OpenDeck-RP2040-v0 is an early hardware prototype of a DIY macro pad inspired by the Elgato Stream Deck.
This project represents my first-ever hardware design, created as a learning experiment using KiCad with no prior background in electronics or PCB design.
The goal of this project was to explore the fundamentals of hardware design, including schematic capture, PCB layout, and basic I/O expansion using a microcontroller.
At the time of creation(2025), I had no formal knowledge of electronics. I downloaded KiCad, had the concept of a Stream Deck–style device in mind, and designed this board through experimentation and self-learning. The result is a functional concept design rather than a finished or production-ready product.
- Microcontroller: Seeed XIAO RP2040
- Button input expansion: PCF8574 (I²C I/O expander)
- LED output expansion: 74HC595 (shift register)
- Inputs: 9 tactile push buttons
- Outputs: 9 individual LED indicators
- Interface: USB (via RP2040)
- KiCad schematic and PCB files
- Custom symbols, footprints, and 3D models
- Project documentation
- No finalized firmware
- No enclosure or mechanical design
Status: Incomplete / Prototype (v0)
- Firmware was never completed
- Hardware was not extensively tested
- Design was not revised after the initial version
- This version is considered frozen
I may revisit this concept in the future. Any continued development or improvements will be done in a separate repository (v2).
This repository will remain unchanged as an archive of the original prototype.
This project was inspired by the Elgato Stream Deck.
It was created purely as a learning exercise to understand how an idea could be translated into a real PCB using KiCad, without prior experience in hardware design.
The intent was exploration, not perfection.
This design is experimental and provided for reference purposes only.
It is not guaranteed to function as intended and is not suitable for production use.
This project is licensed under the MIT License.