audio over the keyboard ;)
but i guess you could route it through: have a jack-to-jack connector computer to keyboard, then add a jack socket to the keyboard and plug your headphones there... still an additional cable, but you extended the plug from where you have it to the keyboard :)
then again, why not use bluetooth headphones? ;)
@@shiftux9189 Honestly? I'm shocking at charging them and the bluetooth system on Pop_os isn't 100% stable with my system
Hey, great builds and a great video! I'm in the process of customizing a redox keyboard for myself (because they're pretty close to a perfect layout but lack some tenting options out of the box). One thing that you seem to have solved well, but which I can't find anywhere on github or on the build page is:
What are the rubber feet you're using? Both on the m5 rods and on the outer sides of the keyboard? I can't find anything similar and having the metal rods scratch into the table surface is not really an option...
just from a local hardware store. nothing fancy. the ones on the rod are typical threaded rod protectors and the outer ones are what you might use on anything as (adhesive) "feet"
@@shiftux9189 nice, I'll look for the rod protectors. What I have found since are some generic rubber feet for use with random electronics cases, and they accept m3 screws. But their footprint is still bigger than what you used and I don't think they'll work as well when the tenting angle is bigger...
Super cool, I appreciate all the effort you put into this video! Would be fun to do this one day, but I may stick with the affordability of pre-made Printed Circuit Boards ;)
yes, you gain convenience BUT you miss out on the pride and joy of typing on something really self made :)
@@shiftux9189 Indeed! What an exciting achievement
true engineering stuffs.
That'S really awesome. I have a keyboard on my mind but I'm new to that domain. That's a lot to learn.
Q: Can two different blackpill board be sync together even tho they're of different generations?
dunno. not familiar with them
I think I love your keycaps. I too have to switch between languages and this looks very practical. What are they? From where did you get them?
maxkeyboard.com
How long did it take you to hand solder the whole keyboard?
it's really not that bad... 1-2 hours
Well it's funny how I got here because I would like to buy a split keyboard but I cannot find a supplier in my country so I'm considering building my own.
i'm not gonna offer to build one for you and sell it to you ;) but i will encourage you to build your own... :)
Great video. I don't want to spend $300+ on the clunky, non versatile kinesis advantage.
The kinesis advantage actually is great. I used it for 20 years and did not regret spending the money for them (I got four during the years) a single day. Unlike Sandro, I love and prefer the key wells. Further, the 'clunkyness' despite recuced adaptability, actually has a significant advantage. With separated split keyboards, you are constantly fiddling with their location and orientation relatively to each other, with a monolithic keyboard you don't. No, I do not just defend my purchase decision. I also own an Ergodox EZ since seven years now that is, besides the missing media buttons and a different thumb cluster, similar to Sandro's Redox. I never got warm with it despite the better flexibility and adaptability.
Did you put a plastic bag inside your superb keyboard? 😂 That was funny. Great build!
was afraid of short circuits while prototyping... :)
How are the 2 halves communicating, which protocol? It seems like you're using audio cable? All the other split keyboards I've seen use a USB C cable, why do you use the audio cable? I'm trying to build my own split keyboard, and I'd like to know about the different approaches...
Alright, I found out now that quite a few use the audio TRRS cable as it's easier to solder and not all USB pins are required anyway. But you could make it work with a USB cable too if you really wanted to.
@@warlordk212 can you give the link how to use the audio TRRS?
Do you have to open it anytime you want to flash a new keymap?
Could you please show us in a next video, how to increase the Smoke potential of à smoking machine ?
i have resisted the temptation so far... ;)
Referencing the wiring diagram from the Hackaday post (you linked to on your github), I was wondering if the wiring from the microcontroller to the rows/columns is identical on both sides or if I needed to mirror the connections etc. Any help would be much appreciated, thank you!
that depends on how you look at it, but i guess mirrored. to be more precise: in my wiring drawing on github, column6 should always be the one on the innermost switches (thumb cluster) and col0 should be what traditionally is tab, esc, shift and backspace, etc... row4 always the lowest, eg. space, alt, ctrl.
make sense?
