Mega STe keyboard tips?

[maginnis]

Anyone have tips for cleaning / reparing a Mega STe keybd? I was given this computer several years ago, sans keyboard and mouse. I remember spending what I thought was quite a bit of money on a new keyboard - maybe $100, IIRC. The machine was fired up a couple of times to verify that it worked and since then it has languished in disuse. Two nights ago, I pulled it out and set it up again.

 

At some point during those long, lonely nights in storage, the keyboard apparently failed. I get no response with any keypresses and the mouse pointer does not move. From what I have gathered, these keyboards are as expensive as I remember them being before, and somewhat hard to find. I'll buy another one if I have to, but it just seems like such a waste.

 

So, does anyone have any thoughts or advice for repair options? My soldering iron skills have faded into a fuzzy memory, but short of that, I'll gladly tear into a new learning experience.

 

From what I can tell, the setup is this:

 

Mega STe - label on the bottom says 2M, but the memory test at POST reports 4096k.

Atari SM124 monitor

2-button Champ mouse, model AD-T36, Amiga/Atari switch set to Atari.

TOS 2.06

 

With no way to interact directly with the machine, I don't see a way to dig deeper.

[TheAtariKing]

Anyone have tips for cleaning / reparing a Mega STe keybd?  I was given this computer several years ago, sans keyboard and mouse.  I remember spending what I thought was quite a bit of money on a new keyboard - maybe $100, IIRC.  The machine was fired up a couple of times to verify that it worked and since then it has languished in disuse.  Two nights ago, I pulled it out and set it up again. 

 

At some point during those long, lonely nights in storage, the keyboard apparently failed.  I get no response with any keypresses and the mouse pointer does not move.  From what I have gathered, these keyboards are as expensive as I remember them being before, and somewhat hard to find.  I'll buy another one if I have to, but it just seems like such a waste.

 

So, does anyone have any thoughts or advice for repair options?  My soldering iron skills have faded into a fuzzy memory, but short of that, I'll gladly tear into a new learning experience.

 

From what I can tell, the setup is this:

 

Mega STe - label on the bottom says 2M, but the memory test at POST reports 4096k.

Atari SM124 monitor

2-button Champ mouse, model AD-T36, Amiga/Atari switch set to Atari.

TOS 2.06

 

With no way to interact directly with the machine, I don't see a way to dig deeper.

940468[/snapback]

 

The Atari MegaSTe and TT keyboards are very low quality and are known for having problems. I would suggest throwing that keyboard in the garbage and getting yourself an Atari MegaST keyboard. Like I always tell people, go for quality, not bragging rights.

[krupkaj]

But TT/MEGA STe keyboard is the most comfortable one from all ST family... At least for me.

[tjlazer]

Well for my Mega STE/TT030's I would rather use the keyboards they came with. It seems to be a ok keyboard. Though they don't get a lot of use.

[atarian1]

Anyone have tips for cleaning / reparing a Mega STe keybd?  I was given this computer several years ago, sans keyboard and mouse.  I remember spending what I thought was quite a bit of money on a new keyboard - maybe $100, IIRC.  The machine was fired up a couple of times to verify that it worked and since then it has languished in disuse.  Two nights ago, I pulled it out and set it up again. 

 

At some point during those long, lonely nights in storage, the keyboard apparently failed.  I get no response with any keypresses and the mouse pointer does not move.  From what I have gathered, these keyboards are as expensive as I remember them being before, and somewhat hard to find.  I'll buy another one if I have to, but it just seems like such a waste.

 

So, does anyone have any thoughts or advice for repair options?  My soldering iron skills have faded into a fuzzy memory, but short of that, I'll gladly tear into a new learning experience.

 

From what I can tell, the setup is this:

 

Mega STe - label on the bottom says 2M, but the memory test at POST reports 4096k.

Atari SM124 monitor

2-button Champ mouse, model AD-T36, Amiga/Atari switch set to Atari.

