Stupid question

[ernierasta]

Hi Charlie, this issue is quite off, but I have no idea where is proper place to ask ... I am sure, that there are more like me, silently watching progress and hoping, that alternative firmware will be a viable option in Vortex keyboards. I have Core, so stock firmware is very annoyingly limiting.

Can you update us, how it is going, what is current status of the project? Is QMK possible to use? Or maybe tmk?

I personally doesn't care about graphical configuration tool, but it would be nice of course.

If there is any place in internet, you post your progress, please point me there.

Thank you for this wonderful project, it will be life saver!

[ChaoticEnigma]

Thanks for the interest! In summary, QMK currently works on the POK3R. I have been using it on my POK3R for some weeks without issue. Support for the Vortex Core and POK3R RGB are in progress. The Core may be supported first, due to the Core being more crippled by the default firmware than the RGB.

I did some reorganizing a while ago, so the different subprojects have their own repositories:

• QMK for Vortex keyboards, a.k.a. qmk-pok3r
• pok3rtool, command-line tool for flashing firmware and configuring QMK on Windows, OSX, and Linux
• Pok3rConf, GUI command-line tool for flashing firmware and configuring QMK on Windows, OSX, and Linux

The big thing I have been working on recently is the GUI configuration tool, Pok3rConf, and the QMK firmware changes to support live remapping. The idea is that Pok3rConf releases will ship with the needed QMK firmware binaries, and will be able to update supported keyboards to QMK from the GUI. I think the GUI is near V1-feature complete, at which point I will be looking for testers for it.

I know there is little documentation around for this, as I have been holding off until Pok3rConf and my QMK API stabilize.

Let me know here if you have any questions.

[ernierasta]

Thank you for detailed answer. That is great, that pok3r works! I have poker 2, so can not test, but maybe that is good reason to sell it and buy pok3r. ;-)

Again thank you for wonderful work you are doing, it will bring those keyboards to next level. If you find time, it will be great to document how to flash qmk to pok3r. I am sure that if news spread ... geekhack pok3r owners will go crazy ;-) For many this is dream comes true.

I am very excited about possibility to have QMK on native Core pcb!

[kherchel]

I think the GUI is near V1-feature complete, at which point I will be looking for testers for it.

Please notify me then! I've been lurking this project for a looong time and can't wait to try it out with my Pok3r :P

[resultingCorrespondence]

Any idea of how soon the core will be supported? I've been thinking about getting a new keyboard with qmk support, but I'll hold off if the core might be supported soon. I also have a CS background and would be happy to help test! @ChaoticConundrum

[ChaoticEnigma]

All I can say is Soon^TM relative to support for other keyboards and features. The Core is popularly requested, so I will make it a priority. The current hangup is some inconsistent behavior with the builtin bootloader, which I have to mitigate before I'm confident in making a release for it.

[resultingCorrespondence]

@ChaoticConundrum Awesome! Thanks for the response! 2 follow up questions:

1 - Where can we find out when a release is ready? 2 - Is there anything I can do to help?

[ChaoticEnigma]

The easiest way to get a notification would be to watch the Pok3rConf and qmk-pok3r repositories. If you only want notifications for releases, there are some external services, like https://gitpunch.com.

At the moment it looks like the first release may only include Pok3r spport. It seems I have managed to wear out the flash in my Core, so some words are stuck, making it a useless brick. :disappointed: So I either need a new Core, a new HT32F1654, or a broken Core to salvage one from. Or someone else develops the Core support.

So... If you have any of the above and are willing to sell it, let me know. I'm not crazy about buying a new replacement keyboard when that money could get me a keyboard I don't have (like a ViBE or Race3).

[ernierasta]

Hi, that is very bad news. But we will figure something out. Nowadays many people waits for atom47 pcb. They will be shipped in few days. So that is good time to ask. I will try to ask on discord.

[evyd13]

I have a spare Core PCB and I definitely want to get rid of it.

[resultingCorrespondence]

I might be able to work on supporting the core. I haven't looked into it at all though, so if you have a chance to get me up to speed a little bit that would be incredibly helpful.

[ernierasta]

Thank you Maarten! We have another one, board has damaged resistor (or few of them), but generally it should be ok. Will it be ok? This one is from US, so shipping would be cheaper. Maarten is from Netherlands. By the way - he is creator of atom47! I find it very nice, that he wants help with something, that we can call is his competition. :-) We have wonderful people around us!

[jpeirce]

Willing to test for you with a pok3r if there is anything you need, can test your conf software on both Linux and Windows.

[Eagle1337]

i'm willing to test on windows.

[blueset]

Willing to test Pok3rConf on macOS.