[Beetle]

Hi

Often i hear about the cheap and bad XL keyboards, and many people say the XL keyboards
were almost as good as the 1200XL keyboard (which is built completely different to the
600/800XL keyboards).

How can this opinions differ so hard? Well, there are many different keyboards out there!
When i write about XL keyboards from now on, i relate only to 600/800XL
ones, not to 1200XL's. The additional wiring on my keyboards are conversions to german
layout (QWERTZ).

I own 4 different XL keyboards, and did own a 5th type (i am not sad i gave it away ).
In this thread i will write some words to every keyboard and give it a simple name.



Here is my favorite XL keyboard lets call it "type 1", manufactured by Alps.
Notice the narrow "O" and that the "CONTROL" label is fully inverse.


It is slightly stepped; space bar, shift, control, tab and return key have a "hook" for easy typing.
The key tracers are easy and precise to press, with very similar pressure needed compared
to 1200XL keyboard. Each switch is soldered with 4 solder joints to the PCB. The tracers are
shorter than in other keyboards, so it mounts a bit flatter in your XL.

----------------------------------------

Now i show you a Keyboard of "Type 2", made by AWC (number 70166201). It has similar keycaps as Type 1
but the "CONTROL" label is outlined here.


This one has hooks only for space bar and left shift key, but the keys don't block because
the tracers give good guidance to the keycaps. Keys are soldered with 2 solderjoints to PCB.
IMO the second best XL keyboard you can get. The springs under the keys are a tad stiffer than the type 1,
which will make this keyboard #1 choice for many Atarians.

----------------------------------------

OK, here comes "type 3". This one has single tracers soldered with 2 joints to a PCB and
its made by AWC, too (70166205). The "O" is less narrow, the labels are printed wide and more bold,
compared to the Type 2 AWC board. Outlined "CONTROL" label as well. The keycaps look quite different
here: smaller top area and more stepped than the first two keyboards.


It has the same hooks as the Type 2 keybaord, but the tracers are of lesser quality and sometimes block,
if you press the wide keys not in the center area. Well, i used this keyboard for years, and if you keep it clean
it will last very long. It still gives you a solid keyboard (but the upper ones are clearly better).

----------------------------------------

Time for presenting Keyboard "Type 4". It can polarize, some love it, some hate it. On the one hand,
it is very heavy quality, the heaviest keyboard of all, due to a 1mm thick metal plate, covering the whole
keyboard underneath. This keyboard is not stepped at all, which some people prefer, some don`t. The
shape of the keycaps are somewhat close to those of the 1200XL, but they have a rough surface.


The drawback of this keyboard are the shift keys with no hooks at all (they block easy and often)
and the circuitry, which is not a PCB but a mylar foil with vapour-deposited traces. They are prone to
oxidation and in consequence fail. I know of no reliable method to fix such a foil (besides replacing).
Some like it, some hate it. Easy to see, mine is dead, too. I kept it to slay burglars...

----------------------------------------

Last, but not least, the 5th XL keyboard i know of. It has big, almost sharp edged
keykaps, with remarkably big labeling. Although there is a PCB for the curcitry, there are no single
tracers. The keys press conductive rubber pads onto the PCB. This keyboard was manufactured by
Mitsumi.


This keyboard is stepped but gives by far the cheapest quality feedback. The keys are loosely guided
and rattle while typing. This keyboard is the main reason for the prejudice "XL keyboards are bad and cheap".
Nevertheless, i never saw one of that keyboards broken, and all the wide keys have hooks so blocked
keys is not a problem here. Just give the PCB and rubber stamps a cleaning if needed. Most people
will even prefer the XE keyboards over type 5 XL keyboards.
Thanks to miker for making this pictures!



I hope this comparison is of use to someone here. If you have a keyboard other than those mentioned
here, please send me pictures in at least 1024x768 and the same angles as the pics above. I will
add them to my post with credits to you, so this first post stays up to date.

