29 Jan
2005
29 Jan
'05
3:17 a.m.
All:
I'm working on another side project, a Mini-ITX conversion of a
non-working PCjr system. I don't have a keyboard for it, but I can choose
from wired or wireless PCjr or standard keyboards. For
the wireless PCjr
keyboard, I don't have the thingey that would connect to the
PC.
Has anyone ever tried to use the PCjr wireless keyboard on a modern
system? Any recommentations?
Thanks.
Rich
Rich Cini
Collector of classic computers
Build Master for the Altair32 Emulation Project
Web site: http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/
/************************************************************/
29 Jan
29 Jan
3:20 a.m.
Has anyone ever tried to use the PCjr wireless
keyboard on a modern
system? Any recommentations?
I would recommend the PCjr keyboard die the death it should have died in
IBM RandD. ^^
--
---------------------------------- personal: http://www.armory.com/~spectre/ --
Cameron Kaiser, Floodgap Systems Ltd * So. Calif., USA * ckaiser(a)floodgap.com
-- Don't let 'em drive you crazy when it's within walking distance.
-----------
7:34 a.m.
Cameron Kaiser wrote:
Hey now, the non-chiclet version (with actual keys) isn't so bad.
It took me a while to discover WHY the original PCjr keyboard used rubber keys:
It was so the complete newbie could use thin cardboard "overlays" that fit
completely over the keyboard and illustrated what each key did in a particular
application. King's Quest for PCjr did this, IIRC, as did a few other programs.
--
Jim Leonard (trixter(a)oldskool.org) http://www.oldskool.org/
Want to help an ambitious games project? http://www.mobygames.com/
Or check out some trippy MindCandy at http://www.mindcandydvd.com/
Has anyone ever
tried to use the PCjr wireless keyboard on a modern
system? Any recommentations?
I would recommend the PCjr keyboard die the death it should have died in
IBM RandD. ^^ 
11:26 a.m.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Leonard" <trixter(a)oldskool.org>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 29, 2005 4:34 PM
Subject: Re: Using an IBM PCjr wireless keyboard
It took me a while to discover WHY the original PCjr keyboard used rubber
keys:
It was so the complete newbie could use thin
cardboard "overlays" that
fit
completely over the keyboard and illustrated what each
key did in a
particular
application. King's Quest for PCjr did this,
IIRC, as did a few other
programs.
--
Jim Leonard (trixter(a)oldskool.org)
http://www.oldskool.org/
Could also be because a chicklet keyboard (membrane type) is allot cheaper
to make then a normal IBM keyboard with mechanical switches (of that
period).
30 Jan
30 Jan
7:24 a.m.
It took me a
while to discover WHY the original PCjr keyboard used rubber
keys:
It was so the complete newbie could use thin
cardboard "overlays" that
. . .
Could also be because a chicklet keyboard (membrane type) is allot cheaper
to make then a normal IBM keyboard with mechanical switches (of that
period).
29 Jan
29 Jan
12:45 p.m.
> >Has anyone ever tried to use the PCjr
wireless keyboard on a modern
> >system? Any recommentations?
> I would recommend the PCjr keyboard die the death
it should have died in
> IBM RandD. ^^
Hey now, the non-chiclet version (with actual keys)
isn't so bad.
That's the one I have. I do like the keytravel more than the Chiclet one, but
it's the line of sight requirement with its IR that really drives me wild.
--
---------------------------------- personal: http://www.armory.com/~spectre/ --
Cameron Kaiser, Floodgap Systems Ltd * So. Calif., USA * ckaiser(a)floodgap.com
-- To err is human -- to forgive is not company policy. -----------------------
9:36 a.m.
All:
I'm working on another side project, a Mini-ITX conversion of a
non-working PCjr system. I don't have a keyboard for it, but I can choose
from wired or wireless PCjr or standard keyboards. For the wireless PCjr
keyboard, I don't have the thingey that would connect to the PC.
Has anyone ever tried to use the PCjr wireless keyboard on a modern
system? Any recommentations?
Be warned that the PCjr keyboard protocol is nothing like that of other
PC keyboards. The IR receiver in the PCjr is a simple, dumb device (the
schematic is in the TechRef) which feeds the signal into one of the 8255
lines and, IIRC, the NMI input of the 8088. I can find details of the
encoding if you want.
But I think it would certainly take a microcontroller to link it to a
normal PC keyboard port.
-tony
7266
days inactive
7267
days old
6 comments
6 participants
participants (6)
-
ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk -
cisin＠xenosoft.com -
rcini＠optonline.net -
spectre＠floodgap.com -
teoz＠neo.rr.com -
trixter＠oldskool.org