Guru
Joined: 31/07/2019
Location: AustraliaPosts: 654
| Posted: 03:54am 10 Apr 2024 |
There are a number of ways of course, I did have the buttons on-screen but they are too small ! And then I wanted to avoid going "all-glass" as it would then be basically the same as a mobile running an app. And the click is good.
In any case I have replaced the rats nest keypad(left) with a pcb prototype (perched on the box, right), which carries the tactile switches, TCA8418 module and its I2C socket, much cleaner. For a few $, it is well worth it and will be way more robust.
The module just stores the keypress(es) and waits for a I2C data request. (edit - it also provides debounce and ESD protection)
I think it is worth supporting Adafruit stuff, the bits can be bought easily from Jaycar/Altronics/CoreElectronics/LittleBird, all give good service and make it pretty easy. CoreElectronics and LittleBird are web-order, it is worth putting up with the online catalogs, CoreElectronics more likely to have stock, LittleBird has a more eclectic range. Yu can always order direct from Adafruit but then pay postage, exchange rate, yada..
Sure a keypad scanner can almost certainly be done with a Mite. But a downside of projects that try to do everything in "Mite / MMBasic" is that they tend to exclude the supply chains who have existing products.
Edited 2024-04-10 16:01 by zeitfest