Greetings,
Beetle

Edit: thanks to JellE for helping me with my poor english

This post has been edited by Beetle: Thu Jun 28, 2007 4:45 PM

[Urchlay]

Good stuff...

Do you know who manufactured each of the different types? Are they all by Mitsumi, or are they 5 different makers, or do they even have manufacturers labels?

Probably everyone already knows this, but 800 keyboards come in at least 2 different varieties, too. Next time I have my 800 apart, if I can find my camera, I'll post pictures...

[Beetle]

Well, i did write all info i had above
Type 1 - Alps
Type 2 +3 - AWC
Type 4 - no idea, but label is readable (any hints?)
Type 5 - Mitsumi

but will add any fact i get into first posting.

This post has been edited by Beetle: Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:01 PM

[Rybags]

Type 4 here - don't like it much but still way better than the ones on my XEs.

When I had the 600XL, it had the quality stepped type. Great kb although keystrokes were short and a bit noisy from memory.

[Urchlay]

Beetle, on Tue Apr 10, 2007 11:30 AM, said:

Well, i did write all info i had above

Whoops, yah, you did. That's what I get for posting before morning coffee...

[orpheuswaking]

I have four dead keyboards All Mylar oxidised

[kheller2]

I have probably seen a dozen or so type 4, and only one type 1 (aka 600xl) and maybe one or so of the others. The Type4 ones I have lasted forever and are rock solid. No warping bending. etc.. All the non-Type 4's I have always sink into the case (which is why some seem to have large rubber supports under them to press against the shield) or the switches themselves would start to break at their solder joints.

Perhaps its the env we keep them in?

This post has been edited by kheller2: Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:27 PM

[Tezz]

Great info Beetle, glad to see the differences explained in detail. I remember noticing the different keyboards on xl's back in the eighties, I wondered back then why the xl's sometimes looked slightly different.. I guess i was used to seeing mass produced non variant home computers in the other platforms .. I must say, apart from the xl's i'm repairing now (which were badly treated) i've not seen an xl with a bad keyboard before.

[Mr.Amiga500]

This is an excellent and helpful thread. Thanks Beetle.

I just got my first 800XL after wanting one for 23 years (my friend had one in 1984). When I got it, I was surprised that the keys had a rough surface because I didn't remember them being that rough. Now I know it's a "type 4" and my friend's 800XL must have had a different keyboard.

[carmel_andrews]

Although the feedback on the XE KB's wasn't very good, at least there was very little chance of anything going wrong with the KB (that's if you replaced the KB resistor that come's as standard with the XE with the correct value one, either that or replace the XE kb MEMBRANE after 12 months use or the contacts will corrode or oxidise

I didn't like the XL kb's because they could easily get cracked at the back after prolonged use, I know, it happened to me and at the time when the likes of silica and other shops where asking 50 GBP for a replacement XL KB, luckily i spotted a cheap 800xl going at the PC/PCW show for about 20/30 pound (KB was OK)

[Beetle]

How did you "crack" an PCB circuit?

[bf2k+]

carmel_andrews, on Wed Apr 11, 2007 8:39 AM, said:

Although the feedback on the XE KB's wasn't very good, at least there was very little chance of anything going wrong with the KB (that's if you replaced the KB resistor that come's as standard with the XE with the correct value one, either that or replace the XE kb MEMBRANE after 12 months use or the contacts will corrode or oxidise

I remember having to fix my first XE keyboard which I bought new when they came out. After using it for about 6 months, I remember having to replace 6 or 7 or 8 resistors (seems like they might have been pull-ups or downs?? can't remember) to keep it from missing keystrokes.

Does anyone else remember this problem? Does anyone else remember this modification or fix??

[Beetle]

edit: attached pictures fixed

[Mr.Amiga500]

This thread came in handy. I just ordered a "new in box" 800XL with a "type 1" keyboard!

[Bryan]

I have a type 4 with smooth keys, so there are 2 mylar keyboards. (type 4.5?)

[Defender II]

Does anyone know if the 1200XL, 1400XL, and 1450XL/XLD used the same keyboards?