The TypeBoy Keyboard & TypePak Cartridge

Wrapped up my documentation on this unusual mashup! https://flatfootfox.com/typeboy-keyboard-typepak-cartridge/

I managed to fit a XIAO BLE, Sharp Memory Display, shift register, and LiPo battery inside of a Game Boy Advance cartridge. The "TypePak" is mostly just for aesthetics, but it will make swapping microcontrollers more straightforward if I use it on future builds. The keyboard itself is pretty strait-laced 58 key split ergo outside of its GBA-compatible cartridge slot. I did some experimenting swapping out volume rotary encoders for thumb switches to try and keep the Game Boy vibes going. Everything's topped off with a few FK Custom keycaps.

106 points · 11 comments · view on lemmy.world

11 Comments

dnzm@feddit.nl · 5 pts · 2y

Oh, that is glorious.

Cris_Color@lemm.ee · 3 pts · 2y

That looks god damn fantastic

You did an incredible job color matching the fillament to the keycaps!

LazaroFilm@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 2y

The real question is… is it backlit? It shouldn’t be, unless you make it square and gave it a hinge in the middle to fold.

Sanctus@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 2y (1 reply)

You really squeezed a lot of stuff in that cart. It looks amazing!

FlatFootFox@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 2y

There's nothing quite like seeing a nicely spaced out PCB in KiCAD, only to have the real thing show up in the mail and show you just how close 0.5mm pins with a 0.5mm pitch really are. I'm really happy with how it all came together in the end though!

SubArcticTundra@lemmy.ml · 2 pts · 2y

I love it! It looks so delightfully 90's

diykeyboards@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2y

This is fun. Nice job!

iammayhem@programming.dev · 1 pts · 2y (2 replies)

This is really impressive. Great write up also, was cool to read through your process. One question though - what filament is that? I have been looking at those FK custom keycard, but the matching case really takes it to the next level.

FlatFootFox@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2y (1 reply)

Thanks! It’s Inland’s Purple PLA. https://a.co/d/8ImXXVE Ironically I had a spool of it from a year or two ago. It just happened to match the keycaps well.

iammayhem@programming.dev · 1 pts · 2y

Appreciate it!

telepresence@discuss.tchncs.de · 1 pts · 2y

based based based i love this keyboard and your site too