TOS 2.06

 

With no way to interact directly with the machine, I don't see a way to dig deeper.

940468[/snapback]

 

The Atari MegaSTe and TT keyboards are very low quality and are known for having problems. I would suggest throwing that keyboard in the garbage and getting yourself an Atari MegaST keyboard. Like I always tell people, go for quality, not bragging rights.

942711[/snapback]

 

You know, you're doing a really big disservice to the Atari community by telling people to throw away these MegaSTe/TT keyboards. The external keyboards for the ST series are quite rare, in demand and in limited supply already. Reducing the supply (no matter what you think of the quality) will only hurt the ST community more as there would be more CPU boxes than keyboards. The CPU box by itself is pretty useless without a keyboard. There aren't nearly enough MegaST keyboards to cover all the MegaST, MegaSTe, TT, and other STs with keyboard adapters.

 

Just because you don't like them doesn't mean that others should throw it away. If you don't like them, just say so. But then to recommend throwing it away when other people WANT it, is quite extreme and is greatly frowned upon by the entire Atari community.

 

If anyone out there has an extra MegaSTe/TT keyboard they don't want, please don't listen to TheAtariKing. I (and I'm sure others) will gladly take it off their hand and put in to use or in a good home.

[TheAtariKing]

Anyone have tips for cleaning / reparing a Mega STe keybd?  I was given this computer several years ago, sans keyboard and mouse.  I remember spending what I thought was quite a bit of money on a new keyboard - maybe $100, IIRC.  The machine was fired up a couple of times to verify that it worked and since then it has languished in disuse.  Two nights ago, I pulled it out and set it up again. 

 

At some point during those long, lonely nights in storage, the keyboard apparently failed.  I get no response with any keypresses and the mouse pointer does not move.  From what I have gathered, these keyboards are as expensive as I remember them being before, and somewhat hard to find.  I'll buy another one if I have to, but it just seems like such a waste.

 

So, does anyone have any thoughts or advice for repair options?  My soldering iron skills have faded into a fuzzy memory, but short of that, I'll gladly tear into a new learning experience.

 

From what I can tell, the setup is this:

 

Mega STe - label on the bottom says 2M, but the memory test at POST reports 4096k.

Atari SM124 monitor

2-button Champ mouse, model AD-T36, Amiga/Atari switch set to Atari.

TOS 2.06

 

With no way to interact directly with the machine, I don't see a way to dig deeper.

940468[/snapback]

 

The Atari MegaSTe and TT keyboards are very low quality and are known for having problems. I would suggest throwing that keyboard in the garbage and getting yourself an Atari MegaST keyboard. Like I always tell people, go for quality, not bragging rights.

942711[/snapback]

 

You know, you're doing a really big disservice to the Atari community by telling people to throw away these MegaSTe/TT keyboards. The external keyboards for the ST series are quite rare, in demand and in limited supply already. Reducing the supply (no matter what you think of the quality) will only hurt the ST community more as there would be more CPU boxes than keyboards. The CPU box by itself is pretty useless without a keyboard. There aren't nearly enough MegaST keyboards to cover all the MegaST, MegaSTe, TT, and other STs with keyboard adapters.

 

Just because you don't like them doesn't mean that others should throw it away. If you don't like them, just say so. But then to recommend throwing it away when other people WANT it, is quite extreme and is greatly frowned upon by the entire Atari community.

 

If anyone out there has an extra MegaSTe/TT keyboard they don't want, please don't listen to TheAtariKing. I (and I'm sure others) will gladly take it off their hand and put in to use or in a good home.

943244[/snapback]

 

Actually, I will go one step further, anyone that owns an Atari MegaSTe or TT should throw it in the garbage, not just the keyboard. They are the lowest quality Atari computers ever made and they do not deserve the Atari name. The following, in order of quality, are the best computers Atari ever produced: MegaST, 800XL, 520ST (external disk drive and power supply), 1040STe, and the Falcon. The following are the lowest quality and the worst Atari computers ever produced: MegaSTe, TT, and the 1200XL.

