Atari 130XE keyboard rebuild: vintage keycaps on modern switches

[MattS]

2 hours ago, ScreamingAtTheRadio said:

It's a little unclear what you're referring to. In early stages of the project, you had to replace the stems of Kailh Box switches with 3D printed ones. This required disassembling every switch and gave results that were good but not perfect. Now, if you want to use vintage key caps, you should use adapters that sit between a low-profile switch and the key cap. Make sure to select the file corresponding to your low-profile switch type and key cap type nfrom this directory: 3d-junkyard/Atari130MX/Stems at main · bleroy/3d-junkyard · GitHub

JLCPCB has very competitive prices on 3D printing now, especially if you use one of the STL files that put 10 parts in a single model. It's ~10c a part (plus shipping), so I wouldn't recommend anyone print those at home now, even if they have a 3D printer, it's just not worth the trouble.

The readme for the project should already be giving all this information. If you already read that and felt something was unclear, please let me know and I'll do my best to improve it.

Thank you! I have been using JLCPCB but never knew they did 3D printing( I guess i never checked!). I really appreciate you help.

[ScreamingAtTheRadio]

Some Sidecar XE85 updates...

 

I'm done designing the bottom of the case. Check this out:

... and here's what the full thing looks like:

Here are links to the STL files if you want to look at it more interactively:

https://github.com/bleroy/3d-junkyard/blob/main/SidecarXE85/Case/SidecarXE85-case-Bottom.stl

https://github.com/bleroy/3d-junkyard/blob/main/SidecarXE85/Case/SidecarXE85-case-Top.stl

https://github.com/bleroy/3d-junkyard/blob/main/SidecarXE85/Case/SidecarXE85-case-Full.stl

 

I was A LOT of work, and I've developed a love/hate relationship with FreeCAD. Certainly learned a lot.

 

I'm printing it right now, should take a while. Once I've verified everything fits nicely, I'll order a case from JLC, and should be able to figure out how much this thing is going to cost to build.

 

In the meantime, I'll be working on the assembly language driver (all testing was done in BASIC so far).

[XL Freak]

7 hours ago, ScreamingAtTheRadio said:

I've developed a love/hate relationship with FreeCAD. Certainly learned a lot.

i know exactly what you mean! my love/hate is with Inkscape, the editor i use for designing the keycaps for the keyboards, and at first, i hated it. then i knew enough to barely use it. now i know enough to get myself in deep kimchi lol. but seriously, updates now take a few minutes verses hours of try this and try that and watch that video again 🤣😂🤣

[ScreamingAtTheRadio]

The bottom part of the case came out great from the printer. The fit for the keyboard is perfect and very stable:

 

There are a few minor issues for the control board's fit, that I'll fix in the model before I order from JLC, no new prototype necessary.

 

Here's what the complete assembly prototype looks like:

But of course, I know this is the shot you're waiting for:

[_The Doctor__]

Looking good!

 

are the fire buttons separated so they can be used as button a and button b, possibly switchable as together or separate? just a question and thought... think scramble and such, joy2B and other button schemes used for games etc.

[ScreamingAtTheRadio]

25 minutes ago, _The Doctor__ said:

Looking good!

 

are the fire buttons separated so they can be used as button a and button b, possibly switchable as together or separate? just a question and thought... think scramble and such, joy2B and other button schemes used for games etc.

Not with the current schematic. It's something I did in the JoyKey XL though (using the 7800 pattern), shouldn't be hard, I just went for simplicity.

[ScreamingAtTheRadio]

OK, so I did the math... I have some prices for the Sidecar XE85 and for the USB keyboard and joystick adapter. The Sidecar is going to be an expensive piece of kit but keep in mind it has 70 parts, one hard to find chip, a large 3D printed case, custom key caps and quality switches. It's also a pain to assemble I had a lot of fun designing it, I think it's great to have the opportunity to do a modernized version of an old device, but I certainly don't expect to sell dozens of this. You'll also have to paint the 3D printed parts yourselves (case and F1-4 keys). And of course, this is open source as usual, so if you want to source your parts and build your own, you're more than welcome to do so (and share pictures here when you're done). I'll also put down the prices for the Decent keyboards and JoyKey controllers since I never shared that publicly...

