Anyone Use an Apple USB Keyboard with MacBook Pro?

[ggm1960]

The title asks the question. I just ordered one but then saw "Keyboard software update" as one of the minimum requirements. What the hell does that mean? I'm still running 10.5.8 on my main MBP (MB133LL/A) until Line 6 can get their....uhm....act......together. I put 10.6.x on my older MBP (MA600LL) and may also want to use the keyboard with that one as well. The main programs I run are Logic Express 8, Digital Performer 6.02, Ableton Live 8, Reason 4 but I also want to have the keyboard's numeric keypad for Quicken Mac 2007.

Numeric keypads I have by Targus and Toshiba don't really function properly. Hopefully an Apple keyboard will.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB...co=MTA4Mzc4ODA

 

[spinnerlys]

It will work properly.

I have the aluminium keyboard from 2007, and it worked on my MBP with 10.5.7 til 10.6.2 without hiccups.


from http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB110LL/A?fnode=MTY1NDA1Mg&mco=MTA4Mzc4ODA

Minimum System Requirements

Mac computer with available USB 1.1 or USB 2.0 port
Mac OS X v10.4.1 or later
Keyboard software update - the update is independent of the Mac OS X version you have. It is available for 10.5 and 10.6. It will show up in Software Update.

 

[pcb]

It will work. I still use a old apple pro keyboard with mine and it works great still. if you dont know anything about that keyboard it is at least five years old.

 

[ggm1960]

Thanks guys for the quick responses. I kinda assumed it would work ok but thought I'd see if people were actually doing it.

 

[bigpope]

The title asks the question. I just ordered one but then saw "Keyboard software update" as one of the minimum requirements. What the hell does that mean? I'm still running 10.5.8 on my main MBP (MB133LL/A) until Line 6 can get their....uhm....act......together. I put 10.6.x on my older MBP (MA600LL) and may also want to use the keyboard with that one as well. The main programs I run are Logic Express 8, Digital Performer 6.02, Ableton Live 8, Reason 4 but I also want to have the keyboard's numeric keypad for Quicken Mac 2007.

Numeric keypads I have by Targus and Toshiba don't really function properly. Hopefully an Apple keyboard will.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB...co=MTA4Mzc4ODA

Don't panic, it should be all good.

 

[palmerc2]

I know this doesn't answer your main question, but maybe it'll give you some insight on one of your products.

You said "until line 6 gets their act together" - which line 6 product do you have? I myself have a toneport ux2 for plugging my electric guitar into. At first it didn't work at all, but then later someone recommended a program called LineIn and now it works flawlessly. HOWEVER, it does not work with logic pro which is a huge downer. The only program I can use with it right now is line 6's program Gearbox, granted I haven't looked into it that deep (any suggestions? I noticed you said you use logic express, do you use your line 6 product with it? how?)

I am on 10.6.2

 

[Mactagonist]

the USB keyboard will work on anything, I have one on a powermac g4 dual 1.42 working flawlessly and it should work on even older machines too.

 

[ggm1960]

I know this doesn't answer your main question, but maybe it'll give you some insight on one of your products.

You said "until line 6 gets their act together" - which line 6 product do you have? I myself have a toneport ux2 for plugging my electric guitar into. At first it didn't work at all, but then later someone recommended a program called LineIn and now it works flawlessly. HOWEVER, it does not work with logic pro which is a huge downer. The only program I can use with it right now is line 6's program Gearbox, granted I haven't looked into it that deep (any suggestions? I noticed you said you use logic express, do you use your line 6 product with it? how?)

I am on 10.6.2

Since my Macs predate 10.6 I haven't had the concerns or problems that people with newer Macs have, in other words, SL isn't my only option.

I have the toneport KB37. It originally came with Gearbox but soon after that program was replaced by POD Farm. Gearbox is no longer being updated or supported by Line 6, however, it's still on my 10.5.8 computer and works fine.

I purchased all the model packs and plug-in support for POD Farm and it actually works fine in stand-alone mode on my older MBP /w SL. Frankly I don't even use that computer much but the only thing I've noticed doesn't work correctly is the Line 6 Monkey program.
There are also issues with the Xedit program used with my Digitech GSP1101 and the MXedit program for my Lexicon MX400 so Line 6 is not alone in the catch-up game.

When I'm downstairs in my home studio I'll occasionally use the KB37/POD Farm (with the older MBP) and S/PDIF the output to a Presonus firewire interface while recording to Digital Performer on my newer MBP or a Hercules fw interface recording to Sonar on a Dell PC.

Where I use the KB37/POD Farm most often is when I'm in my lounge chair up in the front room. There I use it as an interface/keyboard/plug-in with Logic Express, Live or Reason. There I'm using my newer MBP with 10.5.8 and I'm happy just leaving that as a known working system for now.