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[](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) [](https://oshpark.com/shared_projects/YSZAuKc0) [](https://octopart.com/bom-tool/4AnOAR3f)
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<img src="https://github.com/kinx-project/kint/raw/master/replaced-controller-v2020-06-30.jpg" width="267" height="200" align="right">
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The kinT keyboard controller is a replacement for your Kinesis Advantage or
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Advantage 2 ergonomic keyboards.
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You can use it for example…
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* to build or modify your own keyboard
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* to [work around bugs in the standard controller](https://michael.stapelberg.ch/posts/2013-03-21-kinesis_custom_controller/)
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* because you prefer to run open source software such as the [QMK firmware](https://docs.qmk.fm/), even on your keyboard
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See also:
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* [My blog post introducing the kinT keyboard controller](https://michael.stapelberg.ch/posts/2020-07-09-kint-kinesis-keyboard-controller/)
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* [My twitch stream recording introducing the kinT keyboard controller](https://youtu.be/I0kwQbnhlfk)
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## Quick overview
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<table border="0" width="100%">
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<tr>
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<td width="33%">
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<img src="https://github.com/kinx-project/kint/raw/master/pcb-3d-render-front-v2020-06-30.png">
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3D render (front, LEDs)
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</td>
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<td width="33%">
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<img src="https://github.com/kinx-project/kint/raw/master/pcb-3d-render-back-v2020-06-30.png">
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3D render (back, components)
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</td>
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<td width="33%">
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<a href="https://github.com/kinx-project/kint/blob/master/schematic-v2020-06-30.pdf"><img
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src="https://github.com/kinx-project/kint/raw/master/thumbnail-schematic-v2020-06-30.jpg"></a>
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schematic
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</td>
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</tr>
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</table>
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## Building your own kinT keyboard controller
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1. Follow [“Buying the board and components (Bill of
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materials)”](https://github.com/kinx-project/kint#buying-the-board-and-components-bill-of-materials). When
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ordering from OSH Park (board) and Digi-Key (components), you’ll get the
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minimum quantity of 3 boards for 72 USD (24 USD per board), and one set of
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components for 49 USD.
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* If you have any special requirements regarding which Teensy microcontroller
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to use, this is the step where you would replace the Teensy 3.6 with your
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choice.
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1. Wait for the components to arrive. When ordering from big shops like Digi-Key
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or Mouser, this typically takes 2 days to many places in the world.
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1. Wait for the boards to arrive. This takes 6 days in the best case when
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ordering from OSH Park with their Super Swift Service option. In general, the
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longer you are willing to wait, the cheaper it is going to get.
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1. Follow [the soldering
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guide](https://github.com/kinx-project/kint#soldering). This will take about
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an hour.
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1. [Install the firmware](https://github.com/kinx-project/kint#installing-the-firmware)
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## Why use the kinT instead of the older replacement board?
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* The kinT supports both, the older Kinesis Advantage (KB500) **and** the newer
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Kinesis Advantage 2 (KB600) keyboards. They differ in how the thumb pads are
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connected. See the soldering instructions below.
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* The kinT is made for the newer Teensy 3.x and 4.x series, which will remain
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widely available for years to come, whereas [the future of the Teensy++ 2.0 is
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not as certain](https://www.pjrc.com/store/teensypp.html).
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* The kinT is a smaller PCB (4.25 x 3.39 inches, or 108.0 x 86.1 mm), which makes it:
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* more compact: can be inserted/removed without having to unscrew a key well.
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* cheaper: 72 USD for 3 boards at oshpark, instead of 81 USD.
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* The kinT silkscreen
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([front](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kinx-project/kint/44e6c8be96a0e1e13ada5eafdeba8c51a2d6c9e8/pcb-3d-render-front-v2020-06-23.png),
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[back](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kinx-project/kint/44e6c8be96a0e1e13ada5eafdeba8c51a2d6c9e8/pcb-3d-render-back-v2020-06-23.png))
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and
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[schematic](https://github.com/kinx-project/kint/blob/44e6c8be96a0e1e13ada5eafdeba8c51a2d6c9e8/schematic-v2020-06-23.pdf)
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are much much clearer, making assembly a breeze.
