DIY Macro Keyboard - Raspberry Pi Pico (Affordable & Awesome!)

Thanks JLCPCB who kindly provided the PCB:

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It has been a whole year but finally a new version of the Macro Keyboard using the Raspberry Pi Pico is done

The macrokeyboard has 12 programmable keys and two rotary encoders with 2 programmable push buttonswhich is , all customizable to fit your unique needs. The addition of the SSD1306 OLED display ensures you have a clear view of your current mode or software macros at a glance. Plus, the dedicated side button makes switching between modes a breeze!

I am making a course on this so whether you're a beginner or an experienced maker, Get ready to become a Macro Keyboard expert, or atleast know a bit more.

💬 Don't miss out on any updates! Subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell 🔔 to be the first to know when the course launches. I can't wait to share this amazing journey with you and build a fantastic community of creators and learners together!

[NerdCaveYT]

Leave a like for FLOKI - and remember to subscribe if you want a full loooong course on how to create your own custom macro keyboard.

[geekchameleon]

Thank you for the video. I took this idea in a completely different direction. I provide IT support for a small office. The receptionist has confidential information up on her computer screen quite frequently as part of her normal tasks. The reception desk wraps around so customers can (and often do) position themselves so they can see the screen. They tried a privacy filter, but everyone in the office absolutely hated it. This project helped me make a "panic button" for her, which hides what she's working on and the information that should be protected. It only takes one simple action to hide the screen and an equally simple action to restore her workspace.

I know I could do it better, but I did it in one evening and it does exactly what she needs. When she turns on her Windows 10 PC, she opens a second desktop (Windows + Ctrl + D). She returns to the first and does all of her work on it - the second is there but basically invisible and completely out of her way. I connected two capacitive touch sensors (30 cents each) to the pico. One (the "panic button") is attached on the right edge of her keyboard tray and the other (the restore button) is attached to the right back top of the keyboard tray. Both sensors are in a place she never accidentally touches. When someone comes up and can see the screen, she simply brings her hand to the edge of the keyboard tray. That activates the panic button and the second unused desktop is brought to the foreground. When the person leaves the desk area, she touches the restore button and her screen returns to exactly the same state it was in before. It's a simple "Windows + left control + left arrow" for panic and "Windows + left control + right arrow" for restore. This is faster to hide and restore than locking the screen, it doesn't require finding a remapped F7 button (for example) on the keyboard, mounting a couple of physical buttons that are awkward to find and doesn't rearrange anything on either desktop. The USB cable to the PC and the wires to the two capacitive sensors are all hidden under the desk. Interestingly, the most expensive part of this is the USB cable itself.

Of course, this is a perfect tool for a kid to hide what he's _really_ doing on the computer when he should be doing homework, but I make stuff for good, not evil. ;-)

[RegentLemay_FullReg]

Sorry for my question, but i didn't find any file, for printing case and file to get pcb, where i can find it ?

[AlexB]

You've got some pretty cool projects Mr Cave. I gotta try one out some day.

[OghamTheBold]

Choose any [s]haft length if mode > len(mode_names) removes the need for a *magic number*

[benpenph]

Is it touch sensitive? Like when you press the buttons it will become louder or softer depends on how hard you push the button? 😅

[Ruchary]

Amazing, i want to make this macropad but without the led strips and just one rotary encoder (i have a Ky-040). It's still necessary to use the resistors?

[kamae]

Nice! I love it!
Question❓: How many keys this design potentially supports? Only 12? Or could I make a full keyboard of 106 keys?
Idea💡: On Line 207 you could count the amount of elements instead of set a constant of 5.

[pdrmanuel]

Can you do a version with QMK and Vial? With layers too

[nacs]

Thank you so much for making this and making a written version!

[RickMunday]

I struggled for a week trying to implement modes into my own macro keyboard. Banging my head up against the wall last year. This last week I have found two people who implemented it the exact same way including handling it with custom files for each mode. Now I'm feeling pretty damn stupid! 🤣😅

Great video and you taught an old man a new trick!

[otusk]

Amazing. Is there a possibility to add mouse into the code. Like middle click, left, right? Thanks

[theadventurousprogrammer]

Videos are looking more and more polished. Good job.

[Trolencioperez]

hello, first i need to tell you that your work its awesome.
and last, i have a question, how can you bind a custom key in the code (like f20) for keyboard buttons in programs.
let me expalin, i have severeal keys for my keyboard assigned for specific stuff in premiere, but i dotn want to use the "a" key, i want to use a key that not phisically exist that i can put in the macrokeypad to bind it

thanks for all your videos, im a junnior programer and i think this is very usefull

[MrWallyGattor]

great project
i could not find the gerber file to sent to pcbway on your website, am i missing it?

[ITSYEBOISteven]

Great vid man. I just have one question, how would I use an L2C display where the oled display is?

[CesarNova]

The video is very good. Do you believe it is viable to use a board with buttons connected in a matrix to expand the inputs? Thank you very much

[electronics]

Great project! I love that its made in python and that the code is somewhat easily readable for people to understand (i understand because i am a hobbyist programmer), would deffinitly give it a try and maybe tweak it to my taste.

[Morget]

I made my own version with cherry mx switches. Thx for the work you put in to the code. 😊

[MohsenMashkour]

please make a video about connecting WIFI module to the pico pi