Wooting One review (Adomax Flaretech B)

[Chyros]

Today we look at the Wooting One, an analog optical keyboard using the Adomax Flaretech switches I did a Teardown on recently. Hope you enjoy the video!

[Iggy]

UT99! Awesome! Man, the memories I have of that game. I love Blur as well.

The Wooting Two is about to be launched on Kickstarter and I'm thinking of getting it.

[Chyros]

UT99! Awesome! Man, the memories I have of that game. I love Blur as well.

You have good taste 8) .

Maybe I should do all my reviews with Go Down playing in the background from now on, too ^^ .

[mike52787]

if you could somehow get one of the topre analog boards I would be very interested to see a review of it, but those things are kindof unobtanium.

[TuxKey]

i like the effort Wooting put in to this board. They even went as far as to drop by my house to have a nice sparing session on keyboard design likes dislikes irritations in mechanical keyboard world. That's how involved Wooting is.. try to find that level of commitment from the big brands. Time & Time again i have noticed that small businesses companies that are managed by families generational companies are on a different level when it comes to commitment to quality and support. I really hope Wooting follows the same practices..Everything lies in the details everyone can use a flaretech switch. But Wooting's commitment with the software development and product R&D should tell you all you need to know .. To bad i'm not a gamer so it's not really a keyboard for me.. So greetings From The Netherlands Den Haag..

[kvad]

That was nice timing - been considering the Wooting this weekend.
Beyond it's smoothness, how does it feel for typing alone?
Currently using a Novatouch, but getting a wee bit tired of the rattle, and I've gotten allergic to the ping from my MX Blue (but otherwise like both of them for entirely different reasons).

[__red__]

hmm, curious.

Can you buy the switch modules and is there a datasheet?

[Chyros]

hmm, curious.

Can you buy the switch modules and is there a datasheet?

Not sure tbh.

That was nice timing - been considering the Wooting this weekend.
Beyond it's smoothness, how does it feel for typing alone?
Currently using a Novatouch, but getting a wee bit tired of the rattle, and I've gotten allergic to the ping from my MX Blue (but otherwise like both of them for entirely different reasons).

They are extremely light. I make a lot of mistakes while typing by just brushing my fingers along the caps, so I would advise either setting the actuation point deeper, so going for some stiffer springs. Other than that, and the lack of a numpad, it types very nicely .

[Sangdrax]

I like everything about this but the switch weight and the floating keys. But pretty much all my complaints could be solved with some very simple mods on my part. I really like how they actually implemented all the analog functionality into the firmware too, since you can certainly squeeze analog behavior out of switches like capacitive linears or hall effect, but I've never seen them actually used for such.

Really cool to see some interesting tech keyboards coming out like this.

[kvad]

They are extremely light. I make a lot of mistakes while typing by just brushing my fingers along the caps, so I would advise either setting the actuation point deeper, so going for some stiffer springs. Other than that, and the lack of a numpad, it types very nicely .

Thanks, I'll give it a go! For people in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland there's a sale on the Wooting Red and Blue (the Premium was also on sale, but sadly not any left now) at Proshop for aproximately €80.

[__red__]

hmm, curious.

Can you buy the switch modules and is there a datasheet?

Not sure tbh.

I just asked. I'll report here when I get a response.

[chuckdee]

^ Thanks for doing that. I like the idea of the switches, but the layout just won't work for me.

[depletedvespene]

I know some people don't care, but I do: where is the Scroll Lock key?! Is it, at least, mappable to somewhere else through the Wootility program?

(I did notice the Wooting Two does have it)

[__red__]

^ Thanks for doing that. I like the idea of the switches, but the layout just won't work for me.

The response I got basically said: "We've not sold them individually before, but we are selling them as a part of our kickstarter".

[chuckdee]

I haven't gotten a response yet... I asked about different layouts/form factors.

But thanks again for asking... I'll keep an eye out. I wasn't sure that they could just be used in any board.

[ajs124]

The kickstarter rewards preview on their blog lists numbers and prices for switch packs. 12 go for 15€ and 110 for 45€.

[chuckdee]

The kickstarter rewards preview on their blog lists numbers and prices for switch packs. 12 go for 15€ and 110 for 45€.

But can you use those with standard PCBs?

[codemonkeymike]

The kickstarter rewards preview on their blog lists numbers and prices for switch packs. 12 go for 15€ and 110 for 45€.

But can you use those with standard PCBs?

No, the need a light sensor and emitter

[chuckdee]

So they are of limited use. It's basically only for people that have v1 and want to get a different set of switches.

[Menuhin]

Really interested in trying out this keyboard (and of those the switches) in a shop or in a meetup.

"Wooting" - names with an "-[vowel]ng" have a high chance to be related to Chinese, and I didn't know it isn't a Chinese keyboard. Hope they have heavy linear (spring) and perhaps a plan of some smaller size models, e.g. 75%, 60%.

[__red__]

So they are of limited use. It's basically only for people that have v1 and want to get a different set of switches.

... or those of us who want to build a custom analog keyb/controller.

I asked about example emitters / detectors, pcb landing patterns and never heard back.

If there is sufficient interest I may end up REing those parts

[__red__]

To update:
1. they've not replied to my request for recommended IR emitters / receivers via email or social.
2. I just noticed that their US store is actually within a few miles of my house.

[chuckdee]

To update:
1. they've not replied to my request for recommended IR emitters / receivers via email or social.
2. I just noticed that their US store is actually within a few miles of my house.

I don't really expect them to, as that seems as if it would be proprietary information. They've developed the switches, they probably want to keep them to their boards. Which was what I was saying about above... they made them available for people that have their own boards, most likely.

[__red__]

In the interests of full disclosure they've replied now and we're having some conversations. I'll update when I have more.