Pi 500 board supplied to other keyboard makers to product 85% TKL keyboards with a choice of Cherry red or brown. ![8-)]( "Cool")
The Pi 500 keyboard is a step back in readability when compared to the 400. Working with a dedicated keyboard maker would let them issue "approved" slices of Pi with high vis keyboards for kindergartens and old folks and people with vision problems. You could get choice of size, backlighting, and other features. A TKL or larger keyboard would have space underneath for a USB 3 SSD.
I have emulated some of the above by chopping the useless numeric keypad from a 100% keyboard and placing a Pi 4 or 5 in the vacant space. Moving a Pi 500 into a new keyboard is limited by the keyboard interface and the design of keyboard motherboards. If the keyboards were altered slightly, they could mate. Perhaps a USB connection on the 500 board but as a flat socket for a flat cable to the keyboard. Minimum re-engineering for both sides.
The 500 could have an SSD slot on the bottom so a thin aluminium heatsink faces the air flow under the keyboard. The heatsink could extend to the edge to catch extra airflow. Given the current start of a PCIe design at one end of the 500 motherboard, flipping the NVMe to underneath would allow for the heatsink to extend to a big external heatsink on the right hand side.
The Pi 500 keyboard is a step back in readability when compared to the 400. Working with a dedicated keyboard maker would let them issue "approved" slices of Pi with high vis keyboards for kindergartens and old folks and people with vision problems. You could get choice of size, backlighting, and other features. A TKL or larger keyboard would have space underneath for a USB 3 SSD.
I have emulated some of the above by chopping the useless numeric keypad from a 100% keyboard and placing a Pi 4 or 5 in the vacant space. Moving a Pi 500 into a new keyboard is limited by the keyboard interface and the design of keyboard motherboards. If the keyboards were altered slightly, they could mate. Perhaps a USB connection on the 500 board but as a flat socket for a flat cable to the keyboard. Minimum re-engineering for both sides.
The 500 could have an SSD slot on the bottom so a thin aluminium heatsink faces the air flow under the keyboard. The heatsink could extend to the edge to catch extra airflow. Given the current start of a PCIe design at one end of the 500 motherboard, flipping the NVMe to underneath would allow for the heatsink to extend to a big external heatsink on the right hand side.
Statistics: Posted by peterlite — Mon Sep 08, 2025 1:24 am