The Matias SGI

Mrinterface · 02 Feb 2013, 20:36

So today I started to do something about the bad feeling I had when I killed my perfectly fine Silicon Graphics AT101 .

Matias was kind enough to send me some of his switches( both kinds : clicky and 'quiet' ) and I decided fix my little SGI ( I only removed the switches for the sample bags and sinklist items )

: The clicky matias on a SGI, I put a quiet matias as spacebar.; IMG_1279.JPG (1.87 MiB) Viewed 4530 times

: When removing the old switches, I sorta cracked the PCB.. So I had to fix that with a lot of wire.; IMG_1278.JPG (2.06 MiB) Viewed 4530 times

: The result. Happily clicking away on it, and that quiet spacebar is very nice!; IMG_1280.JPG (1.58 MiB) Viewed 4530 times

It took me many many hours to get it working again, but I think it's worth it! I think I'm even the first to build a keyboard with the new matias switches

I also decided to put clicky matias switches in, since that would contrast the board to a genuine SGI AT101 .

daedalus · 02 Feb 2013, 21:46

What are the Matias clicky switches like? Are they like the Fuhua whites?

7bit · 02 Feb 2013, 22:38

I hope the EU soon banns scientific experiments with keyboards!

How does it feel? Do you like typing on them (please do

).

How do the non-clicky switches look like?

This is how it should look when unharmed:

Mrinterface · 02 Feb 2013, 22:56

daedalus wrote:What are the Matias clicky switches like? Are they like the Fuhua whites?

Better.

AKIMbO · 02 Feb 2013, 22:57

I was planning on swapping the switches in my Zenith ZKB2-AT for the clicky Matias switches. So how would you compare the clicky Matias switches to complicated white ALPs switches? Lighter, heavier, etc.?

Mrinterface · 02 Feb 2013, 23:00

7bit wrote:I hope the EU soon banns scientific experiments with keyboards!

How does it feel? Do you like typing on them (please do ).

How do the non-clicky switches look like?

The non-clicky matias switches look exactly like the clicky switches. Only internally they are different.

The feel is very good indeed and I love to type on them.

I'm going to do a DELL AT101W next with matias quiet switches.....

Mrinterface · 02 Feb 2013, 23:04

AKIMbO wrote:I was planning on swapping the switches in my Zenith ZKB2-AT for the clicky Matias switches. So how would you compare the clicky Matias switches to complicated white ALPs switches? Lighter, heavier, etc.?

Lighter and equally noisy.... I think they are better.

As a matter of fact, I think they are the best clicky alps ( besides blue alps.... )

Also, you can get these for a very low price.

7bit · 02 Feb 2013, 23:11

Perfect!

Findecanor · 02 Feb 2013, 23:22

Could you tell me, how much friction is there on off-centre key presses compared to complicated Alps and Cherry MX?

Mrinterface · 02 Feb 2013, 23:32

Findecanor wrote:Could you tell me, how much friction is there on off-centre key presses compared to complicated Alps and Cherry MX?

Very smooth, hardly any friction at all. I really think Matias has got it nailed.

I'm going to do the alps black to matias quiet soon on one of my Dells. These alps black really need to be pressed dead centre or the keyswitch experience is mediocre at best.

Gilgam · 03 Feb 2013, 11:00

it looks interesting. Matias dare to produce new type of switches and they are good...

How did you remove old alps switches ?
unsoldering only ?

Mrinterface · 03 Feb 2013, 11:25

Gilgam wrote: How did you remove old alps switches ?
unsoldering only ?

Yeps,

I tried to swap the internals, but they completely overhauled the switch and I could not see how to do it. So, from the outside they look the same, but the inside changed.

Matias · 05 Feb 2013, 12:42

Wow, nice work!

You are indeed the first to do a mod with our switches. The switch packs will start shipping next week.

Mrinterface wrote:I tried to swap the internals, but they completely overhauled the switch and I could not see how to do it. So, from the outside they look the same, but the inside changed.

Yes, we tightened up the internals, as part of the new switch design.

BTW, I haven't seen one of those racing blue SGI boxes since I was in university. Does it still run?

Gilgam · 05 Feb 2013, 23:19

Matias wrote:Wow, nice work!

You are indeed the first to do a mod with our switches. The switch packs will start shipping next week.

I'm quite excited testing the new switches as they seem to feel nice.

Matias wrote:
Mrinterface wrote:I tried to swap the internals, but they completely overhauled the switch and I could not see how to do it. So, from the outside they look the same, but the inside changed.

Matias wrote:BTW, I haven't seen one of those racing blue SGI boxes since I was in university. Does it still run?

It's 7bit main computer... It works nice for running perl script for GB. Impressive horsepower insn't it ?