Sanity Check Please - QMK capability confirmation

Hi all,

TL/DR: Ergo Split 36-key with per-key RGB and 2x 2 inch TFT screens, run by 2x BlackPill. Can QMK handle this?

I’m hoping someone can sanity check this for me before I go printing a PCB only to find there is no software capable of doing what I want without major code involvement.

My plan is for a split ergo keyboard with 36 keys (6 rows of 3 per hand, including the thumb cluster). Each key would have an SK6812-MINI-E RGB backlight, and would be run off a BlackPill controller in both sides. I was going to make the connection using a CAT6 patch cable, understanding I don’t need all 8 of the cables, but also that a patch cable clicks into place so a reduced chance of shorting anything by disconnecting the sides while still powered.

The gotcha is that I want to run 2x 2" OLED displays, one on each side. Specifically, they are the ST7789V GMT020-02 from Shenzhen GoldenMorning Electronic Co.,Ltd via AliExpress. I know that QMK has Quantum Painter LVGL Integration, and this should support a display. But can I run two independently of one another, one driven off the first BlackPill and the other off the second?

Feedback would be greatly appreciated on this! I have all of the hardware, other than the PCB and case. Before I spend too much time designing the PCB, I want to at least hear that it should be possible, as opposed to hearing that for a variety of reasons it’s an absolute non-starter.

nekusoul,
@nekusoul@lemmy.nekusoul.de avatar

As far as I know that’s how it should work by default. The functions for handling OLED displays are running on each half separately.

At least that’s how it worked when I recently built a Zygomorph 3 with a 128x32 I2C OLED display on each side. Shouldn’t be much different from your plan, except for the self-designed PCB of course.

hazel,
@hazel@keeb.lol avatar

Yeah, this shouldn’t be a problem at all. tzarc’s Djinn is an example of dual screens.

nydas,
@nydas@lemmy.world avatar

Awesome, thank you!

Construc_,
@Construc_@lemmy.world avatar

something people havent mentioned yet but that i ran into as a problem: qmk doesnt support per-key lighting in the sense that you cant have specific colours for each key. it supports per-key lighting in the sense that you can do effects, but you cant set the alphas to be a different colour from the ergo keys, for instance.

nydas,
@nydas@lemmy.world avatar

Ah good to know. But honestly, it’s just a bit of coloured back lighting I’m looking for.

TweetyDaBird,

Yes you can. But you have to address the rgbs as a true matrix which is a fair bit more work.

TweetyDaBird,

Only thing to note is to check qmk docs if the screens controller is supported by default. If it is, it’s easy. If not it takes more work.

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