Aaaand I'm out. I'd instabuy if it was compatible with normal 60% PCBs or a 32u2/32u4 based PCB was offered
As I know that PCB will using Atmega32AU, which you can use PS2avRGB or TMK/QMK ....
So you would prefer to use a chip (32a) that does not even have native USB support and relies on V-USB for it'as main job rather than one that has native USB support like the 32u4 does?
I don't understand why, we have two very good open source firmwares (TMK and QMK) that run natively on a 32u4, but their port to the 32a is again relying on V-USB.
You might ask yourself: "So, why exactly is that a problem?"
Well, that is because all the PCBs with 32a implementations I tested so far had higher input latency than my PCBs with a 32u2 and 32u4. Not by much at all, normal users won't even notice, but I fall into the minority of users that play rhythm games, where even 5ms more or less can make a very significant difference.
I'm fed up with not being able to buy keyboards just because the PCB is designed around a (rather bad) GUI which sadly works for almost everyone, so very few people care to make something actually good.
you can see my answer, and please give me more reason on this:
- you want to use your existing pcb? You have to desold switches then solder it to new plate.
- you want a popular PCB in case the PCB come with kit go wrong? Right, but maybe we have to find the way to solve this problem
- you just do not want to change your mind?
-I just want a PCB that uses a 32u2 or 32u4, as 32a implementations do not work for my use case. See above for why. I don't mind the middle USB port, in fact I can really understand why you did this (mounting the plate to the top needs compromises with the standard USB location). But this sadly means that no other 60% PCBs fit and that I'd have to get a fully custom PCB made in order to use the board which is prohibitively expensive. I want to buy this, I even wanted to buy the E8, but the PCB choice in both cases would not work for me
.
It is not hard to change the existing PCB-design to use a different controller and set it up with TMK/QMK. We might even be able to get ruiqi to add support for it to his configurator at
http://kbfirmware.com/ so we have some sort of a GUI for programming.
I know changing something that late in the process is annoying, and I also know that the case is the last thing you want to change, but I don't think it's too late to update the PCB to something modern and futureproof. You could pioneer a new standard for a PCB for top-mounted 60% keyboards, make it right, make it accessible and always have some in stock in case someone needs one, if you do that I think this might work just as well as supporting existing PCBs made for the tray-mount standard. If these fit into the Viper v2 they could be very important in the future.