New Keyboard Came In The Mail Today - Matias Mini Quiet Click for PC

[apastuszak]

These Matias Quiet Click switches are very quiet. This may be the quietest tactile mechanical keyboard I have ever typed on. I could easily use this in an open office setting and no one would complain about it.

So far, I'm liking it.

Not a huge fan of the shiny black case. And it looks like the keycaps are pad printed. But it does feel very nice to type on.

I know people claim Matias switches are prone to chatter. But I haven't seen that.

[apastuszak]

Ok, according to Matias's website, they keys are not pad printed. They're laser etched.

[amigastar23]

I love my regular Tactile Matias Keyboard. If i wouldn't use a White Alps keyboard i would use my Matias.

[apastuszak]

I have a full size Tactile Pro. Absolutely love it. But I can't use it because it doesn't have an insert key. I use shift+Ins all day at work to paste stuff into SecureCRT. And since it's a work computer, I'm not allowed to install any software on it. So, I can't remap any keys.

I bought a KBParadise V80 with Matias clicky switches, and it just doesn't feel the same as the Tactile Pro does.

I would love it if Matias did a design similar to what Keychron does now, where you just flick a switch on the side to go between Mac and Windows mode.

I just think Matias keyboards give a great typing experience. Matia and Unicomp give me the best typing experience.

[pdc]

While chattering was an issue on the KBParadise V80 I bought some five years ago, that was five years ago and that is plenty of time for them to have sorted whatever caused the problem

The KBParadise ALPS keyboards come with perfectly nice thin ABS double-shots which I think can be purchased on their own form several resellers (such as Drop).

[Tribal]

I think chatter was an issue they resolved a few years ago.

I have a Laptop Pro with the same quiet click keys and it’s great. I just wish there was a way to switch it to PC layout, as it messes up my muscle memory.

[apastuszak]

My KBParadise had some chatter issues.

If any key is chattering I unplug the keyboard, hit the key repeatedly about 20 times. When I plug it back in, the chatter is gone. If I put the keyboard away for a while (close to a year), I will get some keys that chatter, but the above procedure "fixes" them and they don't seem to chatter again as long as I keep the keyboard in regular use.

[HungerMechanic]

Forgive me, but it's been a while since I looked into Matias.

Can somebody refresh me: is the "quiet click" the tactile one, and the "tactile pro" the clicky one?

Also, which of them are still available? I wouldn't mind an ALPS-like tactile keyboard, but yes, quiet is better.

[apastuszak]

The "Tactile Pro" is the clicky one. But the Tactile Pro is only available in a Mac configuration. Not the end of the world, but there is no Insert key. It's replaced by a fn key that doesn't produce a scan code.

The Quiet Pro is a tactile switch. But it's VERY quiet. The tactile event is heavily dampened.

I REALLY like the Tactile Pro, but because of my need for an insert key for work, I can't use it.

KBParadise also make their V80 keyboard with Matias switches in it.

[Muirium]

That Insert key’s just killin’ ye!

The irony is they’re ubiquitous everywhere else, even on sixties like the HHKB. I remap the lot of them… to Fn! (The real one, not Matias’s ghost.)

[HungerMechanic]

The "Tactile Pro" is the clicky one. But the Tactile Pro is only available in a Mac configuration. Not the end of the world, but there is no Insert key. It's replaced by a fn key that doesn't produce a scan code.

Thanks. (What a convoluted naming method on Matias' part.)

I don't typically use the Insert key, and in fact recently mapped one to Super key instead. So the Mac config might be feasible.

I tried a user-smoothed Tactile Pro, I think it was, at a meet-up. Pretty nice if it gets some TLC.

[apastuszak]

I FINALLY got around the insert key issue.

The program I use all day is SecureCRT. It uses Ctrl+Del for copy and Shift+Ins for paste. It does this because it's a UNIX terminal emulator and Ctrl+C, Ctrl+X and Ctrl+V does stuff at the UNIX command prompt and in apps like vim and emacs.

