[IC] Evil 80-Odyssey

[zl_ramiel]

I'm glad to introduce my team and our custom keyboard kit Evil 80-Odyssey.

Odyssey is a 80% custom keyboard we designed from 2016. It's featured with the fancy aviation connector/cable and the powerful programmable PCB. The cases are manufactured by my friend EVE, the manufacturer of Moon and Mira SE. We've already successfully fulfilled our R1 GB in China earlier this year. Now we want to check the potential interests here for a R2 GB.

Specs

• Material: 6063 aluminum for the case and plate. brass for the weight and nameplate
• Possible colors: Black, Grey, Silver, Red, Pink. Or more
• What will be included: top case, bottom case, plate, weight, nameplate, PCB, aviation connectors

Photos from R1 GB











Please find the full album here.

PCB

The PCB is fully programmable by our driver software EQ&EV (only Windows OS is supported currently).
There're 11 LED modes in totally supported by our firmware. We're upload a video to show them later.
In the first row (the ESC row), we specially added additional pads for LEDs. The additional LEDs can increase the brightness and allow you to better show off your artisans.





ISO layout is not supported right now. It can be added if there're enough interests.

Aviation Connector














Please make sure to fill in the IC form if you're interested

[nickysan92]

Looks cool, definitely interested.

[kawasaki161]

Can confirm that it is a very nice board. Really a lot better than I expected it to be (I got one from the first GB).

[gnmar2723]

Looks pretty neat! What's the price like?

[doom2]

Looks pretty neat! What's the price like?

The Chinese GB price was about 2480 CNY (currently $376).

[Vigrith]

Been interested in this since R1 so it's a yes from me. No possibility of WKL blockers, though? That'd make it much more appealing, imo.

Edit: Oh my bad, blockers are already available. Fantastic!

[vinzlr]

Super interested in this!

[theillumedpanda]

While the board itself looks very appealing, Windows only is a no-no for me.

Is there a particular reason why you created your own firmware, instead of using a widely-recognised firmware such as QMK or BootmapperClient? That is also something I‘d think about at least twice before joining a potential GB.

[regionfree]

very interested in this!

[merlin64]

I've always wanted a keyboard with a connector like that!!

Looks really nice and EVE is a great manufacturer.

I was curious if its QMK compatible at all?

[poolside]

I stumbled upon this while browsing pics on the zFrontier website yesterday. Nice USB connector 

Will a complete cable be provided or only the connector so we can (make our own or) have someone else make it?
No brass or stainless steel plates? Mira and Moon GBs offered them.

[odd]

Looks cool, definitely interested.

Ditto

[doom2]

I've always wanted a keyboard with a connector like that!!

Looks really nice and EVE is a great manufacturer.

I was curious if its QMK compatible at all?

Like the previous Evil 90 board, it's a Windows-only firmware. Afaik not QMK compat unless you want to write it yourself.

[doom2]

I stumbled upon this while browsing pics on the zFrontier website yesterday. Nice USB connector 

Will a complete cable be provided or only the connector so we can (make our own or) have someone else make it?
No brass or stainless steel plates? Mira and Moon GBs offered them.

I proxied one of these boards for someone and it only came with the connector that had to be assembled, but maybe they'll offer a pre-made cable.

[DALExSNAIL]

Dope, Liking the connector. Should be down, depending on the price.

[zl_ramiel]

We used two stm32 chips as controllers on this PCB, so QMK is not supported, unless someone want to write codes to port it to QMK.

We developed our own firmware such that we can add features freely. The led modes in the current version of firmware are not supported by either QMK or bootmapper client.

[merlin64]

I've always wanted a keyboard with a connector like that!!

Looks really nice and EVE is a great manufacturer.

I was curious if its QMK compatible at all?

Like the previous Evil 90 board, it's a Windows-only firmware. Afaik not QMK compat unless you want to write it yourself.

I was asking for QMK compat not if there was QMK firmware lol. Looks like he answered my question and from a quick google search it seems that it's doable using ChibiOS/QMK.

[zl_ramiel]

I stumbled upon this while browsing pics on the zFrontier website yesterday. Nice USB connector 

Will a complete cable be provided or only the connector so we can (make our own or) have someone else make it?
No brass or stainless steel plates? Mira and Moon GBs offered them.

The current plan is the same with our previous GB, which means you'll need to make the cable using the connectors by yourself. It's not that difficult imo.
We can also provide pre-made cable, with extra charge of course.

