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Can you actually order 2x keyboard caps as replacement or is that limited?
I ordered 1x keyboard each, 1x external and 1x internal.
Yes, you can order as many extra sets of keycaps as you like, as long as you have backed at least one Blingboard64 or BlingBox™. Anyone who backed keycaps by themselves are going to be refunded. I have refunded a ton of these already, but I am sure I have missed a few.
ALSO - THE CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN EXTENDED AN EXTRA DAY! There was some mixup on the end date (I think because of the time zone difference), so the campaign will end at 11:59PM PDT on August 12, 2024 (tonight my time).
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I decided to keep the campaign live for a bit longer. I want to show everyone what a completed BlingBox™ case is going to look like, and also show some of the features... one last period of time to back it before I close it for good. I won't have these available to the public to purchase until late in the year.
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There will be a few more stretch goals added. I will be making a video about the BlingBox™ because it is a completely unique and stand alone product all by itself, offering everything from basic USB keyboard emulation to full support for MiSTer, BMC64, VICE, TheC64 mini, and other systems. It also can be a keyboard for the SX-64, C128D, Amiga, and anything that uses a PS/2 interface - and you can make it an emulation station, emulating the VIC-20, C64, Spectrum, IBM PC/8088, Apple ][, along with various console systems. Wireless firmware flashing makes this such a versatile product.
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Well, I do also know the Amiga keyboards. I made some keyboard controller replacement IC's back in the day for the A500. I also know the protocol because the BlingBox™ supports it. At this point I literally just need to change the switch layout and the modify the case. This is literally a day's worth of work because everything else is done. I already made A500 replacement keycaps for myself - that occurred years ago during the C64 keycap campaign as a test. I would feel comfortable launching a campaign for the A500 replacement keyboard tomorrow. 
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Thank you everyone for your support!
I wanted to say a special thanks to @darkvision for posting answers to the various questions!
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As brilliant as the BlingBox is, for me and certainly a large part of the community it would have been a masterpiece if it had the C128D layout, i.e. all the keys like a C128D keyboard. That's what most people are missing, a keyboard for the C128D. The case is available as a 3D print file, but the keyboard itself is missing.
Maybe Jim could do this later as another Kickstarter? We would like that
Well, anything is possible. I am getting bombarded by the Amiga community to make an A500 replacement keyboard (with PC switches and compatible keycaps). If there is enough interest in a C128D keyboard, i would be willing to tackle it. I already know the keyboard inside and out because of emulating it (including the extra 24 keys) with the BlingBox™.
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Theoretically, you can connect the keyboard to the C64 using a DB25-C64-20Pin connector adapter cable, but that doesn't make much sense:
I agree, but a LOT of people have asked if I could make a cable that plugs into the DB25 and the other end have the 20 pin standard header for the internal keyboard - they want a hard wired external keyboard. This is certainly possible. This is really no different than the SX-64 keyboard at that point. You can connect that directly to the internal 20 pin header with the proper cable too.
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So the concept looks well thought out... but if you want to install your own switches, 5-pin is recommended, and that's not all of them! My MX Brown LEDs are only 3-pin.
Are the Gateron Pro G 3.0 in the campaign really “5-pin switches”?
Yes, they are. That is what is shown in the prototypes in campaign video and pictures. That's the only thing that works.
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As a MiSTer user, I would have ordered the Blingboard immediately if it had had either two USB sockets or, better yet, two 9-pin Sub-D joystick ports.
THAT would have been really cool and very close to the old C64 feeling... put the joysticks in the side and start playing
The two DB9 connectors is coming as an option!
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Twisting seems *almost* impossible... although I think the MechBoards only had 3 pins back then, and everything is straight (at least for me). However, there was also the black aluminum sheet that helped with alignment (missing on the BlingBoard64, see picture above, probably for good reasons, although I haven't had to adjust or replace anything yet).
So the concept looks well thought out... but if you want to install your own switches, 5-pin is recommended, and that's not all of them! My MX Brown LEDs are only 3-pin...
5 pin switches are NOT optional. There is NO WAY to use 3 pin switches. As soon as you start applying pressure from normal typing, the switch rotates. I tried many different brands of switches and the little wires (switch contact wires) are just too weak to hold the switch in place without rotating. 3 pin switches are designed ONLY for frame mount configurations. 5 pin switches were created for board mount configurations... it's the reason why they exist!
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Yeah, that should work.. it's pretty big though.
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The BlingBox™ is a stand alone keyboard that you can use with your PC, Mac, or Linux machine just like any standard USB keyboard. It also has a DB25 port to directly plug into either a SX-64 or C128D machine. That DB25 port can also be used to communicate with numerous other types of keyboard protocols, including PC/XT, PS/2, Amiga 1000/2000/3000/4000, and anything else that uses either 2 or 3 wires for the keyboard communications (I just need the info and I can add the support). You just need the DB25 to <whatever protocol end> cable. There is also Bluetooth support and I am working on some sort of internal power system so it can be fully wireless/portable. I am also looking at making a simple Bluetooth receiver for the C64 keyboard header. This would be handy for people with the C64 in the ITX form factor.