[krupkaj]

hmm it is very daring predicate. I am usin the TT everyday and I know people who used it for living for long time without any problem. Where from your opinion comes? Do you have some horrible experience?

[Thomas W]

Maginnis

 

I was taking a TT keyboard apart just the other day, which is basically the same keyboard as the Mega STe, so thought I'd throw in my two pennys worth. The keyboard is a fairly simple affair consisting of a plastic membrane like circuit, with each key acting like a switch. I would certainly open it up as you can't do much damage. There's a connector that resides under the plastic case containing the keys and this circuit, check that this is still in situ. If you still get no joy take apart the section containing the keys. You have to push back a load of tabs on the underside to do this, I found it best to start at one end and work to the other loosening tabs as you go. The plastic circuit in mine had some gunk in, which had somehow coated the plastic and degraded the circuit. It didn't look a particularly easy thing to fix in mine and I would imagine wouldn't be opening to soldering as it would probably just melt. The joystick ports are soldered into a flimsy bit of proper circuit board. They seem to suffer from the same problems as a standard ST keyboard, as in they come loose, and you would have to desolder them and then check the connections. I can't see what else might go wrong other than some corrosion on the circuit somewhere or a blown chip.

[krupkaj]

I saw some keyboard with bad mylar foil. But as nearly all Atari machines use mylar keyboard I do not see any difference between MEGA ST and TT keyboard. The Falcon has also mylar keyboard which is the same as in ST except additional harddrive LED.

[Atari_Only]

There is a big difference between the TT and the Mega ST keyboard. The TT and MEGA STE have the same thin mylar(plastic film). Where as the MEGA ST has a circuit board with mechanical switches. The MEGA ST keyboard is alot heavier and I think a bit more rugged. If you open up a MEGA ST keyboard you will see that there is a metal plate that the switches snap into before connecting to the circuit board. The metal is the weight of the keyboard.

 

 

AO

[TheAtariKing]

I saw some keyboard with bad mylar foil. But as nearly all Atari machines use mylar keyboard I do not see any difference between MEGA ST and TT keyboard. The Falcon has also mylar keyboard which is the same as in ST except additional harddrive LED.

943738[/snapback]

 

Only the Atari MegaST, Amiga 1000, and the extremely rare first issue Amiga 2000 keyboards use actual seperate SWITCHES from Europe. These high quality switches are rated at over 2,000,000 cycles per keyswitch. The rest of the Atari ST computers, TT, and even the mighty Falcon uses low quality "Chicklet" keyswitches. Atari sold the MegaST keyboards seperately for $300.00 each. The rare first issue Amiga 2000 keyboards (red Amiga keys) have a present value of over $1,200.00. In all the years that I have been searching on eBay for these rare Amiga keyboards, I have only found 2 of them. I bought both of them. Do not be surprised if you start seeing the Atari MegaST keyboards selling for over $500.00 each. They are that nice and they are the highest quality keyboards that Atari ever produced. Atari was very proud of the MegaST and a lot of quality went into its design. Also, remember that "thru-hole" is higher quality then "SMT". The MegaSTe and TT are SMT.

Edited October 10, 2005 by TheAtariKing

[krupkaj]

hmm it is interesting. I have one MEGA ST keyboard. I must look inside it.

[atarian1]

Anyone have tips for cleaning / reparing a Mega STe keybd?  I was given this computer several years ago, sans keyboard and mouse.  I remember spending what I thought was quite a bit of money on a new keyboard - maybe $100, IIRC.  The machine was fired up a couple of times to verify that it worked and since then it has languished in disuse.  Two nights ago, I pulled it out and set it up again. 

