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.
Oh, that is glorious.
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.
That looks god damn fantastic
You did an incredible job color matching the fillament to the keycaps!
You really squeezed a lot of stuff in that cart. It looks amazing!
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!
This is fun. Nice job!
I love it! It looks so delightfully 90’s
based based based i love this keyboard and your site too
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.
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.
Appreciate it!
