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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: paipvora on Wed, 05 July 2023, 04:13:25

Title: Any cheap keyboard compatible with VIA?
Post by: paipvora on Wed, 05 July 2023, 04:13:25

I'm trying to customize a keyboard but I don't know which ones to get. And before you tell me to look on the website, it doesn't tell me what keyboards are compatible, and if I copy and paste the names of some of them, nothing even shows up. Please someone tell me the name of a cheap keyboard that I can use with VIA.

Title: Re: Any cheap keyboard compatible with VIA?
Post by: Leslieann on Wed, 05 July 2023, 05:54:19

Define cheap.
VIA only(?) works on keyboards using QMK firmware, you'd want to look at their website for compatible boards. While there is sort of a list on Github (https://github.com/qmk/qmk_firmware/tree/master/keyboards), many are long dead groupbuys.


The cheapest I know of though are:
GH60 clones
Novelkeys NK65 Entry Edition
Quite a lot of ergo keyboard kits as well, some of which are pretty cheap (lilly58m, Sofle, Corne, etc.)

Got access to a 3d printer, you can also make one, though this is quite a project needing a lot of different skills to finish.

Title: Re: Any cheap keyboard compatible with VIA?
Post by: Rhienfo on Thu, 06 July 2023, 00:20:56

I know that the keychron boards have via now, for the quality the price is pretty cheap, the V series is the cheapest, but if you go to their website you can sort by qmk/via. Keep in mind they are fixed layouts so they may not be for you.

You can also find a lot of stuff on aliexpress which do have qmk/via support now.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005248457611.html

this as an example has support for several layouts with hotswap if your not comfortable with soldering. It would be more expensive than the keychron because you need keycaps, switches and stabilizers, but it's far more customizable with the layout. This is just one example but there are more examples of these types of boards.

Title: Re: Any cheap keyboard compatible with VIA?
Post by: LASERman Projects on Fri, 07 July 2023, 04:51:32

Quote from: Leslieann on Wed, 05 July 2023, 05:54:19

...VIA only(?) works on keyboards using QMK firmware...

Well... there are keebs like Epomaker TH96 that have no QMK files but only json for VIA.

Title: Re: Any cheap keyboard compatible with VIA?
Post by: Leslieann on Fri, 07 July 2023, 05:31:21

Quote from: LASERman Projects on Fri, 07 July 2023, 04:51:32

Quote from: Leslieann on Wed, 05 July 2023, 05:54:19

...VIA only(?) works on keyboards using QMK firmware...

Well... there are keebs like Epomaker TH96 that have no QMK files but only json for VIA.

The wireless version uses proprietary firmware, the wired version runs QMK.