Amiga 500 with Commodore Key ?

HCF · 11 December 2004, 01:32

Just found an old non-working Amiga 500 (KS 1.2) with an interesting keyboard (US layout)...Instead of two Amiga keys, what would be the left Amiga Key is an A1000 style Commodore key....Anybody knows more ? The keyboard also has a nicer feel to it but other than that it seems to be standard...Any help is greatly appreciated....

hal · 11 December 2004, 04:55

i think i've heard something about early a500 models having a commodore key
my kick 1.2 model has a normal amiga key so this must have been changed before they stopped making kick 1.2 miggies
other that that i don't know much about this

Photon · 11 December 2004, 20:28

I've got one (working!). The keys are worse than the ones that came after it imo, feels more "numb", the keys "bottom out" too soon. The color feels a bit strange too, the print on the keys is not as black as the newer ones.

11 December 2004, 20:37

Here is mine. The keyboard came from a 1.2 machine. Now I'm using it on my main 1.3 machine because it is the BEST amiga keyboard I have ever used. The keys are heavy and you feel the clicks unlike later keyboards.

The keyboard is also completely different inside. If you lose a key, a replacement isn't likely to be found.

hal · 11 December 2004, 23:39

wait a minute...
i do have a miggy with a commodore key..
it's the kick 1.3 miggy of my brother's
but it might well be an upgraded former kick 1.2 machine
(and yes it does feel nicer...)
(i've got 3 a500's)
i guess you can put that keypboard into a functioning a500 or repair that one

whiteb · 12 December 2004, 06:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by hal

wait a minute...
i do have a miggy with a commodore key..
it's the kick 1.3 miggy of my brother's
but it might well be an upgraded former kick 1.2 machine
(and yes it does feel nicer...)
(i've got 3 a500's)
i guess you can put that keypboard into a functioning a500 or repair that one

All *MY* A500's (1.3 or upgraded to 2.04) all have normal keyboards, not the CBM key.

HCF · 12 December 2004, 07:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by hal

wait a minute...
i do have a miggy with a commodore key..
it's the kick 1.3 miggy of my brother's
but it might well be an upgraded former kick 1.2 machine
(and yes it does feel nicer...)
(i've got 3 a500's)
i guess you can put that keypboard into a functioning a500 or repair that one

Definitely going to replace my current A500 keyboard if it is in working condition since I like how it feels....Wish my PC keyboard would be like that....<sigh>

Actually I looked into one of the User Guides (KS 1.3 I believe...got a few around so not 100% sure) that came with the Amiga 500 and it has the Commodore key in the pictures but only refers to Amiga keys....Seems Commodore standardized that as much as they have the LED colors...

Wonder if any different functionality was planned since the keys are treated differently...? Anybody has more information on that or on how the different parts were referenced by Commodore if I wanted to do research on my own...?

Jope · 12 December 2004, 10:35

No different functionality, just a matter of design. I guess Commodore wanted a bit of their legacy there.

I have one for the A500 and one for the A2000 and they're really great to type on, much nicer than the mitsumi keyboards that came later.

Overdoc · 14 December 2004, 19:00

Yes, only the very first Amiga-500s had the C= key.
Actually the case was different, too ! The C= logo on the upper right side of the A-500 was molded in plastic and is not an extra part like it was on later A-500s.
These first Amiga-500s are quite expensive ! Collectors buy/sell them for about 60 to 80 Euro !

Amiga1992 · 14 December 2004, 19:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by ParallaxScroll

The keys are heavy and you feel the clicks unlike later keyboards.

I hate clicky keyboards. What I love about my A600, A1200 and iBook is that the keys are soft and you dont have to smash them nor feel an impact coming from the key because they click. Typing like this is faster and inobstrusive.

14 December 2004, 20:21

They are not clicky. You feel the clicks

Amiga1992 · 15 December 2004, 15:24

Same shit

15 December 2004, 17:56

No

Jope · 19 December 2004, 09:55

I like a little tactile feedback to know when to stop pressing.. My ideal keyboard is pretty loose, but with a tactile click to tell my fingers that the connection was made (Mmm, Keytronic KT-102).. I can type really fast on keyboards like that.. (and no, I don't press the keys with a lot of force)

klx300r · 06 January 2008, 16:28

yep my A500 with kick 1.2 has got a commy key too

my other A500 with kick 1.3 doesnt so Im sure the keybaords with the commie key were very early models..