 

At some point during those long, lonely nights in storage, the keyboard apparently failed.  I get no response with any keypresses and the mouse pointer does not move.  From what I have gathered, these keyboards are as expensive as I remember them being before, and somewhat hard to find.  I'll buy another one if I have to, but it just seems like such a waste.

 

So, does anyone have any thoughts or advice for repair options?  My soldering iron skills have faded into a fuzzy memory, but short of that, I'll gladly tear into a new learning experience.

 

From what I can tell, the setup is this:

 

Mega STe - label on the bottom says 2M, but the memory test at POST reports 4096k.

Atari SM124 monitor

2-button Champ mouse, model AD-T36, Amiga/Atari switch set to Atari.

TOS 2.06

 

With no way to interact directly with the machine, I don't see a way to dig deeper.

940468[/snapback]

 

The Atari MegaSTe and TT keyboards are very low quality and are known for having problems. I would suggest throwing that keyboard in the garbage and getting yourself an Atari MegaST keyboard. Like I always tell people, go for quality, not bragging rights.

942711[/snapback]

 

You know, you're doing a really big disservice to the Atari community by telling people to throw away these MegaSTe/TT keyboards. The external keyboards for the ST series are quite rare, in demand and in limited supply already. Reducing the supply (no matter what you think of the quality) will only hurt the ST community more as there would be more CPU boxes than keyboards. The CPU box by itself is pretty useless without a keyboard. There aren't nearly enough MegaST keyboards to cover all the MegaST, MegaSTe, TT, and other STs with keyboard adapters.

 

Just because you don't like them doesn't mean that others should throw it away. If you don't like them, just say so. But then to recommend throwing it away when other people WANT it, is quite extreme and is greatly frowned upon by the entire Atari community.

 

If anyone out there has an extra MegaSTe/TT keyboard they don't want, please don't listen to TheAtariKing. I (and I'm sure others) will gladly take it off their hand and put in to use or in a good home.

943244[/snapback]

 

Actually, I will go one step further, anyone that owns an Atari MegaSTe or TT should throw it in the garbage, not just the keyboard. They are the lowest quality Atari computers ever made and they do not deserve the Atari name. The following, in order of quality, are the best computers Atari ever produced: MegaST, 800XL, 520ST (external disk drive and power supply), 1040STe, and the Falcon. The following are the lowest quality and the worst Atari computers ever produced: MegaSTe, TT, and the 1200XL.

943269[/snapback]

 

You call yourself "TheAtariKing" and yet you advocate throwing away perfectly good Atari MegaSTe/TT computers that people want and willing to pay $$ for? Pathetic.

[Gunstar]

Anyone have tips for cleaning / reparing a Mega STe keybd?  I was given this computer several years ago, sans keyboard and mouse.  I remember spending what I thought was quite a bit of money on a new keyboard - maybe $100, IIRC.  The machine was fired up a couple of times to verify that it worked and since then it has languished in disuse.  Two nights ago, I pulled it out and set it up again. 

 

At some point during those long, lonely nights in storage, the keyboard apparently failed.  I get no response with any keypresses and the mouse pointer does not move.  From what I have gathered, these keyboards are as expensive as I remember them being before, and somewhat hard to find.  I'll buy another one if I have to, but it just seems like such a waste.

 

So, does anyone have any thoughts or advice for repair options?  My soldering iron skills have faded into a fuzzy memory, but short of that, I'll gladly tear into a new learning experience.

 

From what I can tell, the setup is this:

 

Mega STe - label on the bottom says 2M, but the memory test at POST reports 4096k.

Atari SM124 monitor

2-button Champ mouse, model AD-T36, Amiga/Atari switch set to Atari.

TOS 2.06

 

With no way to interact directly with the machine, I don't see a way to dig deeper.

940468[/snapback]

 

The Atari MegaSTe and TT keyboards are very low quality and are known for having problems. I would suggest throwing that keyboard in the garbage and getting yourself an Atari MegaST keyboard. Like I always tell people, go for quality, not bragging rights.

