estes@tty3b.UUCP (08/15/83)
I am currently investigating a replacement keyboard for my Apple ][. Not only has my current keyboard worn out (several keys either repeat undesirably, or do not function regularly.), but I would also like to have a full ASCII keyboard (with upper/lower case, and all those nifty characters not on a standard Apple ][ keyboard.) The best solution I have found so far is to buy an Apple IIe keyboard and wire up the matrix myself. The Apple IIe uses GI's general purpose keyboard encoder and a 2716 to provide for shift, caps lock, etc. I would appreciate any help from persons who have experience or opinions on the subject. Most importantly, where do I find a keyboard that doesn't have too many more keys than the Apple ][ keyboard, so I don't have to hack the case too much. Thanx, Ted Estes ...ihnp4!tty3b!estes
estes@tty3b.UUCP (08/29/83)
A while ago I posted a request for information about installing
a full ASCII keyboard on my Apple II+. I received a few suggestions,
got a few requests on what I found, and did some research of my own.
...tekid!dennisw suggested looking at the keyboards advertised
in Byte by various vendors. These ads have keyboards ranging in price
from $80 to $100. The descriptions for the above say something like
"Apple II compatable" or "ASCII keyboard for Apple II", etc. They do not
say how many keys are on the keyboard, or if one can get {}[]\|~` with
the keyboard, or if one has to hack at the case to accommodate extra keys
(which one would assume are necessary to get a full ASCII set). I was
therefore very skeptical. If anyone has bought one of these, and found
it to offer a FULL ascii set, let me know via netmail.
...tekecs!davids sent a nice summary of various options for those
desiring a new keyboard. These options included 1) replace keyboard with
one of those separate, detached units, 2) buy and ascii keyboard and build
into the Apple case, and 3) install Videx Keyboard Enhancer and Funtion
Strip. Dave disliked the detached units because the $300 price tag did not
buy one many extra options. I don't like them because I already have a
computer, monitor, 2 disk drives, printer, paddles, joystick, modem, etc.,
taking up room on my computer stand, and cannot spare the extra space needed
for a detached keyboard.
Dave recommended the Videx Keyboard Enhancer. It gives the user
full ascii, plus keyboard macro edit/download capability. The full ascii
set is realized by control key sequences, which Dave assured me was a very
workable solution to the problem. The Function Strip adds 16 user programmable
keys.
I have decided, however, to go with an Apple IIe keyboard and hack
it into my case. My reasons for this decision included 1) compatability with
existing software, 2) esthetically pleasing, 3) usable by a novice, and 4)
I was looking for a hardware project. The IIe keyboard can be purchased from
an Apple dealer for about $88. Also necessary for the project are an
AY-5-3600-PRO keyboard encoder from General Instruments (about $11) and a
2716 EPROM (price variable, depending upon whether or not you buy it). Find
a IIe manual and copy the schematic for the keyboard encoder from it. (Note
that AKD means "any key down".) I will not recommend how to get the codes
to program into the 2716, but will point out that it gives you total
flexibility as to where you map your codes. Also a decision needs to be made
about repeating characters, as this function is provided by a custom MOS chip
in the IIe. All this extra stuff needs to be stuck on a little piggy-back
board. I am in the process of ordering the necessary items. When I get a
working version, I will post my results, and offer a schematic of the final
design.
Thanks to those who responded,
Ted Estes
Teletype Corp., Skokie, IL
{otuxa, we13, ihnp4}!tty3b!estesir320@sdccs6.UUCP (ir320) (06/05/84)
This is a hardware question. I am trying to add a * REAL * * FULL *
keyboard to my Apple ][+. I know there are $300 keyboards available,
but I don't want function keys, etc. I just want a full keyboard
which can plug into the existing Apple keyboard encoder. Is there a
way to use the $40 ascii encoded keyboards with my Apple.
Thanks, John Antypas
...!noscvax!sdcsvax!sdccs6!ix255
arpa: sdcsvax!sdccs6!ix255@Berkeleyir320@sdccs6.UUCP (ir320) (06/07/84)
I have found a keyboard which can be attatched to an Apple with
little dificulty. In the May 84 Byte Pge. 66 Jameco Electronics is
selling a par. Cherry keyboard for $29.95 (I can find a case
somewhere) and more than one person I have talked to said if you keep
the cable short, you'll have no timing problem. (Even if you did,
it's just a small 50 cent fix.) The entire job, keyboard, case, wired
cable and apple 16 pin wired connector should take less than an hour
so I'm told. Total cost less case $35
John Antypas
UC San DIego
UUCP: ...!noscvax!sdcsvax!sdccs6!ix255
arpanet: sdcsvax!sdccs6!ix255@BerkeleyThomka.es@XEROX.ARPA@sri-unix.UUCP (06/13/84)
There are lots of ways to give yourself a REAL FULL keyboard, on your
Apple.
