Re: A plea: Looking for a working MM5740AAE/N for Apple II Keyboard

[Raymond Wiker <raw@unknown-00-23-6c-8d-9e-26.lan>]

"Michael J. Mahon" <mjmahon@aol.com> writes:

> rittwage wrote:
>> I have an old Apple II that I've fixed every other odd problem
>> (besides a broken Applesoft E0 ROM) except the keyboard!
>>
>> I found some AAC/N chips, but no luck- the encoding is wrong.  I need
>> to see if any kind soul has any AAE/N encoder chips left to spare.
>>
>> I really hate to convert to PS/2- I like the original keyboard.
>> Without that, I might as well use an emulator.  :)
>
> Pete, I'd recommend keeping this thread in csa2 and avoiding
> crossposting to marketplace and emulators.
>
> Are you sure that the problem is the encoder chip, and not
> one or more shorted keyswitches?  Failed encoders are not
> the most common keyboard problems.
>
> If it is the encoder, then you will have a hard time finding
> an equivalent replacement.  It would be possible to construct
> an equivalent that plugs into the original electrical "footprint",
> but it's not a simple project.
>
> Since the encoder presents parallel ASCII to the Apple II, it
> should not be too difficult to replace the keyboard with, say,
> a later Apple ][+ keyboard.  Those used to be pretty plentiful,
> depending on how authentically "Apple" it had to be...

If it turns out to be the encoder, Vince Briel's "SuperEncoder" may be a
suitable replacement:

http://www.brielcomputers.com/wordpress/?cat=9