Solution to black keyboard?

craggus2000 · 26 January 2011, 21:03

Not sure if this is of interest to anyone, but I was considering spraying my A600 black, and and didn't want to use a CDTV keyboard......

So what to do with the keys and keytop labels?

Came across 4keyboard.com (after reading a thread either on here or amibay) who make key stickers for keyboards - see where this is going?

They already make key stickers for the Commodore 64!!

So I emailed them...
"I see you sell key stickers for the Commodore 64. Is it possible to get key
stickers for any models of Amiga?"

...and they replied.....
"We have a huge variety different stickers and will be happy to produce new line Amiga stickers. If you have your layout please provide us with pictures and we'll make it."

They do black, clear, white labels!
So I've sent them photos of my A600 keyboard, and its looking promising that they are going to produce some!

Hopefully this will be a good alternative to butchering CDTV keyboards???

prowler · 26 January 2011, 21:45

Thanks for the info, craggus. It does sound very promising indeed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by craggus2000

Hopefully this will be a good alternative to butchering CDTV keyboards???

And a cheaper alternative too, surely? With a bit of luck it might spell the end of CDTV keyboard butchery altogether!

craggus2000 · 26 January 2011, 22:00

We can certainly hope so! Their standard stickers are pennies by comparison to a CDTV keyboard, so hopefully the Amiga stickers won't be any different.

craggus2000 · 09 February 2011, 23:02

Attached is their draft attempt - I've gone back to them with some amendments, but your comments are welcome in case I've missed some.

Would welcome a scan of the 600 kb still if you can do it so I can forward to them.
Apparently then can do white, grey, black, clear, etc so quite flexible

prowler · 09 February 2011, 23:24

That looks very promising for a first draft.

I can see one or two things that don't look quite right, but I assume that you have covered those in the amendments you have mentioned.

It seems that this set will be the answer to the Amiga keyboard modder's prayers.

I don't have an A600 keyboard, unfortunately, or else I would be setting up my scanner right now. However I'm sure there are many others here who can answer your call.

Thanks for getting this started.

alexh · 09 February 2011, 23:28

Aren't the colours transposed? I means shouldn't they be black where they are white and white where they are black for a set of black keys?

I wouldn't suggest using grey at all on any of the keys?

craggus2000 · 10 February 2011, 09:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by prowler

That looks very promising for a first draft.

I can see one or two things that don't look quite right, but I assume that you have covered those in the amendments you have mentioned.

It seems that this set will be the answer to the Amiga keyboard modder's prayers.

I don't have an A600 keyboard, unfortunately, or else I would be setting up my scanner right now. However I'm sure there are many others here who can answer your call.

Thanks for getting this started.

I suggested they change the font to MS Sans Serif for the lettering as that looks more like the original key fonts.
Waiting for a scan so I can check the key sizes.
The case badge doesn't look right, so I sent them an image of that (600 and 600HD so they can add both).
Also told them to not print the outlines of the keys when they produce them.

Anything I missed?

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexh

Aren't the colours transposed? I means shouldn't they be black where they are white and white where they are black for a set of black keys?

I wouldn't suggest using grey at all on any of the keys?

The colour of the attachment above is just for the purpose of checking accuracy of size and key appearance. The colours are pretty much whatever you want. I was going to suggest they make white text on black, white on clear and black on clear.

prowler · 10 February 2011, 20:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by craggus2000

I suggested they change the font to MS Sans Serif for the lettering as that looks more like the original key fonts.
Waiting for a scan so I can check the key sizes.
The case badge doesn't look right, so I sent them an image of that (600 and 600HD so they can add both).
Also told them to not print the outlines of the keys when they produce them.

Anything I missed?

I think the font change will take care most things.

However, I have the nagging impression that the cursor up/down key arrows are slightly too far to the left, but if you disagree then that's okay.

craggus2000 · 11 February 2011, 08:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by prowler

I think the font change will take care most things.

However, I have the nagging impression that the cursor up/down key arrows are slightly too far to the left, but if you disagree then that's okay.

I compared it to my A600, and it didn't look too bad... But that being said when we can send them a scan of the keyboard it might make the sizes/positions a little better.

Here is their second attempt!

Thought/suggestions/criticisms please?

slk486 · 11 February 2011, 10:58

Here's a couple of scans of an A600 keyboard. It's the Danish version, but most of the keys should be the same?

Hope it helps

craggus2000 · 11 February 2011, 11:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by slk486

Here's a couple of scans of an A600 keyboard. It's the Danish version, but most of the keys should be the same?

Hope it helps

Cool, what resolution is it scanned at?

slk486 · 11 February 2011, 11:40

Scanned at 300dpi, but the files where too big, so they've been rescaled to 150dpi.

