Eight buttons, each one a shortcut to something you do constantly
In the quiet tradition of makers who refuse to accept that useful tools must be expensive, a builder known as 3Z3D has documented a path from commodity electronics to a fully functional macro keyboard — an eight-button command center built around an ESP32 microcontroller for a fraction of what commercial alternatives demand. The Stream Cheap Deck speaks to something older than streaming culture: the human desire to shape one's tools rather than be shaped by their cost. By mapping to the largely forgotten F13–F20 key range, it slips into any workflow without disruption, asking only that its owner be willing to spend an afternoon learning how it works.
- Commercial Stream Decks price out the very people who would benefit most — anyone spending long hours managing repetitive computer tasks, not just professional streamers.
- A maker on the ESP32 subreddit built and fully documented an eight-button alternative using cheap, widely available components, publishing the parts list and instructions on Makeables for anyone to follow.
- The device sidesteps keyboard conflicts entirely by claiming the F13–F20 range — keys most computers recognize but almost no keyboard actually includes — keeping it invisible to your normal typing.
- A flasher tool lets owners reassign buttons at will, making the device adaptable to video editing, writing, system administration, or any workflow built on repetition.
- Because you own both the hardware and the code, repairs are simple and modifications are unlimited — a stark contrast to sealed commercial devices that become landfill when a single button fails.
A Stream Deck is a small command center for the desk — buttons that trigger shortcuts, switch scenes, or launch macros without breaking your concentration. Built originally for streamers, the real appeal is broader: anyone navigating a computer all day can benefit from pressing a button instead of hunting through menus. The obstacle has always been price, which is what sent one maker toward a DIY solution.
The result is the Stream Cheap Deck, an eight-button keyboard built around an ESP32 microcontroller — an inexpensive, programmable chip available almost anywhere. Its creator, 3Z3D, published the full build process on Makeables, including a parts list and step-by-step instructions. The device connects over Bluetooth or USB like any standard peripheral, requiring no special drivers or software.
The design's most thoughtful detail is how it avoids conflicting with a regular keyboard. Rather than claiming common keys, it maps to F13 through F20 — a range computers fully support but that almost no physical keyboard includes. That unused real estate becomes the device's territory, leaving everything else undisturbed. A flasher tool handles customization, letting users reassign buttons whenever their workflow changes.
The applications are as varied as the people who might build one: opening frequently used applications, triggering formatting templates, automating administrative tasks, or handling video editing shortcuts. Eight buttons is a modest count, but it covers the commands that appear most often in any given day.
What the project ultimately offers is access. A commercial Stream Deck is easy to dismiss as a luxury. A version built from commodity parts is not — and because the owner controls both hardware and code, a failed button means replacing that button, not discarding the whole device. For anyone willing to spend an afternoon with basic electronics, it turns a professional tool into an approachable one.
A Stream Deck sits on the desk like a small command center—eight buttons, each with its own tiny screen, each one a shortcut to something you do constantly. They were built for streamers, people who need to switch scenes or trigger sound effects without breaking eye contact with their audience. But the real utility runs deeper than that. Anyone managing a computer all day benefits from a device that lets you press a button instead of hunting through menus or memorizing keyboard combinations. The problem is cost. Commercial Stream Decks demand a serious investment, which is why a maker on the ESP32 subreddit decided to build one from scratch.
The project, called the Stream Cheap Deck, proves you don't need to buy expensive hardware to get the functionality. It's an eight-button keyboard built around an ESP32 microcontroller—a cheap, widely available chip that can be programmed to do almost anything. The builder, who goes by 3Z3D, documented the entire process on Makeables, complete with a parts list and step-by-step instructions. The device works as both a Bluetooth and USB keyboard, meaning it connects to your computer the same way any peripheral would, requiring no special software or drivers.
The clever part is how it avoids stepping on your existing keyboard's toes. Instead of mapping the buttons to common keys like A or Enter—which would conflict with your regular typing—the project uses F13 through F20. Your keyboard probably doesn't have those keys. Computers understand input all the way up to F24, making everything from F13 onward essentially unused real estate. By claiming that space, the Stream Cheap Deck can send commands without interfering with anything else you're doing. You can customize what each button does through a flasher tool, reassigning the keys or the actions they trigger whenever you need.
The applications extend far beyond streaming. Someone might map buttons to open their most-used applications, launch specific websites, or trigger complex macros that would normally require multiple keystrokes. A video editor could dedicate buttons to timeline shortcuts. A writer could set up buttons for formatting templates. A system administrator could automate routine tasks. The eight-button layout is small enough to sit beside your keyboard without taking up much space, yet large enough to handle the commands you use most frequently.
What makes this project significant is accessibility. A commercial Stream Deck costs enough that many people dismiss it as a luxury. A DIY version built from commodity parts costs a fraction of that, putting the same core functionality within reach of anyone willing to spend an afternoon with a soldering iron and some basic electronics knowledge. The project also makes repairs trivial—if a button fails, you replace that button, not the entire device. You own the code, you own the hardware, and you can modify either one to suit your exact workflow. For people who spend their days in front of a screen, that kind of customization can save real time and reduce the friction of repetitive tasks.
Citações Notáveis
This is a simple ESP32 Stream Cheap Deck mini macro keyboard set up to work as a Bluetooth/USB keyboard that sends F13-F20 keys by default, fully customizable through the flasher— 3Z3D, ESP32 subreddit
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Why does this matter? Stream Decks already exist—why build one?
Cost, mostly. A real Stream Deck is expensive enough that most people never consider it. A DIY version using an ESP32 costs a fraction of that, which means more people can actually have one.
But doesn't it require technical skill? Soldering, programming?
Some, yes. But the instructions are documented. If you can follow a guide and use basic tools, you can build it. And if something breaks, you fix just that part instead of replacing the whole thing.
What can you actually do with eight buttons?
Anything you do repeatedly. Open apps, trigger macros, send keyboard shortcuts. A streamer uses it for scene changes. A video editor uses it for timeline commands. Someone working in spreadsheets could map buttons to formatting shortcuts.
The F13-F20 thing—why does that matter?
Because those keys exist on computers but not on regular keyboards. By using them, you avoid conflicts. Your Stream Cheap Deck sends F13, your actual keyboard sends A, and they don't interfere. You get a whole unused layer of commands.
So this is really just for people who know what they're doing?
Not necessarily. You need to be comfortable with basic electronics and following instructions. But the barrier is much lower than building something from scratch. The hard thinking is already done.