Hi everybody, we want to build a Mimeo 1 ;)

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Hi everybody, we want to build a Mimeo 1 ;)

Hi,

I'm Gabriele "asbesto" Zaverio from Palazzolo Acreide, Italy! We at our Computer Museum started this project for building a replica of the famous Apple 1. I'm in contact with Mike Willegal and here I am greetings everyone here for the great amount of data in this forum!

We are in the process of searching all components; our restoration lab have a lot of vintage TTL and other parts so very few of them are missing.

About the keyboard, I have found this article here:

http://www.tinaja.com/glib/impascii1.pdf

Maybe can be useful to hack any kind of ASCII keyboard into one that fit the Apple 1?

Greetings from the sunny Sicilia Wink

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Re: Hi everybody, we want to build a Mimeo 1 ;)

It's really not worth trying to adapt a non-standard keyboard to work with a Mimeo or Apple-1.

It's easy enough to get a hold of an Apple II or II plus keyboard and use a simple board or cable to wire it to match the Apple-1 format. Wendell Sander has a whole thing on this on his website...
Here is a link to the PDF.

http://www.apple1notes.com/old_apple/Notes_files/Using%20Apple%20II%20Keyboard%20for%20Apple%201.pdf

Also if you want it for a museum setup and want to leave it on and let people use the system, then use a PS/2 keyboard and one of Mike Willegal's PS/2 serial keyboard adapter. This way you won't risk a vintage keyboard on the public. If you want to do an automated demonstration setup the adapter is also good because you can drive it from a PC and interact with it on the PS/2 keyboard.

Cheers,
Corey

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Re: Hi everybody, we want to build a Mimeo 1 ;)

Why not? We want to restore our spare Apple ][ instead of use their keyboards as spare parts, so this can be a better solution for us Smile

I found some other informations about keyboards for Apple 1 here:

http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/Apple/Apple_1.htm

Smile

and here come other interesting info about the old TV Typewriter by Don Lancaster:

http://www.tinaja.com/glib/bdtvtype.pdf

Obviously we also considered the PS/2 interface, it will be very useful for the museum installation Smile

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Re: Hi everybody, we want to build a Mimeo 1 ;)

What about using a II plus keyboard? I agree using a raised power key Apple II keyboard would be a waste. The II plus keyboards are common enough and not really something that would have museum significance.

Cheers,
Corey

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Re: Hi everybody, we want to build a Mimeo 1 ;)

Or even better....

Contact Mike Willegal and ask him about his Datanetics keyboard. Then you would be pretty authentic to what most Apple-1 users had at the time. I think he's keeping a list of how many people want one and if enough do, he will have another run. Then if you still want to do the PS/2 adapter at the same time, I have a keyboard multiplexor circuit that I can send you though Mike that lets a Datanetics keyboard and Mike's PS/2 adapter work at the same time.

Cheers,
Corey

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Re: Hi everybody, we want to build a Mimeo 1 ;)

Yes, we already contacted Mike about his Datanetics keyboard... now we have a lot of hints. Thank you Smile and sorry if all this discussion seem kinda stupid Smile we just want to hack Smile

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Re: Hi everybody, we want to build a Mimeo 1 ;)

No problem, but if you like to hack and you want it to look authentic, then the Datanetics kit is the way to go....

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