942711[/snapback]

 

You know, you're doing a really big disservice to the Atari community by telling people to throw away these MegaSTe/TT keyboards. The external keyboards for the ST series are quite rare, in demand and in limited supply already. Reducing the supply (no matter what you think of the quality) will only hurt the ST community more as there would be more CPU boxes than keyboards. The CPU box by itself is pretty useless without a keyboard. There aren't nearly enough MegaST keyboards to cover all the MegaST, MegaSTe, TT, and other STs with keyboard adapters.

 

Just because you don't like them doesn't mean that others should throw it away. If you don't like them, just say so. But then to recommend throwing it away when other people WANT it, is quite extreme and is greatly frowned upon by the entire Atari community.

 

If anyone out there has an extra MegaSTe/TT keyboard they don't want, please don't listen to TheAtariKing. I (and I'm sure others) will gladly take it off their hand and put in to use or in a good home.

943244[/snapback]

 

Actually, I will go one step further, anyone that owns an Atari MegaSTe or TT should throw it in the garbage, not just the keyboard. They are the lowest quality Atari computers ever made and they do not deserve the Atari name. The following, in order of quality, are the best computers Atari ever produced: MegaST, 800XL, 520ST (external disk drive and power supply), 1040STe, and the Falcon. The following are the lowest quality and the worst Atari computers ever produced: MegaSTe, TT, and the 1200XL.

943269[/snapback]

 

Holy shit dude, I don't like to rag on people, I REALLY don't, unless they are being complete idiots, and I know we have had a recent "squable", but you have NO idea what the hell you are talking about, I have owned an 800xl, 130xe, 1040STf, 800, 1200xl, and a Mega STE, and I KNOW the quality of the 1200xl is great, I'd take it any day over an 800xl, I've had NO problems with my 1200xl EVER, and I always had problems with the 800xl when I owned it. Besides the 130xe keyboard, which only sucks becuase of it's "mushy" feel, I have never had a problem with it either. My Mega STE is very good quality overall, same with my 1200xl, 130xe and 800. Even my 1040stf is great except for the mushy feel of the keyboard. While you may be right about good quality of some of the systems you think are the "best" the ones you say are garbage and should be thrown away are fantastic systems. So bugger-off. The only thing with the XE and ST lines over all is the mushy keyboard; just the FEEL of it, my 130xe's "mushy" keyboard is 20 years old with nearly daily use in all those twenty years and I've never had a problem with it. You are right that they the feel of them isn't good, but they sure do last a long time. But keyboards aside, all Atari computers, in my experience, are of excellent quality as far as longevity goes. I've also owned an Amiga 2000, and a Macintosh powerPC, Wintel PC's, Vic20, TI 99/4A, C64 and C128 ALL of which I've had NUMEROUS problems with over the years with various things "breaking down" on them. My Atari's have all been up and running for many years without a single problem; it's one of the things I love about Atari computers and why I still prefer them over other brands.

Edited October 8, 2005 by Gunstar

[+DarkLord]

Actually, I will go one step further, anyone that owns an Atari MegaSTe or TT should throw it in the garbage, not just the keyboard.  They are the lowest quality Atari computers ever made and they do not deserve the Atari name.  The following, in order of quality, are the best computers Atari ever produced:  MegaST, 800XL, 520ST (external disk drive and power supply), 1040STe, and the Falcon.  The following are the lowest quality and the worst Atari computers ever produced:  MegaSTe, TT, and the 1200XL.   

943269[/snapback]

 

You gotta be kidding me! I can't speak for a Mega STe (although I'm perfecly willing to bet you good money that current Mega STe owners would disagree with you heartily!) but I did own a TT030 and its a solid machine. I wish I had kept it. Solid construction, great performance, plenty of expansion options and the best keyboard, just short of the Mega STs, IMO.

