Razer Chroma Hardware Development Kit

Recently got Chroma HDK as a gift and I have a question. I noticed that instruction says that you have to connect it to power socket and USB, but it seems USB is enough for it to stay powered. So do I need both of them or USB is enough?

Unrealxs
Got mine today!

Just saw the pictures you posted! Those are pretty sick! Can't wait to see what else you Razer Chroma geniuses come up with.

nGear
Recently got Chroma HDK as a gift and I have a question. I noticed that instruction says that you have to connect it to power socket and USB, but it seems USB is enough for it to stay powered. So do I need both of them or USB is enough?

You don't need to but the lights will be brighter if you do the power also. It will power fine over us though, just less light.

wow, this looks amazing...

Hey guys, question to see if anyone has had similar behaviour. I recently set the HDK up and have been generally impressed, all of it seems working and in general no hardware issues. What I have noticed though is that while running Overwatch (or actually any app hat i have that is Chroma compatible) it does not override the lighting settings. I can't decide if this is a) Because the Overwatch App profile does not affect the HDK b) Because i have new and old synapse running and the app can only take control of one c) Something is wrong with software settings Anyone got any advice?

Craig Parker
Hey guys, question to see if anyone has had similar behaviour. I recently set the HDK up and have been generally impressed, all of it seems working and in general no hardware issues. What I have noticed though is that while running Overwatch (or actually any app hat i have that is Chroma compatible) it does not override the lighting settings. I can't decide if this is a) Because the Overwatch App profile does not affect the HDK b) Because i have new and old synapse running and the app can only take control of one c) Something is wrong with software settings Anyone got any advice?

This is likely due to Synapse 3 still being in BETA, and games such as overwatch not being able to control Synapse 3 devices yet. Though this is simply an assumption. Give it some time i'd say. I expect it to be fully working asap Synapse 3 will completely replace Synapse 2.

Yeah makes sense

imacellist
You don't need to but the lights will be brighter if you do the power also. It will power fine over us though, just less light.

Ahh, I see. Well I am usually sitting in a dark room and after trying usb only I can say that it's quite enough for me. Thanks.

Craig Parker
Hey guys, question to see if anyone has had similar behaviour. I recently set the HDK up and have been generally impressed, all of it seems working and in general no hardware issues. What I have noticed though is that while running Overwatch (or actually any app hat i have that is Chroma compatible) it does not override the lighting settings. I can't decide if this is a) Because the Overwatch App profile does not affect the HDK b) Because i have new and old synapse running and the app can only take control of one c) Something is wrong with software settings Anyone got any advice?

This is because at this time the HDK is only supported through the ChromaLink API within the SDK, and Overwatch has not yet included support for ChromaLink

i have ordered this and am a little bit disappointed, i'm gonna have to wait a bit to get the full use of these. Don't get me wrong their great, there is just a few problems. For a start, they aren't that bright, so i'm inclined to buy extra strips that i didn't think i would need to do. and also, no SDKs work with them. I was excited for using them with overwatch with the rest of my peripherals, but they didn't work and also i cant sync them with my ornata keyboard and mamba mouse because they aren't compatible with synapse 3 and the hdk isn't compatible with synapse 2. I'm sure once synapse 3 comes out this will be fixed, and i hope that razer branch the hdk out to overwatch. I NEED this. Pls someone help me out.

Kpfhorn
This is because at this time the HDK is only supported through the ChromaLink API within the SDK, and Overwatch has not yet included support for ChromaLink

So, do you know when this will be fixed? Will overwatch ever be supported in chromalink?

Miracle-Squid
So, do you know when this will be fixed? Will overwatch ever be supported in chromalink?

That's up to the people over at Blizzard, but I would assume they'd include it eventually.

Im still waiting for answers to when other chroma devices will be supported

Will there be one for water cooling?

Is this better than the NZXT Hue +. I am buying case lighting solutions and wanted to know because if so it would match my entire setup.

Datrat
Is this better than the NZXT Hue +. I am buying case lighting solutions and wanted to know because if so it would match my entire setup.

It looks like the Hue+ is overall better, but depends what you want. The NZXT leds have magnets in them which would be really nice to easily mount them without having to use tape. Hue+ is also a lot smarter, and can show CPU, GPU temp, frames per second, and audio output. It's also $20 cheaper and fits in a SSD slot. You can daisy chain the strips together. Comes with 4 strips (12"). The Razer's comes with 2 strips but longer (19.6"), and it'd be nice to sync everything with Synapse. (but I think the functionality of temps and frame rate would be really cool) I don't have either but have been eyeing them both up.

