Blingboard64 - New keyboard for the Commodore 64

[Marcio D.]

If you're in the market to replace your old, broken C64 keyboard, check out this campaign:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/keyboard-for-your-commodore-computer#/


The campaign originally ended May 31, 2024, but has been re-opened for a limited time due to overwhelming demand from Commodore fans worldwide.

In addition to the Blingboard64 keyboard replacement, also check out the BlingBox on the same page, which is a standalone keyboard that can be attached to SX-64, C128D, Amiga, PC, MiSTer, BMC64, etc.

 

[davewongillies]

I really wish there was an option to buy it without the switches

 

[Marcio D.]

The printing cost for the keycaps ended up being more than double of what was budgeted during the campaign. To offset the difference in printing costs without paying more out of pocket, the project manager is offering a pre-order of 60 additional Blingboard64 units at the campaign price. That means you can pre-order and pay the same price as folks who backed the crowdfunding campaign last year. After these 60 units are gone, the product will be sold at a higher price.


Kit: https://www.cbmstuff.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=59_87&product_id=163


Fully assembled: https://www.cbmstuff.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=59_87&product_id=164

 

[Marcio D.]

A couple of months ago, Jim Drew offered a pre-order of 60 additional Blingboard64 units at the campaign price to offset the increase in printing costs. Now in July 2025 and heading into August 2025, he's offering you another chance at pre-ordering a Blingboard64.

As you know, the upcoming Commodore 64 Ultimate (https://www.commodore.net) will use the basic Blingboard technology developed by Jim. However, Jim refers to the C64 Ultimate keyboard as "Blingboard64 Lite Edition". In other words, that keyboard in the C64 Ultimate will be less powerful than the keyboard offered in the crowdfunding campaign and recent pre-orders. Jim explains it this way:

The Lite Edition is really a VERY stripped down version of the keyboard from this campaign. It has basically none of the advanced features. You can think of the Lite Edition as just a very nice keyboard with LEDs and a 4 pin connector that plugs into Gideon's U64 board. The U64 itself provides the features.

The Blingboard64 in this campaign is very different because it has support for USB and Bluetooth BLE, a dual core CPU, expansion port, wireless programming, macros (recording and playback), 2MB of RAM fully accessible from the C64 side, ability to off-load calculations to the keyboard's CPU, and much, much, more!

Kit: https://www.cbmstuff.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=59_87&product_id=163

Fully assembled: https://www.cbmstuff.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=59_87&product_id=164

Campaign page: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/keyboard-for-your-commodore-computer#/

 

[JDW]

The printing cost for the keycaps...

Weren't the original C64 keyboard keys double-shot with two different colors of plastic to ensure nothing could possibly wear off over time? I never owned a C64 back in the day, so I have no idea. Many good keyboards of that era did use double-shot keys, even HP calculators, and that's why many of the keycaps hold up even to this very day.

...the upcoming Commodore 64 Ultimate (https://www.commodore.net) will use the basic Blingboard technology developed by Jim. However, Jim refers to the C64 Ultimate keyboard as "Blingboard64 Lite Edition". In other words, that keyboard in the C64 Ultimate will be less powerful...

I have one of chose C64 Ultimates on pre-order (sales tracker here) so I appreciate that info very much. And by "less powerful" it seems that many features that are "missing" in the "lite" keyboard are found in the C64 Ultimate's computer PCB, as per what Jim says:

"The Lite Edition... has basically none of the advanced features... The U64 itself provides the features."

So because the C64 Ultimate provides a lot of functionality, it's not the end of the world that the "lite" keyboard doesn't offer all the features that its full-featured version, and those feature are mentioned by Jim here:

"...it has support for USB and Bluetooth BLE, a dual core CPU, expansion port, wireless programming, macros (recording and playback), 2MB of RAM fully accessible from the C64 side, ability to off-load calculations to the keyboard's CPU, and much, much, more!"

I don't think we're missing USB and Bluetooth based on the feature set of the C64 Ultimate, and it has an expansion port too from what I understand. Not sure what "wireless programming is" or why that is lust worthy. Ditto about "macros." Having 2MB RAM on a C64 is interesting, but most apps probably wouldn't take advantage of it. It's the main reason why I've never lusted after a RAM expansion board for my Apple IIc. Not sure what C64 apps benefit from "off-loading calculations." And of course, I don't know what "much, much more" means.

That's not to say the full-featured keyboard might be useful to some people, but it doesn't seem that the "lite" keyboard is limiting the forthcoming C64 Ultimate all that much. Or am I overlooking something?

 

[Marcio D.]

So because the C64 Ultimate provides a lot of functionality, it's not the end of the world that the "lite" keyboard doesn't offer all the features that its full-featured version...

"That's not to say the full-featured keyboard might be useful to some people, but it doesn't seem that the "lite" keyboard is limiting the forthcoming C64 Ultimate all that much. Or am I overlooking something?

It's going to be interesting to see what exactly the "full" version provides that the "lite" version can't replicate with the help of the C64 Ultimate.

The original fulfillment date for the crowdfunded items was August/September 2024, so we're almost a year overdue by this point.

The delay was due to none of the mid-level printing companies being able to produce quality that satisfied Jim's very high standards. But now that Jim needs to produce several thousand more sets of keycaps for his end of the C64 Ultimate deal, he's suddenly able to command the attention of the high-level printing companies. Jim reports that the newest printing results at this high level are much more promising so far!