I discovered that the apps allows you to create your own keyboard shortcuts. So I defined Shift+Ctrl+C as copy and Shift+Ctrl+V as paste. The Tactile Pro is back in circulation now (I'm typing on it now) and I could not be happier.

Of course now they're telling me that SecureCRT is going away and I need to switch to Putty at some point. So, I need to figure out copy and paste in that app.

[paperWasp]

Looks good. But who still needs two Window keys?
Why not place Fn instead of the right one and have the missing Ins above -> ?

[Maledicted]

I FINALLY got around the insert key issue.

The program I use all day is SecureCRT. It uses Ctrl+Del for copy and Shift+Ins for paste. It does this because it's a UNIX terminal emulator and Ctrl+C, Ctrl+X and Ctrl+V does stuff at the UNIX command prompt and in apps like vim and emacs.

I discovered that the apps allows you to create your own keyboard shortcuts. So I defined Shift+Ctrl+C as copy and Shift+Ctrl+V as paste. The Tactile Pro is back in circulation now (I'm typing on it now) and I could not be happier.

Of course now they're telling me that SecureCRT is going away and I need to switch to Putty at some point. So, I need to figure out copy and paste in that app.

I was messing around with full size Matias boards recently and another user on the Discord server coincidentally got one of the late Tactile Pros with the Windows mapping around the same time. I asked if they could take it apart and get some pictures of the small PCB that contains the controller. The only difference I could find is their PCB had a 0 ohm resistor soldered between the pads for R26. So, like the mini boards, it seems the Tactile Pro 4 boards (and maybe others) can be configured for different mappings by bridging different combinations of these pads. They don't have a table printed on them telling you the exact configurations, however.

I bridged R26 with some scrap solid core wire on my Mac Tactile Pro 4 and sure enough, I had a Windows mapping and functioning media keys in Windows.

Converting mappings to PC tactile pro 4.jpg (434.34 KiB) Viewed 19133 times

Since the full size boards don't even need resistors, it would be trivial to drill a hole in your case to mount a switch and wire it up to those pads if you wanted to. I know you've been struggling with that problem for some time.

I haven't updated the same thread on here with that tidbit of information since it didn't seem like anybody really cared anyway. It would be cool if others did some more investigative work and testing though in that regard. I have a ton of Matias boards and don't particularly care about full size boards anyway, so I don't even mind risking ruining mine to try to figure out the rest of the configurations if it is warranted.

[apastuszak]

Does the fn key become the insert key?

So the Mac version doesn't have any of the pads shorted together?

This sounds like it would be an interesting mod to try. Seems odd that Mastias wouldn't solder a switch in there, considering the PCB has a switch to swap the Control and Caps Lock keys, and the bottom left Control key already has an LED on it that the switch enables.

I may need to find a used Tactile Pro somewhere to experiment with.

[apastuszak]

While we're discussing Matias, what the heck is the Tactile Pro 5?

The current keyboard according to Matias' website is the Tactile Pro 4.

But this eBay listing is a Tactile Pro 5:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/394379451857

[Muirium]

FK302-5? No sign of such a beast in a quick web search, besides this one auction right here. A niche fake? Or Matias accidentally shipped a prototype?

[Polecat]

While we're discussing Matias, what the heck is the Tactile Pro 5?

The current keyboard according to Matias' website is the Tactile Pro 4.

But this eBay listing is a Tactile Pro 5:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/394379451857

Box says "Alps mechanical switch", not "Alps clone" or "Alps type".

[HC514]

My guess would be that the increment in version number is due to the detachable cable. Matias' website mostly just uses the terminology "Tactile Pro" without much mention of 4, so I wouldn't be surprised if they simply didn't think, or bother to update it. The site seems quite dated too, for whatever that's worth.

Manufacturers see no need to distinguish between Alps-manufactured and Alps clones. They're all just "ALPS" to them. Bit odd that they're not calling them Matias switches though.

[apastuszak]

My Tactile Pro has a detachable cable and the sticker on the bottom says Tactile Pro 4.

There used to be one YouTube video review of the Tactile Pro 5, but seems the person took it down.1

Matias' URL for the Tactile Pro is:

https://matias.ca/tactilepro4/

[Maledicted]

Does the fn key become the insert key?

