[IC] OSAv2 - PC Alice w/ MX and Topre PCBs!!!

[BlindAssassin111]

OSAv2
by
Viktus Design

Board Background:

What is the OSAv2? This board is the second version (hence the 'v2' in the name) of the OSA which was initially a private buy in 2019 for a board "inspired" by an open source design at that time.

What is different about v2? Basically everything but the basic side profile concept. It is shorter, has thinner bezels, entirely different weight design, and updated to be a better design all around.

The IC title says Topre, Is this true? Yes! I have wanted to make topre customs for many years (the Viktus Styrka was initially planned on being one back in 2019 but sadly never happened) and about a year or more ago I set out on the journey to make this a reality and after multiple prototypes, I am ready to make this available!!! This entire IC was actually typed using the prototype topre PCB in the original OSA case, so it does indeed work and works well!


Specifications:

OSAv2
    • Top mount using the TGR plate outline
    • Polycarbonate case
    • Sandblasted brass or E-Black plate/weight
    • 7 degree board angle
    • Type-C PCB (topside)
    • MX PCB with inswitch LEDs and RGB underglow
    • Topre PCB with multiple layouts and switch housing options
    • Other plate options available
    • ~1.5 Kg w/brass plate

OSAv2 Numpad
    • Top mount
    • Polycarbonate case
    • Sandblasted brass or E-Black plate/weight
    • Designed to sit next to the main board and fit exactly with the bezels and sizing.
    • 7 degree board angle
    • Type-C PCB (topside)
    • MX PCB with RGB underglow and reversible layout (2U's on left or right)
    • Topre PCB with multiple layouts and switch housing options
    • Other plate options available
    • ~0.44 Kg w/brass plate



MX OSAv2 Layouts:

More

• The MX OSAv2 PCB supports all layouts shown above.
• The mirrored left spacebar layouts (with the 2U or 2.25U on the right with the 1U or 1.25U on the inside instead) requires a separate plate from the non-mirrored spacebar layout and will be available as an option. This is nicknamed the vMatt as a friend commissioned pcbs made with those mirrored and others liked the idea so it continues to be offered.
• PCB also supports Alps in said layouts, no plate made available.


MX OSAv2 Numpad Layouts:

More

• The MX numpad PCB supports all layouts shown above.
• The plate can be flipped to change which side the 2U switches are on so only a single plate is needed for either numpad layout. (obviously excluding the ability to do all 2U options shown at the same time).
• PCB also supports Alps in said layouts, no plate made available.


Topre OSAv2 Layouts:

More

• The topre OSAv2 PCB supports all layouts shown above.
• Each plate is fixed layout due to mounting and making sure the housings stay in the right locations.
• Support for "normal" topre housings from R1/R2 boards, as well as R2 RGB housings will be available as plate options. Buyer must decide which and make sure to buy the corresponding plate.
• All plates only support split right shift, the 2.75U shift is PCB only as it would require at minimum 4 more plates to be added and therefore costs would increase for everything.


Topre OSAv2 Numpad Layouts:

More

• The topre numpad PCB supports all layouts shown above, but is subject to change depending on how feasible the layout options are and interest levels.
• Multiple plate options will be available for housing support as mentioned prior ("normal" and R2 RGB). Currently RGB is limited to all 1U as the stabilizers aren't supported with the wire inboard due to the housing design and an outboard wire would interfere with the case.



OSAv2 Info:

• Color options:
    • Clear PC with sandblasted brass plate, and weight
    • Clear PC with e-black brass plate, and weight

• Parts Included:
    • Board w/weight
    • Brass plate of matching finish to the weight (e-black or sandblasted)
    • MX or Topre PCB
    • Screws and silicone feet

• Pricing:
    • Cost:
        - OSAv2: $4XX
        - OSAv2 numpad: $2XX
        - Pricing is an estimate at the moment given the unknown level of interest. Pricing will be updated when I have a better idea of the final quantities (if they are updated)

    • PCBs:
        - MX PCB: TBD
        - MX numpad PCB: TBD

        - Topre PCB: TBD
        - Topre numpad PCB: TBD

    • Note: Boards include PCB/Plate of switch choice, so you can have MX or Topre included by default and you are not forced to buy MX or Topre if you only desire one option.
    • Note: Topre PCBs come with the hardware kits, plates do not.

