ballyalley Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 A few years ago I bought some keyboard stickers for my Commodore 64. I applied them to a spare USB keyboard and the stickers make using emulation FAR easier. These stickers seem to still be readily available for the Commodore 64, but I can't find anything similar to them for the Atari 8-Bit. Here is what the stickers look like: These stickers are available on Ebay, Amazon and other online retailers for about three to six dollars. Here is an example of where they can be purchased: Commodore 64 Keyboard Stickers Link I've scoured the Internet every once in a while looking for the Atari 8-bit equivalent of these Commodore 64 stickers. I searched again today and I still can't find these stickers available for the Atari. Am I not looking in the right places? Are they truly not available? Does anyone know where to get these type of Atari 8-Bit stickers for PC keyboards? Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fibrewire Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 I have an Atari 800 with similar stickers meticuluously applied to each key, so they must have existed at one time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 I have an Atari 800 with similar stickers meticuluously applied to each key, so they must have existed at one time. I've seen those on an Atari 800XL before. They are pretty cool. They allow you to see the Reverse characters, right? I'm looking for stickers that go onto a PC keyboard so that it gets "transformed" into an Atari 800-like keyboard. In the case of the C64 keyboard stickers, the keyboard now makes using the C64 Emulator VICE a breeze. I have high hopes for such stickers for use with Altirra. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fibrewire Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Well, if you don't mind doing all the work... http://www.datacal.com/t-customlabels.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 Well, if you don't mind doing all the work... http://www.datacal.com/t-customlabels.aspx It looks like THEY have to design the labels for you. You have to contact them via phone or through their contact page. It is worth a shot, so I asked them about their services. I'll let you know what I find out either way. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox-1 / mnx Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 so they must have existed at one time. They sure exist. I have a set of labels that came with a bunch of Atari stuff I bought in Germany, years ago (I think on a Hannau meeting). They were unused but in a bad shape (folded and dirty) and I can't remember if I kept them or not. Since it came from Germany I may be ABBUC had something to do with these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 You could just buy the C= ones and cut the irrelevant graphics out. Practically all of the symbols needed should be there, possibly except the bars that align at the edge of a character but you could use the C= equivalents that look nearly the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+orpheuswaking Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Well, if you don't mind doing all the work... http://www.datacal.c...stomlabels.aspx It looks like THEY have to design the labels for you. You have to contact them via phone or through their contact page. It is worth a shot, so I asked them about their services. I'll let you know what I find out either way. Adam They do actually run singles... In this case though you might want to see how many people might be interested and do a group order. What is the minimum order for custom products? We can print as few as one set of custom keys, labels or templates; but it is more cost effective to order at least ten sets. Our custom sales staff can quote pricing based on a quantity scale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 They do actually run singles... In this case though you might want to see how many people might be interested and do a group order. I've made a 24-key homemade overlay before for the Bally/Astrocade-- but it took me quite a long time and I'm not good enough to tackle the Atari 8-bit keyboard set. Surely there is someone more qualified to do it than me? This is a great idea though! Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 I've made a 24-key homemade overlay before for the Bally/Astrocade Here is a link to the keypad overlay that I made for the Bally/Astrocade, along with a picture of the overlay actually on the keys. Since the Astrocade's keyboard is a layout of 4x6, the only way to get a semi-accurate representation is to turn the PC keyboard 90 degrees to apply the stickers. Here is a link to a pdf that contains a low-quality version of the overlay, plus the picture of the PC keyboard: http://www.ballyalley.com/emulation/MESS/MESS_BASIC_Stickers.pdf It is quite useful to use the Astrocade keypad overlay (it makes typing FAR, FAR easier), but it is really too bad that the MESS emulator can't save to "tape." Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+wood_jl Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 I've made some poor-man's repro stickers before - for stuff like replacing the bottom stickers on old computers/etc that were damaged. 1) Scan/import the image, edit with graphics program. 2) Print on plain paper with inkjet. 3) Get some 2-sided carpet tape. Stick that to the back of your printout - make it like a sticker. 4) Cover the top (printed surface) with clear packing tape - keep the inkjet ink from smearing. 