@@shiftux9189 Sure yep that clears it up, thank you.
I'm going through a build right now myself and am having a tough time isolating shorts (causing a switch to not work or an entire row to not work) guessing best troubleshooting would be done with a multimeter
@@tonytwostep_ yes. a multimeter is essential :)
Hello. Thank you for great video.
Can you give me advice?
I gonna build splitted keyboard with 109 (50 + 59) keys + 4 encoders. The question is: how much keys can I use in both splitted parts? Is it enough contacts for all those keys?
that will depend on the microcontroller you're using, the encoders you're using and the arrangement of your keys.
generally for 1 side of your split keyboard: 1 column takes 1 pin on the uController, 1 row takes 1 pin and for me 1 encoder takes 1 pin.
that's how you find out your setup. in the schema I was drawing it should be pretty clear, it's on github
@@shiftux9189 thank's. I consider to use Arduino Pro Micro - but seems that it has lack of pins... Any idea what else can I use?
Just wondering if you had any other issues with the Dactyl Manuform - I was thinking of getting one due to wrist pain - I assumed they would be the best due to their shape? Do you think the Manuform is made for a certain size hand, and if yours is not that size, it may actually be detrimental? I assume you would have to stretch a lot more with a flat keyboard though
the dactyl is MUCH more curved in all directions, which i'm sure would be better from a pure ergonomic point of view. but it's only better if you curve it perfectly right for your hand and your way of typing. and getting it just right requires work... you'd probably need to print at least 5 (more likely 10) batches varying all the different curvature and spacing parameters until you figure it out. every time testing it for a couple of days and ideally comparing them. if you're up for printing and wiring up 10 keyboards... i'm not :D
i've been using my redox every day for close to a year now and it feels great. no pain in my hands and by now it feels like an extension to my hands, that's how used to it i am. i can honestly recommend it.
ideally of course you would just go try them out. if you have someone or somewhere where you can...
@@shiftux9189 Thanks so much! - You have provided valuable information, and saved me money. I was actually going to buy a pre made one - but as you point out, the chances of it working perfectly for my hand would be slim. Looks like I may have to skill up my soldering skills, and create my own keyboard.
@@tomhartney403 happy to help. if you want to check out what you can (or have to) tune in a dactyl you can check out some SCAD files and see how the model changes with every variable you can set (eg dactyl.siskam.link/manuform) or use an online configurator (eg dactyl.siskam.link/manuform) and marvel at the amount of configuration there is... :)
I can't find on your github how 2 arduino connect with each-other.
At 2:27 scheme shows that only serial-1 (pin-3) is used, but at 4:15 we see that TRS mini-jack has 3 wires... So how to connect 2-x arduino correctly? Which contact should I use on master-arduino?
ps: Sorry, may be my question is stupid but your project really inspired me to build similar one. The problem is that I'm ignorant about electronics at all.
serial connection only uses 1 wire. the other wires are for 5V and GND to power the other half of the keyboard
Quick question. Do I see this correctly, that you did not connect the switch function of the rotary encoder at all? So, only outA and outB?
yes. the rotary encoder's button would require a separate pin on its own. whereas all the other switches are part of the matrix (many switches per pin). so it did not fit...
Hello, I want to build myself a redox-media keyboard with just two rotary encoders on the right side.
On the "Wiring diagram" on the GitHub post, are those two rotary encoders hooked up? If so, that doesn't seem to reflect the actual design?
both sides have only 1 rotary encoder hooked up. the other 2 are push buttons. but yes, they are wired up (enc_padA & enc_padB)
can you share the wiring diagram for the mini jack? and what mini jack model did you use in the video? Thank You
he jack has 1 GND pin, 1 5V pin and one serial pin (serial-1 on the drawing). it's irrelevant how this is wired on the jack, just need to do it the same way on both sides ;)
Hi, can you tell me exactly how the trs mini jack is connected to the controller? I can't find any details about it anywhere
Thank you in advance
check the github page. the picture of the proMicro shows you the serial connection, this is 1 out of 3 wires. the 2 others are ground and 5V. how you wire them on the jack cable is up to you (irrelevant), as long as you do the same thing on both microcontrollers.
