Starting with our V3 keyboards released February 2019, the firmware is upgradeable. Older keyboard models such as the V2, V2.5, and V1 keyboards are not upgradeable to V3. You can check your keyboard's model number via the sticker on the bottom of the keyboard.
V3 Firmware Updates
Version 1.20 (April 23rd, 2021)
WASD V3 and CODE V3B
- Windows Updater: FW_1.20.exe
- Mac Updater: MAC_FW_120.cpio (please follow this tutorial here)
Patch Notes:
- V3 / CODE V3 Comprehensive User Guide (Firmware 1.20+) Please read as the dipswitches have changed on this release
- New DIP settings - Dvorak and Colemak layouts now on the dipswitches (customer request)
- Increased macro size limit to accommodate full layout remapping
- Can now turn off different functions such as layer swap independently of other functions
- Can now move functions such as layer swap keys and backlighting controls
- New backlight timeout function (customer request)
- If you find any bugs please email us and let us know!
Known issues:
- PS/2 not supported due to programming functions, if you need PS/2 please use our legacy V2.5 firmware below
Reverting to 2.5 firmware on a V3 keyboard
Some customers have requested the ability to revert back to the V2.5 firmware on their V3 keyboards, so we are offering this downgrade. The main reason you'd want to do this if you want Dvorak or Colemak on a dipswitch, but you will be giving up the macro and led indicator programming functions at this time.
We will be offering the ability to program a full Dvorak or Colemak layout in a future firmware release, but if you need on-board Dvorak and Colemak and don't want to wait for that release, please use this in the meantime.
You can always flash back and forth between 2.5 and V3 0.14.
WASD V2.5
- Windows Updater: v2.5-7692.exe
Updating on Linux using a Windows Virtual Machine
- Download VirtualBox for your OS (https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads)
- Install VirtualBox using default settings
- OSX users may get security prompt for Oracle during installing. Be sure to click Allow on your Security & Privacy Settings window.
- Download a Windows 7 test image from Microsoft (https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/tools/vms/)
- Select Virtual Machine: IE8 on Win7
- Select Platform: VirtualBox
- Load the Windows 7 Virtual Machine
- You can open the .ovf file directly from Finder OR
- Open VirtualBox, click Import, select the .ovf file, and click Continue
- After Windows loads, from the VirtualBox Menu bar, click on Devices >USB > SONiX USB Keyboard
- Open Internet Explorer and goto https://support.wasdkeyboards.com/hc/en-us/articles/360018518874-Keyboard-Firmware-Updates and download the appropriate update file.
- Run the update file as instructed on our Firmware Updates support page.
Comments
23 comments
Thanks for this great firmware update! I noticed that the 5-second backlight timer option seems to be missing. I don’t need it but it is listed in the user guide so I thought I’d mention it here. For me, there are 8 backlight timer settings (including OFF). The lowest one is 10 seconds.
Thanks for the firmware update and for listening to our requests! :) I had actually reprogrammed an entire layer to Colemak before the update and I'm very happy that I can now simply toggle Colemak with a dipswitch.
The backlight timer function is also a great feature. However, I can confirm with Andrew that the 5-second backlight timer is indeed missing and that the lowest setting is 10 seconds.
Hi David, thanks so much for listening to what was probably a very niche request from a vocal minority!
For brevity, if I focus on the 10 second timeout length and let the backlight turn off, pressing a key will turn on the backlight, 8 seconds later if I press another key (multiple times even), the timeout countdown is not reset and the lights turn off after 2 seconds.
If I keep typing, the countdown should keep getting reset back to 10 seconds so that the backlight doesn’t actually turn off. What’s happening at the moment even as I hammer out this comment is that the backlight blinks off briefly every 10 seconds.
Is this something that can be addressed?
Thanks guys, I can confirm that there is some issues with the consistency of the backlight timer and I will have our devs check it out.
Ok I can confirm that there is no 5 second setting, 10 seconds will be the smallest increment. I'm very sorry for any confusion. Everything else is correct, just that it starts at 10 seconds, I have updated the comprehensive manual to reflect this change.
As for h49yj8cpbfq3okrb5txem9c55954w63n I wasn't able to replicate this issue, Warren and Andrew were you having this issue in any of your experiences so far?
Thanks!
Hey David. Yes, I experienced the same thing. If I set the timer to 10 seconds, it turns off at 10 seconds regardless of how many keys I press. So while keystrokes will wake the back light, they will not reset the timer.
Yes, I am also experiencing the issue. It is extremely strange.
With the timeout set to 30 minutes, all I noticed was that occasionally the backlight would just turn off way too early. Like, there’s no way 30 minutes had passed since I typed something. It had maybe been 10 minutes, not sure. This happened multiple times.
