geneb Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 Anyone have a 1200XL keyboard for sale? g. 15 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 Best Electronics has replacement mylars for your keyboard. Nice 1400XL. I also had one BITD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 If there's only one or two keys not working consistently, and if you already did Bob Woolley's Mylar fix (which tends to negate the need to replace said Mylar), sometimes hitting the problem keys repeatedly and quite firmly wakes them up. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faicuai Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, geneb said: Anyone have a 1200XL keyboard for sale? g. Oh, man !! Would you look at that f-pristine 1400XL with its Votrax fully operational !!! It's just sweet seeing the best XL ever-designed given one more chance... You got a keeper there... KUDOS !!!! Edited May 10, 2021 by Faicuai 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimo Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 Very envious . Good luck with the keyboard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Allan Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 Question for hardware people? Could a cartridge be developed that would take over the Votrax code since not many of us are going to get a 1400XL? I know it's not very useful but would be cool to have and play with. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mytek Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 17 minutes ago, Allan said: Question for hardware people? Could a cartridge be developed that would take over the Votrax code since not many of us are going to get a 1400XL? I know it's not very useful but would be cool to have and play with. There already are a few things that can be used for this, one is FujiNet with its built-in S.A.M. support, and I believe the AtariAge store sells something that plugs into a joy stick port. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Allan Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 5 minutes ago, mytek said: There already are a few things that can be used for this, one is FujiNet with its built-in S.A.M. support, and I believe the AtariAge store sells something that plugs into a joy stick port. I mean something that the 1400XL OS would detect as the internal 1400XL Votrax chip but have it on cartridge. Of course finding a Votrax SC-01 would be tricky. But you would have a better chance of finding a SC-01 than a 1400XL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geneb Posted May 10, 2021 Author Share Posted May 10, 2021 The keyboard mylar is 100% working, so I won't need to replace it. I even managed to peel it without tearing the silicone layer. I was very careful with it and only stripped it back to the connector, but not the connector itself. I used a document clip and a popcicle stick to prevent accidentally "over-peeling" it. A commenter on my video has likely provided a solution to the problem. They suggested putting 2mm wide rings of 2.5mm heat shrink tubing under the back side of the little rubber hammers on each key. This should provide enough lift to allow the little hammer to properly press on the Mylar with enough force to reliably activate the key press. g. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geneb Posted May 10, 2021 Author Share Posted May 10, 2021 12 hours ago, flashjazzcat said: If there's only one or two keys not working consistently, and if you already did Bob Woolley's Mylar fix (which tends to negate the need to replace said Mylar), sometimes hitting the problem keys repeatedly and quite firmly wakes them up. That's what I did after peeling the Mylar. It went from only the top row to working, to about 95% of the keys working. The rest were brought back to life with repeated key presses. The return key took the most work and the equals key is the lone holdout. Hopefully the heat-shrink spacer ring trick will solve the issue. I'm going to have to make myself a little jig for cutting the spacers. g. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mclaneinc Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 That is such a nice machine, beautiful condition... Please make use of it or sell it to an Atari person, its not one of those machines that should just sit on a shelf for the rest of its life.. Great find.. Paul.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilsaluki Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 Man. The voice during self-test. I have never heard that before. Great job! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geneb Posted May 10, 2021 Author Share Posted May 10, 2021 9 minutes ago, gilsaluki said: Man. The voice during self-test. I have never heard that before. Great job! I was shocked too! I had no idea it would do that. During the editing process, it dawned on me that the funny honking sound was the voice chip being initialized when the machine is first powered on. g. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivop Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 2 hours ago, geneb said: heat-shrink spacer ring trick Now that sounds like a cool trick. Let us know how it works out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geneb Posted May 10, 2021 Author Share Posted May 10, 2021 3 hours ago, ivop said: Now that sounds like a cool trick. Let us know how it works out Here's a video that shows the process. I didn't know until today that it appears that not only did the 1400XL use the same keyboard as the 1200XL, but it looks like the same case too. g. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugarland Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 Amazing. Thanks for sharing the video and photos. Yes the keyboard is a 1200XL's. No difference. Glad to hear you won't use a Best mylar since keeping it factory original in this case is ideal. I disagree with the sentiment that it should be used and not sit on a shelf or in a box unused. Appreciated and admired, used occationally, YES. Used a lot, modded, beaten up? No way. As you know, it is a very, very rare machine and so very, very valuable in that condition and also of historic value. Have you considered uploading your videos using the internal modem? ? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damanloox Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 A dream machine... Take good care of it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mytek Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 17 minutes ago, Sugarland said: As you know, it is a very, very rare machine and so very, very valuable in that condition and also of historic value. $5K+ rare Yep you don't really want to use it as your daily driver. In fact you probably don't want to leave it out very much, best to keep it cozy inside a box in an air conditioned environment. 17 minutes ago, Sugarland said: Have you considered uploading your videos using the internal modem? ? 5 years later... Argg!!! the power failed! Another 5 years to go 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugarland Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 8 minutes ago, mytek said: $5K+ rare Yep you don't really want to use it as your daily driver. In fact you probably don't want to leave it out very much, best to keep it cozy inside a box in an air conditioned environment. Yes, and with lots of those silicon moisture absorber things. Can get a bag full of them for pretty cheap. Quote 5 years later... Argg!!! the power failed! Another 5 years to go We need a pop3 dialer with HTTP upload that works in 64K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geneb Posted May 10, 2021 Author Share Posted May 10, 2021 So leaving it stuffed under a table running a BBS would be a bad thing? ? g. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+x=usr(1536) Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 38 minutes ago, geneb said: So leaving it stuffed under a table running a BBS would be a bad thing? ? g. Only if you don't put a heavy duvet over it and occasionally sprinkle iron filings into the vents ? Seriously, though, that is a nice machine. Thanks for showing it ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazzspeed Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 The 1400XL has Cortana... 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geneb Posted May 11, 2021 Author Share Posted May 11, 2021 14 hours ago, x=usr(1536) said: Only if you don't put a heavy duvet over it and occasionally sprinkle iron filings into the vents ? Seriously, though, that is a nice machine. Thanks for showing it ? So treat it like it was a Mac. Got it. You're welcome! g. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danwinslow Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 On 5/10/2021 at 6:56 AM, Allan said: I mean something that the 1400XL OS would detect as the internal 1400XL Votrax chip but have it on cartridge. Of course finding a Votrax SC-01 would be tricky. But you would have a better chance of finding a SC-01 than a 1400XL. Do we have the OS dumped out anywhere? Maybe @phaeron would add 1400XL as an Altirra emulation..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfollowell Posted May 11, 2021 Share Posted May 11, 2021 5 minutes ago, danwinslow said: Do we have the OS dumped out anywhere? Maybe @phaeron would add 1400XL as an Altirra emulation..... Yeah, great idea! Much like the Falcon emulation in Hatari, that may be as close as many of us can ever realistically hope to get. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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