So the Mac version doesn't have any of the pads shorted together?

This sounds like it would be an interesting mod to try. Seems odd that Mastias wouldn't solder a switch in there, considering the PCB has a switch to swap the Control and Caps Lock keys, and the bottom left Control key already has an LED on it that the switch enables.

I may need to find a used Tactile Pro somewhere to experiment with.

Yes, it changes it to the standard US PC mapping. Yes, the Mac version does not have any of those pads shorted together. Their mini boards work similarly, but they print a table to tell you exactly where to solder or remove a 100 ohm resistor to change the configuration on those boards.



Matias does all kinds of questionable things, but not putting in switches to change mappings/layout doesn't seem odd to me. Their support has told me they discontinued their PC clicky boards because nobody was buying them.

The bulge in their boards above the f row is pretty much a hollow void besides the daughterboard for the controller and a small breakout board for the micro usb connector (in the full-size boards), making it very convenient for mods. Lots of room for panel mount switches if you wanted.

As for the tactile 5, my guess would be Matias just released a revision and haven't bothered to update their website or mention the change to anybody. They don't seem to care too much about relaying information if they're making money either way.

Tactile Pro 4 definitely already has the same sort of removable cable.

[Meowmaritus]

Tactile Pro 5 is USB type C now

[apastuszak]

Does the fn key become the insert key?

So the Mac version doesn't have any of the pads shorted together?

This sounds like it would be an interesting mod to try. Seems odd that Mastias wouldn't solder a switch in there, considering the PCB has a switch to swap the Control and Caps Lock keys, and the bottom left Control key already has an LED on it that the switch enables.

I may need to find a used Tactile Pro somewhere to experiment with.

Yes, it changes it to the standard US PC mapping. Yes, the Mac version does not have any of those pads shorted together. Their mini boards work similarly, but they print a table to tell you exactly where to solder or remove a 100 ohm resistor to change the configuration on those boards.



Matias does all kinds of questionable things, but not putting in switches to change mappings/layout doesn't seem odd to me. Their support has told me they discontinued their PC clicky boards because nobody was buying them.

The bulge in their boards above the f row is pretty much a hollow void besides the daughterboard for the controller and a small breakout board for the micro usb connector (in the full-size boards), making it very convenient for mods. Lots of room for panel mount switches if you wanted.

As for the tactile 5, my guess would be Matias just released a revision and haven't bothered to update their website or mention the change to anybody. They don't seem to care too much about relaying information if they're making money either way.

Tactile Pro 4 definitely already has the same sort of removable cable.

I really hope when new keyboards come out, they have a small switch to change layouts and a few extra keycaps to swap out Mac modifier keys for Windows modifier keys.

I wish more keyboard manufacturers used Matias switches.

[apastuszak]

Tactile Pro 5 is USB type C now

I emailed Matias and they told me there is no Tactile Pro 5.

[Meowmaritus]

Tactile Pro 5 is USB type C now

I emailed Matias and they told me there is no Tactile Pro 5.

Ok well I just meant thing thing y'all were talking about had a usb-c instead of microusb. So I guess newer Tactile Pro 4 has usb-c or something

[Maledicted]

I really hope when new keyboards come out, they have a small switch to change layouts and a few extra keycaps to swap out Mac modifier keys for Windows modifier keys.

I wish more keyboard manufacturers used Matias switches.

Their newer Ergo Pros have dip switches to swap between PC and Mac mappings. If I knew anything about how to do it, and had any other reason other than curiosity, I would be looking at trying to make controllers for their boards since they're not even soldered to the PCB. As things are, their mini boards are what I prefer, I'm not a Mac user, and their PC mapping for mini boards couldn't be any more sensible than it already is for my uses.

Alps needs to make a comeback in general. It does seem like i-rocks switches took compatibility like that into account. They're literally only compatible with combination Alps/MX PCBs and their housings would fit Alps/MX plates if the cutouts were rectangular instead of having nubs in each corner. Just imagine if that could have become a standard.

