I Put RGB in an Apple IIc... and you won't hate it
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ม.ค. 2025
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Today, we've got both versions of an all new mechanical keyboard replacement for the venerable (and adorable) Apple IIc!
LINKS:
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🍎 MacEffects: maceffects.com...
🍎 Original Kickstarter: www.kickstarte...
🍎 Joe's Computer Museum: @JoesComputerMuseum
🍎 Javier: @ARCJavMaster
(Amazon links are affiliated links)
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#AppleII #MacEffects #rgb
There is a more powerful CPU in the keyboard than in the computer.
^ literally this
that's hilarious
lol was about to say the same thing
I was actually afraid to ask about this
I'm surprised the grey keycaps weren't double-shot so the characters would light up. That's like 50% of the point of having backlit keys
Yeah, its sad not to see that on them, would make it a way better mod in my opinion
They probably are double shot with two opaque plastics.
@@clairekholin6935 correct me if i'm wrong but the clear keycaps looked screen printed and i don't see why they'd have a separate process for the grey if they weren't going to doubleshot clear legends for them
Not a fan of crazy RGB lighting but seeing it on such an old computer will always be cool. Glad to see it doesn't require some hardware mod or external power.
My one criticism would be that the letters aren't translucent on the grey one. It would ruin the stealth nature of that color option tbf.
Indeed, that would be so much better, and when the lighting is off it would look quite original.
I actually ordered the gray one. And I knew that would be the thing. But I wanted something that is going to look authentic but is a modern replacement that feels really good. For me, the lighting is an afterthought.
I love the formfactor of the IIc.
I hate it because it is the antithises of the II's expandability design philosophy, but it's just so neat to have an all in one plug into a monitor 'solution.'
I'd love to see MacEffects make an ADB Extended Keyboard II with LEDs and clear keycaps to go with the clear SE/30 and ADB mouse case.
I’d just love an ADB keyboard with modern mechanical key switches.
It would be an awesome addition to Sean's Cursed Mac
This for sure !!!!!1
As somebody who accidentally broke the disk Drive lever and super glued it back on slightly crooked and managed to get super glue on one of the keys and then didn't know how to remove it and ended up scraping off a little bit of the lettering. Well also liking clearer things and wanting to use there IIc more......
Do they make a clear case for the Apple IIc? The clear keyboard would look rad in one.
You're right, i dont hate it, its actually amazing, well done sean!
Having worked with SmartPort at a low level, I *know* that second cable is going to hijack the floppy port to use some invalid drive phase states to send the RGB commands to the keyboard. I'm not sure if it's going to be something separate from SmartPort, or an actual SmartPort character device (something that existed in the specification but was never implemented until the modern day, ie the 2020s), but either way I know it's going to be amazing and cursed!
Yes, A Mod stood out for decades.
I hope there are kits like this for other lines of retro computers.
Seriously, says on the Kickstarter for IIc not IIc plus... I got a IIc plus that the keyboard has some keys not working. This would be a cool fix and mod!
thats so rad. i love those modern rdb effects on retro hardware. I agree the grey looks the best with the wild rgb accents.
It seems so obvious that the key fonts should be clear on the gray keyboard - so the lights could actually show what each character is. Additionally, with the pass thru cable they blasted right past a
Chance to offer low cost upgrades like more RAM, and perhaps the ability to plug in other devices. At that cost - no thanks. But hey, cool stuff Fo sho.
Even though these RGB shenanigans aren't for me. I just love that the Apple II line is getting all sorts of love in the retro community. ☺
13:31 the way the camera angle and key italics interact make it look like someone added the text in post, unedited. Like the letters are just floating there!
The clear RGB keyboard looks awesome, but I think the coloured keys would be too distracting when typing as the letters on the keys are very thin and get lost in the colour.
When I was younger, after playing around with the Vic 20 and the Commodore 64, I had purchased for me, the Apple IIc. It was the best computer I had ever had in the 80s. In case you are too young and never experienced the Apple IIc, this little computer was just super. There was actually quite a bit of software developed for the IIc, from financial software to games, awesome games like for example, the Ultima series. For such a limited amount of memory and hardware, the IIc could handle a lot ! I wish I still had my old Apple IIc, what a great way to introduced into the 1980's computer world.
The IIc’s hardware looks so beautiful
Can't wait to get mine! (and did you know that handle also works as a stand to prop up the IIc? 😉)
Given the older original keyboard seems to be more common, it’s great to have a good, modern replacement.
But unless they do a clear or perhaps black case, the clear RGB keyboard just looks wrong.
I think it's great that these old computers are getting drop-in replacement keyboards. More than that, I am so excited that there are people out there developing software for Apple II and classic Macs.
Nice! Wonder why they didnt have the color come through the letters themselves.