• Plates:
    • MX OSAv2 and OSAv2 Numpad: (1.5mm or 1.6mm)
        - Sandblasted Brass
        - E-Black Brass
        - Forged Carbon Fiber

    • Topre OSAv2 and OSAv2 Numpad: (1.2mm)
        - Sandblasted Brass
        - E-Black Brass
        - Limited to metal plates as the plates require tapped holes for assembly purposes.

• Quantity:
    • OSAv2:
        - max of 35
        - Subject to increase if demand shows, limiting the quantity as the board is partially a private buy and a public buy, so quantities are split between the two.

    • OSAv2 numpads:
        - Not limited but the current plan is to limit to buyers of the main boards only, but might be willing to open up to others if enough interest is there. More interest would also help drive the pricing down so subject to change quite a bit.

• Wrist rests:
    • OSAv2:
        - There is a plan for wooden wrist rest and possible resin wrist rests if the interest is there.

    • OSAv2 numpad:
        - I would like to make numpad ones available just for the sake of matching and filling in the gap if everything is on the desk at once. May not be offered if very low interest.



Timeline:

• Looking at either august or september for GB.
• Depending on volume of interest either Q2 or Q3 2023 delivery



Group buy format:

• Current plan is FCFS. Subject to change possibly.



PCB Support:

• PCBs will be QMK/VIA/VIAL compatible.

• All alice PCBs with topside USB Type-C that use the "standard" alice pcb outline for fitment.

• As well the MX PCBs available in this buy will work with cases that also support the above.

• Topre PCBs may not work in all cases as the PCB/plate/switch assemblies are 0.95mm taller and therefore move the PCB and USB down said amount. This requires the case to have the room designed into it for said difference. I can't confirm support outside the OSA (v1 or v2) cases as I don't have a collection of every alice to test with.



Topre Support:



• PCBs will be QMK/VIA/VIAL compatible.

• The PCB is designed to work with both R1/R2 "normal" topre housings/sliders (the typical black housings with topre mount sliders) and novatouch (given they use the same plate cutouts as R1/R2), as well as R2 RGB topre housings/sliders with their own plate.

• "Normal" and RGB require separate plates for compatibility but function identically, it just opens up the option for what the buyer decides they would rather use for a donor and what parts.

• For donor boards, only a single TKL is needed to support both the OSA and numpad depending on the layout (limited by 2U/stabs). So you can get away with a single donor board or deskeys housings/sliders/springs if those are available at the time of building (2u housings not out and springs not available from them yet, but niz does sell theirs on taobao)

• NiZ housings/sliders will not be supported by the included plates for multiple reasons. The main reason is I have had their 2019 sliders crack ePBT caps stems and would rather not advocate for their parts in case that issue is still present and I don't want customers to be mad because I made it an option. So you are going to have to make your own plates for this if you desire NiZ at your own risk/discretion. Another reason is they require yet another plate cutout that is unique from "normal" and RGB and instead of offering everything and increasing costs I am also hesitant. The last reason is their 2021 revision product page still uses everything from the 2019 product page without a single revision so that makes me warry that they actually changed anything instead of just updating the year to make it seem updated/new.



Full album:

OSAv2 Render album



IC Form:

https://forms.gle/N572mabhxJMbA3g39



Special Thanks:

• OneCreativeMind for the help, feedback, and inspiration along the way. As well as helping fund the original round of prototypes.
• Matt for the massive amount of help with the PCBs and firmware, without you this literally wouldn't be possible.
• jrfhoutx for your help with prototypes and the MX/Alps numpad PCB as well.


FAQ:

• How does the plate support R1 and R2 housings? Aren't they different? R1 and R2 "normal" topre housings are the same, confirmed with measurements in hand.

• Can you release the files so I can 3D print it? No.

• Will there be an aluminum version? At the moment there isn't plans for it as the original OSA was aluminum.

• Can I get a dyed PC case? The public buy is limited to the options discussed in this IC, no others will be available.

• Are deskeys housings supported? Yes, they use the same plate cutout as R1/R2 "normal" topre so therefore are supported.

• Why didn't you make it use a daughterboard? Because the point was to allow support for other PCBs/plates in my case as well as support for my parts in other cases as much as possible.

