HardLabs

C64-usb keyboard adapter

luciust·c64-usb-keyboard-adapter·hardware/kicad/c64_usb_keyboard.kicad_pcb

C64-usb keyboard adapter PCB layout, top view — open source RP2040/RP2350 board by luciust

About the C64-usb keyboard adapter PCB

C64-usb keyboard adapter is an open source RP2040/RP2350 PCB design by luciust, published on GitHub. It is a 2-layer board measuring 60 × 58 mm, with 13 components from 6 distinct parts.

Its main chip is the Pico 2 (RP2350), from the RP2040/RP2350 family. By type, the board carries 8 resistors, 2 connectors, 2 capacitors and 1 IC.

It belongs with the keyboards and retro computing designs in this gallery.

From the project

Gemini coded USB keyboard for C64. This is as-is - not tested yet.

A high-performance Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (RP2350) bridge that connects modern USB keyboards and 2.4GHz wireless keyboard/mouse combos directly to the Commodore 64 (C64) mainboard keyboard connector (CN8).

Leveraging the 5V-tolerant GPIO architecture of the RP2350, this project eliminates all external level-shifter transceivers, voltage divider resistors, and discrete open-drain diodes, reducing the entire board to just the Pico 2, the C64 header, and two filter capacitors.

Main components on the C64-usb keyboard adapter

Pico 2 (RP2350)

C64-usb keyboard adapter bill of materials (BOM)

13 components, 6 distinct parts — part numbers from the project's BOM.

QtyPartRefs
1
Pico 2 (RP2350)
U1
1
C64_CN8
J1
1
UART
J3
1
100nF
C1
1
47uF
C2
8
100R
R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8

C64-usb keyboard adapter design files

The KiCad project lives in the luciust/c64-usb-keyboard-adapter repository on GitHub; these links point at the commit this page was built from.

C64-usb keyboard adapter: common questions

What microcontroller does the C64-usb keyboard adapter use?

The C64-usb keyboard adapter is built around the Pico 2 (RP2350), from the RP2040/RP2350 family.

How big is the C64-usb keyboard adapter PCB?

The C64-usb keyboard adapter measures 60 × 58 mm, has 2 copper layers and is 1.6 mm thick.

How many components are on the C64-usb keyboard adapter?

13 components, from 6 distinct parts, with part numbers taken from the project's own BOM. The full bill of materials is listed on this page.

Where can I download the C64-usb keyboard adapter design files?

From the luciust/c64-usb-keyboard-adapter repository on GitHub, which has the KiCad layout, the schematic and the BOM; the links under Design files point to each one.

Can I use the C64-usb keyboard adapter design in my own project?

The repository has no license, so all rights stay with luciust. Use it as a reference, and ask the author before reusing the design.

Can I test firmware for the C64-usb keyboard adapter without the hardware?

Yes. HardLabs builds a simulation of the board from its netlist and BOM, so you can run and debug RP2040/RP2350 firmware against it before you order a PCB.

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