System76 Launch high-end customizable keyboard for PC’s that we covered earlier this week, and ANAVI Macro Pad 2 2-key mechanical USB keypad should not have anything in common, but they do to some extent.
Both happen to feature backlit mechanical keys, are open-source hardware, and run the same Quantum Mechanical Keyboard Firmware (QKM) open-source firmware.
ANAVI Macro Pad 2 specifications:
- MCU – Microchip ATtiny85 8-bit AVR microcontroller with 8 KB ISP Flash memory, 512 bytes EEPROM, 512 bytes SRAM
- Keys – Two Gateron Red mechanical switches with 3 mm LED backlighting and translucent keycaps
- Host connection – MicroUSB port
- Dimensions – 40×38 mm
- OSHWA certification – BG000077.
ANAVI Technology says the key is compatible with Windows, MacOS, and GNU/Linux support, but as a USB keypad, it should probably just work with any host device supporting the USB HID class.
ANAVI Macro Pad 2 is a smaller version of the earlier ANAVI Macro Pad 8 introduced last year also running QMK firmware but on a Microchip ATmega32U4 microcontroller. You’ll find the source code and KiCAD schematics on Github. The keypad can be configured with the QMK configurator or by modifying the source code.
This type of keypad can be useful to speed up your workflow with software like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Jitsi, Skype, Git, and more. It may also be possible to input a password with one keypress provided there’s enough memory in the MCU to handle this use case.
Two versions of the keypad are offered. A Developer kit with all components soldered on the board, and a Maker kit that requires you to solder them, and give you the option to switch LED colors, or even select another type of mechanical switch.
ANAVI Macro Pad 2 mechanical keypad has launched on Crowd Supply with the maker kit going for $25 and the developer kit for $26. Shipping is free to the US, but adds $15 to the rest of the world. Backers should expect their keyboard to ship by the end of October. This also got me curious whether this type of product already existed, without being open-source hardware, and indeed I could find a 2-key USB keypad on Aliexpress for around $7 plus shipping. They say it’s programmable, but do not mention anything about the software used to do so, so it may only work in Windows (TBC).
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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In similar custom keyboard, at comments section someone mention BootMapperClient.
https://aliexpress.com/item/1005001859905826.html
I assume product is shipped with QMK, but can be used with different tool.
Comperation QMK vs BootMapperClient https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/act09e/qmk_vs_bootmapperclient/
IMHO I don’t really understand what’s the point of these little boards when you can get a usb numpad for about the same price.
If they were for evaluating and developing for something like https://wooting.io/lekker I’d get it… But for just a couple of mechanical keys? Meh.
Apparently it is also possible to easily use MIDI devices as input device with a little bit of extra software to map the signals.
Have a look at how many cool midi devices there are, not just simple keypads or buttons, really cool looking and with nice haptic.
Look for OBS-midi to get a clue about the possibilities.
This concept could be generalized with an also crowd-funded midi2usb-pckeyboard-adapter.