Hi Shiftux, I created one exactly like yours. The last part I haven't found is the screws. Please share me info or link of your screws
which ones do you mean? the 4 in the middle that act as the "feet" of the keyboard? - those are just threaded rods which i cut...
@@shiftux9189 yea, I haven't found the screws which have black pad like yours 🥲
like this video❤
Can I press 4 or 5 keys together? For gaming?
yes, that is what the diodes are for ;)
ive read many sources, watched many videos. I understand the whole process (which is kinda easy since i have a software engineering background). One thing i cannot understand is how the 3.5mm jack is used to transfer data. I feel like im missing some trivial knowledge which doesnt allow me to understand how the 3d jack can be used to transfer data to the microcontroller. Can someone give me a source/link/article something i can read to understand this?
it's a simple serial connection. there is a drawing here: github.com/qmk/qmk_firmware/blob/master/docs/feature_split_keyboard.md#serial-wiring
any chance you could share your info.json file? struggling with the documentation trying to figure out what i need in there for this
not sure what you mean with the info.json file. check the linked github repo. all i have is there
@@shiftux9189 the file where you define the matrix of the keyboard. i think i have it correct, but i wont know for sure till ive finished wiring the keyboard. i really underestimated how long it takes to hand solder this.
Hey thank you. I just start building my own version
How can I ask you some questions about?
sorry, a bit late. github or email
Hi, is it possible to wire micro LEDs onto the Pro Micro as well?
don't know... probably not enough pins on the pro micro, but maybe if you remove the rotary encoders...
@@shiftux9189 thanks, I might give that ago and see if I can get it working
Do Dactyl has antighosting for all keys?
this is not a question of dactyl or not. it is a question of how you implement it. you need transistors (at least) on a hardware level and you need software which can handle it. - the combination gives any keyboard antighosting
Does the QMK Firmware support NKRO?
don't know NKRO...
could i in theory flip the left half and print that for a right handed one handed keyboard?
i guess that should work... you were thinking because of the microUSB cable?
@@shiftux9189 yeah, im trying to put together just a right hand one cause i play shooters left handed
Does anybody knows about key rollover on Redox keyboads (ability to press multiple keys simultaneously)?
What is the diameter of the media buttons?
the top (visible) part of the button is ~16mm at the largest. the hole for the threaded part of the media button is ~12mm
no PCB ???:)
Would love to build my own ergonomic split keyboard. Have already a 3D printer.
Is this a MBudget Hoodie? XD ❤
even better: it's an MBudget Onsie! :)
The mic is so big on the side....but didn't use it for the video...🤦♀
I am interested to build a keyboard shape like ball
share the video, when you got there :)
Any way we could see this done on a windows machine? I've got everything printed and assembled but I'm so much more a hardware guy, I've gotten as far as actually compiling a .hex for a regular Redox with Default config, but I am getting lost somewhere between getting your files copied over into the keyboards folder and a compile error. I'll continue to try on my own, as I am determined to make it work. Head-bashing has always worked in the past but puts me way past my time budgets for new things. I don't necessarily mind but the wife does.
So....after 15 straight hours, and two hours of sleeping in the chair, I'm ready to give up. I figured perhaps if I learn how git works I could clear this up. But even forking your qmk_firmware repo to my own git, I do not have the media folder inside the redox folder. When trying to download the zip, the same thing occurs. The media folder is not there. I created the files by copying all the files in raw and rebuilding them using Notepad++. Then importing them into my local qmk_firmware. Again errors. I'm lost, in the worst kind of way. I've now tried so many times in so many ways, trying with a clean install of msys2 and qmk, trying with QMK MSYS, both of which with a basic install I can compile a default Redox, I sorely want those encoders now though. I realize the project is fairly new and a PR would theoreticly fix this, as the media rev would be included in the Redox folder if not an entirly new kb like the Redox-W.
