Re: //c+ keyboard, what can I do with it?

[jon@i-manila.com (Jon Co)]

my curiosity has gotten the better of me and I proceeded to open  up
my //c and take a peek.  Turns out that the cable has the exact number
of pins.  Looking at the board under, It would seem like the matrix is
exactly the same.  So i hooked it up an powered up the //c.  Works,
except the keyboard switch is gone.  the potentiometer does nothing at
all
Unfortunately for me I don't live in the US, and old mac stuff (or
even new) are pretty rare, and if ever, would fetch a hefty sum. apple
II stuff are even rarer as most people here during the 80's used hong
kong clones.  The IIGS is virtually unheard of here.  If I could get
my hands on a ROM-01 IIGS I would probably be able to use this
keyboard on it using the IIGS "//e upgrade port"
Oh yeah I didnt push through with the //c keyboard swap, because I use
the Dvorak layout, and because the apple key is in the way of a tab on
the top cover
mjmahon@aol.com (Michael J. Mahon) wrote in message news:<20030210152341.11413.00001013@mb-ch.aol.com>...
> Jon Co asked:
> 
> >I have unearthed another relic from my closet, this time, it seems to
> >be a //c+ keyboard.  The layout looks exactly like the IIGS keyboard
> >minus the numeric keypad.  There's the //c-like reset button in the
> >usual place on top, there's a switch beside it, could be the 40/80
> >switch or the qwerty/dvorak switch. then there's what appears to be
> >some kind of variable resistor.  Could be a volume control.  Then
> >there are 2 LED's on the right, presumably the power and the in-use
> >light.
> >What can I do with this keyboard.  I do not have a //c+.  I do have a
> >//e, a IIGS and a //c.  Would it work as-is in any of these?  The keys
> >are still in great condition, I'd like to use it on my //c but I'm not
> >sure if the pinouts are the same (or for that matter if the number of
> >pins are the same)  If they need re-wiring I would probably put
> >together an ADB keyboard with it and use it with my IIGS.
> 
> Not likely.  All keyboards for 8-bit Apples are matrix keyboards,
> which are scanned by a keyboard encoder and presented to the
> processor as a parallel ASCII code.
> 
> ADB keyboards are controlled by a microcontroller in the keyboard
> and on the mainboard of the computer, and communicate network-
> like, over the ADB.
> 
> With old ADB keyboards going for $5 and less, and the custom
> microcontrollers available only by scavenging from other ADB
> keyboards, there is no point in trying to make an ADB keyboard.
> 
> Perhaps its best use is to offer it to someone who needs to
> replace a damaged //c+ keyboard.
> 
> >Speaking of IIGS, I'm using some old mac keyboard on my GS.  What
> >annoys me with that keyboard is that the ESC key is not where it
> >should be, instead is between the space bar and the arrow keys, and
> >the CTRL key and CAPS LOCK key have swapped places as well.  And to
> >make things worst, there are KATAKANA characters to the right of the
> >usual english letters.  Does anyone know where that keyboard came
> >from?  The underside says assembled in mexico, and is called the
> >"Apple Keyboard II" made by Apple Computer, Inc., Family number: M0487
> 
> It would seem that you have a Mac keyboard made for use in Japan.
> All types of ADB keyboards are still available in the used/thrift/auction
> marketplace, usually for less than $5.
> 
> -michael
> 
> Check out amazing quality 8-bit Apple sound on my
> Home page:  http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/