5) Cut out and peel the carpet tape backing off - instant "sticker" This would be tedious for many small stickers, but if bored on an afternoon, and careful/meticulous with the scissors, shouldn't look too bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 I've made some poor-man's repro stickers before [...] Get some 2-sided carpet tape. Stick that to the back of your printout - make it like a sticker. I did something similar to what you recommend when I printed the Astrocade stickers, though I skipped a step. I used stickers that were inkjet paper, so I didn't need double-sided tape. After they were done I covered the sticker with packing tape (otherwise I feared the inkjet ink would smear right away) and then cut apart the stickers and applied them to twenty-four keys. It is indeed tedious, but it was well worth it. Before these stickers were applied to my PC keyboard typing in Bally BASIC on the MESS emulator was near impossible. After the application of the stickers, typing on the keyboard actually became became just as fast as typing on an Astrocade keypad. For some people that might be slow, but once you get used to how it works you can type pretty fast-- certainly much faster than most people expect. As far as getting the ATASCII symbols into an editing program, what would be the best way to go about that? Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+David_P Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Atari used to produce graphics stickers for the 800. Perhpas an email to Best or B&C might be in order to see if they have any in stock. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 I received a reply back from datacal.com about Atari stickers. Here is the reply: Hello Adam, Thank you for your inquiry [about the Atari stickers]. I do not have any labels that I stock for the Atari system. We can do anything custom that you like. We do have a minimum order quantity of 10 sets. Pricing is based on how many colors used. Please let me know if you wish to pursue this further. Best, Cathleen Is there anyone interested in something like this? Anyone feel like they are up to the task of creating these stickers? Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted July 13, 2011 Author Share Posted July 13, 2011 Someone suggested that I write to Best Electronics and ask if they have the stickers for the Atari 800. It turns out they they do. Here is the reply that I was sent: Thank you for your E-Mail dated 07-12-11 Adam. Q. Do you carry the Atari keyboard stickers that you can apply to the Atari 800 so that you can see the ATASCII symbols on the keyboard? A. Yes and No Adam. We do have the small Atari 8 bit Graphic symbols labels (set of 24) you attach to the front of the Atari 8 bit Key caps. But they only show the Atari 8 bit Graphic Symbols not ATASCII information. Cost is only U$D 5. We do have a Min. Credit Card order of U$D 20 plus shipping Adam. Regards, Bradley Koda I'm not sure if I'm going to order these or not. The only item that I can think of that I "need" for my Atari systems right now to get the order up to the $20 minimum order are a new set of Atari Paddles. Maybe someone will use this information and order the stickers. If you do, could you post a scan of the unused stickers to this thread? Thanks. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted December 31, 2011 Author Share Posted December 31, 2011 A few days ago I ordered the keyboard stickers from Best Electronics. Here is what they look like: If you're interested in these, then I recommend that you buy them-- they were only five bucks. As always, I got my order quick (in just two days!). Maybe one day I'll still make a set of keyboard stickers for use with emulation. If I do, I'll be sure to post about it here. In the meantime, if anyone finds out about some keyboard stickers for a regular PC keyboard, then please let us all know. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sloopy Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 They look nice :') sloopy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bf2k+ Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I've seen those on an Atari 800XL before. They are pretty cool. They allow you to see the Reverse characters, right? 2 of my 800XL's have them - don't know where I got them - it has been MANY years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oky2000 Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 Wasn't there some $200 keyboard that was a lot like those flat Apple iMac keyboards with the graphic style of the Atari 400 keyboard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+wood_jl Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Wasn't there some $200 keyboard that was a lot like those flat Apple iMac keyboards with the graphic style of the Atari 400 keyboard? Yup. Was almost $150. Would have considered it for 1/3 to 1/6 that price. http://www.geekstuff...e-keyboard.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+CyranoJ Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Of you could try one of these: http://youtu.be/uBBfmb6Dsh8 Which could then be used for pretty much any emulator [EDIT] Whoops thought that was the one with LCD keys.... but it's still cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilsaluki Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 Why? Why stickers? Wow are you really programming the 8-bit? Cool, if you are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilsaluki Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 It's like the drive stickers available from Best. Again, Why? Doesn't EVERYONE have 8 drives hooked up to their Atari? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeless Joe Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 I like stickers. They're fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suspicious_milk Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 Yup. Was almost $150. Would have considered it for 1/3 to 1/6 that price.http://www.geekstuff...e-keyboard.html I *really* want one of these Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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