Super cool! Love the look of the clear one
Why is everybody making transparent keyboards with blinking LEDs for vintage computers? I don't really understand what that christmas tree fashion has to offer. And it's quite hard to read the print on the keys by the way... Well on the good side, the feeling of that keyboard must be nice.
I could see myself getting the gray version if I had a 2c with a dead keyboard, but as you say the key caps are pretty much invisible on the clear version, and I don’t have the muscle memory for using a 2c keyboard without looking at it.
I gave an extra thumbs up today for your cunning use of the word "betwixt".
Well done, sir.
With my old eyes I would want the key letters to have been illuminated. Still cool though.
They look cool!
Just imagine if those things existed back in the day?
And just imagine if they made the key caps like those transparent caps-lock buttons on the old IBM keyboards where the light came through the text on the keycap itself!
rgb backlights for all your hardcore competitive Oregon trail gaming pc
Growing up, my dad had a IBM PC, as well as an Atari 800 (which he had written a few games from magazines). My first game console was a Nintendo. I remember hanging out with my best friend, who's father had an Apple IIc Plus. I remember quite a few times us playing The Three Stooges on the Apple. The monitor was a grayscale monitor....funny you're adding some color to an Apple II by way of keyboard. I also have some fond memories of the original Apple II: in elementary school, playing monochrome Oregon Trail from the bulky Apple IIs.
Clear keyboard should go to the clear apple ii for sure.
This needs double-shot keycaps with clear legends.
The clanners made a variant of the apple II. damn
next step : a //c clear case :)
It's a dream (that will never be fullfilled because I'm poor and in France the AppleIIC is very rare) to have this adorable computer and its even more adorable screen! Thanks for giving a bit of dream via video sir ;)
That’s so cool. I recently acquired a IIc that had been in a barn for YEARS… filthy. Doesn’t work yet. It even has the somewhat rare COLOR IIc display. Do you know if anybody makes an RGB kit to go in the front of the original cheese grater Mac Pros? I always thought that was pretty awesome.
The clear version looks way to prototype-ish and the backlighting effect washes out the letters The whole point to lighting up a keyboard is to see the characters in the dark without having to turn on a light I do like the look of the white keyboard and I would totally get it if my computer had broken keys or need replacing.
I like the 2c it doesn't take up much more space on a desk then a laptop I need to get one.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought it looked like E.T. 😂
I loved my IIc... just didn't have access to the software at the time that I needed to make it useful. I'd definitely buy this if I still had one!
The most amazing thing is it's a Kickstarter which actually shipped something.
THE ACE OF SPADES!!!
Nice, yes, but imagine how crushed some when they saw the headline and thought it meant "RGB video". I'd love to get color-out that was not composite (like RGB2HDMI does on the IIc). The A2VGA from a2heaven is perpetually out of stock.
Hi
the long ribbon cable is for (RGB)
Ok. I need it. How did it miss this?! It’s sold out on the Mac effects page :( how often do they restock things like this? Because I NEED IT!!
This was pretty cool. I'm not the biggest fan of RGB lighting, but I liked this more than I expected. The clear keyboard was surprising to me. I though I would like it less, but it turned out I ended up liking it the better of the two. The fact that the RGB doesn't show through the gray keys (only the gaps) makes it look less impressive somehow. Pretty neat keyboard upgrade these guys made. 👍
Cool :) but also like the irony of mods probably containing more processing power than the computer itself :)
nice..both keyboards look great
Retro Apple shenanigans time woot!!
I still find it kinda funny I would never own/use a Apple product, yet I'm hooked on this channel
Same. Classic Macs are super interesting but I would never support modern Apple.
The apple 2 series was apple when it wasn't run my an egotistical madman. Those are pure hobbyist machines, and worth your time if you are at all interested in retro computing from the 70's and 80's. I own apple 2+, 2e, 2gs machines, and they are great fun. Plus there is a ton of software out there for these machines.
They were truly part of the computing landscape. You owe it to yourself to see what apple was making before they became the evil empire they are today.
@@DeCapitanOG indeed
@@jeromethiel4323 my only experience with anything Apple was the Apple II's my school had in elementary, other than that I've been souly a PC user/Android user
If you’re stuck with the “bad” Apple IIc keyboard like me: I found that removing the rubber mat, removing the hairpins, and cleaning each switch with isopropyl alcohol makes it a pretty tolerable keyboard if you’re okay with linear-feeling switches. I’d still love to get a MacEffects for it, though!
That is totally nuts dood!
I hope the floppy passthrough cable will work and fit with the BMOW Internal/External Drive Switcher for the Apple IIc. I hope they eventually sell these in their store, because the original scissor switch keyboard on my IIc is hot garbage.
