Is this Atari ST / Falcon keyboard better?
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- Опубликовано: 5 июн 2024
- In this video I change out the rubber domes in my Atari Falcon keyboard and swap them for "TT-Touch" .
They provide a more tactile feel in exchange or a firmer force requirement and less travel.
Best Electronics: www.best-electronics-ca.com/2...
#atari
#atarist
#atariste
#atarifalcon
#retrocomputing
#vintagecomputing 
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That word processor looks pretty damn good and modern. I feel that, if i had it as a working tool today, i wouldn't miss anything.
Papyrus is a great word processor. Really other than all the autocorrecting / AI stuff, word processors don't seem to have really progressed too much since the mid / late 1990's.
@@powerofvintage9442 I think the autocorrect stuff has just made people dumber. I can't have a typed conversation on a phone or computer with anyone without reading tons of simple mistakes
My 17 years old son is a keyboard freak - he has plenty of them from let's say top shelf. Everytime when I am teasing with my collection of STs he approaches MEGA ST keyboard and asks to borrow for doing some typing 😀 I also have a feeling that mega st has this classic/retro cherry keyboard feeling and like it better than mega ste/tt one.
Thanks for sharing!
I really do like that keyboard too!
I think the main reason there's never been a replacement ST keyboard is that no one makes keycaps with the reverse-L shaped enter anymore. I looked into doing it and that was the biggest hurdle, it's just too expensive to get that key made. If you remove that key from the equation, it's very difficult to come up with an alternative layout that fits neatly in the shape of the ST layout and also makes sense... believe me, I've tried. If anyone makes an alternative ST keyboard that drops into a 1040ST they will most likely also need to make an alternate top case, unless it just leaves big gaps everywhere. Also the ST's spacebar is 9U, another key that can't be made anymore without a huge investment. The XE mechanical keyboard had to work around that as well and I really don't like what they did... the last thing I want to do is move control keys to the wrong place on an Atari.
Thank you for sharing those details!
This is very detailed information. You sound very credible. I had no idea that return key would be so hard to make.
@@cathrynm I'm not sure but it sounds like you might be trying to be sarcastic? It's not that it's hard to make, it's that injection molding is very expensive. Try contacting any of the keycap manufacturers like GMK or Signature Plastics and ask them how much it would cost to get a keycap set with that return key shape. And while you're at it, try finding one keycap set made for new mechanical keyboards that has that shape. And then when you find out it's not feasible, try using the KLE leyboard layout editor to come up with a good alternative layout that fits the same shape as the original ST layout. I suppose you could 3D print an enter key but that's kind of gross. There's also other issues with a replacement ST keyboard... unlike other computers, the mouse and joystick use the IKBD processor and the ports are physically located on the keyboard. You'd need an FPGA to recreate the IKHD6301V1P1 IKBD processor or do emulation with a microcontroller. It would be overall an expensive undertaking and you'd have to make multiple versions for each ST style you'd want to support (1040/Falcon, Mega, MegaSTe/TT) if you wanted it to drop into the existing cases... it's just a nightmare. I'm actually working on a mechanical keyboard design that will be Atari MegaST/STe compatible, but I started the project intending to recreate the ST keyboard layout and it turned out to not be financially feasible. Really a shame, since I think Atari nailed it with that layout. Anyway, that's why it's not as simple to do as those XE keyboard replacements.
I bought two sets of xe touch and one TT touch and put a set of xe ones in and they were tactile but way to stiff so I put the others on eBay and reverted back to the mush OEM ones. I love how Brad always says “slow down!” When you read your credit card off to him no matter how slow you go 😆
😆
He's a character for sure, but so grateful for him and his shop! I did the TT Touch upgrade in my Falcon, and am going to do the same for my ST. Oddly, I think my STacy still has the best keyboard of the lot.
@@paulcarboneNY STacy and Macintosh portable
Good looking desktop on your Falcon!
Thank you! Mint is a flexible environment and allows a lot of options.
Mega St have a great keyboard. I really liked it.
Mega ST keyboard is the best keyboard ever made in the history of computers. The MX switches combined with the brilliance of the Atari ST keyboard layout.
It's my favorite.
