Kim / Commie keypads

From: Ross Archer <dogbert_at_mindless.com>
Date: Wed Apr 11 21:36:59 2001

Richard Erlacher wrote:

> I'd recommend that you not only replace the keypad with something more durable,
> but that you buffer and parallel the LED display such that you can use some
> significantly larger displays. That will provide you with flexibility in
> packaging that the use of the existing display won't allow. It's lotsa work,
> but that's what the hobby is about, isn't it?

I gave that some thought. Suppose having BIG displays would be nice.
I don't intend to input much data via the keypad -- I plan to take the best
parts of my 65C02 microcontroller and add it to the KIM so you can use
the PC as a rather fast tape drive. :) Still, it's cool to show people who
are into computers how people hand-assembled their programs and
typed them in, etc. :)

AC in, a filtered DC supply, cassette I/O jacks, an RS232 port, and 32K RAM
and secondary monitor ROM would all fit nicely within a box and
protect the whole thing, so I like that idea very much.



>
>
> The way to handle this might be to buy a scrap of aluminum sheet stock that's
> about large enough to build a box that will hold the KIM-1, perhaps together
> with a PSU, and, if you've any desire to do that, together with whatever
> expansion hardware you want. Make sure it's sturdy enough for your purposes.
> Obtain a hacksaw, shear, files, etc, and whatever else you think you'll need to
> butcher the metal. Radio Shack once sold a really decent nibbler, that's the
> easiest tool to afford for making oddly-shaped square-cornered holes for
> keypads, displays, connectors, etc. It was a good tool so it's likely no longer
> available. I bought two just to be safe.
>
> Purchase or fabricate a keypad, ABSOLUTELY NOT a membrane or otherwise prebuilt
> matrix keypad, but rather, one with keyboard-type switches and removable keytops
> to which you can see yourself applying some sort of decent-looking legends.
> That way you have a maintenance path. It's not hard to hand-wire a set of
> switches onto a piece of perf-board in a solid way that can be attached to the
> underside of your aluminum top. I've done this sort of thing many times and if
> you want "spiritual guidance" with respect to this, I doubt I'm the only one in
> this forum who's got advice for you.
>

It sounds like I could manage this assuming there's a ready supply of individual
keys somewhere out there -- and I figure this must be the case.

Thanks a lot for all the ideas.

-- Ross


>
> Dick
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ross Archer" <dogbert_at_mindless.com>
> To: <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2001 1:31 AM
> Subject: Re: Kim / Commie keypads
>
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Richard Erlacher <edick_at_idcomm.com>
> > To: <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
> > Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2001 9:04 AM
> > Subject: Re: Kim / Commie keypads
> >
> >
> > > It's pretty hard to tell whether it's the keypad or the circuit that's
> > > malfunctioning. How did you determine it's the keypad itself?
> > >
> >
> > Funny you should ask. I studied the circuit in detail
> > about two years back, and verified that closing the
> > right pair of application connector pins caused the
> > "broken" keys to register. I got busy, put the KIM
> > away in a box and forgot about it until recently.
> >
> > > Dick
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Roger Merchberger" <zmerch_at_30below.com>
> > > To: <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
> > > Sent: Monday, April 09, 2001 7:12 PM
> > > Subject: Kim / Commie keypads
> > >
> > >
> > > > Rumor has it that Sellam Ismail may have mentioned these words:
> > > > >On Mon, 9 Apr 2001, Ross Archer wrote:
> > > >
> > > > [[[ Editor's Note - original poster not identified ]]]
> > > >
> > > > >> > > So this discussion isn't totally off-topic, does anyone have
> > > > >> > > any suggestions on how to fix my dead KIM-1 keyboard?
> > > >
> > > > [ snip ]
> > > >
> > > > >I'll bet that the KIM-1 keypad was the same type that was used in one
> > of
> > > > >Commodore's pocket calculators. But even THOSE are pretty rare.
> > > > >
> > > > >I guess you're SOL. Is it possible to unsolder the keypad and
> > disassemble
> > > > >it to clean the contacts?
> > > >
> > > > I hope he's not [1]... I happen to have a Commie pocket calculator in my
> > > > basement - dunno if it's what you're looking for (it's *duuuuuusty!* and
> > I
> > > > don't think it works well) but I can put digital pix on the 'net in the
> > > > next couple days if that'd help...
> > > >
> > > > Shipping or small trade would be all I ask...
> > > >
> > > > [1] I'm hoping that the original poster isn't SOL, that is...
> > > >
> > > > HTH,
> > > > Roger "Merch" Merchberger
> > > > --
> > > > Roger "Merch" Merchberger --- sysadmin, Iceberg Computers
> > > > Recycling is good, right??? Ok, so I'll recycle an old .sig.
> > > >
> > > > If at first you don't succeed, nuclear warhead
> > > > disarmament should *not* be your first career choice.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
Received on Wed Apr 11 2001 - 21:36:59 BST