What to do with replaced keyboard mylars

[+slx]

I have replaced a 65XE and a 1200XL mylar with "new" Best units. The old ones don't look that bad and can probably be repaired by someone with more patience than I have.

 

While I really need to downsize on Atari stuff (found long forgotten ST attachments while digging for 8-bit stuff today) I'm not sure whether to toss the old mylars or keep them.

 

What's your take? I figure no one would chide you for not keeping the old, threadbare carpet or some old screws when renovating a listed house or old-timer car. OTOH replacing instead of repairing makes the unit less original. But then, who would care except some future 8-bit archaeologist? Don't think my kids will be denied a fortune ("Well Mr. slx jr, this 1200XL of your dad would be almost as valuable as an Apple I, if just your dad had kept that mylar and OS ROMs instead of putting in Mr. Kodas and Mr. Lothareks parts. We get a dozen of those a day." Points to heap of modded 8-bits labeled "bargain bin, 2000s "restorations")

 

 

[Urchlay]

I have replaced a 65XE and a 1200XL mylar with "new" Best units.

...

OTOH replacing instead of repairing makes the unit less original.

 

The Best mylars are new old stock, right? They're the original part, and

the ones you got have to be close to the same age as the old ones. Better

to have a working machine than a broken "all-original" one.

 

If you're worried about collector value, save the old mylars and include

them in the package when/if you ever sell them. This is done a lot

with old electric guitars: the volume pot or the input jack breaks,

and the repair guy will replace it and give you the old/broken one in

a little baggie. That way you can restore it to "all original parts"

and let whoever you sell it to worry about whether or not it works. It's

kind of silly: what use is a broken computer or guitar, no matter how

"classic" it is?

 

10+ years ago I replaced the dead keyboard in my 800 with one from

Best, which turned out to be identical, manufactured at the same plant,

2 days after the one that died. I consider that 800 to be all original

still. Though it doesn't matter so much as I'm not going to be selling it.

[+slx]

I'm not really sure the Best Mylars are originals. The 1200XL ones sure aren't. He had them manufactured in a much better quality than the originals. I'll probably keep the old ones and my heirs shall sort it out...

[Urchlay]

I'm not really sure the Best Mylars are originals. The 1200XL ones sure aren't. He had them manufactured in a much better quality than the originals.

 

Ahh, that I didn't know.

 

I'll probably keep the old ones and my heirs shall sort it out...

Keyboard mylar sheet is small & thin enough, you could probably store

them inside the Ataris, between the bottom RF shield and the bottom of

the case. That way they won't get lost and won't take up extra space.

[+slx]

Ahh, that I didn't know.

 

Keyboard mylar sheet is small & thin enough, you could probably store

them inside the Ataris, between the bottom RF shield and the bottom of

the case. That way they won't get lost and won't take up extra space.

 

If they'd get lost the problem would have solved itself. I'll put them in the "parts taken out of upgraded computers box" (which I hope to be a bit small than the "upgrades waiting to be installed" by the time I retire.