ASCII Keyboard Tester PCB and Kits

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ASCII Keyboard Tester PCB and Kits

Hi all,

As a follow up of my post here (https://www.applefritter.com/content/ascii-keyboard-tester) I have finished the testing of my second revision of the ASCII Keyboard Tester. Tested it with a Datanetics replica keyboard for the Apple-1 and an Apple ][ keyboard, all works well!

I can offer a plain purple PCB for € 9,- (also green on request) and an unsoldered kit (PCB + all parts as pictured) for € 23,-. This is excluding the cost for shipment. I am based in The Netherlands. For larger volumes I can give a discount. Send me a PM when interested.

Regards from Holland,

Bobby

 

 

 

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One Byte Hex Display PCB and Kits

Hi all again,

I finished testing for the One Byte Hex Display as well.

This board can be used stand-alone or on top of the ASCII Keyboard Tester. For stand-alone usage you can provide 5V DC on the Power Supply pins and attach an 7 or 8 bit TTL input on the Data/Clock pins. These pins should be left unconnected when using on top of the ASCII Keyboard Tester as it gets all the power and data from the connecting socket. Through the jumper you can select if you want to display 7 bits only (for ASCII) or 8 bits. The 8 bit LEDS on the ASCII Keyboard Tester are always synchronized with this setting, so the Hex display corresponds with the LEDs.

Plain purple PCBs I can offer for € 7,50 and an unsoldered kit (PCB + all parts as pictured) for € 19,-.

For a set of PCBs (ASCII Keyboard Tester + One Byte Hex Display) it is € 16,- and for a set of both kits € 39,-.

This is all excluding the cost for shipment. I am based in The Netherlands. Send me a PM when interested.

PDF iconHexDisplay.pdf

 

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Wow!  That looks nice! 

Wow!  That looks nice!

 

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What is that last keyboard? 

What is that last keyboard?  I can't read the markings on the encoder but it looks like some kind of AY-3600 variant.  What key switches does it use?  Are those keycaps available somewhere?

 

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softwarejanitor wrote:What is
softwarejanitor wrote:

What is that last keyboard?  I can't read the markings on the encoder but it looks like some kind of AY-3600 variant.  What key switches does it use?  Are those keycaps available somewhere?

 

That keyboard is a "Brose ASCII-Tastatur". It is an early German industrial keyboard, pretty tiny and simple. The encoder IC is the famous AY-5-2376. In fact this keyboard was not working earlier, replaced the IC and it works fine. The key switches have low travel (1-2 mm), not very very nice, but a lot better than the ZX81 if you know what I mean. Do not know where the keycaps and switches come from, they have 4 pins, no brand or whatever. I think it was a kit from the beginning 80's?

For the Apple-1 though it should be modified to always send capital letters, but I think it is pretty suitable.

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Website

I've put some more information on a website: 8bitflux.com.

And for those who are waiting for a kit; PCBs did arrive, however I am still waiting for some final ICs, the courier is quite fast, the customs are very slow. Will contact through PM when things are complete and ready for shipment.

Thanks! Regards from Holland,

Bobby

 

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Parts are pooring in slowly,

Parts are pooring in slowly, first kits are complete and ready for shipment. Will contact everybody in sequence through PM when their kit is ready. I expect to serve everyone in the next couple of weeks. Thanks for waiting. Regards,

Bobby

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Manual

For those who are interested, I added a manual.

https://www.applefritter.com/files/2024/01/10/ASCIIKeyboardTester-Manual-v1.0.pdf

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I could use one of those... 

I could use one of those...  One of my clones (Micro ][) recently decided to have keyboard issues that I need to repair.  A tester like this one would be a good tool.

 

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