While I’m waiting for Brain Board beta feedback, I finished assembling the Datanetics Keyboard Enclosure I built to match my Mimeo 1 Enclosure. Here is the final result. Not my finest work, but it will have to do.
Datanetics Keyboard Enclosure
Archive for the ‘Vintage Computing’ Category
Datanetics Keyboard Enclosure
Sunday, March 6th, 2011Brain Board Update
Saturday, March 5th, 2011I have shipped several Beta kits to some Mimeo builders who also have Apple IIs. Once I incorporate any feedback from the Beta Testers, I’ll open up for ordering. Hopefully this will take only a couple of weeks. My own testing of the production board has revealed no bugs.
In some ways, this is the most complex retro-project I have yet attempted. There was a pretty decent blue print for the Apple 1 and Apple II projects. The complexity involved making sure I didn’t overlook any of the content in the blue print and filling in a few blank pages. The Brain Board project involves creating a way to map the blue print from one fairly complex architecture into another. It also involves mapping the software systems along with the hardware systems. With the motherboard projects, the software was a given. A similar project was the PS/2 to ASCII keyboard adapter, but that mapping is much more constrained.
Several folks have suggested I take pre-orders for this project. Though demand on this project is hard to estimate, I think I have enough parts on hand to supply immediate demand and pre-orders are not necessary.
I have decided to classify this kit as a level 1 kit – it is very easy to build. If you can figure out which end of a chip has pin 1 and have a decent soldering iron, you should be able to build it. Here is a list of projects that I have offered with their skill levels.
1) Apple Cassette Interface (stocked), Brain Board (shipping soon)
2) PS/2 keyboard adapter (stocked)
3)
4) Apple 1 (stocked), Apple 2 rev 0 (discontinued)
5) Datanetics keyboard (several PCBs left)
Brain Boards are in the house
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011
Brain Board
During bring up last night, I had a minor issue with a dead 74LS74 and also found that 3 ohm resistors are not good substitutes for 3K ohm resistors. I’m now past that and am now looking at kicking off Beta testing this week.
VCF East 2011
Saturday, February 26th, 2011Well, the family will have to hold down the fort for a weekend in May while I exhibit at VCF East 2011. If you want to see my stuff in person without buying it, here is your chance.
Here is the link with VCF information
Brain Board PCBs shipped from vendor
Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011Should have them in about a week. I’ll immediately do a quick checkout to make sure they behave like my proto and get Beta started.
If everything goes smoothly I’ll be shipping by end of March.
I’m really excited about this project, it’s really a wicked neat little personality board for your Apple II – kind of like giving it a lobotomy. I’ll be posting more details about the design once I get closer to shipping.
Brain Board/Wozanium Pack Specs
Saturday, February 19th, 2011When running Wozanium Pack Firmware on the BrainBoard, here is the system specs.
Microprocessor Clock Frequency: 1.023 MHz – same as the original Apple 1
Effective Cycle Frequency: 1.0205 versus the original’s 0.960 MHz
VIDEO OUTPUT: Composite positive video – same as original
Format: 40 characters/line. 24 lines; with automatic scrolling – same as original
Character Matrix: 5 x 7 – same as original
RAM MEMORY: 16K located at 0x0 – standard configuration with the original had 4k at 0x0 and another 4k at 0xE000. Several original systems were modified with the bank of memory at 0x0 expanded to 16K
BASIC: 4K at location 0xE000 contains Basic in PROM – With the original, BASIC was loaded into the 4K DRAM bank at location 0xE000 using the Apple Casssette Interface (ACI)
APPLE CASSETTE INTERFACE: built in – ACI was an option on the original
“mind blowing” demo
Wednesday, February 16th, 2011see the “mind blowing” first public demo of the “BRAIN BOARD” on my video podcast #24
http://www.willegal.net/feed.xml
From itunes select “subscribe to podcast” and enter this link as the feed.
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Mind Blowing Update #2
Sunday, February 6th, 2011
less blur
After much delay mostly do to distractions with other projects, the software is done with no known open issues and the prototype board is working great. The production PCBs are order and will arrive in about 5 weeks. I thought I could get quick turn PCBs made, but this wasn’t to be, hence the long lead time. Here is timeline for future announcements and release.
1) I hope to have time to put together a video podcast showing a demo of prototype, so everyone can finally see what this is about. I hope to be able to post this sometime next weekend. I’ll also announce target pricing at that time.
2) The rest of the parts for the first production run will be ordered.
3) After taking a day or two to assemble and check one of the production boards for myself, I have two Beta testers lined up and they will get a few weeks to check out the board.
4) A web page will be created with downloadable instruction manual.
5) Assuming all goes well, I hope to be shipping in about 8 weeks.
Mind Blowing Apple Add On Update
Friday, January 7th, 2011This “Apple Add On” project is nearly complete. I have a prototype working, but need to tweak the software a bit. If I had pushed it. and put the Datanetics project aside, I could have completed it prior to Christmas. However, I have a bit of money tied up in the Datanetics PCBs and wanted to recoup at least some of it, before proceeding with another project that included a PCB build. That Datanetics PCB build is one project of mine that will never pay for itself, so don’t expect a rebuild in the future.
I have purchased a few of the more expensive components for the “Apple Add On”, along with some Datanetics parts that I needed. However, I’m not proceeding with the rest of component purchases or PCB build until the remaining 3 Datanetics PCBs are sold. If I can’t sell the remaining Datanetics PCBs via my my blog by the end of the month, I’ll go the eBay route. If you are thinking of waiting for the eBay sale, keep in mind that I will probably raise the price for the eBay sale, to account for added eBay costs. Selling these boards will free up enough “hobby” money to allow me to move on the “Mind Blowing Add On” PCB build.
radial blur
I’m anxious to get moving on this, as I think it is a pretty nifty project that will sell for well under a hundred bucks and a lot of Apple enthusiasts will get a kick out of.
Datanetics Up and Running
Wednesday, December 29th, 2010Check out my latest video podcast (#23) for a video demo.
reproduction datanetics keyboard up and running
If you requested a board, I am shipping now. If you did not request one, you can be added to the wait list, send me an email, as I have a couple of extras that haven’t been spoken for.