OpenRazer 3.2 Released For Supporting More Razer Peripherals On Linux

[phoronix]

Phoronix: OpenRazer 3.2 Released For Supporting More Razer Peripherals On Linux

OpenRazer as the open-source, community-maintained collection of Razer peripheral support for Linux is out with a new release...

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=OpenRazer-3.2

[tildearrow]

Don't use VARSTORE for custom frames in razerkbd driver

Finally! No more wearing out the flash memory.

Personally I've had a hit-or-miss experience with Razer products since I began my journey 6 years ago.
The keyboards work well, but the mice are problematic after ~2 years of use. My Mamba's sensor stopped tracking normally after two and a half years, and my Lancehead TE's scroll wheel began behaving erratically after 2 years, and even cleaning it up didn't help too much.
Additionally, two Hammerheads (earphones) broke. The first one in 9 months, and it required me to solder the cable and thankfully it still was good until this year. The second one broke in one and a half years, but it was impossible to repair as the issue was one of the sides produced muffled audio.

[jf33]

At least for mice, the project seems to overlap with libratbag – except that libratbag does not support any Razer device yet. Shouldn't the mice support part merge into libratbag?

[Volker Schmidt]

For a device like orbweaver, there support is still almost non existing. No key macros, no side stick support, no profile selection ... One of the few areas, where I find Linux support still very wanting.

[Adarion]

It is very sad that most of the manufactureres have us to rely on reverse engineering. At least some specs would be nice.
So far I had Logitech (I guess since 486 times) and then Roccat, also because Roccat had the KoneXTD which was finally a large mouse. I had to replace the main (RMB/LMB) mouse switches by some soldering with the "real" Omrons (made in Japan), for the old one became messy (accidental double clicks). There's nice (and 1 h) long video on Youtube where some guy explains the mechanical vs. electrical durability. In short: Yes, China-Omron-switches last 5 million clicks, but only mechanical. Electrical they will, of course, corrode (not gold plated and the likes), and thus - but this is actually in Omron's specs - will need a breakthrough voltage of something like 5 V, which was ok in old mice. Nowadays, they are full with microcontrollers for their fancy RGB shit, but all operates at something like 1.8 V, low currents, which is not enough to get through the corroded surface. Thus: Lots of misinterpretations.
So rather have the high quality Japan switches, they're much more corrosion resistant and unless you're a 24/7 extreme gamer they'll also last mechanically long enough. Besides, a lot of mice these days have some ... coating?... which slowly starts to depolymerize. And the surfaces might start to feel sticky over time and become ugly.

[Adarion]

PS: Alex Kenis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5BhECVlKJA

1h 15 min of electonics/electic goodness.

(Replacement in the KoneXTD is okay-ish, I did it for 3 mice so far and they're fine again. Takes some fiddling with the screws and fine parts, and desoldering was sometimes a chore.)

[vladimir86]

Just curiosity, but what do you need that software for? Does it not work with standard drivers? and the keyboard? :/

[Volker Schmidt]

Just curiosity, but what do you need that software for? Does it not work with standard drivers? and the keyboard? :/

The razor hardware has some extra functions. Some trivial like light effects, but mostly they allow you, to reprogram the switchable keyboard layout per game, and the orb keybords under windows are quite nice, since they have kind of a joystick, that can be link to the cursor keys, allowing you for a number of games, to have one hand on the keyboard, putting the most needed functions on that, use the joystick for movements with the thumb, and have one hand free, for the mouse. Quite nice to use with windows, and non functional with linux

[vladimir86]

The razor hardware has some extra functions. Some trivial like light effects, but mostly they allow you, to reprogram the switchable keyboard layout per game, and the orb keybords under windows are quite nice, since they have kind of a joystick, that can be link to the cursor keys, allowing you for a number of games, to have one hand on the keyboard, putting the most needed functions on that, use the joystick for movements with the thumb, and have one hand free, for the mouse. Quite nice to use with windows, and non functional with linux

Oh, thanks for the info! Never even tough those things where possible. Probably I am too poor to afford the extra flare
That joystick function sounds cool, but I don't see myself giving up on my keyboard for that. Glad they managed to inverse engineer some of the drivers tho. And I hope that at least you can get basic functions with those devices!

[flecht]

vladimir86 The joystick thing is a d-pad—literally 4 (Omron?) switches. You can easily move and have 4 fingers free to click other buttons. I mostly use it to play WoW, but as always, sky is the limit.