If I still had my apple //c, I'd buy one. RGB is cool. Grey with the backlighting.
The ol Snow White is definitely looking more “yellow snow” right now.
We never got to play around with these in school. We regularly had access to Apple 2s and Mac LCs. I remember once in middle school, the library had a couple Apple 2c machines for running the card catalog (remember those?) and for printing of reference material. They were so tiny by comparison, i thought it was cool. 😮
We had a bunch of 2c’s. They were really well designed
Very nice. Would be better if every key had its own led instead of just certain spots.
the acrylic keycap?? so pretty
These are pricey, but for me it was worth it. The non-Alps keyboard that I have is so bad it makes me not want to use my IIc at all. This solves that problem.
So, does the RGB make the IIc as fast as a IIgs running Apple II software?
Bummed, check out the link, not current available, anxiously waiting.
I definitely prefer the the gray option - the clear one would get old for me too fast, I think.
I checked the website, they’re sold out already 🤦♂️
Love your videos, but next time you make one with the //c, can you please use the carry handle to prop it up like designed - my eyes hurt seeing it sitting flat on the desk!!
Now I want to see you upgrade this //c to ridiculous levels... Add a ROM 4Xc and what not!
So are you going to upgrade this to within an inch of its life? I need inspiration to figure out how to do the ram upgrade for it.
10:20 From what I can see, it seems like only every other row is illuminated. Which doesn't look that good, but still an interesting product. I would prefer no lighting and simply a good keyboard replacement. Edit added time stamp.
Oh wow I would love one,I have a Apple IIC+ with missing key caps,wonder if there is a version for the IIC+ ? Still want one for my IIC though...
Well great.... now I HAVE to do this... you had me at Apple Butter. But seriously, thanks for the shenanigans, as fun as ever!
Nooooo! Sold out!
I think the clear keyboard looks best. :)
No one is true Retrowave without this. =P
one of these days i need to figure out how to operate my 2c, ive got a few external drives wiht it and my research pulled up that different board revisions get wierd with external drives, as a bonus, its got some kind of mod crammed into it, ram i assume that im afraid to mess wiht given how its attached
I generally don't like multicolored LEDs as they usually look like a clown got caught in a particle accelerator. That said, the rainbow look actually matches the Apple logo of the era, and actually works pretty well here.
This Keyboard now has way more computing Power than the complete Apple IIc originally.
I need a M2 Pro Mac Studio's guts inside a IIc with that keyboard!
Just to let you know:
You should've done the soundtest with the keyboard IN the chassis of 2C due to it dampening out some of the sounds, so it would be more "authentic" in comparison. But it still sounds magnificent c:
What switches are they, if you know by a chance?
How does the monitor go onto the computer does the handle act as a holder?
It's a separate stand that's attached to the monitor, which holds it above the Apple IIc.
They should make more Alps keycap sets
there was supposed to be a clear one with nickel plated frame but apparently the nickel plating did not come out.
Oh. I thought the non-clear keys would let the light through the letters. That would make it better. But you can always just swap the alps standard keycaps for your own choice of alps stem keycaps.
Grey one looks way nicer.
can this be done to the apple IIe ?
Can I have your Alps keyboard now you're not using it 😂?
i don't know if it is the camera but the text on the grey board seem very faint and soft?
Thats cray cray
If you saved an Apple from being scrapped would it be scrapple? (More PA Apple puns!)
Nice : what the price for the keyboard ? their website is down...
So Cool!!!
The IIc is cute but no longer has slots for expansion cards.
Wow. You threw out a very rare alps amber board bruhhh
i think this cable does something
I can't say I like RGB much, besides, the Apple IIC's origonal keyboard is absolutely fantastic. I don't understand why people would want to replace it. It's pure joy to type on.
>Apple IIC's origonal keyboard is absolutely fantastic. I don't understand why people would want to replace it
Easy.. because there were more than version of Apple IIc keyboards, and you do not have the version everyone hates.
I have the version you don't (the one everyone hates) and I can tell you it is worse than a membrane keyboard. Much worse..
If you're going to get all 'technical' on us, you need to give us a clicky-clacky scale to go by!
I can only thing of the Oregon Trail when I see this
I think the second cable is RGB
Cool!
Just got a //c the other day and will be doing a full restore. The keyboard is kinda shit so this would be a great upgrade. I also have a never opened replacement logic board just in case.
Damn, you know how much a plastic mould takes to make?! These lads must be running at a loss unless they scored an old one.
I dont own a mac and I dont got any plans to get one, but that is pretty cool. I do think the best mods are the ones that are reversible and dont damage the computer in most cases. Love your stuff and keep up the amazing work 👽🤘🏻
You were right, OP. I don't hate it; I loathe it. Time to put the handy "block channel" plug-in to use.