DZ17

17-key dual-mode numpad · USB wired + Bluetooth 5.0 · ZMK firmware

Design Philosophy

DZ17 is the wireless version of the DS17: powered by an nRF52840, it supports both USB wired and Bluetooth 5.0, features 5 monochrome status LEDs, runs ZMK firmware and supports live keymap editing via ZMK Studio.

The entire keyboard is built around one word — pure low power: no RGB, no screen, no extra load. Indicators are for "status" only, not "ambience" — they confirm a state and then turn off. Power-wise we use the nRF52840's internal DC/DC converter, a battery direct to VDDH, and no external LDO, minimizing static leakage at the source. Measured figures: standby current ~20 µA (Bluetooth stays connected, instant-on), active average ~700 µA. Firmware is ZMK rather than a private solution — the keyboard doesn't depend on the vendor: you can always remap, build, and fix it yourself.

DZ-series shared trait — no decorative lighting (no RGB, no ambient lights), pure low power. The entire DZ series follows this principle.

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Highlights

• Dual-mode connection: USB wired + Bluetooth 5.0 (nRF52840), 3 Bluetooth channels + USB pairing up to 4 devices, FN one-key switch, multi-device friendly
• Live remapping: ZMK Studio drag-and-drop in the browser — takes effect instantly, no compile, no flash
• Open-source firmware: ZMK community ecosystem; config repo fully public for deep customization
• Seamless switching: plug in USB to auto-switch to wired, unplug to auto-return to Bluetooth; shallow sleep + confirmation LEDs for long battery life

1. Basic specs

Spec	Value
Keys	17 keys, standard numpad layout
Connection	USB wired + Bluetooth 5.0 dual-mode
MCU	nRF52840 (nice!nano v2 compatible)
BLE profiles	3 switchable host slots
BLE name	czm_dz17_ble_1 / czm_dz17_ble_2 / czm_dz17_ble_3
USB name	czm_dz17
Port	Type-C (C2C cable supported)
Battery	Built-in Li-ion, Type-C charging (TP4056)
Indicators	5 white monochrome LEDs: NumLock ×1, BLE ×3, USB ×1; plus a white charging-status LED
Firmware	ZMK (open source)
Remap tool	ZMK Studio live editing
Source code	github.com/micahyy/zmk-config

2. LED indicators

2.1 Channel & status LEDs

LED	Color	Meaning
NumLock	White	Follows the host NumLock state: solid on when NumLock is active, off otherwise
BLE 1	White	Bluetooth profile 1
BLE 2	White	Bluetooth profile 2
BLE 3	White	Bluetooth profile 3
USB	White	USB wired channel

All five indicator LEDs are white; the channel is told apart by position.

LED behavior (channel LEDs are confirmatory — they turn off after confirming, to save power):

• In Bluetooth mode, the channel LED blinks (~1 Hz) while advertising / not connected for ~30 seconds, then turns off; switching profile or reconnecting restarts the blink
• Once connected, the channel LED stays solid for 3 seconds as confirmation, then turns off; it resumes the 30-second blink if the connection is lost
• When the USB channel is selected, the USB LED stays solid for 3 seconds as confirmation, then turns off; all BLE channel LEDs remain off (Bluetooth and USB are mutually exclusive)
• Plugging in the USB cable always forces the keyboard back to USB mode, regardless of the current state
• The NumLock LED is independent of these rules and stays solid while NumLock is active

2.2 Charging LEDs

The charging LEDs are driven directly by hardware (TP4056), independent of firmware:

• ⚪ Charging LED: solid while charging
• Turns off when charging is complete

3. Shortcuts

3.1 Base layer

Key	Tap	Hold
NUM	Toggle NumLock	Hold for FN layer
/	Divide	Reserved (second layer)

3.2 FN layer (hold NUM, then tap)

Combo	Function
FN + 1	Switch to BLE profile 1
FN + 2	Switch to BLE profile 2
FN + 3	Switch to BLE profile 3
FN + 4	Toggle USB / Bluetooth output
FN + *	Unlock ZMK Studio (live remap)
FN + -	Enter bootloader (UF2 flashing mode)
FN + .	Clear Bluetooth pairings

To use a combo: hold NUM down, tap the target key, then release.

3.3 Keymap layout

┌──────┬──────┬──────┬──────┐
│ NUM  │  /   │  *   │  -   │
│(hold │      │      │      │
│ =FN) │      │      │      │
├──────┼──────┼──────┼──────┤
│  7   │  8   │  9   │  +   │
├──────┼──────┼──────┼──────┤
│  4   │  5   │  6   │ Ent  │
├──────┼──────┼──────┴──────┤
│  1   │  2   │  3   │
├──────┴──────┼──────┤
│     0       │  .   │
└─────────────┴──────┘

4. Bluetooth pairing

1. Hold NUM and press 1 / 2 / 3 to select a BLE profile.
2. The channel LED blinks for ~30 seconds while advertising (press the profile key again to restart it). Find czm_dz17_ble_x in your device's Bluetooth list and pair.
3. The channel LED stays solid for 3 seconds, then turns off — connection successful.
4. Each profile pairs with one device (up to 3). Use FN + 1/2/3 to switch.
5. If pairing fails or you change host, use FN + . to clear pairings, then pair again.
6. While a USB cable is connected, FN + 4 toggles between USB and Bluetooth output.

5. Remapping

DZ17 runs ZMK. We recommend ZMK Studio for live keymap editing:

1. Connect the keyboard via USB (Studio is not available over Bluetooth).
2. Once the keyboard is detected, press FN + * to unlock, then drag-and-drop keys live.
3. The keyboard re-locks automatically when USB is disconnected.

6. Flashing firmware

1. Hold NUM and press - to enter the bootloader (or double-tap the RESET button on the module).
2. A USB mass-storage drive named NICENANO will appear.
3. Drag the .uf2 firmware file onto the drive; the keyboard reboots and flashes automatically.

Get the firmware from the Firmware download section at the bottom of this page.

7. Power & sleep

• Built-in rechargeable Li-ion battery, charged via Type-C. See 2.2 Charging LEDs.
• After ~5 minutes of inactivity the keyboard enters light sleep (Bluetooth stays connected, wakes instantly); after ~15 minutes it enters deep sleep (Bluetooth off, all LEDs off) — press any key to wake and reconnect.
• If a power switch is fitted, turn it off for long-term storage.

8. FAQ

Q: The channel LED keeps blinking and won't connect? Make sure Bluetooth is enabled on the host. If it still fails, press FN + . to clear pairings, remove the old entry from the host, then pair again.

Q: Connected via USB but no input? The output may be set to Bluetooth. Press FN + 4 to switch to USB; the USB LED lighting up for 3s means USB mode.

Q: The NumLock LED doesn't light up? The NumLock LED follows host NumLock. Make sure NumLock is turned on (some laptops disable it by default).

Q: The remap site can't detect the keyboard? ZMK Studio only works over USB. Plug in the cable, refresh the page, and press FN + * to unlock.

📥 Firmware download

Firmware file	Version	Release date	Size
czm_dz17_v1.0_260916.uf2	v1.0 official	2026-09-16	408 KB

Flashing steps: see section 6 above.

9. Revision history

Version	Date	Change
1.1	2026-09-17	Page-top intro: added "Design Philosophy / Highlights" sections (mirrors the zh layout)
1.0	2026-09-17	Chinese / English split: this is the pure-English edition (restructured from the mixed-language page)