• Can you do an aluminum weight to save money? That won't help things as much as you expect them to, aluminum weights don't shave much cost.

• Can you add ISO support? The alice stagger makes it impossible to do it in ISO, the enter doesn't sit right and therefore would leave massive gaps and be missing a switch entirely. This is why there is no ISO alice board.

• Why does the numpad not support 2U enter? Due to limitations with mounting, sizing, and routing needed for the PCB to function properly, there is no possible way for me to include this as an option unfortunately.

• Could you make the numpad use a different angle? As it is meant to be a companion to the main board, I would prefer it be kept looking identical to the main board rather than making it an entirely different product.

• RGB? MX has RGB, Topre will not.

• Can you make it hotswap? No. Making a hotswap PCB isn't just throwing a socket on the PCB and calling it a day. Hotswap requires a fresh restart for almost the entirety of the routing and therefore is a massive time commitment. Plus not everything needs to be hotswap, please stop asking everyone on every board without thinking about what you are actually asking the designer(s) to do.

• Will there be other topre plate options like POM/PC? As mentioned above, Plates need to have threads tapped and therefore metal will be the only option. I am limiting to a single material for now to make logistics easier given how many plate options there needs to be already. Yes it is possible to do an entirely different setup using very small standoffs so no threads have to be tapped but that would over complicate an already complicated GB due to options. You can explore other materials on your own.


Updates:

To follow the project you can keep up with this thread, my website www.Viktus.Design or via the Viktus Design discord server where I will be most active.

Discord invite: https://discord.com/invite/4w6aUKb

[MSA_Vision]

Thocky alice? POG!

[The0rigina1]

ne full pic of the board avail

[fortaye]

I’m in

[Cipulot]

Nice to see more Topre 

[hali]

thanks for topre alice

[BlindAssassin111]

ne full pic of the board avail

Are the ones shown in the full album missing any specific angle you would like to see? I can look into getting more angles if need be.

[nostr]

How would the GB be run for the public side?

[BlindAssassin111]

How would the GB be run for the public side?

That is something I did forget to include, Thank you for the reminder.

Current plan is FCFS, I don't have a good system setup for a fair raffle so I will probably avoid that entirely.

[matchaboba]

Topre + alice = <3

[Woovie]

[ankit]

**** yea this is sick.

[MIGHTY CHICKEN]

Definitely an interesting project, couple of questions though.

Will the topre pcb be run with qmk/via? Would a full rshift be possible so that people who wanted to use stock caps could gut multiple realforces to do so?

[BlindAssassin111]

Definitely an interesting project, couple of questions though.

Will the topre pcb be run with qmk/via? Would a full rshift be possible so that people who wanted to use stock caps could gut multiple realforces to do so?

Yes topre pcb will be QMK/VIA/VIAL, the prototype which I am using right now has VIAL enabled firmware.

As for full shift, I can revisit that and see if I can make it an option but no guarantees it will be possible for my PCB at this time.

[MIGHTY CHICKEN]

Great to see vial too, glwic 

[chanchan]

i am one with the cup rubre and the cup rubre is one with me

[Skok]

Hey man I just have 3 questions

Can you release the files so I can 3D print it?

Will there be an aluminum version?

Can I get a dyed PC case?

thanks.

[BlindAssassin111]

Hey man I just have 3 questions

Can you release the files so I can 3D print it?

Will there be an aluminum version?

Can I get a dyed PC case?

thanks.

Sure, One smoked, 3D printed aluminum OSAv2 coming right up! Might just be a pile of ash though...so not the best typing experience. 

[Skok]

Hey man I just have 3 questions

Can you release the files so I can 3D print it?

Will there be an aluminum version?

Can I get a dyed PC case?

thanks.

Sure, One smoked, 3D printed aluminum OSAv2 coming right up! Might just be a pile of ash though...so not the best typing experience. 

Fr tho topre alice is as close to dream board as it gets. Looking forward to this!

[ocm]

Well isn’t this neato

[Qwertle]

I'm so keen for this

[clickpig]

sign me the **** up boyeeeeee

[LXVRGS]

chef kiss

[SwitchKeys]

Good stuff Sir!