I can email you the originals, if you like?

craggus2000 · 11 February 2011, 13:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by slk486

Scanned at 300dpi, but the files where too big, so they've been rescaled to 150dpi.

I can email you the originals, if you like?

If you could, I've pm'd you my email

alexh · 11 February 2011, 15:20

The heads on the arrow keys are wrong but appart from that it looks good.

slk486 · 11 February 2011, 16:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by craggus2000

If you could, I've pm'd you my email

Sure, they're on their way

craggus2000 · 11 February 2011, 17:56

Thanks, got the scans now, so have sent it to them with a few more amendments.
Awaiting their reply....

prowler · 11 February 2011, 21:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by craggus2000

I compared it to my A600, and it didn't look too bad...

Slk486's scans show that you're right.

I had no choice but to base my judgement on the A1200 keyboard which has slightly more central arrows on the cursor up/down keys.

But Alexh is right, the arrow motifs on the real keyboard are more splayed.

craggus2000 · 12 February 2011, 01:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by prowler

But Alexh is right, the arrow motifs on the real keyboard are more splayed.

Mentioned that as one of the amendments to them

Whilst we might not be able to match *exactly* , i do think we're getting there!
Hopefully getting them to make other amiga layouts will be more accurate first time!

craggus2000 · 14 February 2011, 23:02

Attached is the 3rd draft.
Opinions please?
Have we got there now?
Any one fancy double checking the sizes compare to the actual keys?

mfilos · 14 February 2011, 23:17

I really like it !!!
Don't have a printer @ home but can test it out tomorrow if no one else can do it faster

26 January 2011, 21:03	#1
craggus2000 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Braintree, Essex, UK Age: 39 Posts: 126	Solution to black keyboard? Not sure if this is of interest to anyone, but I was considering spraying my A600 black, and and didn't want to use a CDTV keyboard...... So what to do with the keys and keytop labels? Came across 4keyboard.com (after reading a thread either on here or amibay) who make key stickers for keyboards - see where this is going? They already make key stickers for the Commodore 64!! So I emailed them... "I see you sell key stickers for the Commodore 64. Is it possible to get key stickers for any models of Amiga?" ...and they replied..... "We have a huge variety different stickers and will be happy to produce new line Amiga stickers. If you have your layout please provide us with pictures and we'll make it." They do black, clear, white labels! So I've sent them photos of my A600 keyboard, and its looking promising that they are going to produce some! Hopefully this will be a good alternative to butchering CDTV keyboards???

09 February 2011, 23:02	#4
craggus2000 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Braintree, Essex, UK Age: 39 Posts: 126	Attached is their draft attempt - I've gone back to them with some amendments, but your comments are welcome in case I've missed some. Would welcome a scan of the 600 kb still if you can do it so I can forward to them. Apparently then can do white, grey, black, clear, etc so quite flexible Attached Thumbnails

11 February 2011, 10:58	#10
slk486 Registered Looser Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Denmark Posts: 336	Here's a couple of scans of an A600 keyboard. It's the Danish version, but most of the keys should be the same? Hope it helps Attached Thumbnails Last edited by slk486; 11 February 2011 at 11:09.

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26 January 2011, 22:00	#3
craggus2000 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Braintree, Essex, UK Age: 39 Posts: 126	We can certainly hope so! Their standard stickers are pennies by comparison to a CDTV keyboard, so hopefully the Amiga stickers won't be any different.

09 February 2011, 23:24	#5
prowler Global Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Sidcup, England Posts: 10,300	That looks very promising for a first draft. I can see one or two things that don't look quite right, but I assume that you have covered those in the amendments you have mentioned. It seems that this set will be the answer to the Amiga keyboard modder's prayers. I don't have an A600 keyboard, unfortunately, or else I would be setting up my scanner right now. However I'm sure there are many others here who can answer your call. Thanks for getting this started.

09 February 2011, 23:28	#6
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,335	Aren't the colours transposed? I means shouldn't they be black where they are white and white where they are black for a set of black keys? I wouldn't suggest using grey at all on any of the keys?

11 February 2011, 11:40	#12
slk486 Registered Looser Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Denmark Posts: 336	Scanned at 300dpi, but the files where too big, so they've been rescaled to 150dpi. I can email you the originals, if you like?

11 February 2011, 15:20	#14
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,335	The heads on the arrow keys are wrong but appart from that it looks good.

11 February 2011, 17:56	#16
craggus2000 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Braintree, Essex, UK Age: 39 Posts: 126	Thanks, got the scans now, so have sent it to them with a few more amendments. Awaiting their reply....

14 February 2011, 23:17	#20
mfilos Paranoid Amigoid Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Athens/Greece Age: 45 Posts: 1,978	I really like it !!! Don't have a printer @ home but can test it out tomorrow if no one else can do it faster

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