This keyboard will work directly via USB with VICE, MiSTer, BMC64. The keyboard mapping is fully adjustable so you can even do things like make it a ZWERT type keyboard (instead of QWERT).
The interface ports inside of the keyboard offers the ability to add a TFT display, audio output, SD card socket, and more. With a decent size display, you could literally use this box to emulate other retro systems, and play various arcade games, and even run DOOM.
Oh.. and it has LEDs too.
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Question for people with US ordering experience: Do you have a rough idea of what we could expect in terms of shipping costs to DE?
I posted a message about this in the campaign. A 16" x 6" x 2" package weighing 1 pound, 8oz going to Germany (Berlin in my quick check) was $26.90 for 1st class mail. If you want priority mail it was around $44.
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There will be a LIVE Q & A session via YouTube tomorrow night, Saturday May 11th at 8pm (German time).
https://www.youtube.com/@CBMSTUFF
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Well, the "optical design" is really just a plain box currently. I might add traditional Commodore ribs and such. The C128D is all smooth though, the SX-64 is a wedge - not much beauty with these. This new keyboard case I have designed is the same height as the C128D keyboard, and overall shorter in height than the SX-64 keyboard. it really doesn't "match" either of them very well because both of those are so different, and my focus was mostly for a traditional USB type of keyboard design. I have versions I have experimented with that have a OLED screen in the keyboard, which I *really* like because that can be a bunch of info such as time of day, up time for the computer, weather report, showing the keyboard mode, C64 voltage, special keys being pressed, etc. The issue really is where to put the display. I tried under the function keys, above the center of the keyboard, to the right of the space bar, etc. Nothing looks "right". The placement over the top/back of the keyboard is probably best so I have opted to make a slot in the case (where the halves join) for a cable, and a display can be driven from here. I can now support a TFT of any size through the display harness. I will be making a tiny (full color) display that sits on the back/top of the keyboard so it is molded to the same shape, which would be the closest look to having it inside of the box (and showing through). I will be updating the campaign about this later today.
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By the way, the Blingboard64 show in the campaign video has a solid gray (opaque) space bar and the colors still come through it. The translucent colors, especially black, are quite amazing!
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I centered the keycaps over the switches so that the keycap would not tilt when being pressed. On any keyboard where the key switch is not centered, the key will tip on the side that does not have the stem. There is also drag when pressing the keycap down because of the angle.
Some quick answers:
- YES, every single Blingboard64 comes with keycaps in your choice of colors.
- NO, these do not work with the Mechboard because of the base height difference and the keycap centering being different.
- NO, these keycaps are not available without purchasing a Blingboard64.
- YES, these keycaps will be available AFTER all of the backers have been shipped - the Blingboard64 keycaps do fit a standard PC keyboard that uses 1U/2U/3U size keycaps. There are quite a few keyboards with 96 and 101 keycaps where these fit perfectly.
- YES, the LEDs are NORTH mounted inside of the switch body (which is clear). Using a SOUTH mounting results in the keycaps not evenly illuminated, and the front most keycaps blind you (you can see the raw LEDs). If you look at the color demo in the campaign video you will see just how well the keycaps are illuminated, and that is 30% brightness.
- YES, I have a stand alone case designed for production, and I will be posting pictures of it this weekend. If the stretch goal is met, then I will make and add it as an available perk. This case fits the Blingboard64 without the frame assembly, making it low profile (405mm x 130mm x 21mm). It has a DB25 connector for plugging into a SX-64 or C128D. It also has a USB-C connector for plugging into any computer that can use a USB keyboard.
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That campaign went live yesterday and was funded in 17 hours! There are still 30 days left... so I am planning a slew of stretch goals!
https://www.indiegogo.com/proj…ore-computer/x/10899210#/
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I prefer to acquire directly from Jim,
but the shop mentioned is directly from JIM!
LOL! Yes, this is my shop.
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I am surprised that board works - that is a poor quality knock off, made by someone who was selling them on ebay in 2012.
In that time there was someone from UK cloning quite some C64 and C128 hardware. To my knowledge he was the only source then to actually get such hardware from, it was a great opportunity to have this option. But I don't know for sure if this clone is actually his.
The board looks like the same one from the guy in the UK that was selling them. I had to file a complaint with ebay and had a letter sent off from my attorney telling him to stop selling anything that I own the rights to... which is everything from Megasoft, Utilities Unlimited, Final Source Software, and Underware. The guy responded right away, and stopped doing it.
