I tried to have SA Retro re-run with Signature Plastics since forever but apparently that is not going to happen any day soon… fortunately we have a far superior keycaps profile, I’m talking about MT3 of course! A slot opened in the production pipeline and we jumped straight into it with MT3 Retro!
The bad news is that Drop is still not convinced about a full brown option (as true Retro should be), but they promised to add more options along the way if the set is successful. So, guys, gotta show some love to MT3 Retro. Just today they asked for codes for the additional colors, so I guess it is going well already. Chances are good we’ll see more kits soon!
Go get them tiger: https://drop.com/buy/drop-matt3o-mt3-retro-keycap-set
But this is not the only news I’ve got for you!
I’m finally working with the perfect keyboard to pair with the Retro set. This time I’m collaborating with Vortex to release something I’ve been working on since a few years now. I don’t have a 3D render yet (let a lone a prototype) but it will look something like this.
It is clearly inspired by the Commodore 64, it will feature hotswap switches and full rgb of course. The first release will be wired only but if it is successful I’ll probably work on a wireless option.
The keyboard is currently codenamed M64 and I’m looking for a proper name for it. Any suggestions?!
It’s a lot to process and it’s only January! Let’s hope 2022 will bring better things than the previous two had to offer! Stay safe!
Comments
The keyboard is absolutely awesome, it’s about time to have a great keyboard with this vibe. My name suggestion is: Custom64. I would love in with solder option and multiple layout. Hit me up if you want someone to talk about it!
thanks for your suggestion. Someone suggested Commander64 which is not too bad
Disappointed in the lack of brown mods. Really frustrating to see Drop’s lack of concern with what people actually want.
Unfortunate I have decided to no longer purchase from Drop and won’t be able to get your lovely sets. Which is a shame because I like them a lot.
I wish you the best and hope that one day MT3 will be available in a way that can better meet what the community desires.
to tell the truth the burgundy option always sold more. it’s the hardcore users who understand the true value of the full brown option. We’ll see if Drop will add more kits.
Has Drop mentioned anything about the brown mods since they’ve recognized interest?
I’ll ask tomorrow
I sincerely love this, and thank you for your passion and efforts.
My only comment about the proposed keyboard (besides yes, please!) is I find it a little odd to intentionally move the Function keys to the left side, rather than over on the right like one might expect.
A couple of years ago the C64 community was blessed with the “MechBoard64,” so that name is taken.
Name suggestion:
MechBin64
;)
I thought about the function row on the left or right. Originally it was on the right but as a right handed person I found them to be better on the left for two reasons.
1) you can use your mouse and easily reach them with your left hand
2) the mouse can stay closer to the keyboard
but thanks for your input, it’s still early in the development so everything can change.
> 1) you can use your mouse and easily reach them with your left hand
This! I like this argument. Makes sense.
Sad to see no all brown just yet, but if they hype I’ve seen for this set so far pans out I think we’ll be able to convince Dorp, err I mean Drop to allow the brown mods to be made! Also love the concept of the KB you’re working with Vortex on! I think the C64% would be a fitting name that plays off both the retro inspiration & modern naming schemes of layouts. It kinda is a 64% KB without the XT column so the name fits to me at least LOL! Anyways GL with both projects moving forward! 👍
ah the 64% thing is not a bad idea :D
I want this so bad, the keyboard itself and the keycaps with brown mods. I like the Commander64 Idea.
how about CodeMore64? lul
the concept is looking pretty cool, ngl! I’m a little concerned about the layout tho. 1.25 shift and the arrows + fn sticking out by .5u feels off, even though it’s inspired by the original design.
How about a hhkb layout + F-cluster of 4 keys? You gotta get that long spacebar for the authentic feel haha. I made a very rough mockup https://imgur.com/a/C3xvFqB . The spacebar row is approximate and missing app keys I know, I’m at work so I don’t have much time to polish this, sorry :p
your design is not bad at all! Thanks. I kinda wanted to preserve the weird key staggering like in the original c64 though. I know that will trigger the OCD in many people but it’s very distinctive. The big-ass spacebar of course is another distinctive trait but of course we can’t do that :)
Ah this is so awesome! I would love to have this and definitely support it. For colour of the case, would you do the grey beige option instead of the lighter beige?
https://retrorepairsandrefurbs.files.wordpress.com/2021/06/c64-breadbin.jpg?w=1024
I would love to also be able to slot a C64 emblem in that spot on the top left.