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* The kinT is a good starting point for your own project:
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* kinT was designed in the open source [KiCad](https://kicad-pcb.org/)
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program, meaning you do not need any license subscriptions.
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* The clear silkscreen and schematic make development and debugging easier.
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* On the kinT, the Teensy no longer has to be soldered onto the board upside down.
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* On the kinT, the FPC connectors have been moved for less strain on the cables.
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* The kinT makes possible lower-cost builds: if you don’t need the scroll lock,
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num lock and keypad LEDs, you can use a Teensy LC for merely 11 USD.
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## Compatibility: which Teensy to use?
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The kinT keyboard controller was made for the Teensy 3.x series of devices,
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which are ARM based.
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The older Atmel based Teensy++ 2.0 are also supported, but require slightly more
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complicated soldering: not connecting a few clashing Teensy++ 2.0 pins and
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closing 3 soldering jumpers.
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Which Teensy should you buy for your build? Here are a few considerations:
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* The Teensy 3.6 is what I have been using for years now.
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* The Teensy++ 2.0 seems to be the most popular choice, also because it was the
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only option with the the predecessor keyboard controller. Note that [the
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Teensy++ 2.0 may become no longer available at some
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point](https://www.pjrc.com/store/teensypp.html):
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> […] discontinue Teensy 2.0 […] is a decision we'll consider in mid 2019.
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### Reference: full Teensy compatibility chart
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TODO: add power consumption as a column. relevant for using the keyboard with a laptop on the go
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| teensy | LEDs | Cost | USB | clock speed | MCU | QMK |
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|----------------|------|--------|-----|-------------|-------------|---------------|
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| teensy++ 2.0 | yes | $24.00 | 1.1 | 16 MHz AVR | AT90USB1286 | [branch](https://github.com/kinx-project/qmk_firmware/commits/kint2pp) |
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| ~~teensy 3.0~~ | no | | 1.1 | 48 MHz M4 | MK20DX128 | untested |
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| ~~teensy 3.1~~ | no | | 1.1 | | MK20DX256 | untested |
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| teensy LC | no | $11.65 | 1.1 | 48 MHz M0+ | | [untested](https://github.com/kinx-project/kint/issues/1) |
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| teensy 3.2 | no | $19.80 | 1.1 | 72 MHz M4 | | [issue](https://github.com/kinx-project/kint/issues/2) |
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| teensy 3.5 | yes | $24.25 | 1.1 | 120 MHz M4F | MK64FX | [issue](https://github.com/kinx-project/kint/issues/3) |
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| teensy 3.6 | yes | $29.25 | 1.1 | 180 MHz M4F | MK66FX | [branch](https://github.com/kinx-project/qmk_firmware/commits/kint36) |
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| teensy 4.0 | no | $19.95 | 2.0 | 600 MHz M7 | MIMXRT1062 | [in progress](https://github.com/kinx-project/kint/issues/4) |
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| teensy 4.1 | yes | $26.85 | 2.0 | 600 MHz M7 | MIMXRT1062 | [in progress](https://github.com/kinx-project/kint/issues/5) |
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## Buying the board and components (Bill of materials)
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To buy the board, you can [order the kinT controller from OSH
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Park](https://oshpark.com/shared_projects/YSZAuKc0), or upload the
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[kint.kicad_pcb
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file](https://github.com/kinx-project/kint/blob/master/kicad/kint.kicad_pcb) to
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the manufacturing service you prefer.
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To buy the components, check out the [kinT BOM in the Octopart BOM
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tool](https://octopart.com/bom-tool/4AnOAR3f), from where you can conveniently
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buy all components via Digi-Key or Mouser.
