Amiga keycaps or stickers

I keep looking at my generic keyboards and wonder where I could find some keycaps and/or stickers to place over those ghastly windoze keys. A simple boing ball or even the fancy Amiga 'A's would do nicely.

Has anybody seen or found a solution to this Amiga branding problem?

@ssolie

I went for an Apple keyboard (for layout reasons as well as lack of Windows logo - normal PC keyboards have the Alt and Amiga keys in the wrong place and an extra annoying pointless menu key).

I don't know of any solution for proper Amiga keys other than connecting up a real Amiga keyboard somehow. ISTR somebody working on a proper solution some years ago but nothing ever materialised to my knowledge.

If I could get a proper (updated - with F11. PgUp etc as well as Help, and no pointless keys like Scroll Lock which nobody ever uses) Amiga layout USB keyboard I probably would if it was a sensible price and stylish.

@ssolie

Maybe this,

http://www.datacal.com/customize-it.htm

@ssolie

Computer City in the Netherlands used to have keycaps for Cherry keyboards, I bought some ages ago before I even got the A1. That came later - a long later than we all expected - but the keycaps were ready

The ironic thing is that keyboard developed problems with some sticking keys and was not good enough to use so it is now used with my Mac which as I rarely use it does not matter. So my Mac has Boing Ball keys instead of those odd looking Mac ones. My Amiga One just has a normal PC thing with the Windoze keys now.

The keycaps may not be available now and did only fit one brand of keyboards.


[Edit] Long before all the above I did print my own keyboard stickers for my A1200 which I replaced over the Windoze keys on the towered A1200 system.


Bill.

@sundown

looks like a great idea

@ssolie

This Mitsumi PS2 keyboard has C64 keys in it but Amiga keys will also fit.


I have an AT version of the same design, which I used to have connected to my A1200. I will probably convert it to PS2 and use it with my A1 at some point.

A google search indicates that the model number is KPQ-E99ZC-13*, as long as it has 2 grooves along the top it should be OK. When I got my A1 I got one of the later versions with a single groove and found they'd changed the design of the keys.

Another option is an A1200 keyboard with a Keyrah interface. Personally I'm not that happy to type on the bulky A1200 console though, I prefer a normal slim keyboard.

*Just checked my own keyboard and the model number is the same.

@ssolie

Quote:

I cut the small Boing balls off a spare 'Get Boinged' bumper sticker to cover the windoze logo keys.

@ssolie

I looked about on Google, and came accross a site that did custom keys. I e-mailed them, but they cater to larger companies that need labeled keys for their company systems, and would charge too much for an individual user. The only way to make that work would be to have perhaps Elbox or Amigakit order in bulk and sell retail. Otherwise, the link that was posted previously might work, not sure which way would be cheaper, or if the Ami distributors would be willing to go for the "Bulk and retail" idea. I'll edit with the link if I can dig it up again.

In the meantime, I use an office labeler to print off 2 stickers with italisized A's on them. :D

I've made some stickers for keyboards as well as few fancy ones for the BAC (belgian amiga club http://www.amigaclub.be/ )

http://romeo.messageboard.nl/8931/album_pic.php?pic_id=146
http://romeo.messageboard.nl/8931/album_pic.php?pic_id=182

Wonder how to distribute them as I can't sell them. Maybe you should come to the next meeting.

A boing ball sticker would be nice to have instead of the windows logo.

@Antique

I'll post a picture of my own Mitsumi keyboard with the Amiga 1200 A keys installed, when I get the chance to do so.

@ssolie

My solution is similar to RacerX and kvasir.
- Remove the R/L Windows key symbols with acetone (nail polish remover).
- Print R/L style italic "A" on a transparent mailing label. And use the rest of the labels for your Christmas card list

Regards,
. . JCC

@ssolie





Yes I love to have some, for my logitech keyboard,
white overlay or keycap.

Looks like it's long overdue a good clean, but here's mine.

After seeing so many others popping the "A" keys off their Amiga keyboards for a PS/2 one, I figured I'd try it on mine, and post the response...


A few probs. I ran into, though. Apparently the springs that went shooting off into parts unknown (probably vacuum cleaner fodder by now) were important, as the 2 Amiga keys are "spongy", and offer no resistance. Unlike the ps/2 keyboard, C= relied on those springs for that. (I still have several keys left to cannibalize for springs) Also, the keyboard is white. Well, after sitting in a basement for years on end, the keys are white, and the case is yellow. Either way, it doesn't match the grey Amiga keys. The A1200 keyboard uses a round peg-stand, instead of the square ones the ps/2 keyboard uses, and the square ps/2 ones are molded directly onto they key. (No way to remove it, except with a steak knife that my wife threatened to use in horrible ways if I don't stop hacking up plastic with it) But the key and round peg do snap together, and are able to push the contact on the keyboard. I've included pics of the pegs, in and out of the keyboard backing, and close-ups of the 2 keys. (4 actually, but aside from one Amiga key being filled and the other an outline, its the same idea.)

@ssolie

A few years ago, I ordered a "Model-M" from Unicomp (Also known as the "Classic 104"). Unicomp custom made the "A" keys to replace the windows keys on my keyboard. The right "A" was even outlined like on a real Amiga keyboard.

-The Phantom Interrogative