smc8516@ultb.UUCP (S.M. Curtin) (10/08/89)
Lately I have been looking into the possibility of adding an external keyboard to my 500. I've compared the lines on the 500 and 2000 schematics, and It seems that an external keyboard could be added to the 500. To all those who are more familliar with Amiga architecture than I am, am I correct in assuming that an external keyboard could function properly simply by splitting off the existing KBCLOCK and KBDATA lines as well as the +5 and Ground. I am speaking of simultaneous operation with the internal keyboard, provided, of course, that a key on each keyboard is not being pressed at the same time. If both keyboards cannot be active at the same time, what kind of switching should I use to go from one to the other? Will the clock sync with the external keyboard if it is activated well after the computer is turned on? I also noticed that the 2000 doesn't seem to have a KBRESET line. Does this mean that only the internal keyboard would be capable of the reset sequence? It is not essential to me that the external keyboard have it, I just wanted to confirm this one way or another. Just looking at the schematics from both machines, it would seem that this is possible. However, I realize that schematics dont give complete information on the nature of the data on the lines they depict. What's the verdict from those who are more educated about this than I am? (This is my first ever posting to the Net, so be tolerant please...maybe I should have posted this in tech. To those who think so, sorry. I'll be more careful next time.) Sean Curtin...RIT Computer Science Class O' 92 (Hopefully)