[kbye]

Great job, long live topre

[rodok]

Oh this is really sick, good luck with the IC and future GB, am all in!

[Desert]

Gawd damn this is hot 

[Nonnegaard]

PC and Topre slaps together on god

[BlindAssassin111]

Definitely an interesting project, couple of questions though.

Will the topre pcb be run with qmk/via? Would a full rshift be possible so that people who wanted to use stock caps could gut multiple realforces to do so?

Just wanted to update and say I modified the PCBs and plates to make it possible. PCBs will support 2.75U shift but plates will not due to cost and further increasing complexity for the GB.

[Rob27shred]

Huge props to you Blindassassin111! A topre PCB for a custom with the Alice layout to make it that much better, mind blown here. I got my fingers crossed the IC will help show enough interest at large to bump up the number of boards for the public. Either way I'll definitely be trying for one LOL! Anyways good luck moving forward with this project!

Edit: Oh yeah I almost forgot the ALPS compatibility on the MX PCBs, all the possibilities!

[HungHingDaiLo]

Yes, Yes and YES!

NiZ housings/sliders will not be supported by the included plates for multiple reasons.

I agree fully.

[wigol2506]

The wait is over, thanks for making this happen!

Will pcb/plates be available to those that don't happen to win the raffle?

Also is the USB port connector breakable and supports JST?

GLWIC!

[BlindAssassin111]

The wait is over, thanks for making this happen!

Will pcb/plates be available to those that don't happen to win the raffle?

Also is the USB port connector breakable and supports JST?

GLWIC!

One of the ideas was to let people just buy topre assemblies but not sure how exactly I would go about doing it at this time.

USB isn't removeable but maybe a future variant will have modified support for boards with daughterboards, that is TBD.

[wigol2506]

The wait is over, thanks for making this happen!

Will pcb/plates be available to those that don't happen to win the raffle?

Also is the USB port connector breakable and supports JST?

GLWIC!

Thanks for the info BlindAssassin111

One of the ideas was to let people just buy topre assemblies but not sure how exactly I would go about doing it at this time.

USB isn't removeable but maybe a future variant will have modified support for boards with daughterboards, that is TBD.

[Obamas Mama]

I'm in but would also really like an aluminum case.

[granola bar enthusiast]

this is a great idea, glwb

[Diggidy]

Will the recently released deskeys housings work?

Very interested in topre version. How come not using a DB + JST?

[BlindAssassin111]

Will the recently released deskeys housings work?

Very interested in topre version. How come not using a DB + JST?

Yes the deskeys housings will work on the "normal" plates as long as they didn't venture too far off from the stock design fitment wise.

Forcing a daughterboard locks the case to my PCBs and case and that isn't the goal of the project. I want to allow support for other PCBs/plates in my cases as well as my PCBs/plates in other cases that also support the "standard" alice plate and PCBs. Yes, topre does require the case to be designed with the difference in height in mind but having the support for a more "standard" alice is preferred to one that requires a daughterboard and a forced case/PCB/plate combination.

[BlindAssassin111]

Update:

I am rebuilding the prototype currently to lube/silence/etc so I can try and get a typing demo/video posted.

As well I am looking into possibly converting from a 35 unit FCFS public buy to a more open format. Once this is decided, I can begin finalizing pricing.

[hkhawk]

Update:

I am rebuilding the prototype currently to lube/silence/etc so I can try and get a typing demo/video posted.

As well I am looking into possibly converting from a 35 unit FCFS public buy to a more open format. Once this is decided, I can begin finalizing pricing.

Do you have pictures of the proto?

[BlindAssassin111]

Update:

I am rebuilding the prototype currently to lube/silence/etc so I can try and get a typing demo/video posted.

As well I am looking into possibly converting from a 35 unit FCFS public buy to a more open format. Once this is decided, I can begin finalizing pricing.

Do you have pictures of the proto?

I will once I finish rebuilding it. The only one I have is from a much older prototype and it is less relevant than this one.

[subieboobies]

this looks fantastic, definitely interested

[jtangjt]

 Topre alice is very exciting, but I'm not looking for a pc board. Can I buy just the pcb and plate so I can shove it into another aluminum alice layout board that uses the TGR alice plate mounting points?