Set to 10 seconds, I can replicate the issue every time. Wait for backlight to turn off, press key and start stopwatch, press a key at any point before the 10 second mark, backlight turns off at 10 seconds.
If I really go at it (like smash my hands on the keys for 8 seconds), I can make it work as expected, and there will be a full 10 seconds of gap before the backlight turns off. And (super strange!) there seems to be a ‘transition period’ where if I type a moderate amount (say 35 keystrokes), it extends the backlight timer a bit. So instead of turning off at 10 seconds, it’ll turn off at 12 or 13 seconds (even when I stop typing at 8 seconds). And if I type a ton (say 100+ keystrokes), it will go a full extra 10 seconds after I stop typing. It’s like a game.
Hope that somehow helps.
Andrew and Warren great, thanks so much guys, I will do more testing on my own and also with our firmware developer, I appreciate the feedback!
Thanks very much David! Selfishly for my purposes, 10 seconds as suits me perfectly as the lowest increment.
Thanks for confirming my suspected insanity Andrew and Warren. I can consistently replicate this, rapidly, with the 10 second timeout. The only time I noticed an inconsistency with this was with the scenario Andrew described. I make many keypresses within 10 seconds, it will occasionally go for longer to about 12 seconds from the first keystroke. I’m unsure if this is just inconsistent behaviour or intentional logic in the firmware.
The cleanest solution would be drop any ‘games’ and make it a straight reset of the timer for any keystroke with the backlight is on.
Thanks very much for looking at this David!
I'm experiencing a fair amount of buggy inputs on a V3 with the new firmware, keypresses are being ignored, delayed, or repeated. Usually each effect takes place over about half a second.
This is unfortunately a rather frequent issue, occurring multiple times a day. Is this something that you're aware of, and approximately how long would it take for a fix to become available?
Isaac same for me... see https://support.wasdkeyboards.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/1500000868402-Firmware-1-20-V3-anyone-having-problems-
Andrew and h49yj8cpbfq3okrb5txem9c55954w63n I have a new firmware build to test for backlighting consistency, I will send it to you guys to test as well.
Isaac and Luke Hamburg I have seen this issue randomly before -unrelated- to the new firmware, I don't believe this is the cause, but if we can have you test the old firmware again (not V2.5 but the older V3 firmware 0.17 version) and isolate that would be great. I have some troubleshooting steps to fix this issue but so far I haven't been able to find the exact cause, as it's intermittent and only affecting a very small number of users. If you don't already have a ticket with us (I believe Isaac does), please email us so I can help you work through this particular issue.
Thank you
David thanks, I don't have 0.17 (I flashed down to 0.16). Not sure how to email you directly.
Hi Luke Hamburg you can just email info@wasdkeyboards.com and I'll find your email :)
Hi,
I've version 1.20 firmware, and I'm having same problems as reported by Isaac and Luke Hamburg.
Beside those issues I've another one, related with Caps Lock, Scroll Lock and Num Lock LED lights. Those are allways off. This is this something that you're aware of?
David, have you sent the test firmware yet? I don’t have an email from you.
Luke Hamburg I think this issue may be mac related specifically, as I did get one other email about this particular issue. Fernando Vieira please view Luke's thread here; https://support.wasdkeyboards.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/1500000868402-Firmware-1-20-V3-anyone-having-problems- I asked some questions and it would be good to get your input as well. I'm assuming you are also on Mac?
Andrew I sent you an email with the new firmware to test, so far it's working well.
For what it’s worth, I just used 1.20 on Mac for a few hours and never noticed any stutters or missed/double presses.
Andrew It may take a while longer to see any issues, so please let us know if you encounter it with more use. Luke Hamburg did you see this issue immediately after flashing?
David, sorry not to mention before, but I have the keyboard connected to a PC, and the dip switches are SW1 off, SW2 off, SW3 off, SW4 off, SW5 on, SW6 on. Main purpose is to have a basic keyboard setup/experience. I'll read Luke's thread and give you feedback.
Fernando Vieira Ok thank you, most likely this is a separate issue - I have helped Isaac fix his similar issue either changing to a 2.0 port or updating the 3.0 or chipset drivers. With Mac it's a different story as this is probably more depending on system version than individual drivers. You can also email our support and I can walk through some troubleshooting with you. Thanks
David, thanks for your immediate feedback. I've read Luke's thread, and as he mentioned the Mac firmware, I've guessed the PC equivalent (https://www.wasdkeyboards.com/media/wysiwyg/support/firmware/FW_016_MOD.exe). I flashed the keyboard. I've again Caps Lock, Scroll Lock and Num Lock LED lights working, and no lag when writing this post.
Fernando Vieira I haven't heard any other reports of the new firmware making any difference like this, please email us so I can see if we can replicate this issue. Thank you
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