[US] Spectravideo SVI SV-328 - $29.95 BIN

[Sam]

Anyone know what switches were used in the keyboard?  The keycaps look halfway decent.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260713792107

[microsoft windows]

It probably used some sort of linear switch.

[quadibloc]

I thought I would do some searching to find out, one way or another. On old-computers.com, however, I found this comment: "it's also probably the worst mechanical keyboard in history. It can be best described as putting your hands in to a pile of jelly and trying to type something.", so I'm afraid I can't provide good news.

However, that page, and that comment, were about the later SVI-728. The SVI-328 might have been better. The machine was made in Hong Kong for an American company.

[Sam]

I found this:

The SV-328 differs from the SV-318 in that it has a full-stroke keyboard with 86 keys. In addition to the keys on the SV-318, the SV-328 has a numeric keypad and arithmetic function keys to the right of the main keyboard, and the cursor control pad is replaced by four directional keys. The keyboard has an excellent tactile feel, and we had no need to leave the keyclick sound on.

http://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v9n9/16_SpectraVideo_SV318_and_S.php

[quadibloc]

Well, I'm glad that there are grounds for optimism. The SV 318, of course, is a machine with a push-button keyboard, the keys being like pocket calculator keys. An SV-328 is well worth that price as a collector's item, however, whatever its keyboard may be like.

[Sam]

Well it's gone now.  If anyone here got it would be interested to hear a report of what they keys are like.

[Lenny_Nero]

Found a link on that old computer site to my first computer game,
Something I still have ...in its box up in the top workshop.

http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=3&c=1288

I remember my dad getting it for me saying that they had made/coded (well punched the cards for) the same sort of game on an IBM 1401 in the early `60's IIRC.

Might have to have a dig, I know there is a Dragon 32, BBC and its Acorn Electron cheepo remix, might even still have the Bluebird 300/300 (1200/75) modem I got for my BBC in 1983.