Tactile Pro Frequently-Asked Questions
Is the Tactile Pro Mac OS X 10.4 ("Tiger") Compatible?
OS X Tiger will work with any USB keyboard, including the Tactile
Pro and OS X Keyboard. No drivers are needed.
The first time you run Tiger with the keyboard plugged in, it
will bring
up the Keyboard Setup Assistant. You will be asked to press some
keys on the keyboard, in order for it to identify the keyboard type.
Just follow the instructions. For the final step, choose the ANSI
keyboard type. For more information, see Selecting
the Keyboard Layout in Mac OS X, below.
Is the Tactile Pro Windows-PC Compatible?
The Tactile Pro is compatible with PCs that have USB ports (pretty
much all of them). Since it is a Mac keyboard, there are a few quirks:
The Eject key will not work on a PC. The Volume control keys will
only work in Windows XP. The position of the Alt and Windows keys
are swapped.
Is the Tactile Pro Linux Compatible?
The Tactile Pro should work with any Linux computer that has USB
keyboard support. The keyboard issues the standard USB codes for
volume controls, so any Linux distribution that supports those keys
won't need a driver.
We include a driver because Mac OS X 10.2 does not support the
above feature. Mac OS X 10.3 does, so no driver is necessary. Linux
is probably the same.
Does the Tactile Pro work with non-U.S. keyboard layouts?
Yes, the Tactile Pro will map to non-U.S. layouts. The letters on
the face of the keys may not correspond to the new layout, but the
keyboard will operate exactly as the keyboard that was plugged into
the computer before, the keyboard it is replacing. For more information,
see Selecting the Keyboard Layout in Mac OS
X, below.
Does the Tactile Pro support Dvorak keyboard layouts?
We do NOT recommend that you remove the keycaps on the Tactile Pro
to configure it for Dvorak typing. Since the key heights and angles
are different for each row, moving keycaps out of their standard
positions will interfere with the feel of the keyboard. We recommend
using the following software solution instead:
These keyboard layout files remap the main letter keys to the Dvorak
layout, while maintaining the standard Option and Shift+Option key
positions, so they match the Tactile Pro's Option Key Caps.
These layouts will work with any keyboard, not just the Tactile
Pro. We encourage you to download and try them on your system, before
you make a purchase.
How does the Power key work?
The Power key on the Tactile Pro will only turn on Macs that have
the electronics to allow cold booting from the keyboard. This would
be the round-puck mouse era (fruit coloured) iMacs. Unfortunately,
current Mac models do not support this feature.
If you press the Power key while the computer is on, it simply
brings up the shutdown/reset/logout dialog box.
How does the Num Lock key work?
The Num Lock key on the Mac does not really do Num Lock. It is the
Clear key. For example, when you are in the Calculator application,
pressing Clear/NumLock erases the number displayed. The reason the
key is marked Num Lock is for users running PC emulation software
on the Mac. The clear key on the Mac has the same key code as the
num lock key on the PC (i.e., they are the same key). Apple's keyboard
works the same way, but they do not include the LED.
In versions of Mac OS before OS X 10.3 Panther, the Num Lock key
LED may light up, but it does not affect how the keyboard functions.
Is the Tactile Pro the same as the Kensington StudioBoard?
The Tactile Pro and the Kensington StudioBoard are manufactured
in the same factory by the same OEM. However, there are a few significant
differences between them:
The StudioBoard has an Asian layout, with an upsidedown-L-shaped
Return key and the \| key next to the ' " key (one row down).
The Tactile Pro has the standard US layout, identical to Apple's
US keyboards.
The Tactile Pro has all the Option
Key symbols printed right on the keys. This is a very handy
feature which the StudioBoard lacks.
The Tactile Pro also has different electronics from the Kensington.
The StudioBoard has a serious phantom key problem. Certain Shift+Option
key combinations will not register on the Kensington.
Phantom Key - Definition:
The keys in a keyboard are connected together in an electronic circuit
called a matrix. Simultaneously pressing 3 keys that form a right
triangle on the matrix, electrically activates a 4th unpressed key
at the corner where the right triangle would become a square, resulting
in unintended keypresses or stuck keys (untype-able key combinations).
These are called "phantom keys". A well-designed matrix
makes it impossible (or very difficult) to type phantom keys. A
badly-designed matrix places phantom keys in commonly typed positions.
Selecting the Keyboard Layout in Mac OS X
The Tactile Pro is only available in the standard U.S. QWERTY keyboard
layout. As mentioned above, the Tactile Pro
will map to non-U.S. layouts, but the letters on
the face of the keys may not correspond to the new layout.
In order to select the keyboard layout in Mac OS X, follow these
steps:
- Choose System Preferences from the Apple menu.
- Click on the International icon.
- Click on Input Menu.
- Scroll through the list of available keyboard layouts, and
click to select the checkboxes of the keyboard layouts you would
like to have available to you. Select U.S. if
you would like to use the Tactile Pro in its standard layout.
You may select more than one layout, if you wish to be able to
quickly switch between different layouts.
- Click to select the checkbox at the bottom of the window, Show
input menu in menu bar.
- Close the window.
- The “Flag” menu in the top-right of the menu bar
controls the active keyboard layout. It will list all of the layouts
that were selected in step 4.
- Click and select U.S., or whichever layout
you would like to use.
Tactile Pro Known Issues
Belkin USB Hubs
Issue:
In some instances, a Tactile Pro keyboard (and any other device
connected to it) plugged into a Belkin USB 2.0 hub will temporarily
stop functioning, as if it is no longer being recognized.
Solution:
Disconnecting and reconnecting the keyboard to the hub will generally
re-establish the USB connection. Alternately, you may choose to
connect the Tactile Pro directly to one of the main USB ports on
your computer.
Kensington Trackballs/Mice
Issue:
Plugging a Kensington trackball or mouse in the Tactile Pro may
cause a USB power warning, and prevent either device from functioning.
Solution:
What you are experiencing is a power management issue. The USB hub
in the Tactile Pro is non-powered, which means that it takes the
power from a single USB port and splits it in 3 (1/3 for the keyboard
+ each of the 2 ports). This works great if you are plugging in
low power devices into the keyboard.
Unfortunately, the Kensington trackball/mouse uses more than twice
as much power as a standard low-power USB device. The greater power
drain means that there is not enough power to drive the keyboard
and trackball together, so neither device is able to function properly.
To solve the problem, you either need to plug the trackball directly
into your Mac, or plug it into a powered hub.
Now, you may be thinking, "but it works fine with my Apple
keyboard."
That's because the trackball is very close to the limit of how much
power is available. The Apple keyboard uses a little bit less power
than ours, so there's a little bit of extra power available to drive
the trackball. If you plugged 2 Kensington trackballs into your
Apple keyboard, you would have the same problem. It should work,
but it doesn't. Plugging in 2 Apple mice works because they use
very little power.
Stuck Keys
Issue:
Some of the keys on the Tactile Pro may become "stuck",
making it so the key is difficult to press and/or will not spring
back up after being pressed. This most often occurs in the top two
rows of the keyboard.
Solution:
It is possible that the PCB (printed circuit board) of the keyboard
has shifted. This issue can generally be solved by following these
instructions:
- Loosen the 2 screws under the keyboard.
- At the locations where the keys stick, insert a business card
(or
folded sheet of paper) into the space between the stuck key and
the edge of the case.
- Press the stuck key. Remove the business card. Release the
stuck key. The key should press and release freely now.
- Tighten the screws.
|
No
driver needed for Mac OS X 10.3 (Panther) or 10.4 (Tiger)
Mac
OS X 10.2
Mac
OS 9
