Hi,
does anyone know where I can buy keypads similar to the below?
This is one I made myself, now looking for 10-20 pcs and would like something more professional.
So I think you are wanting a custom silicone rubber keypad? I am not super familiar with this but the general design is you have an open switch printed on your PCB and then place a conducting key over it. When the user presses it, switch closed. Manufacturing the PCB and enclosure to get the keys to line up with the PCB is the trick. Some info:
Adafruit has something you might be able to use or at least look at for ideas. If not their PCB, at least the keys. You could use the 5 keys you want and make the PCB yourself for the contacts at the exact spacing you want. It's up to you to get the enclosure correct too, of course.
Hi, just an idea, I at one stage had to replace a membrane keypad, replacement was no longer made.
So we made a tactile array like you have.
Cut holes in the panel it was glued to, to allow the buttons to sit flush.
Glued the old membrane back to make almost original look. (Customer was impressed because the tactile buttons felt so much better.)
As you don't have a membrane to go over, design one on your computer, print it, laminate, it, glue it or fix it however you like.
If you have anybody good at drilling perspex, make up a perspex bezel with holes corresponding to button position over the top.
Anyhow just an idea..
Tom.... 
I guess there are several directions to use:
- custom made keypads (small amount might make it a bit expensive
- Touch key pads (microchip has nice IC's for that)
The latter makes it more robust as there are no more moving parts.
The possibilities are endless. More info needed.
What's the budget? Who's going to use it? Where will it be used (indoor/outdoor)?
If you want something off-the-shelf that might be tough to find.
Making it yourself? A piece of black perspex and some arcade switches. There's plenty of places which will supply it with the holes drilled/cut if you give them a CAD file. You could get some vinyls printed to go on the panel under the buttons.
Capacitive sensors are much more robust than buttons for public/outdoor use.
etc., etc.
thanks for the replies.
I need, at max, 20 pieces. 5 keys; 4-way + confirm/OK. Nothing fancy.
These will go into project boxes and are for a camera controller I will be giving to friends etc
The controller is built around an Arduino Nano.
I have looked at numeric keypads but prefer the 5 button version. I had thought these would be available but cannot find them.
Does it have to be buttons, you can get a joystick with 5 ways, up, dn, left, right and press.
Rob
MartynC:
I have looked at numeric keypads but prefer the 5 button version. I had thought these would be available but cannot find them.
How about something like this?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10pcs-10x10x9mm-6-Pin-5-Way-Momentary-Pushbutton-PCB-SMD-SMT-Tactile-Switch-/321235888516
Yeah that's what I was referring to, although I hate these eBay vendors who don't provide any technical details. Damn cheap though, I'm tempted to buy a batch just in case I ever need one.
Rob
Graynomad:
Yeah that's what I was referring to, although I hate these eBay vendors who don't provide any technical details. Damn cheap though, I'm tempted to buy a batch just in case I ever need one.
Rob
That's true but this is just a switch. There should be one common and five normally open switches, should take about 15 seconds to figure this out. Yeah, there is no reliability or soldering data but unless you really are making a commercial product, who cares. They look interesting to me and I did order these a week ago. I have not received them yet.
You will have to buy something that looks a bit different than your handmade keypad, or design a printed circuit board so you don't have to wire things up. You can lose the resistors if they are just used as pull-up or down. Enable internal pullup.
Graynomad:
Yeah that's what I was referring to, although I hate these eBay vendors who don't provide any technical details. Damn cheap though, I'm tempted to buy a batch just in case I ever need one.
Switches aren't a problem. There's millions of them out there.
What do up/down/left/right do? Would a small joystick be better?
These are quite nice/small: psp joystick for sale | eBay
I am going to try one of the joystick options. Will try to find something locally over the weekend.
Thanks again
Just wanted to post an update.
Found a keypad on Taobao and I bought 3 pcs to play with. About $3.00 each.
This one is branded Keyes and I have since found very similar ones branded wRobot.
All the outputs on one pin. Each switch has a different value resistor and you read the which key by reading the analogue value.
left = 1014/1013
up = 872/873
right = 517/518
down = 690/691
OK = 284/285
The values differ slightly on different setups.
What I find interesting is that when more than 1 key is pressed at the same time the values do not add together, you only get the highest value. This may not be an issue but I would have preferred the OK button to be the default/highest value as this is the one I use in a project to start/stop things.
Hi, yes the switches are using a potential divider system, if they used R-2R network then you could tell if one or even all buttons were pushed.
But nice and neat presentation.
Tom....