My Google-Fu has failed me. If I ordered the Matias QuietClick switches, is there a standard/expected way to mount backlight LEDs? I saw somewhere that Matias switches have room for the LED under the switch, but not always. Another post said the LEDs need to be bent around the switch... Not sure what to make of this.
tinyprawnThat was me who said that, probably. The easiest way to LED-backlight a Matias switch (and what I did on my Matias Planck) is to solder the LED to the underside of the board, actually, and then bend the legs on the LED so that they do a 180, basically, and the head of the LED is facing back towards the PCB. There's a hole in the very center of the switch's mount on the PCB, and you can shove the head of the LED right into there, and it'll illuminate the switch through the bottom. I didn't take pictures sadly, and I've since sold that Planck (can't get used to ortholinear) but I promise it works!
shadowdude777So the hole in the middle of the switch mount is put there for the protrusion on the bottom of the Cherry switches. But that hole is big enough for the 1.8mm LED and since Matias switch enclosures are translucent, the light will shine through it. That sounds perfect!
tinyprawnYeah, that's exactly right. I found a picture of the backlighting showing, but unfortunately I didn't find a picture of how I had it assembled, so you'll have to take my word that those are Matias switches under those DSA caps and that I used this method to get backlighting. :)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/in3ny6p2b8trbj4/2015-12-23%2001.50.16.jpg?dl=0
shadowdude777so it is all about the clearance between the pcb and the case ? how much is this clearance ?
I maybe join the drop with matias but I want 3-5 toggle keys with LEDs for the status. is this possible ?
nnc-tlbI think there's enough clearance between the PCB and case. @evangs might know for sure, but it looks like there is to me. You should be able to wire those LEDs in, yes, and then you'd just have to get them working as status LEDs. Refer to the QMK docs: http://qmk.fm/
nnc-tlbthere is 4 mm of clearance below the pcb. unfortunately there is only one led control channel so showing multiple statuses in not supported in the current pcb revision.
nnc-tlbEven if it is not supported by PCB, audience of this keyboard includes people who like modding things. Maybe same question, after it's shipped, yields a different answer. Looking at source code reveals there are many unused pins on MCU (https://github.com/jackhumbert/qmk_firmware/blob/master/keyboards/tv44/config.h).
PS: 4mm clearance is enough for routing some extra cables - and for carefully picked resistors.
nnc-tlbTo be honest I never really gave much thought to indicator LEDs, it is definitely doable, how many would you like to see and on which switch positions? Or perhaps just additional LEDs that aren't mounted in the switches but rather in the case?
evangsabout 5-6 max for me, but just all non alphas so people can choose toggle keys from outer left or outer right or bottom row (so about 15 possible positions)
evangsThank you for jumping in. Somehow eliminates the need for me adding this on my previous comment:
"As long as MCU is not on QFN package, it is easy."
You're now implying its TQFP, right?
Pins are "tiny" but it is possible (flux bathing in advance works wonders). E2 pin (have not gone properly through firmware, but it looks unused on MiniVan) is a usual suspect, when adding things on 32u4 boards, because is considered more accessible due to being exposed on the corner (see: github.com/jackhumbert/qmk_firmware/blob/master/keyboards/satan/controller.jpg ). Adjacent C6, C7 look unused as well. B2 and B1 far away onto other corner (B3 is used, B7 is probably used as backlight).
Package looks like it is QFN and can't tell orientation (by crystal location, I would guess E2 is horizontal pin on upper right corner). It's hard to solder in there. All solutions, I can think of, require either some serious skill, or equipment, or both.
evangsI want indicator LEDs! great idea. well, if maybe the spacebar was hooked up different, similar to how pok3r does the indicator for function layers