[BlindAssassin111]

Topre alice is very exciting, but I'm not looking for a pc board. Can I buy just the pcb and plate so I can shove it into another aluminum alice layout board that uses the TGR alice plate mounting points?

I will have PCBs/plates available as extras so anyone can buy them if desired during the GB.

In the post I have this:

• Topre PCBs may not work in all cases as the PCB/plate/switch assemblies are 0.95mm taller and therefore move the PCB and USB down said amount. This requires the case to have the room designed into it for said difference. I can't confirm support outside the OSA (v1 or v2) cases as I don't have a collection of every alice to test with.

So this is what you would need to check in order for it to be possible to work in any case you are thinking about.

[BlindAssassin111]

Update:

I have rebuilt my prototype and here are some pictures.


Underside of the plate assembly:



- Note: In this picture I used housing gaskets to test out and would not recommend them as they will cause the PCB to bow and will strip out the standoff threads given the amount of force required to compress all of the gaskets. Please avoid as they will cause damage to some degree and I will not cover user error damage.



Assembled plate/PCB:



- Note: As seen in this image, there are missing standoffs due to the issue mentioned above. As well you might wonder why there are standoffs/screws on the plate mounts, that is solely for making assembly easier for me as they are the exact height needed to have the sliders floating during assembly. I will not be providing these for customers (would add nearly $10 to the cost) but wanted to address it now just in case.



As well, I will be ordering new PCB prototypes soonish as there were quite a few changes since this prototype (including the addition of 2.75U shift more recently) and I want to make sure all is functioning properly. This will probably take a few weeks at minimum so no PCB updates for a bit.

Pricing will be announced at a later date given the above, I don't want to announce and then need to change something that will cause pricing to be incorrect.

[tngpq]

This is glorious. Getting closer to full custom Topres. Very nice.

[BlindAssassin111]

Update:

New PCB prototypes have been ordered. I will need to order new plates for testing unfortunately as some screw locations had to change so it might be a little bit before I can actually daily the PCB to check for any possible issues.

In the meantime I will be working on setting up everything for the group buy and when everything is ready, I will announce that!

[Rafa_n]

So cool to see a custom topre with alice layout become reality. I have been waiting for this for years.

[jtangjt]

Topre alice is very exciting, but I'm not looking for a pc board. Can I buy just the pcb and plate so I can shove it into another aluminum alice layout board that uses the TGR alice plate mounting points?

I will have PCBs/plates available as extras so anyone can buy them if desired during the GB.

In the post I have this:

• Topre PCBs may not work in all cases as the PCB/plate/switch assemblies are 0.95mm taller and therefore move the PCB and USB down said amount. This requires the case to have the room designed into it for said difference. I can't confirm support outside the OSA (v1 or v2) cases as I don't have a collection of every alice to test with.

So this is what you would need to check in order for it to be possible to work in any case you are thinking about.

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate what you're doing here a ton. I still have some questions though. If the USB port and pcb distance to the top of the plate is 0.95mm longer for topre  than it is for mx boards, wouldn't that make the case incompatible with mx pcb+plate assemblies? Or is the plan to use some spacers between the top case and mx plate so as to align the USB port? I'm just confused how one case design will allow for multiple USB port positions

[BlindAssassin111]

Topre alice is very exciting, but I'm not looking for a pc board. Can I buy just the pcb and plate so I can shove it into another aluminum alice layout board that uses the TGR alice plate mounting points?

I will have PCBs/plates available as extras so anyone can buy them if desired during the GB.

In the post I have this:

• Topre PCBs may not work in all cases as the PCB/plate/switch assemblies are 0.95mm taller and therefore move the PCB and USB down said amount. This requires the case to have the room designed into it for said difference. I can't confirm support outside the OSA (v1 or v2) cases as I don't have a collection of every alice to test with.

So this is what you would need to check in order for it to be possible to work in any case you are thinking about.

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate what you're doing here a ton. I still have some questions though. If the USB port and pcb distance to the top of the plate is 0.95mm longer for topre  than it is for mx boards, wouldn't that make the case incompatible with mx pcb+plate assemblies? Or is the plan to use some spacers between the top case and mx plate so as to align the USB port? I'm just confused how one case design will allow for multiple USB port positions

The USB cutout is 0.95mm taller overall to allow for the movement.