Atari 400 with aftermarket board

[Hak Foo]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Atari-400-computer-for-parts-W-B400-keyboard-and-48K-memory-/121055619983?pt=US_Vintage_Computers_Mainframes&hash=item1c2f7a2b8f

The switch shown looks like one of those pre-MX Cherry switches, and the caps are reminiscent of very old Cherry doubleshots.

The 400 normally has a terrible membrane typing surface.

[IvanIvanovich]

Yep, Cherry M8 low profile switch. There are other later Atari models that used MX too... don't remember what right now, had the blue on grey keycaps.

[Hak Foo]

That would be the XE series most likely.  The 800 and XL series had black keys.  I should pull out my spare 600XL and check the switches, but it's almost brand new.

That surprises me, because by then, Atari had clearly taken residence at the low end; you'd expect a bargain Foam and Foil sort of keyboard.

[IvanIvanovich]

It's back, or it's another one with M8 Cherry. http://www.ebay.com/itm/ATARI-400-COMPUTER-48K-KEYBOARD-COVER-PS-/200997941879?pt=US_Vintage_Computers_Mainframes&hash=item2ecc693277

[Mr. C]

That would be the XE series most likely.  The 800 and XL series had black keys.  I should pull out my spare 600XL and check the switches, but it's almost brand new.

That surprises me, because by then, Atari had clearly taken residence at the low end; you'd expect a bargain Foam and Foil sort of keyboard.

I had a Atari 400, couldn't afford an Apple. It was my first personal computer. It did have a membrane keyboard. I bought a replacement mechanical keyboard, probably from the back pages of Byte or Interface Age magazine. I gave it to charity 15 years ago. Also I had a Apple Lisa in my attic for years. It seems like it had a mechanical keyboard as well.