NLS · 06 January 2008, 21:04

my first A500 did have a CBM key... pity I sold that one (but how should I know back then)

I also remember different mobo revisions... this first one if I recall correctly had 16 RAM chips for the 512Kb chip RAM...

The A500 I have in my closet (I have to check the kb on this but I doubt it has CBM key) has 4 RAM chips plus 4 I added (on chip plugs please!), and made them switchable as chip or fast...

Shoonay · 06 January 2008, 21:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by klx300r

commie key

commie key, harr, harr...

11 December 2004, 01:32	#1
HCF Zone Friend Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: here Age: 54 Posts: 97	Amiga 500 with Commodore Key ? Just found an old non-working Amiga 500 (KS 1.2) with an interesting keyboard (US layout)...Instead of two Amiga keys, what would be the left Amiga Key is an A1000 style Commodore key....Anybody knows more ? The keyboard also has a nicer feel to it but other than that it seems to be standard...Any help is greatly appreciated....

11 December 2004, 20:37	#4
oldpx Posts: n/a	Here is mine. The keyboard came from a 1.2 machine. Now I'm using it on my main 1.3 machine because it is the BEST amiga keyboard I have ever used. The keys are heavy and you feel the clicks unlike later keyboards. The keyboard is also completely different inside. If you lose a key, a replacement isn't likely to be found. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by oldpx; 11 December 2004 at 20:47.

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11 December 2004, 04:55	#2
hal where am i ? Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: akureyri iceland Age: 41 Posts: 187	i think i've heard something about early a500 models having a commodore key my kick 1.2 model has a normal amiga key so this must have been changed before they stopped making kick 1.2 miggies other that that i don't know much about this

11 December 2004, 20:28	#3
Photon Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eksjö / Sweden Posts: 5,625	I've got one (working!). The keys are worse than the ones that came after it imo, feels more "numb", the keys "bottom out" too soon. The color feels a bit strange too, the print on the keys is not as black as the newer ones.

11 December 2004, 23:39	#5
hal where am i ? Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: akureyri iceland Age: 41 Posts: 187	wait a minute... i do have a miggy with a commodore key.. it's the kick 1.3 miggy of my brother's but it might well be an upgraded former kick 1.2 machine (and yes it does feel nicer...) (i've got 3 a500's) i guess you can put that keypboard into a functioning a500 or repair that one

12 December 2004, 10:35	#8
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,876	No different functionality, just a matter of design. I guess Commodore wanted a bit of their legacy there. I have one for the A500 and one for the A2000 and they're really great to type on, much nicer than the mitsumi keyboards that came later.

14 December 2004, 19:00	#9
Overdoc Commodore Collector Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Austria Age: 53 Posts: 944	Yes, only the very first Amiga-500s had the C= key. Actually the case was different, too ! The C= logo on the upper right side of the A-500 was molded in plastic and is not an extra part like it was on later A-500s. These first Amiga-500s are quite expensive ! Collectors buy/sell them for about 60 to 80 Euro !

14 December 2004, 20:21	#11
oldpx Posts: n/a	They are not clicky. You feel the clicks

15 December 2004, 15:24	#12
Amiga1992 Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: ? Posts: 19,646	Same shit

19 December 2004, 09:55	#14
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,876	I like a little tactile feedback to know when to stop pressing.. My ideal keyboard is pretty loose, but with a tactile click to tell my fingers that the connection was made (Mmm, Keytronic KT-102).. I can type really fast on keyboards like that.. (and no, I don't press the keys with a lot of force)

06 January 2008, 16:28	#15
klx300r Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: ManCave, Canada Posts: 1,614	yep my A500 with kick 1.2 has got a commy key too my other A500 with kick 1.3 doesnt so Im sure the keybaords with the commie key were very early models..

06 January 2008, 21:04	#16
NLS Ancient User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: GREECE Age: 50 Posts: 758	my first A500 did have a CBM key... pity I sold that one (but how should I know back then) I also remember different mobo revisions... this first one if I recall correctly had 16 RAM chips for the 512Kb chip RAM... The A500 I have in my closet (I have to check the kb on this but I doubt it has CBM key) has 4 RAM chips plus 4 I added (on chip plugs please!), and made them switchable as chip or fast...

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