Amiga 600 mechanical keyboard kits available

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Aeberbach

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A few months ago I made an A1200 keyboard, and some people said "A600?" so here it is. This is a similar project using one circuit board, one 32-way socket, one ribbon cable, 78 Gateron Brown MX keyswitches, three stabilisers and one LED. I also designed 3D-printed parts to mount the keyboard and to make the available spacebar fit. Then I made some custom keycaps* where required using a cheap laser engraver and keys dipped in laser toner.
9pguT6m.jpg


Update, May 2020: While we're all stuck inside waiting for this virus to stop bothering us, I have been using my Amiga a lot more and I guess you lot have too. A couple of people asked me if these keyboards were available so I am producing more. At the moment consider them available, possibly with a two to three week lead time if you ask when I am out of stock of any parts. Of course you can order parts yourself without any involvement from me - just check my Github repo (https://github.com/aeberbach/A600KB) where you can find PCB fabrication files, STL files for the 3D printed parts, and part numbers for the connector and ribbon cable also needed.

A1200 keyboards (https://github.com/aeberbach/A1200KB) are a very similar proposition, and if not for doing the A1200 keyboard I would not have got the A600 one basically right first time. A1200 is slightly more expensive since it is larger, uses more key switches and is heavier to ship. I use one full time and it's great!

Base Option: Amiga 600 PCB with 3D printed mounting parts

43RKsqC.jpg

This includes the PCB, double-sided on 3.2mm substrate, and three pieces of attached "rail" that makes the keyboard snap neatly into the A600's top case.
$40


Addition: 7U spacebar stabiliser assembly + two other stabilisers (for Tab and Enter keys)
0XTR8F0.jpg

I designed a unit to fit in the 8U spacebar position of the A600. It has stabilisers and correct wire 'U' for the 7U spacebar, as an 8U spacebar is very hard to get. To make it fit with no gaps it has 1/2U blank platforms either side of the bar.
$12


Addition: Molex 32-way socket and ribbon cable to connect the PCB to your A600.
gfiSFbr.jpg

The keyboard uses a 32-way socket with only circuits 1-30 in use. The ribbon cable has two conductors trimmed from one end so that it is a 30-way connector at the Amiga end and fits in exactly the same as the green membrane connector of the original.
$10


Addition: 78 Gateron Brown PCB-mount MX keyswitches

lVZ7RUl.jpg

Soldered to the PCB for you. These are tactile but not clicky, you only feel the click. I only have this type and only enough for a few keyboards. Caps Lock LED fitted too.
$35


TL;DR: a fully assembled keyboard ready to plug in and attach keycaps to is AU$97.


Cost of shipping to places within Australia is AU$20. Cost of shipping elsewhere in the world is AU$38. Sorry the prices went up - I just got back from posting one and that's what it is costing!


To order please express interest in this thread before sending a PM. I'll acknowledge here. Payment to be Paypal (friends & family) or you can add the fees.

*I am not supplying keycaps. There is too much choice! You can get a big set of caps from AliExpress for about US$35 that will fill all the spaces on your keyboard, but they won't have all the correct Amiga legends. Maybe you will need to buy some blanks in addition to a set that has the ISO Enter key. You can't buy a full Cherry MX Amiga set of keys anywhere right now as far as I know. If you must have a perfect keyboard that looks just like the ones Commodore made you should buy the Kipper2K keyboard from Amiga on the Lake.
 
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I have to withdraw my interest because of missunderstanding a few text parts.
 
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Open on github with 3D print files too, as soon as I get an opportunity to review and tidy it up a bit.
 
Payment sent, I have been waiting years for a project like this! Thank you so much for sharing your work Aeberbach!
 
I have one last A600 keyboard to sell - this is my last PCB, and also my last set of Gateron Brown key switches.
 
Finally I was able to assemble the keyboard and I have no words to say how much IT ROCKS! The torture days of A600 keyboard failure and new membranes are now gone. I couldn't be happier.

I would like to take the chance of this thread to take recommendations of fitting keycaps for it.
 
I’m talking to a few manufacturers about keycaps. I would like to get someone to produce a kit that fits any Amiga, so for example would include both 1.25U (A600) and 1U (others) Esc keys, as well as accents etc. for non-US keycaps. It is early days yet but if it’s going to happen would probably be a crowdfunding campaign.
 
Awesome keyboard arrived!

It is very difficult to find suitable keycaps for it. Has anyone already equipped the keyboard and can post links to matching keys?
 
Interested next in line, pending some questions:
- would i get a keyboard that is a direct replacement of my failing A600 keyboard (green membrane), with all keys ready?
- can it be set up as french AZERTY keyboard?
- if there is no key, can i just plug the keys from my amiga A600 keyboard?
- do i need to build or solder anything?
Thanks.
 
Keyboard received, working great!

- - - Updated - - -

Hi,

In order to save some time for Adam I will answer some of your questions based on my experience.

- the membrane is included you just plug in the flex connector to your mobo and are good to go
- sorry, no idea about AZERTY, but I would guess this is a matter of software and keycaps so I cannot see why it shouldn't be possible
- no, the original A600 keyboard has different construction (no mechanical switches AFAIK), so you will have to source keycaps that are compatible with Cherry MX switches
- no soldering required, fully plug n play solution (minus the keycaps)

I hope this helps.
 
Sorry to say I have no more PCBs or keyboards to sell Xanxi - but you can get all you need to have them made from my GitHub page: https://github.com/aeberbach/A600KB

However it is not economical to have just one made. I would get together another order if three people prepaid and I would handle buying keyswitches, 3D printing, assembly etc.

Keyboard is a direct replacement. If you can open the case and unplug the membrane you can install this keyboard.

AZERTY would be no problem since it is all just different key labels and software, the keyboard circuit is the same.

Original Amiga keys will not fit. I'm still planning on getting a keycap set together. If I do it will have enough keys for _any_ Amiga variant in any language.
 
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