Author Topic: [WTB] Matias Tactile Pro for PC keyboard  (Read 6915 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline apastuszak

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 44
[WTB] Matias Tactile Pro for PC keyboard
« on: Thu, 04 November 2021, 15:39:28 »
I have a Tactile Pro for Mac that I really like, but I need a working insert key.  Hoping someone has an old Tactile Pro for PC that they're willing to part with.

Offline Maledicted

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Posts: 2164
  • Location: Wisconsin, United States
Re: [WTB] Matias Tactile Pro for PC keyboard
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 05 November 2021, 13:42:46 »
It might be worth cracking it open and taking a look at the controller. I started a thread some time back detailing my findings on the controllers in at least the mini pro boards. Every one I have seen allows you to modify the layout with a varying configuration of soldered resistors. I don't think it would be difficult to even solder in your own switches to change it on the fly.

I have at least one or two of the full size boards, but I haven't cracked any open.

Offline apastuszak

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 44
Re: [WTB] Matias Tactile Pro for PC keyboard
« Reply #2 on: Sat, 06 November 2021, 09:14:05 »
That's pretty cool. I don't know if I want to convert this to a full PC layout. I do own a Mac and would like to use this board on it. I would just like a working insert key. According to an email I got from Mr. Matias himself fn+Delete is supposed to give me an insert key. But it doesn't work on any PC I try it on. I'm debating getting a TMK USB-to-USB adapter and seeing if I can get that to do anything.

But that's $70 + shipping.  I can get a V80 board with Matias switches for $120.

I was debating buying a Quiet Key mini.  But I really want the Matias click switch and not the Quiet Click.

Offline Maledicted

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Posts: 2164
  • Location: Wisconsin, United States
Re: [WTB] Matias Tactile Pro for PC keyboard
« Reply #3 on: Sat, 06 November 2021, 14:12:31 »
That's the beauty of the controllers Matias used though. You could probably mount some switches on the case somewhere and wire them up with some resistors to the pads on the controllers to sort of make your own dip switches to control the layout based on the diagram printed on the controller.

The Ergo Pro has dip switches to change between the standard PC and Mac layout. I'm not sure if the Mac version has an insert key by default or not, but I'll guess not since the fn+delete hotkey appears to be necessary even for the PC version.

This brings us to your problem with that hotkey not working. Look at the legends on the PC and Mac versions of the mini pro boards (since that seems to be what you're using).





There's no mention of insert on the legend of the delete key of the Mac version. Is there anything you can do with a Mac specific keyboard that you could not do with a standard PC keyboard? MacOS just remaps most, if not all, of the standard keys anyway.

Matias and Alps switches can be disassembled without removing them from the plate, so you can get an Alps switch opening tool (or find some creative uses for other things you have around) to swap the guts of a clicky variant into a tactile variant (or even make frankenswitches like a dampened clicky Matias switch). Matias' customer support actually told me that they no longer make clicky versions of their PC keyboards because there wasn't enough of a demand ... so I have been stuck with doing the above, since I don't use MacOS when I can help it.

The new production V80s seem to be pretty nice boards. I have 3 overall, 2 from the latest batch (which may be their last?). The cases are very cheap but there are compatible aluminum replacements on Aliexpress.

I suppose the final question would be what the use case is. What do you need insert for? I never use it myself. Are you using it in MacOS or another operating system? I did some Googling and it sounds like MacOS interprets that scancode as the help key, and not insert. If that's the case, you may need a software solution anyway.

I have a few Hackintoshes for kicks and giggles, and the odd cases in which I need one for working on other systems. I could boot one up and do some testing if necessary.

Offline apastuszak

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 44
Re: [WTB] Matias Tactile Pro for PC keyboard
« Reply #4 on: Thu, 29 September 2022, 14:03:10 »
Well, the keyboard is shared between my Mac and my work laptop using a USB switch box. When I am using it with my Windows laptop, I need to insert key to use with SecureCRT, which does copy with CTRL+DEL and paste with SHIFT+INS.

Because it's my work computer, I can't install any software to help with this.