Ancient Keyboard Project

Dokinator

Dokinator

Dokinator

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Location
Essex United Kingdom
I have just got hold of this 'Acorn Electron' Keyboard which was part of an old computer (See picture).
I was wondering if it is possible to make this into a USB keyboard for novelty reasons. Just a small project I wouldn't mind doing to keep me busy.
If anyone has any help on how to do this and what I will need, I would be very grateful.

Thanks in advance

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lrlcr said:
Buy a new cheap usb keyboard and transplant the internals?
Click to expand...

seems the most logical way.

On a side note I like your creativity with the idea, I want to see this taken to the next level with the first ever basic desktop turned gaming beast! :D
 
lrlcr said:
Buy a new cheap usb keyboard and transplant the internals?
Click to expand...
Sounds like a good idea but.........
I think the biggest problem I am going to face is with the keys. I need to link up all the keys to their functions.
But I will bear your thought in mind.

Cheers 'lrlcr'
 
Anyone know if it is possible to connect a USB connector somewhere on here or not? :S

unledswp.png


To tell you the truth, i'm stumped at the moment, and cant think of how to do this.
 
Is that not a ps/2 connector? Why can't you just use an adaptor and plug it in to your PC?
I've had many keyboards which go usb- ps/2 so I don't see why it wouldn't work the other way around?!
 
Disco Boy said:
Is that not a ps/2 connector? Why can't you just use an adaptor and plug it in to your PC?
I've had many keyboards which go usb- ps/2 so I don't see why it wouldn't work the other way around?!
Click to expand...
No, its RGB, and Cassette. I have done more research, and it looks like this piece of equipment is actually the whole computer with a full 32KB of RAM :O :p

I really would like to get this to a working keyboard state :D
 
Write an assembler routine to read the keyboard, then send the correct pulses to whatever output port runs the same frequency and voltage. Use a BBC Micro emulator to work on - not sure how you'd load it in without tapes / 5" floppies, but the ROM might be flashable.
 
wilko49 said:
Write an assembler routine to read the keyboard, then send the correct pulses to whatever output port runs the same frequency and voltage. Use a BBC Micro emulator to work on - not sure how you'd load it in without tapes / 5" floppies, but the ROM might be flashable.
Click to expand...
Right, reading what you said, your on about writing a routing and using an emulator. Why would I need to do this if I just was to use this as a keyboard?
Basically Somehow I have got to get it so it runs via USB and can go into any computers USB port, for example my windows 7 machine (Just a novelty keyboard).
 
As you said, it is a complete computer - rather than dismantle it, just write the software to convert the keyboard to the corresponding signal on a USB line.

If it is similar to the Z80 Spectrum, one of the Electron's contemporaries, it generates a handful of bytes on a bus, but never completely serialises the keyboard data - in which case, you'll need to do some machine code/assembler to turn the parallel data into serial data. You can either do it using the Electron's processor, or by programming some microchips. Not sure how many channels you can do on it, but an Arduina interface might be the easiest way to program it.

Other than that, take a standard USB keyboard, rip the key contacts off, do the same for all the keys in the Electron and solder all the keys onto the contact points on the USB keyboard.
 
I see.........Im not knowledgeable in this type of coding so it doesn't make a lot of sense. Is there a video/demonstration of how to do something like this. It may then be easier for me to understand.
Thanks
 
wilko49 said:
Write an assembler routine to read the keyboard, then send the correct pulses to whatever output port runs the same frequency and voltage. Use a BBC Micro emulator to work on - not sure how you'd load it in without tapes / 5" floppies, but the ROM might be flashable.
Click to expand...

You shouldn't need to use an emulator.
When powered up the Electron boots into a command line mode, from which BASIC programs can be written. BBC BASIC was (probably still is) one of the best implementations of the langauage and includes a full assembler. BBC BASIC (and the assembler) could access virtually any part of the Electron hardware.
I suspect that the bare PCB connections at the back, could be programmed by reading and writing to the correct memory locations.


If you want to know more about BBC BASIC try here - http://www.rtrussell.co.uk/

Also don't wreck the Electron, it looks to be in VGC and could probably be sold.
 
Last edited:
Tomsk said:
You shouldn't need to use an emulator.
When powered up the Electron boots into a command line mode, from which BASIC programs can be written. BBC BASIC was (probably still is) one of the best implementations of the langauage and includes a full assembler. BBC BASIC (and the assembler) could access virtually any part of the Electron hardware.
I suspect that the bare PCB connections at the back, could be programmed by reading and writing to the correct memory locations.


If you want to know more about BBC BASIC try here - http://www.rtrussell.co.uk/

Also don't wreck the Electron, it looks to be in VGC and could probably be sold.
Click to expand...
Cheers for that advice mate. I think the only way I would consider converting this to a keyboard now would be to do a transplant with the insides but, as you said its in VGC so may be worth selling it.........
Will keep you all updated.
If anyone has any further help, please post.

Dok
 
I know this is stating the obvious but... you have checked to make sure the keyboard even works haven't you?
Would be a nightmare project if you spent a lot of time on it and found it wasn't even working
 
@ Dokinator

"They seem awesome"
Are you kidding ? Have you read the spec ? All this "C64" is, is a netbook without a screen. At that price ? LMAO.
 
Not really, I don't see how I can test it without actually doing what I was going to do and getting it working.

And 'Ubergeek'...
Not awesome how your looking at it, Awesome in the respect of how old they are and that it would be al laugh to have a play on :p
 
Tomsk said:
You shouldn't need to use an emulator.
When powered up the Electron boots into a command line mode, from which BASIC programs can be written. BBC BASIC was (probably still is) one of the best implementations of the langauage and includes a full assembler. BBC BASIC (and the assembler) could access virtually any part of the Electron hardware.
I suspect that the bare PCB connections at the back, could be programmed by reading and writing to the correct memory locations.


If you want to know more about BBC BASIC try here - http://www.rtrussell.co.uk/

Also don't wreck the Electron, it looks to be in VGC and could probably be sold.
Click to expand...

Not wrecking the electron is why I said to use software. And while I realise that you don't HAVE to use an emulator, surely you want the biggest screen space possible? I don't think the Electron can run 1920x1080 monitors, can it?
 
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