"Noob DIY Electronics Disaster Waiting To Happen" needs help/advice.

[Fleetwood1955]

I confess "I'm a "Noob DIY Electronics Disaster Waiting To Happen" so I could use some help. I've done some homework but I have a few questions.

1. Can I use a TEENSY 2.O++ which I already have to control 8 to 10 keyboard keys via foot switches or do I need something else?
2. Is the TEENSY 2.O++ 32 Bit because I'm using Windows 10 on a PC.
3. Should I use open or closed foot switches which I want to use to control 8 to 10 qwerty keyboard keys?
4. Can I still use the Bounce software feature in the source code to control foot switch sensitivity with the TEENSY 2.O++?
5. Can I install a LED power indicator light of some kind and do I need a resistor?

Any advice on what Teensy, Bread Boards. Stand-Off Brackets, or other electronics I should consider is appreciated.

Thanks for your advice and expertise!

FLEETWOOD1955

 

[oddson]

1. Can I use a TEENSY 2.O++ ...to control 8 to 10 keyboard keys

yes. If you were buying then you'd want a Teensy LC as the cheapest available but if you already have one any Teensy can do this

2. Is the TEENSY 2.O++ 32 Bit ...

no... it's 8-bit but that doesn't matter for OS support which is thru the Arduino/Teensyduino software

3. Should I use open or closed foot switches ...to control 8 to 10 qwerty keyboard keys?

Either will work, you would just change the logic of what the transitions (from HIGH to LOW and back) mean in your code. 'Normally off' is standard and the contact pulls the pin to ground and the built-in pull-up resistors restore the HIGH state when released

4. Can I still use the Bounce software feature in the source code to control foot switch sensitivity with the TEENSY 2.O++?

yes... I used bounce in my MIDI projects on 2.0 and it worked well

5. Can I install a LED power indicator light of some kind and do I need a resistor?

yes - LEDs require a current limiting resistor. I'll get out of my depth real quick here so read this:
https://www.evilmadscientist.com/2012/resistors-for-leds/

Teensy are all pretty tough but the great thing with the 2.x series is very tolerant for NOOB like mistakes in wiring where pins get exposed to 5v.

 

[Fleetwood1955]

oddson,
Thanks for your help!
I have two questions regarding the LED.
1. Where do I connect it to the Teensy?
2. Will it go on as soon as the USB is connected to a computer?

 

[oddson]

If all you want is to power the light when connected to USB power you can just run the LED in series with a resistor from the power (5v / Vcc) to the ground. (You need to get the LED connected in the correct direction!)

A controlled LED is just the same but powered from an output pin that can be set HIGH for 'on' within the sketch

https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/tutorial2.html - this shows how but for an RGB LED that is like three LEDs in one.

Also, there is a built-in LED on the board (on pin 6 on the 2++??) that can be used for the indicator light by setting it HIGH in the setup section of a sketch. (see tutorial 1 https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/tutorial.html)

How the Teensy works as a keyboard device is covered here:

https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/td_keyboard.html

I have almost no experience with this, but it's very-like how MIDI devices work with Teensy just with different output functions.

I strongly recommend breadboarding the tutorials and playing around a little to 'get' what a Teensy is and how it does very basic input and output on it's PINs before building your project.

If you have no programming and no electronics experience then even an easy project can be challenging if you haven't done the homework.

 

[Fleetwood1955]

I'm a little over my pay grade on this but after your advice I'll give it a try. I'm fairly good at figuring things out on my own but this all new to me.
I sincerely appreciate your help, all the best!