Brass plates might be possible if there're enough interests. We can't do it for just one or two.

[zl_ramiel]

I've always wanted a keyboard with a connector like that!!

Looks really nice and EVE is a great manufacturer.

I was curious if its QMK compatible at all?

Like the previous Evil 90 board, it's a Windows-only firmware. Afaik not QMK compat unless you want to write it yourself.

I was asking for QMK compat not if there was QMK firmware lol. Looks like he answered my question and from a quick google search it seems that it's doable using ChibiOS/QMK.

QMK is an open sourced framework. That means you can modify it to support any boards as long as you invest your time on it.

I understand that many people are familiar with QMK and bootmapper and are lazy to learn new softwares, but our software is very easy to use and support almost every function you wish on it.

[Techno Trousers]

Looks nice!

Is the firmware open source?

[merlin64]

I've always wanted a keyboard with a connector like that!!

Looks really nice and EVE is a great manufacturer.

I was curious if its QMK compatible at all?

Like the previous Evil 90 board, it's a Windows-only firmware. Afaik not QMK compat unless you want to write it yourself.

I was asking for QMK compat not if there was QMK firmware lol. Looks like he answered my question and from a quick google search it seems that it's doable using ChibiOS/QMK.

QMK is an open sourced framework. That means you can modify it to support any boards as long as you invest your time on it.

I understand that many people are familiar with QMK and bootmapper and are lazy to learn new softwares, but our software is very easy to use and support almost every function you wish on it.

That's true, you can make QMK support anything because it's open sourced. However, there is currently built in support for some ARM chips by leveraging chibiOS. Both require work but if the chips are supported, then there is less work.

[zl_ramiel]

Looks nice!

Is the firmware open source?

We haven't thought about it tbh. The codes are useless if they're not well documented. And they're not now.

If someone are interested in the firmware/software, and want to use it on your boards, please send me a private message. We can discuss about it.

[theillumedpanda]

We developed our own firmware such that we can add features freely. The led modes in the current version of firmware are not supported by either QMK or bootmapper client.

Don‘t get me wrong, but you could easily add new features with QMK. QMK doesn‘t prevent you from adding new features, in fact you‘d not only be the only one working on it, but also have other people on board.

I've always wanted a keyboard with a connector like that!!

Looks really nice and EVE is a great manufacturer.

I was curious if its QMK compatible at all?

Like the previous Evil 90 board, it's a Windows-only firmware. Afaik not QMK compat unless you want to write it yourself.

I was asking for QMK compat not if there was QMK firmware lol. Looks like he answered my question and from a quick google search it seems that it's doable using ChibiOS/QMK.

I understand that many people are familiar with QMK and bootmapper and are lazy to learn new softwares, but our software is very easy to use and support almost every function you wish on it.

The point I want to make is the following. Say, I‘m interested in Arch Linux and there‘s a new Arch-based OS coming up and promises to be the next big thing. Cool new features, but closed source and no documentation. It might look super cool, but to be frank, I‘d have no clue what the system actually does. I‘d not only have to acquire new knowledge, but also rely on the developers not being shady. On top of that, instead of using the superb Arch Wiki and the community guides, I‘d have to look everything up.

In the end it‘s your decision what you want to do. Closed source firmware with Windows only turns me off.

[zl_ramiel]

That's true, you can make QMK support anything because it's open sourced. However, there is currently built in support for some ARM chips by leveraging chibiOS. Both require work but if the chips are supported, then there is less work.

Yes, I've looked at that part of codes last year in the TMK project but have never used it. Actually there're two smt32 chips on our PCB, one scans the matrix, another one controls the LEDs. I think it might be not too difficult to just run QMK on this PCB, but it will take a lot of efforts on enabling the LED modes we implemented in our firmware.

We can share the schematic diagram if anyone really want to port QMK.

[afrokobe]

Im down for this and for the brass plate.  could care less about qmk, prefer it not to be qmk as I am dumb and can't program.

[Waateva]

yee

[mike52787]

this is beautiful, count me in

[bluesclera]

I like it, wish there were more TKL customs.

[DALExSNAIL]

I like it, wish there were more TKL customs.

Too bad it isn't a year or two ago then.

[dblack]

Very clean design, glad this is being brought to GH.

