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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Pacifist on Mon, 02 December 2013, 18:49:06
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How quiet are matias quiet switches?
Do they have the alps layout and thus can I swap regular alps out for these?
Also what custom boards are compatible with the matias switches?
Thanks
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You can buy 5 from mechanicalkeyboards. com and try them out.
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How quiet are matias quiet switches?
Do they have the alps layout and thus can I swap regular alps out for these?
Also what custom boards are compatible with the matias switches?
Thanks
How quiet are matias quiet switches?
=> I think you can view review from youtube to justify about the sound
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=matias+quiet&sm=3
Do they have the alps layout and thus can I swap regular alps out for these?
=> Yes, they are Matias switch which is a custom version of Alps switch
http://deskthority.net/wiki/Matias_switch
Also what custom boards are compatible with the matias switches?
=> I'm not sure about this but I think King Saver is one of the kinds that you are asking for
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How quiet are matias quiet switches?
Matias got the design from the Cream Alps that are in the Apple Extended Keyboard II and in Alps keyboards from Silicon Graphics.
If you have ever tried any of those, then you would know.
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It uses alps switches.
I would stay away from it
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The only reason to stay away from alps is the lack of replacement key caps. Other than that, alps switches are actually different from MX or Topre. Well, it wasn't a drastic difference comparing to MX but it is different. I wouldn't discount alps completely.
This week, Matias will announce something and in January, he will do a special GB on 60% alps keyboard. As part of the announcement, he will also share his plans on replacing key caps and how moddable the new 60% board is going to be. Alps is getting exciting coverage in 2014!
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Alps imo is an old competitor to Buckling springs of its day. I guess other competitors might have also been Beam spring and Hall effects as well but maybe predominantly it was Alps versus Buckling spring. Though granted there are all sorts of switches out there than one can poke a stick at. It would never hurt (agreeing with Belfong) to also give Alps switches a go if possible.
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In my experience, based on a Quiet Pro, a lot quieter than some of those YouTube videos imply. It's not scissor switch quiet, but it's about as quiet as you can get without using scissor switches.
I'm not too hot on the feel (they're rather grainy/scratchy), but the Quiet Pro truly delivers on sound — it's extremely quiet. Part of that is down to how Matias have designed the stabilisers — you don't get the usual clang from those, either. Off-axis strikes can be fairly loud, though — probably means that you're overreaching the limits of the rubber dampers.
Alps imo is an old competitor to Buckling springs of its day. I guess other competitors might have also been Beam spring and Hall effects as well but maybe predominantly it was Alps versus Buckling spring.
IBM Selectric (electromechanical) was superseded by beam spring, which was superseded by capacitive buckling spring (IBM Model F keyboards), which was superseded by membrane buckling spring (IBM Model M keyboards). None of these rivalled each other — each one replaced the last.
There were probably hundreds of switch types in the 70s and 80s: Cherry M6/7/8/9/10/11/MX/MY, SMK linear/2nd gen, Futaba linear, too many Alps switch types to count (Alps went completely nuts), ITW/Cortron electromagnetic, Micro Switch/Honeywell Hall effect, IBM as mentioned above, Hi-Tek/Stackpole waffle frame/dovetail, Stackpole discrete (for which there are several patents!), those little MEI laggy band switches, NMB Hitek, PED, Omron B3G/B3G-S series, Mitsumi mechanical/mini-mechanical/hybrid, Apple's own hairpin spring (http://deskthority.net/wiki/Apple_hairpin_spring) switch, amongst many other known switches and dozens that we don't even have an ID for yet. We still don't know what the ones in the Fluke Y1700 are — possibly something relating to the ITW/Cortron patent based on Hi-Tek dovetails, but still unproven.
The most popular types of the day are probably IBM membrane BS, SMK linear, Alps low-profile oval mount, Cherry MX and Alps SCKL/SKCM, in no particular order. Cherry MX was hugely popular upon introduction in 1983 and is one of the very few survivors.
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Alps imo is an old competitor to Buckling springs of its day. I guess other competitors might have also been Beam spring and Hall effects as well but maybe predominantly it was Alps versus Buckling spring.
IBM Selectric (electromechanical) was superseded by beam spring, which was superseded by capacitive buckling spring (IBM Model F keyboards), which was superseded by membrane buckling spring (IBM Model M keyboards). None of these rivalled each other — each one replaced the last.