I have a set of metal springs sold in a bag like that in my KB. installed them in the early 90's
Thanks for doing this, restoring an Atari STf right now and the keyboard had 1 missing dome, I did get another STf in a lot (I needed the colour monitor plus it had a lot of Atari Magazines, manuals, a modem, and an external floppy drive) and the keyboard was better but it had a wire pulled from the connector piece attached to the board. However these do look interesting and once I get a working board together if it's too mushy these may do the trick.
The wires on the keyboard are usually a pretty easy soldering fix.
@@powerofvintage9442 Thanks, my soldering skills are still beginner so I am nervous about melting the plastic.
If you are ever interested in repairs, I do repair quite a few Atari’s. Just reach out through the channel email.
I did the same upgrade on my 520ST and my initial reaction was quite similar.
The extra force required is a bit much and takes getting used to but I absolutely prefer it over the original mushy keyboard.
Yeah, that’s why I’m thinking I’ll take some time to decide if I REALLY like it or not.
There was a guy developing his own version of TT touch on Exxos forum. He then went completely quiet and disappeared. It was then shown that best electronics were advertising a new version of TT touch using the photos that this person was showing on Exxos forum. Coincidence? Who knows.
Back in the day (late 1993?) I quickly recased my Falcon into a tower case (Lighthouse, I think) and as part of that bought a TT keyboard to use with it. I really must get that set up again, it's been over 25 years and I do still have it. From what i recall it was a decent keyboard upgrade, at least in part as I could move the keyboard about without moving an entire wedge computer. I do wonder though if i should dig the Falcon out and put it back in its original case for a classic look.
I do like the TT / Mega STe keyboards. They are definitely an upgrade over the stock STF keyboards. Regarding the “casing”. I think you could easily make a “case” for both options. There aren’t many towered Falcons left I would expect so that would make it a rarer example. Although stock is also cool!
Interesting. The Atari cherry keyboards are the best. Love the mega st keyboard. The Atari PC1, PC2 and first gen PC3's also had a cherry keyboard which is fantastic and looks great. Maybe the only keyboard that is better is the IBM model M keyboard? Anyway, an upgrade for the 520/1040/Falcon keyboards is needed. This may be a good solution. Wonder how you will think about it in a few weeks...
We’ll see. I agree that this is a longer-term evaluation. It feels good today, but needing more force to type. I didn’t realize that the Atari PC’s also had the same keyboard switches as the Mega ST. Love that keyboard!
Yeah, Atari ST keyboard was never the greatest. I'm interested in those TT-Touch domes also.
While the dome feel is still a little over-firm, it is way better than the original
Nice upgrade to the keyboard. Looks like these domes doesn't fit 100%, even after your refitting procedure? Why haven't you choosen these domes also for the space key?
7:24 I think the jumper you found is from the expansion port J20, as it's populated with your CT60 (63?). With no card attached, you'll need a jumper there. But of course you know that! 😉
Good questions. The domes fit "ok" but actually are working pretty well having used them this past week....better than the original ones.
For the space key, the instructions that the domes came with highlight that the neon orange dome is an original TT feel dome and suggests using it for the spacebar key....so that's what I did.
I think if they'd all been that neon orange style dome, they'd be even better.
You're probably right about the jumper! I was just surprised to find it there.
looks cool, Now I want to do the same. I see that you have a 16/9 like desktop, what is your resolution and colour depth?
I’m running blowup with 960x608 at256 colors
@@powerofvintage9442 didn‘t know that it‘s possible!
@@stephanepitteloud1849 Using the software "Blowup" The Videl chip is really crazy flexible to the point of it destroying CRT monitors if you tell it to output the wrong signal.
Blowup, Videlity, Centvidel, are three programs that allow specific tweaking to the video output.
It's a bit of a process to set it up and get it stable on non-multisync monitors, but worth it.
@commodoreisnottheonlyfruit has a great video showing how to set up Videlity within Hatari emulation...it's a great start for for real hardware....with all the disclaimers.
ruclips.net/video/oPh6EUgqdeI/видео.html
Do you run FreeMiNT on your Falcon?
I use Xboot so I have boot options for 030 mode, 060 mode, Mint, Mint with resolution enhancing software (blowup), and a few others. I love the flexibility of Xboot, so I can use Mint or just TOS 4.04 depending on what I’m doing.
Brad of Best Electronics is the soup nazi of Atari dealers.
Yes, this.