[Peiweisgreat]

Yassssss! Finally a MX TKL that I can throw some money at! I'd be really happy to see if a dark purple/violet color could be added to the options, but I know its hard to add random colors to GBs. A dark green would probably look amazing too, but I'm sure w/e colors are provided will make a great looking keeb.

[wholypantalones]

Kinda reminds me of a realforce and I definitely kinda maybe want one.

[pixelpusher]

is the nameplate customizable?  not keeen on the design of that aspect, but the rest looks very nice.

[zl_ramiel]

is the nameplate customizable?  not keeen on the design of that aspect, but the rest looks very nice.

We provided customizable nameplate, which made us exhausted. We may still provide it, for a price.

[zl_ramiel]

Please make sure to fill in the IC form if you're interested

[_rubik]

I was very interested at first, and then realized that it was only a) your own brew of driver software and b) only windows compatible driver software.

That being said, the aviator style plug is a very cool twist from the wall of other TKL boards on the market. Originally, I wasn't sure about it, but I think it makes the board quite unique. 

[bluesclera]

CUSTOM NAME PLATE??? OH **** I'M IN.

[zl_ramiel]

1. We don't have strong intention to keep the software close-sourced. It's just we don't have time to document it and maintain an open-sourced project. What's why I said "We haven't thought about it ", not "No we won't".

2. The software will only be used for re-programming the board. You can use the board on every OS without the software.

3. We ‘reinvent the wheel’ not for saving money or avoiding troubles. I can design a QMK PCB within one hour. We chose to make hard efforts for providing something that can't be provided by QMK. We value our efforts.

4. This is a TKL board. The firmware is not that important imo.

I understand someone have concerns. Then I'm sorry to say this board is not for you. If you have different opinions, I suggest you to PM me for a good discussion. Thank you.

[_rubik]

2. The software will only be used for re-programming the board. You can use the board on every OS without the software.

3. We ‘reinvent the wheel’ not for saving money or avoiding troubles. I can design a QMK PCB within one hour. We chose to make hard efforts for providing something that can't be provided by QMK. We value our efforts.

4. This is a TKL board. The firmware is not that important imo.

2. Well I sure hope it works on other operating systems...

2+3. By reinventing the wheel, you've made using your product more inconvenient for a large population of the forum.

4. Annnnnndddd that reflects the quality of your firmware.

Board is cool as all hell, I just feel like these concerns should be respectfully raised. That being said, I totally understand the desire to make something entirely your own. It's worlds better than something I could come up with.

[Minha]

IN for pink

[senter]

Looking good

[cdn-mini]

You got to do an ISO layout.

[Unforgivable]

Dark purple and Blue-Grey would be nice colors to add! If those colors don’t make it I may go with Red, but Dark Purple and Blue-Grey are colors I would like to see added as well.

I agree with the others though.

I don’t really like downloading random software..so Bootmapper + QMK combo would be something everyone would be okay with I’d think. If you can make the PCB with those, it would be greatly appreciated!

Overall, the board looks beautiful. If people can customize the logo, I’m sure they’d be happy!

[cdn-mini]

How about NO name plate? is that an option?

[crtexcnndrm99]

Make TKL great again.

In, maybe, depending on how the funds are looking when this runs


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[zl_ramiel]

2. Well I sure hope it works on other operating systems...

2+3. By reinventing the wheel, you've made using your product more inconvenient for a large population of the forum.

4. Annnnnndddd that reflects the quality of your firmware.

Board is cool as all hell, I just feel like these concerns should be respectfully raised. That being said, I totally understand the desire to make something entirely your own. It's worlds better than something I could come up with.

Thank you for the input and comments. I didn't expect our PCB annoys so many people. We had a successful R1 GB and no one complained about the PCB or the firmware. You reminded me to clarify something people may be not clear with.

The PCB works on everything operating system because it works under USB HID protocol. The firmware only works for translating the keystrokes to keycodes. And the key codes are all the same for any operating systems. It has nothing to do with the firmware. Hope it makes sense to you.

[zl_ramiel]

How about NO name plate? is that an option?

Sorry mate, that's not an option.

[Sneaky Potato]

I’m in, but only if there is nameplate customization. I wouldn’t join if you couldn’t change the nameplate.

[afrokobe]

Microsoft Windows needs to come in here and teach some of these non-windows users some sense. 

[nickysan92]

On the topic of the nameplate, while I do think it looks ok with the rest of the design in that it's not too "in your face", can we customize the engravings on it?

Edit*: nvm, I need to learn to read and scroll up.