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For your convenience, this is the full BOM (links go to Octopart):
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|
| Part Number | Count | Cost | Description | Note |
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|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------|--------|---------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
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| [Teensy 3.6](https://octopart.com/dev-14057-sparkfun-76356774?r=sp) | 1 | $32.5 | | [your choice!](#compatibility-which-teensy-to-use) |
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| [Würth 61301011121](https://octopart.com/61301011121-w%C3%BCrth+elektronik-18818159?r=sp) | 7 | $0.89 | 10 position 2.54mm header | 5 for Teensy<br>2 for KB500<br>0 for KB600 |
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| [Molex 39-53-2135](https://octopart.com/39-53-2135-molex-7670149?r=sp) | 6 | $1.24 | 13 position FPC connector | 4 for KB500<br>6 for KB600 |
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| [Kingbright APT3216QBC/D](https://octopart.com/apt3216qbc%2Fd-kingbright-5355642?r=sp) | 4 | $0.47 | 1206 SMD LED | blue 470nm<br>chose your color! |
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| [Vishay CRCW120610K0FKEAC](https://octopart.com/crcw120610k0fkeac-vishay-20811529) | 4 | $0.10 | 1206 10K resistor | value determines LED brightness |
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| | | $48.45 | | |
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Note: with all parts (except for the Molex 39-53-2135 FPC connector), there is
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no need to get the specific versions from the BOM above — if you have LEDs,
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resistors and pin headers still lying around from other projects, feel free to
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re-use them!
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## Soldering
|
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All the soldering connections on the kinT keyboard controller are easy to make,
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so the whole assembly can be done at home, with a cheap soldering iron and basic
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electronic hobby equipment. A build takes about 1 hour of time and involves a
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little over 100 soldering connections.
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For example, I used the [Miniware TS100 soldering
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iron](https://hackaday.com/2017/07/24/review-ts100-soldering-iron/), which can
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be found for 50-60 EUR or USD.
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If you’re new to soldering, check out [this excellent soldering reference card
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from adafruit](https://twitter.com/zekjur/status/952596267884056576).
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You can also [watch me solder a kinT keyboard controller on live
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stream](https://youtu.be/I0kwQbnhlfk?t=5880) (from 1:38:00 to 3:33:53). The
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process can be done in under an hour if you’re not talking to a live audience at
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the same time :-). I want to add an edited and higher-quality video, too.
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### Soldering instructions for the Teensy 3.x or 4.x
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1. Populate the FPC connectors J2, J3, J4, J7 (all keyboards) and J1, J8 for the
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newer Advantage 2 (KB600). Turn the board around and solder all their pins.
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1. Solder resistors R1, R2, R3, R4 and the four LEDs onto the board.
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* LEDs are directional parts! Their marker marks the cathode, which is
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labeled as C on the kinT.
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* If you’re new to SMD (Surface Mount Devices) soldering, check out [How to
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Hand Solder SMD](http://www.davidhaillant.com/smd-soldering/), which
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explains what I call the “One pad at a time” method.
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1. Turn the board around and place 3 rows of pin headers (top, bottom, vertical)
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in the Teensy holes. The vertical pin header is required for powering the
|
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LEDs. Do not solder these yet!
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1. Place your Teensy 3.x or 4.x on top of the pin header and solder all its pins.
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* If you’re using a Teensy++ 2.0, you must not connect some pins! [See the
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instructions below](#soldering-instructions-for-the-teensy-20).
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1. Turn the board around and solder all the pin header pins.
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1. For the older Advantage (KB500) keyboard, populate pin headers J5, J6 and
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solder their pins.
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### Soldering instructions for the Teensy++ 2.0
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Follow the [instructions for the Teensy 3.x or 4.x
|
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above](#soldering-instructions-for-the-teensy-3x-or-4x), but:
|
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1. Do not connect pin 7, pin 15 and pin 16. These are marked with an x on the kinT.
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* An easy way to do this is to remove the corresponding pins from your pin
|
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header with pliers.
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2. Close the solder jumpers JP1, JP2, JP3. These will remap pin 7, pin 15 and
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pin 16 onto pins that can be used with the Teensy++ 2.0.
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## Installing the firmware
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We have pre-built firmware (QMK default keymap and settings) available for the following variants:
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* [kinesis_kint2pp_default.hex](https://github.com/kinx-project/kint/blob/master/default-firmware/kinesis_kint2pp_default.hex) (Teensy++ 2.0)
|
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* [kinesis_kint36_default.hex](https://github.com/kinx-project/kint/blob/master/default-firmware/kinesis_kint36_default.hex) (Teensy 3.6)
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You can install these .hex files with the [Teensy
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|
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Loader](https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/loader.html).
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To build your own firmware, see [QMK: Get
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Started](https://docs.qmk.fm/#/?id=get-started) and refer to the [full Teensy
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compatibility chart](#reference-full-teensy-compatibility-chart) above to find
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the QMK branch to work with.
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