Author Topic: What about a matias lock switch?  (Read 56059 times)

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Offline blackbox

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What about a matias lock switch?
« on: Sun, 27 July 2014, 05:16:50 »
Would matias make a latching switch if there was enough demand? It would make it much much simpler to get locking keycaps. Daniel Beardsmore asked this question earlier over at DT:

http://deskthority.net/product-news-f44/matias-hints-at-new-switch-t7067.html

"How about Matias Lock? (I'd love to see an AK-LK, the Himake latching action switch — no longer sold, and Xiang Min never responded to my enquiry about the one they imply they sell. Not sure what happened to AK-LK, as Focus preferred Futaba latching switches over Alps and Himake despite requiring custom keycaps.)"
Keyboards: Dell AT102W (matias standard clicky), Maltron two-hand 3D fully ergonomic keyboard (Vintage MX Black). CM QF XT (MX Grey) IBM model M

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Offline Findecanor

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Re: What about a matias lock switch?
« Reply #1 on: Sun, 27 July 2014, 12:13:14 »
Who would buy it? Do you know of any OS that is compatible with a latching lock switch for Caps Lock, Scroll Lock or Num Lock?

Offline nuclearsandwich

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Re: What about a matias lock switch?
« Reply #2 on: Sun, 27 July 2014, 12:50:30 »
Who would buy it? Do you know of any OS that is compatible with a latching lock switch for Caps Lock, Scroll Lock or Num Lock?

It's more likely the keyboard firmware that would need to be updated. I could see a latching "Shift lock" being a sweet feature of custom boards but I'm not sure that there's enough demand for lock switches and Matias customs to warrant their production. That said, if they were made I'd get a bunch to use in other electronics projects.

Offline blackbox

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Re: What about a matias lock switch?
« Reply #3 on: Sun, 27 July 2014, 15:28:25 »
Custom keyboards like those with tmk_firmware.  Also I have an idea for a keyboard with lock switches on all f keys. I would use it when booting machines and general use when on the move.
Keyboards: Dell AT102W (matias standard clicky), Maltron two-hand 3D fully ergonomic keyboard (Vintage MX Black). CM QF XT (MX Grey) IBM model M

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Offline nuclearsandwich

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Re: What about a matias lock switch?
« Reply #4 on: Sun, 27 July 2014, 15:34:54 »
Custom keyboards like those with tmk_firmware.  Also I have an idea for a keyboard with lock switches on all f keys. I would use it when booting machines and general use when on the move.

What would you use locking F keys for?

Offline blackbox

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Re: What about a matias lock switch?
« Reply #5 on: Sun, 27 July 2014, 15:45:06 »
Well booting in to bios/boot order menu/raid card/pxe boot. that kind of stuff. The I do not have to hold down the switch when I power it up or reboot it.
Keyboards: Dell AT102W (matias standard clicky), Maltron two-hand 3D fully ergonomic keyboard (Vintage MX Black). CM QF XT (MX Grey) IBM model M

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Offline nuclearsandwich

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Re: What about a matias lock switch?
« Reply #6 on: Sun, 27 July 2014, 15:55:56 »
Well booting in to bios/boot order menu/raid card/pxe boot. that kind of stuff. The I do not have to hold down the switch when I power it up or reboot it.

Eeeeeenteresting. I wonder, not to downplay how cool physical lock switches would be but just to think about DEL and Y and the other keys that just need to be held at times, if you could make a firmware patch with a generic LOCK key that toggles the on / off state of a single key. That way you could set it for any key on the board. You could even get wild and integrate LED effects for locked keys.

Offline RabRhee

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Re: What about a matias lock switch?
« Reply #7 on: Sun, 27 July 2014, 15:58:28 »
I know its not an answer to the OP question, but I thought ALPS locking switches were fairly easy to get hold of? Like from the Caps lock of some old Mac keyboards?

Maybe not so easy to get them in bulk, or new.
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Offline blackbox

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Re: What about a matias lock switch?
« Reply #8 on: Sun, 27 July 2014, 16:07:07 »
Well booting in to bios/boot order menu/raid card/pxe boot. that kind of stuff. The I do not have to hold down the switch when I power it up or reboot it.

Eeeeeenteresting. I wonder, not to downplay how cool physical lock switches would be but just to think about DEL and Y and the other keys that just need to be held at times, if you could make a firmware patch with a generic LOCK key that toggles the on / off state of a single key. That way you could set it for any key on the board. You could even get wild and integrate LED effects for locked keys.

Yea tough about that too, but I think it would be easier with lock switches when thinking about compatibility and ease of use. But on board programming is an option.
Keyboards: Dell AT102W (matias standard clicky), Maltron two-hand 3D fully ergonomic keyboard (Vintage MX Black). CM QF XT (MX Grey) IBM model M

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Offline blackbox

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Re: What about a matias lock switch?
« Reply #9 on: Sun, 27 July 2014, 16:11:22 »
I know its not an answer to the OP question, but I thought ALPS locking switches were fairly easy to get hold of? Like from the Caps lock of some old Mac keyboards?

Maybe not so easy to get them in bulk, or new.

Yup not any options too my knowledge that involves bulk or new keyswitches. Looked buying old AEKs but 12 of those is not very efficient way of obtaining those.
Keyboards: Dell AT102W (matias standard clicky), Maltron two-hand 3D fully ergonomic keyboard (Vintage MX Black). CM QF XT (MX Grey) IBM model M

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Offline jacobolus

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Re: What about a matias lock switch?
« Reply #10 on: Sun, 27 July 2014, 16:14:03 »
Eeeeeenteresting. I wonder, not to downplay how cool physical lock switches would be but just to think about DEL and Y and the other keys that just need to be held at times, if you could make a firmware patch with a generic LOCK key that toggles the on / off state of a single key. That way you could set it for any key on the board. You could even get wild and integrate LED effects for locked keys.
How much advantage would you get for such a use case with a latching switch instead of a standard momentary switch? Personally, I think it would be a marginal difference, at best.