i was laughing about the time budget vs wife's happiness tradeoff... i know that one :D for my own time budget's sake i can't go through learning and explaining how to build this on windows. as a developer i have turned my back on this OS since many yers (except for video games). i have 2 suggestions for you: 1) install a VM with a Linux OS on it (eg Ubuntu) and do all the programming stuff on there. it's free and will make life so much easier for you (after an initial learning curve, i guess). 2) i can send you a compiled hex file. this will help you as long as you can flash your microcontroller. but it will be based on my keyboard layout.
additionally you can follow this pull request or check out the corresponding git branch on qmk directly. this is my code in the original qmk repo: github.com/qmk/qmk_firmware/pull/13084
@@shiftux9189 In my mental exhaustion from just trying everything over and over, I forgot to thank you for building and sharing this project in the first place. As such I apologize and say Thank You for putting this keyboard together in the first place, I'm sure it will be a popular build in the keyboard community.
I understand your time budget completely, as well as trying to develop on windows. I've tried Linux and it's multitude of distros in the past, none of which I was completely happy with. The gaming barrier was the greatest hurdle, of course but that has diminished substantially in recent years with Steam. Honestly I know I should give it another shot and this will be the push to do that. In the meantime your offer of the hex file would be greatly appreciated, I have a program called reWASD that allows me to have complete control of my HID devices, which I can keymap over from there. I found it necessary when I wanted to use my Nintendo Switch controller with motion controls, but then found the software useful again when I built a clone of the Azeron gaming keyboard. This should be a viable work around for me until your PR on git is approved. Like I said it's something in that step of trying to import your files to my local copy of qmk_firmware. Though this will not stop me in the long run, I have plans to figure this out as I would like to get RGB working also. A while back I picked up 100 individual WS2812B ARGB LED broken out on their own pcb. You just pop one off as you need it. I just so happen to have 70 left. From what I have gleaned from going through a few other setups trying to find a fix, D0 is the default pin for RGB, which is still open on the pro micro. I just wouldn't mind typing on your fine keyboard while trying to figure it out. Again thank you soo much for your time, and your help.
thank you for your kind words :)
note: the PR has been approved in the meantime (i asked again after your post). but still, if you want a working hex file just send me an email. best
@@shiftux9189 Everything seems to be going smoothly, now that the PR has been approved, and I'm running PopOS. My only concern is that I get a (☒ redox/media: redox/media: LAYOUT: Number of elements in info.json does not match! info.json:70 != LAYOUT:73)
warning but it compiles regardless. Again I'm not sure how I could be messing this up at this point, as I could copy the media_ch folder as prescribed to create my own custom keymap. I now have a full English layout along with your media buttons and the encoders, I also managed to turn on RGB and set it to pin D3 (TX0). All of those changes have no effect on the (LAYOUT: Number of elements in info.json does not match! info.json:70 != LAYOUT:73) warning and still compiles after my changes and custom keymap. Is this something that could be addressed by adding those 3 media buttons to the info.json file or is this a more complicated issue all around. I don't want to take up all of this mans time so if anyone has any idea I'm welcome to suggestions. Is this behavior that anyone else is also experiencing or is this just PEBCAK on my end.
How to solder a trrs socket to pro micro?
doesn't matter. you need power, gnd and signal, the order on the trs jack does not matter, as long as you do it the same way on both halves of the keyboard
@@shiftux9189 cool! Thanks, I got it
Can you tell what's better i2c or serial?
@@worldOFfans I'm using seiral. and i think the QMK lib is built for serial. but that might have changed in the meantime.
good video. but the hanging wiring is a little sickening. just make a pcb, the keyboard is flat..
well. if i had access to what makes a pcp, the knowledge to make one and the software to design it, i would... but i don't :)
happy to collaborate though :)
@@shiftux9189 that reply seems a little weird. all resources to make a pcb are available for free on tge internet. if you dont want to bother learning how to design a pcb i can totally understand, but saying you dont have the resources?
Hey bro can you send me block diagram or circuit diagram
check the github page
why? why u make us suffer with openscad, are all the librarys complete? so dificul to make it in solidworks?
the redox default comes in scad. i just adapted it. but uploaded stl files for convenience :)
The opening is way too loud, and then the audio level for your actual recording is way too low.
the audio volume sucks. turn it up
a