 

- Sidecar XE85: $249 + shipping

- USB keyboard and joystick adapter: $25 + shipping

- Decent XE modern keyboard: $299 + shipping

- Decent XE vintage keyboard (bring your own caps): $179 + shipping

- JoyKey Mini: $60 + shipping

- JoyKey XL: $80 + shipping

 

All those items are hand-made to order, so there will be a 1-3 week delay between order and shipping.

 

Please PM me if you want to order anything.

[Mathy]

Hello @ScreamingAtTheRadio

 

Would you consider developing a XE85 light, which would have only the keys the CX85 has?

 

Sincerely

 

Mathy

 

[ScreamingAtTheRadio]

1 hour ago, Mathy said:

Would you consider developing a XE85 light, which would have only the keys the CX85 has?

The problem would be the caps, as the original had a weird 3U vertical key for example that would be very difficult if not impossible to source. I guess you could go for printed caps but that's a whole different bag of worms. So short answer: no At least not right now.

Edited June 18, 2023 by ScreamingAtTheRadio

[kenames99]

On 6/13/2023 at 7:08 PM, XL Freak said:

i know exactly what you mean! my love/hate is with Inkscape, the editor i use for designing the keycaps for the keyboards, and at first, i hated it. then i knew enough to barely use it. now i know enough to get myself in deep kimchi lol. but seriously, updates now take a few minutes verses hours of try this and try that and watch that video again 🤣😂🤣

What video is that?

 

Ken

 

[XL Freak]

1 hour ago, kenames99 said:

What video is that?

just a figure of speach. I meant all videos on the subject. if you're interested in learning inkscape, I recommend the Logo's by Nick channel

[ScreamingAtTheRadio]

I got questions about kits, as opposed to the assembled prices I gave below, so here:

 

- Decent XE modern keyboard kit: $240 + shipping

- Decent XE vintage keyboard kit (bring your own caps): $120 + shipping

- JoyKey Mini kit: $55 + shipping

- JoyKey XL kit: $69 + shipping

- Sidecar XE85 kit: $220 + shipping

 

... or you can use the BOM, order everything yourself and save even more. As usual, PM me if you want to order anything.

[ScreamingAtTheRadio]

I made a new thread for orders, so it's easier for folks to find the info without having to dig through this thread:

 

Also, @flashjazzcat released a new video featuring the modern Decent XE:

 

Edited June 26, 2023 by ScreamingAtTheRadio

[XL Freak]

2 hours ago, ScreamingAtTheRadio said:

Also, @flashjazzcat released a new video

I liked it better when it was SnazzyJazzCat! 🤣😂🤣😂

hey Jon! 😁

[flashjazzcat]

I had to Google that and I'm still none the wiser. Hi! 😀

 

Edited June 26, 2023 by flashjazzcat

[ScreamingAtTheRadio]

1 minute ago, flashjazzcat said:

I had to Google that and I'm still none the wiser. Hi! 😀

 

 No idea what caused the brain fart.

[XL Freak]

Hello everyone! Helping with the development of the Decent 130MX replacement mechanical keyboard and the XE85 Sidecar has left me with an extra prototype keyboard. So I have two keyboards and only one 130XE. One keyboard has clicky Kailh Box Pink switches (clicky feel, clicky sound) and the other has tactile Gateron Brown switches (clicky feel but silent). Both are Rev 11 pcb's, assembled and ready to drop in, and pass all tests with flying colors. But the keycaps themselves aren't XE looking. More of an XL look using a smooth Atari 8-bit font. If there is anyone out there still wanting a replacement keyboard, but just can't afford one right now, and you don't mind the look of the caps, i'll let the spare go for half price of $150 shipped. You can choose if you want the clicky or tactily switches. I'll use the one that's left, and I've tried both and I don't mind either one. So you get to choose.