 

Gotta deal for you there, if you ever find yourself possessing either of these machines, and are feeling the urge to throw them in the garbabe, please contact me - I'll gladly pay for S&H to keep them alive. :-)

[krupkaj]

I have the same feel. Maybe the Mega ST keyboard is perfect in construction, but there is stil the "mushy" feel the same like 130XE or ST. I cannot help myself but I like TT keyboard the best.

 

BTW I cannot understand why you attempt people to throw away working units only because they are (were) not the state of the art.

[Paolo]

Can you tell me if there are 'good' and 'bad' mechanism MSTE keyboards depending on the regional subtype, or all of them are the same?

I am asking this since my MSTE keyboard seems quite good to me, never EVER had a single problem and I feel a better touch of th keys compared with most of the modern PC mid-range-cost keyboards.

 

Also, do I need to open it up to understans the keys' mechanichs?

[krupkaj]

I think all keyboards differ only with layout. I have German and Swedish one and it seems they are both the same inside.

[jens]

Well - I really do believe the best 'feeling' keyboard Atari made is the ST-Book one. Unfortunately it is likely to get broken as well as other parts inside the book.

The next best feeling is the one from the TT and Meg/STe keyboards.

There are replacements for ST and Falcon which are much better but look very ugly...

[muguk]

So this is where Doommaster (and all of his other names runs off to and hides when he's booted out of the Atari Forum) .. 'AtariKing' is a new name though, normally it has a "master" on the end as he must reckon it gives him (or his ego) kudos.

 

His last posts on the forum were under the guise of a "happy customer" from his website (his current "website" was stolen lock, stock and barrel from the Paradox website of STE demos and altered very little). Whilst we spent time pointing out this theft and the awful spelling on his site, he was correcting the spelling mistakes!

 

Have fun guys and generally ignore what he says ..

Edited October 10, 2005 by muguk

[jens]

So this is where Doommaster

[...]

Have fun guys and generally ignore what he says ..

So you think the same as I did...

We had a little bit of bad fun with doomi on the atarilegend forum.

[baz]

Yes, I remember Doommaster:

 

He was ever so polite and he really loved his Atari....

 

"Just post the disk images, dude.' when requesting all the Ultima disks.

 

and a tag line of "Atari ST - The second best computer of the '80s"m referring to his first love the Amiga.

 

Its time the great pretender King was deposed....

[TheAtariKing]

Yes, I remember Doommaster:

 

He was ever so polite and he really loved his Atari....

 

"Just post the disk images, dude.' when requesting all the Ultima disks.

 

and a tag line of "Atari ST - The second best computer of the '80s"m referring to his first love the Amiga.

 

Its time the great pretender King was deposed....

945697[/snapback]

 

Well, it is true, the Amiga is better then the Atari ST. It always has been from day one. And this is coming from a man that has always had both machines. I was never involved in your guys silly little Atari ST vs Amiga wars. I knew that the Amiga is better and that is a fact. Nuff said.

[TheAtariKing]

So this is where Doommaster (and all of his other names runs off to and hides when he's booted out of the Atari Forum) .. 'AtariKing' is a new name though, normally it has a "master" on the end as he must reckon it gives him (or his ego) kudos.

 

His last posts on the forum were under the guise of a "happy customer" from his website (his current "website" was stolen lock, stock and barrel from the Paradox website of STE demos and altered very little).  Whilst we spent time pointing out this theft and the awful spelling on his site, he was correcting the spelling mistakes! 

 

Have fun guys and generally ignore what he says ..

945470[/snapback]

 

The only thing "stolen" is the template, but the website itself is my creation. By the time I am finished with it, The Atari ST Division of RetroGeek Computers will be the number one Atari ST website in the world. It is already in the top 10. If you do a search for Atari ST websites, you will discover that 99% of them SUCK ! So do not pick on a website or Atari Dealer that will be number one, you will only chop off your own necks.

[Goochman]

Someone say $500 for a MegaST keyboard?

 

Ive got one for sale