One way is to connect any cheap fully encoded ASCII keyboard to your
present 16pin socket (A7) on the Apple motherboard. You will have to be
sure that there is a keyboard stobe (positive pulse) at pin 2 for each
key press. Just hook up the proper TTL lines to the proper pins. Check
out the Apple reference manual
The problem is you may end up not having a RESET key, then, and
the left and right arrows may not be correct (you could use ctrl-H for
left arrow, and ctrl-U for the right arrow).
Another way is: to buy an aftermarket Apple-type fully encoded ASCII
keyboard. These can be found in price ranges between $75 and $400.
There are some fairly decent ones for about $150. Almost always these
keyboards give you some real nice features too.
Another way is: to buy a new encoder board (assumming that you have one
of the later 2-piece keyboards). Replace that old encoder board, which
hangs under the keyboard and above the motherboard, with a better one
made by Videx. That gives you full ASCII keyboard, plus some real nice
things, like macros and automatic repeats.
Or you can modify your present encoder board (assumming that you have
one of the later 2-piece keyboards). There is already a cheap way to
add one DPDT switch to it and get an UPPER/lowercase keyboard with the
shift key really working. Look at the board and you'll see a place to
add a switch, after you cut some etches that are already there. There
are still about 10 keys you won't be able to enter (like {}|\ etc.) but
you'll be real close and you can't beat the price.
--------------------------------------
A problem you'll have with all of those solutions will show up when you
try to enter lowercase characters in Apple DOS or AppleSoft. There is a
small bit of code, in the monitor, called CAPTST, that converts any
lowercase characters to UPPERcase. Here you can either buy or make your
own modified monitor or simply load the Applesoft and monitor into your
16K card and change location $FD83 to $FF (unmodified $FD83 is $DF).
Doing this you can then enter lowercase in Apple DOS or AppleSoft. By
the way, most word processors and applications packages requiring
lowercase, CP/m is another, do not use the Apple monitor, thus there is
no problem caused by the $FD83 being $DF. I say that because you
usually don't need to modify your monitor since those applications
packages can read your UPPER/lowercase keyboard directly, they don't
care what kind of monitor (whether or not it converts lower to
UPPERcase) you have.
Another problem you will have in regular Apple 40 column mode is that
you will not be able to see lowercase characters unless you have a
lowercase display chip. Such as a Dan Paymar or, as I recommend, the
Lazer Lowercase Plus board.
What will you see if you don't have lowercase? abcdef looks like
!"#$%&
Without having a lowercase keyboard how can you see if you have a
lowercase display chip? Enter this simple one line:
PRINT CHR$(100)
If a lowercase "d" prints, you have a lowercase display chip. If a "$"
prints, then you don't have a lowercase display chip.
A more extensive test would be to print all the displayable
(non-control) ASCII characters. Enter this program:
10 FOR A = 33 TO 127
20 PRINT CHR$(A);
30 NEXT
RUN
You should see is all the characters;
starting at the special characters !"# and numbers etc.,
through the UPPERcase ABC's etc.,
next getting the special characters [ \ ] ^ and underline,
and finally going into the lowercase abc's,
ending with the last special characters { | } ~ and RUB.
!"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~
Chuckhwalt@BRL-TGR.ARPA (08/01/84)
From: Howard Walter (info-apple) <hwalt@BRL-TGR.ARPA> ----- Forwarded message # 1: Received: from simtel20.arpa by BRL-TGR.ARPA id a011900; 31 Jul 84 15:16 EDT Date: Tue 31 Jul 84 13:13:53-MDT From: Fred Ross <FROSS@SIMTEL20.ARPA> Subject: APPLE Keyboards To: info-apple-request@BRL-TGR.ARPA note The APPLE club in El Paso has acquired some keyboards for the APPLE ][ that are really nice. There are several extra at this time. If you are interested, contact: F. J. Ross 800 River Oaks Drive El Paso, Texas - 79912 (915) 581-0718 The price including postage and insurance is $150. An abreviated des- cription follows: ********************************************************************** MULTITECH, MAK ][ KEYBOARD (for APPLE ][ or ][+) ~ 90 Key Layout - Includes Numeric Keypad ~ User Definable Keys (10) 60 Bytes Total ~ 52 Basic Commands are Pre-Encoded (key command entry) ~ 12 User Programmable Keys - - 1st level commands include: Catalog, Load, List, Save, Delete, Run, AUTO LINE NUMBER, Keyboard Click Toggle, Monitor Entry, PR#6, & Home. - Remaining 3 levels (36 commands) provide for special code combinations. ~ 6' Coiled Cord ~ Installs by Replacing Keyboard Connector on Motherboard ~ Full Shift Capabilities ~ Low Profile - 29mm, Desktop to Homerow ~ Low Weight - 3.5# ********************************************************************** This is not an offer representing Multitech, but a cooperative effort on the part of the Apple club to acquire keyboards, and is not going to be repeated. F. J. Ross El Paso ------- ----- End of forwarded messages