Project

General

Profile

Atari 400-style key caps just back from WASD!

Added by 917k over 6 years ago

Here is a couple of pictures of my key caps based on the Atari 400. I just received them today from WASD...

Please don't re-post these images anywhere just yet.
Thanks.


Replies (12)

RE: Atari 400-style key caps just back from WASD! - Added by foft over 6 years ago

Cool! That looks amazing:)

What is the keyboard that you fitted the keycaps too? Seems to match the 800 case.

RE: Atari 400-style key caps just back from WASD! - Added by 917k over 6 years ago

Thanks. The actual keyboard is a Velocifire TKL-01, it runs about $30 from Amazon. It is painted using Krylon camouflage Khaki spray paint.

RE: Atari 400-style key caps just back from WASD! - Added by foft over 6 years ago

Backlit too. Your one looks far better than the one on Amazon!

RE: Atari 400-style key caps just back from WASD! - Added by 917k over 6 years ago

What about that one? That's a PC keyboard, mine is designed specifically for the EclaireXL keyboard layout.

RE: Atari 400-style key caps just back from WASD! - Added by jozsef over 6 years ago

It won't be an issue, once the keyboard layout in Eclaire can be configured.

RE: Atari 400-style key caps just back from WASD! - Added by sadosp over 6 years ago

Excellent job! Although I like very much the key-caps, I would prefer a more chocolate version for the main keyboard!
Please inform us when they are ready to order!!

RE: Atari 400-style key caps just back from WASD! - Added by 917k over 6 years ago

It won't be an issue, once the keyboard layout in Eclaire can be configured.

Well I think you are kind of missing the point, that keyboard only looks like an Atari 400
keyboard, it has no Atari-specific keys like the cursor keys or the Atari symbol. All the
function keys are labelled F5, F6, F7, etc. on mine, they are labelled correctly as Help,
Start, Select, etc. Also, the #2 key should have " above it instead of @. There are media
control keys, etc. It really doesn't have anything to do with mapping but rather the
printing on the keys themselves are just wrong. As a PC keyboard it is cool but I prefer
something more functionally accurate to use with the EclaireXL. Each to their own though.

Excellent job! Although I like very much the key-caps, I would prefer a more chocolate 
version for the main keyboard! 

Thank you and I do agree, I wish they were darker brown but it is the only brown WASD
carries. :(

Please inform us when they are ready to order!!

My hesitation on making them available is that there are too many blank keys
right now. I'd hate to send out keyboards with blank keys then some functionality
gets added to them later.. that would not be cool. I'd like to fill-in some of
them by having some shortcuts to system menu functions. I think I may have
mentioned this before but something like this:

INSERT = Insert Disk 1
HOME - Insert Disk 2
DELETE - Insert Disk 3
END - Insert Disk 4
Page UP - Insert Cartridge
Page Down - Turbo Step
Left Windows Key - Rotate Joysticks
Print Screen - Toggle Scanlines

These should be pretty quick to add in, just sends the user to a subroutine
or steps/toggles a variable.

Scroll Lock - System Pause
Right Windows Key - Toggle cursor/joystick mode

These would require some additional functionality to be implemented.

So I am in a holding pattern right now until Mark commits to implement these
keys or something like it either now or in the future. If I have some assurance
that they will be done at some point, I would feel better about going ahead and
creating the artwork and having some sets made up. The good news is that I found
a keyboard to use that is about $70 less than the keyboard WASD sells for their
keycaps. Yay!

I will post some more pics soon.

RE: Atari 400-style key caps just back from WASD! - Added by foft over 6 years ago

I need to do something about the firmware soon, there are about 4 bytes free! Of course we have plenty of resources but it needs some work to map more ram or further restructure the support CPU and firmware. More buttons are after that...

    (1-12/12)