There were probably hundreds of switch types in the 70s and 80s: Cherry M6/7/8/9/10/11/MX/MY, SMK linear/2nd gen, Futaba linear, too many Alps switch types to count (Alps went completely nuts), ITW/Cortron electromagnetic, Micro Switch/Honeywell Hall effect, IBM as mentioned above, Hi-Tek/Stackpole waffle frame/dovetail, Stackpole discrete (for which there are several patents!), those little MEI laggy band switches, NMB Hitek, PED, Omron B3G/B3G-S series, Mitsumi mechanical/mini-mechanical/hybrid, Apple's own hairpin spring (http://deskthority.net/wiki/Apple_hairpin_spring) switch, amongst many other known switches and dozens that we don't even have an ID for yet. We still don't know what the ones in the Fluke Y1700 are — possibly something relating to the ITW/Cortron patent based on Hi-Tek dovetails, but still unproven.
The most popular types of the day are probably IBM membrane BS, SMK linear, Alps low-profile oval mount, Cherry MX and Alps SCKL/SKCM, in no particular order. Cherry MX was hugely popular upon introduction in 1983 and is one of the very few survivors.
Looks like I made you unearth all the various switches from the 70s and 80s heh. I dunno, I read somewhere that Northgate Omnikey were trying to compete against IBM Model M (? I think or maybe Model F, not sure).
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Nah, those were the ones I could think of without having to look anything up.
How would the OmniKey compete more against the Model M than the dozens of other keyboard manufacturers? What specific feature made them more M-like (or F-like) than every other blue and white Alps keyboard around?
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Nah, those were the ones I could think of without having to look anything up.
How would the OmniKey compete more against the Model M than the dozens of other keyboard manufacturers? What specific feature made them more M-like (or F-like) than every other blue and white Alps keyboard around?
This... (source (http://www.thegrumble.com/archive/index.php/t-64111.html)):
I have had a love/love affair with Northgate keyboards for over 20 years. They were the Cadillac of keyboards and are built like a tank. They are a mechanical keyboard that uses ALPS switches. Some of you may be familiar with the old IBM keyboards (like the clickity type M - the Northgates aren't as clickity) which were similarly built. They keyboards weigh about 5 pounds or more and are now very hard to find.
and this...(source (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northgate_Computers)):
The company was known for its quality systems and keyboards; in particular, its line of OmniKey keyboards was highly praised.[1] The keyboards were particularly valued for their tactile response and durability, and along with IBM's Model M PC keyboards (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_M_Keyboard), were considered some of the best in the industry.[2]
To make the whole thing look more appealing...(source (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northgate_Computers)):
The 1990s were a golden era for mail-order PC business. Consumers were fed up with high prices for IBM (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM), Compaq (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compaq) and other brand-name PCs sold through dealers so they opted to purchase their computers from a catalog. This was a revolutionary idea at the time, because people wouldn't be able to see or touch their computer before buying it. Aside from Dell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dell) and Gateway (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway,_Inc.), popular brands of mail-order PCs were Northgate and Zeos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeos).
Ok I maybe wrong about Northgate Computers and/or their keyboards were direct competitors with IBM, however they seem like they were probably one of the potential competitors around that era.
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I guess being from Europe my perspective will be a little different. Then again, I'm a luddite — my 90s experience was chiefly the BBC Micro (all Futaba linear mechanical), BTC dome over PCB (Packard Bell 486), and those horrible Mitsumi hybrid Macintosh keyboards (buckling rubber sleeve). The only keyboard I ever liked was a blue Alps keyboard I got with a 286 PC someone threw out.
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I like my Matias Quite board quite a bit. It feels more similar to MX Clear to me vs. BS or Topre. The bump is right at the top and its very pronounced. As far as quiet, it is very quiet if you bottom out. If you dont bottom out then linear switches will be just as quiet. Topre is also very quiet but has the keycap rattle at the top of the return.
I do agree with Daniel above, the switches do have a "scratchy / crunchy " feeling to them. Its not so bad on direct hits on the keys or at speed but you can notice it more on off center hits. I am not sure if my board is breaking in at all, its a month or so old now but I dont notice it as much now. Maybe I am just getting used to the feeling.
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Can you lube the matias switches?
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Can you lube the matias switches?
Pretty sure you can. There's a guide on lubing Alps switches in Simple Questions Simple Answers.
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..so gaming on a MQP wouldnt be strongly recomended? The scratchy crunch is very audible on the videos/audio. Could it be positive, riding tbe keys when gaming?