Tactile Pro 5 is USB type C now

I emailed Matias and they told me there is no Tactile Pro 5.

Ok well I just meant thing thing y'all were talking about had a usb-c instead of microusb. So I guess newer Tactile Pro 4 has usb-c or something

I looked more closely at the listing's pictures and that's definitely a micro USB connector on the cable. Electrically, they could make them type c with a swap of the breakout board, but I think they would need to make new molds for the cases as well to fit. Even their wireless mini boards use the same molds as micro usb mini boards and fill the void for the micro usb jack with a button for bluetooth configuration.

I would seriously not be surprised if Tactile Pro 5 is actually a real thing and their customer service just doesn't even know yet. It makes a lot more sense than somebody hoaxing a new revision for a niche within a niche, low-demand board for a reasonable price.

[apastuszak]

Tactile Pro 5 is USB type C now

I emailed Matias and they told me there is no Tactile Pro 5.

Ok well I just meant thing thing y'all were talking about had a usb-c instead of microusb. So I guess newer Tactile Pro 4 has usb-c or something

Is there a Tactile Pro with USB-C?

[apastuszak]

I really hope when new keyboards come out, they have a small switch to change layouts and a few extra keycaps to swap out Mac modifier keys for Windows modifier keys.

I wish more keyboard manufacturers used Matias switches.

Their newer Ergo Pros have dip switches to swap between PC and Mac mappings. If I knew anything about how to do it, and had any other reason other than curiosity, I would be looking at trying to make controllers for their boards since they're not even soldered to the PCB. As things are, their mini boards are what I prefer, I'm not a Mac user, and their PC mapping for mini boards couldn't be any more sensible than it already is for my uses.

Alps needs to make a comeback in general. It does seem like i-rocks switches took compatibility like that into account. They're literally only compatible with combination Alps/MX PCBs and their housings would fit Alps/MX plates if the cutouts were rectangular instead of having nubs in each corner. Just imagine if that could have become a standard.

I emailed Matias and they told me there is no Tactile Pro 5.

Ok well I just meant thing thing y'all were talking about had a usb-c instead of microusb. So I guess newer Tactile Pro 4 has usb-c or something

I looked more closely at the listing's pictures and that's definitely a micro USB connector on the cable. Electrically, they could make them type c with a swap of the breakout board, but I think they would need to make new molds for the cases as well to fit. Even their wireless mini boards use the same molds as micro usb mini boards and fill the void for the micro usb jack with a button for bluetooth configuration.

I would seriously not be surprised if Tactile Pro 5 is actually a real thing and their customer service just doesn't even know yet. It makes a lot more sense than somebody hoaxing a new revision for a niche within a niche, low-demand board for a reasonable price.

Back in 2020 I found a YouTube review of the Tactile Pro 5. Now that video is marked private.

I know I bought Tactile Pro 4 off eBay a few years ago that had an attached cable. When I tried to take the keycaps off to clean it, they were on so tight, I ripped the switches out of the PCB. On a dozen of these switches. there was nothing I could do to separate the keycaps from the switches. I assume they must have been glued in for some reason. I packed the whole thing up and sent it back to the seller for a refund. I know Alps/Matias keycaps are on tighter that cherry style keycaps. But this was a bit ridiculous.

I wonder if they originally called the dedatchable cable model the 5, and then switched back to the 4 for the name, since nothing else changed.

[Maledicted]

I wonder if they originally called the dedatchable cable model the 5, and then switched back to the 4 for the name, since nothing else changed.

No idea, and I doubt anybody really cares enough to find out. lol

My Tactile Pro 4 has a removable cable, and I know the late PC tactile pros did as well. Not sure offhand if those were also called Tactile Pro 4 but I know the one I have seen pictures of inside had earlier revision numbers than my Tactile Pro 4 does. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Even then everything was still laid out exactly the same, since that board is what allowed me to figure out how to convert mine to a PC mapping.

[apastuszak]

If I can find a cheap enough Tactile Pro 4 somewhere, I'll buy and put a switch in it and see if I can toggle back and forth between a Windows and Mac layout.