Very excited!
I understand the wish for full brown in keeping with the Commodore 64. (Although the combination with the burgundy and green looks good too!)
However, I wasn’t a C64 kid. I was a Sharp MZ-700 kid! So I don’t have the same nostalgia for the C64 colourway.
Now, if you did it in the Sharp MZ-700 colourway it would be an instant buy from me!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharp_MZ#/media/File:Sharp_MZ-700.jpg
sad to see a lack of ergo options for the keyset. I love the colorway but don’t have any staggered boards anymore. I guess i can go for standard ortho, but i much prefer the ergo layouts.
Without an ergo kit I simply can’t buy this set despite how much I like the colorway. What’s the set MOQ for drop to actually add one? 50? 100?
I accidentally rub off the side printing in my /dev/tty keys (finger tips must be hitting the fronts of the keys in the row above while I type).
Are the front bits printed the same way on this set? Any idea if the printing on ABS would stand up better than on the PBT set?
can you show it to me? is it faded out or scraped out?
It would be really awesome to have either some international kit or just some blank variant with only the side legends.
Unfortunately ATM there is zero MT3 kit available for sale with an international kit at all on drop.com, beside the one that misses the “+*” key needed for ISO-DE :/
there’s no international support for doubleshot ABS and PBT sets are not many. When I release /dev/tty I always add ISO languages, the problem is that nobody buys them…
Hmm, strange, given at least it seems a lot of people in Germany search such sets :(
Anyways, thanks a lot for your great work!
Even blank sets would be great, but perhaps that sells even worse than the international kits. Will keep watching if somewhen the PBT sets run once more with international.
by the time i decided to get the iso was sold out and never back in stock. so someone must buy them.
not enough for Drop to care.
just to elaborate further. it’s not that they don’t sell AT ALL, it’s just that the cost-per-benefit ratio is not good enough.
if it were for me I would put every ISO language on the planet.
Anything you can tell us about the recently teased MT2 keycaps? I hope you have a role in their development!
Drop did that without telling me shit
That’s terrible
Commadore 64
Commaboard 64
Keymaboard 64%ish (K64ish)
Be happy you didn’t hire me.
I was so happy about this sets, I ordered everything from Drop, the base, the ortho, the extras, etc. Now they say it’s been cancelled. I feel so sad. It was going to be my birthday gift. :'( I hope it gets produced anytime soon. And with brown instead of reddish ones. I felt very fond of the green though… Nice tone.
Absolutely gutted these have been cancelled. Always thought MT3 was a good fit for a c64 set.
Hopefully we’ll run it again with also a full brown option!
I personally don’t like the burgundy and green keycaps. They are completely unrelated to the c64. All brown with optional grey, like the original c64 would be much better imo.
Also, as suggestion for the m64, I strongly recommend putting the function keys on the right side of the keyboard. Seems very silly on the left side, considering the c64 had them on the right side. Especially considering (almost) all keyboard layouts put additional keys on the right side (tkl, 65%, etc.). I don’t think being left or right handed makes any difference.
I’m not trying to do a C64 clone, it is simply inspired by. I like the F-row on the left because for a right handed it’s easier to access it when using a mouse.
Yeah, bit like those keycaps. It’s completely your choice of course. I’m a big c64 fan, so see this as a major issue, but this board is clearly not meant for me. Bit of a shame, but good luck anyway.
no, regarding Retro I agree with you. It should have been full brown. Drop chose not to make the full brown option and that was a mistake.
I just saw this and like the function keys on that collab with Vortex especially.
Any idea when there might be another run of the Retro keycaps? Brown would be better, but I like the MT3 profile (and the front printed PETSCII symbols, etc.) and need TKL to go with the MMStudio Class 80 I have on order.
Now if there was just a way to combine one of these with a small circuit board with C64 emulator, and a switch to go between standard PC keyboard and emulator functions, that would be perfect. I might have to get one of those C64 minis to pull apart and see what could be done with it.
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