Dreaming about mechanical Amiga keyboards

arnljot · 17 January 2020, 21:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Photon

Here's a keyboard I found if UK layout is OK.

It seems to me that the different parties who are making MX keyboards for the Amiga market have underestimated the demand. I had my max bid set lower than the winning bid. I would happily pay USD 199 for a new keyboard that's mechanical and produced in 2019/2020, but GBP 77 for a used part seems a bit rich for my wallet...

Jope · 18 January 2020, 11:24

It would be nice if someone really prepared for the volume could make these. Feels so strange that it is so difficult to get keyboards out there.

Krashan · 18 January 2020, 15:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jope

It would be nice if someone really prepared for the volume could make these. Feels so strange that it is so difficult to get keyboards out there.

Things are being worked on at rastport.com, but it is a bit too early for official announcement. I prefer to have everything ready and tested, before going public.

Jope · 18 January 2020, 17:24

Yes, please learn from other peoples' mistakes. :-)

I was personally toying around with the idea of getting a pile of Amiga compatible keyboards for retail from the same folks who did the mega65 keyboards, but was too risk averse to do it with borrowed money

https://c65gs.blogspot.com/2018/09/k...have-been.html
https://www.gmk-electronic-design.de/en/

Krashan · 18 January 2020, 18:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jope

https://www.gmk-electronic-design.de/en/

My bet is they are not cheap. I have started my design in March 2019, now working on fifth version (rev. E) of the prototype. I do have working and fully usable rev. D prototype in my A1200, but it has still some design flaws and missing extra features. Good thing is that the project is 100% funded by me, so I do not need either crowdfunding or preorders.

Jope · 18 January 2020, 19:07

Indeed, it would probably have been quite a charity affair on my behalf. However those guys can do the "impossible" space bar and whatever legends we want on the keycaps, so that's why I was considering them. Never went as far as to actually waste their time by asking for a quote. :-)

Tigerskunk · 19 January 2020, 10:47

Aren't the A1200.net guys working on a keyboard as well, or have I dreamed that?

Jope · 19 January 2020, 15:06

Yes, they are. I'm still dreaming of receiving my keycaps which are in batch two. Perhaps one day.

Krashan · 19 January 2020, 18:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jope

However those guys can do the "impossible" space bar and whatever legends we want on the keycaps

Yes, I have decided to go with 7U spacebar and alter layout a bit. On the other hand I can get whatever legends I want on the keycaps as well.

arnljot · 19 January 2020, 19:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krashan

On the other hand I can get whatever legends I want on the keycaps as well.

That's looking quite good, do you laser etch them your self or is it another process?

Krashan · 19 January 2020, 20:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by arnljot

That's looking quite good, do you laser etch them your self or is it another process?

I have outsourced printing to specialists in printing on plastics. So this is kind of printing, all I can say.

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18 January 2020, 11:24	#2
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,861	It would be nice if someone really prepared for the volume could make these. Feels so strange that it is so difficult to get keyboards out there.

18 January 2020, 17:24	#4
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,861	Yes, please learn from other peoples' mistakes. :-) I was personally toying around with the idea of getting a pile of Amiga compatible keyboards for retail from the same folks who did the mega65 keyboards, but was too risk averse to do it with borrowed money https://c65gs.blogspot.com/2018/09/k...have-been.html https://www.gmk-electronic-design.de/en/

18 January 2020, 19:07	#6
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,861	Indeed, it would probably have been quite a charity affair on my behalf. However those guys can do the "impossible" space bar and whatever legends we want on the keycaps, so that's why I was considering them. Never went as far as to actually waste their time by asking for a quote. :-)

19 January 2020, 10:47	#7
Tigerskunk Inviyya Dude! Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Amiga Island Posts: 2,770	Aren't the A1200.net guys working on a keyboard as well, or have I dreamed that?

19 January 2020, 15:06	#8
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,861	Yes, they are. I'm still dreaming of receiving my keycaps which are in batch two. Perhaps one day.

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