 

 

If you're interested, just let me know. Cheers, and have a great day!

 

Jesse

[ndary]

Hi, Jesse

 

i am interested in buying the mechanical keyboard, can i use my existing 130xe colored keycaps? 

[XL Freak]

14 minutes ago, ndary said:

Hi, Jesse

 

i am interested in buying the mechanical keyboard, can i use my existing 130xe colored keycaps? 

I am almost positive you can, but let's run it by @ScreamingAtTheRadio just to be safe. There is also a new thread 

that has current configurations and pricing.

 

by the way... nice looking setup! 😃

[XL Freak]

@ndary - after reading your question again, I see I misread it the first time. unfortunately the keyboard I am selling is already assembled and the full height gateron mx style switches are soldered in, and to use your existing caps the keyboard must be assembled with low profile switches that use custom adapters that mate the original key caps to the new modern switches.

 

that said, your caps aren't stock. can you upload a close-up picture of the underside of one of your caps?

[ScreamingAtTheRadio]

@ndary you can use your own caps if you order a vintage keyboard from me. See 

for details. 

[Dropcheck]

Hello Screamingattheradio,

 

    I am attempting to assemble a v11 Decent XE keyboard and I guess I'm particularly dense today, but I am not understanding the JP1 and JP2 jumper configs.  I am using the modern keycaps, but would like to keep the original keyboard layout. 

 

    Also I would like to use the backlight with the pot to adjust brightness.  How do I configure JP3? 

 

    Excited about getting this keyboard done to try it out.  🙂

[ScreamingAtTheRadio]

17 minutes ago, Dropcheck said:

Hello Screamingattheradio,

 

    I am attempting to assemble a v11 Decent XE keyboard and I guess I'm particularly dense today, but I am not understanding the JP1 and JP2 jumper configs.  I am using the modern keycaps, but would like to keep the original keyboard layout. 

 

    Also I would like to use the backlight with the pot to adjust brightness.  How do I configure JP3? 

 

    Excited about getting this keyboard done to try it out.  🙂

FWIW, I've greatly improved the silkscreen around these, so hopefully now this is easier to figure out. The jumpers determine what the key above left shift does. In one position (modern, closest to the keys), it's caps, and the other (vintage, both jumpers shorted away from the keys), it's control. The rest of the keyboard is unaffected, and modern / vintage is just about where you solder the switches for del, return, break, etc.

 

Here's a photo of the modern config on a rev 14 board:

And here's the back of a rev 11 vintage configuration:

As for the backlighting brightness pot, I put 6mm 2k pots in there, and that enables you to adjust the brightness. You can also just put a resistor of your choice if you don't care about adjusting.

 

Does this make sense?

[Dropcheck]

15 minutes ago, ScreamingAtTheRadio said:

FWIW, I've greatly improved the silkscreen around these, so hopefully now this is easier to figure out. The jumpers determine what the key above left shift does. In one position (modern, closest to the keys), it's caps, and the other (vintage, both jumpers shorted away from the keys), it's control. The rest of the keyboard is unaffected, and modern / vintage is just about where you solder the switches for del, return, break, etc.

 

Here's a photo of the modern config on a rev 14 board:

And here's the back of a rev 11 vintage configuration:

As for the backlighting brightness pot, I put 6mm 2k pots in there, and that enables you to adjust the brightness. You can also just put a resistor of your choice if you don't care about adjusting.

 

Does this make sense?

Hey, yea that's clearer for JP1 and JP2.  Thanks.

 

Still not sure what JP3 in the upper right corner of v11 of the keyboard does. 

[ScreamingAtTheRadio]

1 hour ago, Dropcheck said:

Still not sure what JP3 in the upper right corner of v11 of the keyboard does.

Oh, the four contacts at the top-right? Ignore that, those enable you to wire F1-F4 to external switches. I use it to connect the function keys on the Sidecar XE85.