Datrat
Is this better than the NZXT Hue +. I am buying case lighting solutions and wanted to know because if so it would match my entire setup.

I Have Both.. and in many ways the nxzt is smarter.. the magnets in the led strips makes fiting the SO much easyer.. abd also the connecter on razers leds are VERY thick.. which makes fitting them hard.. Software wise.. some what like razers solution better.. Nxzt forces you to use they Cam software which all so show at lot of other stuff, which i dont ned og what, men i can not choose only to control the led.. -.- My main point in buying razers hdk. was to sync my chroma devices with the led. Which I cant at the moment. because the HDK only uses the synapse 3 beta. which at the moment dont support ANY of the normal chroma devices.. only the lancehead and the bassliks.. which is my biggest concern with razers.. You get no information on when the rest will be added.. no nothing.. no patch notes.. Bad style.. So at the moment I would CLEARLY recommend nzxt.. It seems they just care more about they customers.

What Im missing the most is information.. when will they release synapse 3, when do they think that the most normale chroma devises will be supported.. like.. death adders, blackwidow, firefly, orbweavers and so on. Patch notes.. so when there is a update in synapse 3, it would be awesome to see more the just the version number changing.?? PLEASE let us have some information..

EasyKillsGG
What Im missing the most is information.. when will they release synapse 3, when do they think that the most normale chroma devises will be supported.. like.. death adders, blackwidow, firefly, orbweavers and so on. Patch notes.. so when there is a update in synapse 3, it would be awesome to see more the just the version number changing.?? PLEASE let us have some information..

Um, synapse 3 is already out. Anything that has come out after the Lanceheads is supported. Nothing else before those. https://www.razerzone.com/synapse-3

Datrat
Um, synapse 3 is already out. Anything that has come out after the Lanceheads is supported. Nothing else before those. https://www.razerzone.com/synapse-3

No it's not, that's the Beta. It will all eventually work together, that's why there's a picture of the Firefly and Blackwidow in the picture of Synapse 3. Hopefully soon, it's been awhile already.:rolleyes:

ARMOR_152
No it's not, that's the Beta. It will all eventually work together, that's why there's a picture of the Firefly and Blackwidow in the picture of Synapse 3. Hopefully soon, it's been awhile already.:rolleyes:

Oh, but it is out for people to download, I cant wait for it to be released fully then. It looks so much better than Synapse 2.

I really dont care how it looks.. Im just tired of having two synapses runnings at the same time..!! And that is one of the reasons i dont understand why they dont share any dev information with us.. especially all the trouble with misleading the user not telling them that hdk only works with synapse 3 which dos not support any of the normale chroma gear yet. But they show firefly and blackwidow in they adverts, misleadning buyers to think they work togther. SO PLEASE GIVE US INFORMATIONS..

I am using a Molex Power and USB. When I turn the system off the light will go dim and cycle through the spectrum. I have to unplug the USB for it to turn off. I have a Blackwidow Chroma. Firefly Chroma and Mamba Chroma that turn off when I shutdown I have tried it in USB 2.0 and 3.0 still getting the same outome. I had to create 2 profiles with 1 with no lights and a second with my own profile for it to work.

Matthew-
I am using a Molex Power and USB. When I turn the system off the light will go dim and cycle through the spectrum. I have to unplug the USB for it to turn off. I have a Blackwidow Chroma. Firefly Chroma and Mamba Chroma that turn off when I shutdown I have tried it in USB 2.0 and 3.0 still getting the same outome. I had to create 2 profiles with 1 with no lights and a second with my own profile for it to work.

I have both synapse installed.. im using molex and usb all so. But i have no problem regarding lights when i power off my computer. The reason your blackwidow firefly and mamba works, is properly because they are not controlled by synapse 3.. :)

EasyKillsGG
I have both synapse installed.. im using molex and usb all so. But i have no problem regarding lights when i power off my computer. The reason your blackwidow firefly and mamba works, is properly because they are not controlled by synapse 3.. :)

So your saying it possible a Synapse 3 Beta Issue, since my other Razer Chroma gear is fine?

The HDK turns on with the PC when I use it with the USB. However it is not bright enough. Is there a way to have the HDK working at 100% and sync with my PC?