Re: C64 Tower - keyboard ======================== Subject: Re: C64 Tower - keyboard From: Rick Youngman Date: 1998/03/10 Paul Albers wrote: > > and something would have to be worked out with the keyboard, but with a > > bit of time and effort something could probably be worked out. > I've been tossing this idea around for some time. My big > question is about attaching a PC style keyboard to the C64. > I've seen plans that just attach the keyboard to the cassette > port and uses software to translate the key presses, but that's > not what I want. I want full harware emulation, no software > wedges or anything like that. > The hardware is not compatiable... The C=64 keyboard is a mechanical switching matrix. (Email me if you want a program I wrote mapping the switching matrix of the keyboard) To make a remote keyboard for the C=64 is really quite easy, the circut board is totaly self contained and terminates a 24 pin header strip (or 26 pin...cant remeber 4 sure) on the mother board. Using a "standard" PC paralel cabel and connectors it is a piece of cake. For the keyboard housing a simple piece of plexiglass overlaid (glued) on an ol gutted AT keyboard can be used, that has been cut-out to the proper shape to hold the C=64 board (use the top half of the C=64 housing for a patern) good luck.... and bTw... the "keyboard-out" jack I have installed in my C=64 tower has also been used to "hard-wire" directly to a defunked combo organ keyboard which also used mechanical switches on its keyboard. The results is I can run programs like Kawasaki music maker and use a REAL musical keyboard instead of C=64 keys. My "keyboard out" jack is wired in parrallel so I have both the C=64 keys available and also the musical keys on the combo organ -- Reeko SysOp of The WasteLand BBs 520-754-4731 http://www.ctaz.com/~wlbbs C= ? http://www.ctaz.com/~wlbbs/thefile.zip