[Coco] CoCo keyboard connector

[Mark Marlette]

I have several orders for the new PS/2 keyboard interface that have been made and the firmware for the PS/2 is almost complete. 

I have had an issue with the ring buffer that I was unable to resolve until recently. I just need to place the test code in to the final application and test. 

That is the next project, back on the bench. I do know exactly who has an order placed and they will get their product soon. I have over 20 units built up waiting for the final version of firmware with the fix. 

Short story, all keyboards are not the same. The timing in these keyboards are all over the map. All work fine if you type slow. The problem was how the keyboards act when you start typing fast. Some send complete keyboard packet messages, others would send broken, incomplete, before the timeouts and the interface would have to reassemble or wait for the rest of the packet to come in. My routines were not set up to handle this and during testing of different keyboards at final test, this problem was noted. IMHO, the PS/2 spec is the worst conceived standard ever made......The extended key set is amazing how convoluted it is to receive the key sequence. 

Been busy with about some new designs and this got thrown on the back burner.... :( Sorry for the delays. 

Regards, 

Mark 
http://www.cloud9tech.com 


----- Original Message ----- 
From: haywire666 at aol.com 
To: coco at maltedmedia.com 
Sent: Saturday, March 3, 2012 2:50:39 AM 
Subject: Re: [Coco] CoCo keyboard connector 

Those are cool thanks but I was looking for a simpler solution. I realized that they sell ps2 numetric keyboards for pcs. 


I think I could use a cloud9 adapter and just use one of those... Plug and play. 

I have to ask them when I'm ready if he has the ps2 version of the adapters available... 


Steven 



-----Original Message----- 
From: Kevin Zee <psycho at hughes.net> 
To: coco <coco at maltedmedia.com> 
Sent: Sat, Mar 3, 2012 12:43 am 
Subject: Re: [Coco] CoCo keyboard connector 


Check these out: 
http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/category/300/Keypads/1.html 

Hope it helps, 
Kevin 

On 3/2/2012 11:29 PM, haywire666 at aol.com wrote: 
> I'd really like a numeric keypad for my robot project. Were any external 
numeric keyboards made for the coco? 
> 
> 
> Much like the heathkit hero robot had, I'd like a keypad for entering in 
functions or commands. 
> 
> 
> 
> Or does anyone make something like that now or interested in making something 
like that now? 
> 
> 
> Its on my list of things to do, or research, but if I could buy one I'd be all 
for it... 
> 
> Steven 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Stephen H. Fischer<SFischer1 at Mindspring.com> 
> To: CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts<coco at maltedmedia.com> 
> Sent: Fri, Mar 2, 2012 9:19 pm 
> Subject: Re: [Coco] CoCo keyboard connector 
> 
> 
> Hi, 
> 
> It may take a little work, as Maltedmedia still is being organized. 
> 
> ftp://maltedmedia.com/coco/MANUALS/TANDY/HARDWARE/ 
> 
> is the starting point to look. 
> 
> ftp://maltedmedia.com/coco/MANUALS/TANDY/HARDWARE/TANDY_HW/COCO/Color%20Computer%203%20Service%20Manual%20(19xx)(Tandy)(pdf).7z 
> 
> That is the CoCo 3 one but I did not find the CoCo 2 one. 
> 
> I think that they are also somewhere else on the Web. 
> 
> SHF 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Bruce W. Calkins"<brucewcalkins at charter.net> 
> To: "CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts"<coco at maltedmedia.com> 
> Sent: Friday, March 02, 2012 4:26 PM 
> Subject: Re: [Coco] CoCo keyboard connector 
> 
> 
>> 
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> 
>> From: "Allen Huffman" 
>> 
>>> Hey, is there a tech manual online somewhere? I'm interested in how the 
>>> CoCo keyboard connector works. I know it went to a thin mylar connector 
>>> for the CoCo 3, but wasn't it a ribbon cable for the CoCo 1? 
>>> 
>>> Are the CoCo keys just switches, that open/close contacts and it's read 
>>> as an X by Y matrix of switches? 
>>> - 
>>> Allen Huffman - 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> The thin Mylar connector came out with the "283" "F" board CoCo 1 and 
>> continued through the 2 and 3. The keyboard was a 7 by 8 matrix of SPST 
>> momentary contact switches. I rebuilt two "real" keyboards for my "E" 
>> board CoCo 1. I actually wore out the first. 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Bruce W. 
> 
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