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VIC20 with Pet keyboard article on oldcomputer.com

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2014 9:48 am
by nippur72
while googling found this nice sharp picture of an early vic20 with pet keyboard:

http://www.oldcomputr.com/commodore-vic-20-1981/

check out the rest of the blog, there are lot of other commodores

Re: VIC20 with Pet keyboard article on oldcomputer.com

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:00 pm
by rgrocha
Very nice photos!!!

Re: VIC20 with Pet keyboard article on oldcomputer.com

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 10:57 am
by Jeff-20
I have one of those! I'm afraid to use the keys though. Too precious.


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Re: VIC20 with Pet keyboard article on oldcomputer.com

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 1:17 pm
by orion70
I really like that blog. It's run by an Italian guy, wonder if he ever lurked around here :)
It's very focused on design, which is one of my soft spots. Makes me want every single retrocomputer depicted...

Re: VIC20 with Pet keyboard article on oldcomputer.com

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 1:48 pm
by rgrocha
BTW, were all PAL VICs with the PET keybard shipped with the VIC-1001 like box?
Mine is not but I don't know if it was repackaged later by an user or was factory shipped this way.

Re: VIC20 with Pet keyboard article on oldcomputer.com

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2014 1:39 am
by nippur72
I always wondered what is like to type on a VIC20 pet keyboard, are there any the differences with normal keys? how is the touch like?

In the old days I remember an acquaintance of ours had a PET in his office and once I went to visit it briefly. I can remember the black screen and the green text with the bootup screen similar to my VIC20. But don't remember anything about the keys.

Re: VIC20 with Pet keyboard article on oldcomputer.com

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2014 4:26 am
by rhurst
I had one S/N in the 200k range. The keyboard was ok, flatter caps with a little jiggle, longer travel. My younger brother bought the later model, I envied the curvature and tighter key caps, but as a typist the feel was awkward. Built for the masses not the classes, right?

Re: VIC20 with Pet keyboard article on oldcomputer.com

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2014 11:14 am
by Jeff-20
The pet keys also feel "tilted upward" a little too much. The hands must be held at a higher angle. Not as comfortable as later models.


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Re: VIC20 with Pet keyboard article on oldcomputer.com

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2014 1:49 pm
by vicist
I have a Pet keyboard Vic - serial no. WGB 1606. The keys are made of a Bakelite type material, very bouncy travel and noisy as hell when typing anything. I still remember my wife shouting from the bedroom to be quiet when she was trying to sleep while I was walloping in a listing from a magazine. :shock:
I also have a later model given to me by a friend. The keys are plastic and more rounded, softer to the touch, feel tighter with less bounce and much quieter to type on. I hardly ever use it though as I prefer my noisy original Vic. :)

Re: VIC20 with Pet keyboard article on oldcomputer.com

Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 11:23 am
by oldcomputr
Hi all... I do lurk here from time to time, especially when I search for some specific info about the VIC 20.
I never registered to the forum, but it was about time to correct that mistake :-)

Re: VIC20 with Pet keyboard article on oldcomputer.com

Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 1:12 pm
by orion70
And yet another Italian guy!!! WELCOME aboard and have fun with us VIC lovers!
Please feel free to ask / tell your experience / fiddle with games and programs, and of course write your own :)

Re: VIC20 with Pet keyboard article on oldcomputer.com

Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 11:28 pm
by rgrocha
Oldcomputr, hello and congrats for a so fantastic work at your site! I spend (nit waste!) my dead times there just contemplating such pieces or art!

Re: VIC20 with Pet keyboard article on oldcomputer.com

Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 2:02 am
by orion70
..oh, and of course congratulations for your site(s) :D

Re: VIC20 with Pet keyboard article on oldcomputer.com

Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 3:31 am
by oldcomputr
Thanks for the warm welcome and the flattering compliments :-)
The next article on the site will be about the Macintosh Plus, but then I'll be back on Commodore with some pictures and a short video of a Commodore MPS 801. I found the print ribbon on Amazon at a decent price, I'll order it because I'd like to show the printer... well, printing: I don't like when items are shown turned off like giant paperweights or "collectibles".

Re: VIC20 with Pet keyboard article on oldcomputer.com

Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 7:54 am
by nippur72
love your avatar!