Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!umich!gumby!obryan
From: obryan@gumby.cc.wmich.edu (Mark O'Bryan)
Subject: Re: New Atari ST keyboard
Message-ID: <1990Feb12.020657.25422@gumby.cc.wmich.edu>
Organization: Western Michigan University
References: <1129@carroll1.cc.edu> <2048@ultb.isc.rit.edu>
Date: Mon, 12 Feb 90 02:06:57 GMT

In article <2048@ultb.isc.rit.edu> clf3678@ultb.isc.rit.edu (C.L. Freemesser) writes:
>
> Well, there aren't any REAL replacement keyboards for the ST.  You can
> buy those awful spring-things to stiffen up the keyboard, but they don't
> work.
> 
> I've been kicking the idea around of building a new keyboard with REAL
> ...stuff removed...
> 
> How do people feel about such a thing?  I'm surprised it has not been 
> done yet.  From what I hear, quite a few people would like something
> better than this rubber crap we use now.

Diverse Data Products of Florida (800) 662-8662 is bringing out a $60 box in
March that allows you to connect any IBM AT style keyboard you like to the
ST.  If you're interested, you might want to check them out.  There are cer-
tainly plenty of options and lots of better keyboards in the PC world.

They're working on software right now to make sure it works with PC-Ditto
and Spectre.  Personally, I decided to pass on it for two reasons:

(1) it ties up the MIDI port, which I need, strange as it may seem, for...
    you guessed it... MIDI!

(2) you can't disconnect and remove the Mega keyboard, because it's still
    needed to supply the intelligent keyboard chip, and handle the mouse
    and joystick ports.

Your needs may differ from mine.  I'd certainly like a better keyboard.  I'm
just not willing to give up my MIDI ports, serial port, parallel port, DMA
port, etc. to get it.

-- 
Mark T. O'Bryan                 Internet:  obryan@gumby.cc.wmich.edu
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI  49008